Deep Water
William Douglas
Talking About the Text
Question 1: “All we have to fear is fear itself”. Have you ever had a fear that you have now overcome? Share your experience with your partner.
Answer: I was always good at studies but I always feared facing a competition. The phobia was so much that I often felt butterflies in my stomach on the day of an examination. My parents probably understood my fear and started taking me to participate in various painting competitions which were frequently organized in the city. The moment I was left all alone amidst the huge swarm of competing children on a lawn, I felt being put under a microscope the way a slide is put for observation. I think, after about five rounds of failures, I won a consolation prize in a painting competition in which about 3000 children had participated. Next year was even better as I won the first prize. This was the beginning of me getting better of my phobia. I gradually built on my new found confidence and now I don’t mind sitting for any examination for which I am eligible. After finishing my higher secondary school, I appeared for nine competitive examinations and have come out with flying colours in all of them.
Question 2: Find and narrate other stories about conquest and fear and what people have said about courage. For example, you can recall Nelson Mandela’s struggle for freedom, his perseverance to achieve his mission, to liberate the oppressed and the oppressor as depicted in his autobiography. The story We’re Not Afraid To Die, which you have read in Class XI, is an apt example of how courage and optimism helped ad family survive under the direst stress.
Answer: There are many examples. You can write about Bachendri Pal who conquered the Mount Everest. You can write about the story of a dyslexic child, as shown in the famous Hindi movie Taare Zamin Par.
Thinking About Language
If someone else had narrated Douglas’s experience, how would it have differed from his account? Write out a sample paragraph or paragraphs from this text from the point of view of a third person or observer, to find out which style of narration would you consider to be more effective? Why?
Answer: A few years after the drowning experience at the pool, Douglas came know the waters of the Cascades. He wanted to get into them. Whenever he did, the terror that had seized him in the pool would come back. Whether he was wading in the Tieton or Bumping River or bathing in Warm Lake of the Gold Rocks, the fear was his constant companion. The terror would completely possess him. His legs would become paralysed. Icy horror would grab his heart.
Note: If language is properly used and sentences are properly framed bot the styles of narration can do justic to the topic.
Writing
Question 1: Doing well in any activity, for example a sport, music, dance or painting, riding a motorcycle or a car, involves a great deal of struggle. Most of us are very nervous to begin with until gradually we overcome our fears and perform well.
Write an essay or about five paragraphs recounting such an experience. Try to recollect minute details of what caused the fear, your feelings, the encouragement you got from others or the criticism.
You could begin with the last sentence of the essay you have just read – “At last I felt released – free to walk the trails and climb the peaks and to brush aside fear.”
Answer: At last I felt released, free to be my own master. I felt like flying in air when my bicycle cruised on the tarmac. Those were the days when bicycles came in only one size, fit for grown up children and adults. I always felt jealous when any of my classmates rode past me on his bicycle. But I dreaded the thought of riding one because of all the hits and bruises I got whenever I tried to ride a bicycle. By the time I reached class nine, all my classmates barring me started going to school on their bicycles. I was the only unfortunate soul who had no option but to walk down to his school. I was as tall as most of the students in the class, and was physically fit too. Gradually, I began to be a butt of jokes by my friends, for my inability to ride a bike.
My father tried to teach me riding a bike but he failed, rather I failed to learn. Even he resigned me to my fate and stopped taking interest in my riding abilities. One fine morning, my father cajoled me to try riding the bike. I fell down on my first attempt. Then my Dad used a stool to help me stride the saddle. He held the bike from rear and I was able to pedal with all the force I could muster up. But the handlebars wobbled like the weak limbs of a geriatric person. I ended up hitting an electric pole after merely riding for ten metres.
On another day, I was apparently riding the bike effortlessly as my Dad was holding on to it. Probably, my Dad grew confident and released his hold. I continued my ride until I looked back to find that my Dad was about 100 metres away from me. This sparked panic in me and I lost control and fell on the road. The effect of the moment was so much that I rolled on the road and ended up falling in the drain. I was soaked in muck from head to toe and was stinking like shit. My dad had to use a hose from the garden to wash me clean. The fall was so bad, that I got a fracture on my right hand. So, it was goodbye to cycling for at least two months because my right hand needed time to recuperate.
My Dad had resigned me to my fate and stopped even cajoling me for a ride. One of my friends, who was taller and stronger than me, took up the cudgel of teaching me the art of riding a bicycle. I rode pillion with him to the Polo Ground for the lesson. We selected the Polo Ground because it was covered with lush green grass and very few people could be seen on that ground during afternoon. There was least risk of getting serious injury while practicing at the Polo Ground. My friend held on to the bike for at least five to six rounds of my ride around the ground. Next day, he did not hold the bicycle but ran along with me. I was confident that a person was present to prevent me from falling if the need arose. After about a week’s practice I was able to ride the bike under the watchful eyes of my instructor. He could now afford to sit on the sidelines, shouting various instructions the way football coaches do. It was after about a fortnight that I could get enough courage to drive through the bazaar. Within a month, I even started running errands for my mom because I started to fall in love with my bike.
Question 2: Write a short letter to someone you know about your having learnt to do something new.
Answer: Do it yourself. You can develop on idea from the answer to previous question.
Things to Do
Are there any water sports in India? Find out about the areas or places which are known for water sports.
Answer: Uttarakhand is famous for many water sports, especially for river rafting. Inflated canoes are used for river rafting in the hilly rivers amidst the beautiful hilly terrain. As most of the people do not know swimming, and the water rushes with great force, expert instructors accompany the enthusiasts. Everyone is given a life jacket to prevent untoward incident. You can hire a boat for various distances like five kilometers, nine kilometers, etc.