Manhood

            In the short story, "Through The Tunnel." written by Doris Lessing, the eleven-year-.
             old boy Jerry, is going through the different stages from childhood to manhood, which .
             changes his character. He goes through this rite of passage by separating from his safe .
             mother, by disciplining himself to reach his goal and by courageously overcoming his fears .
             to become a whole new person.
             In the beginning of the story, Jerry is portrayed as a young boy who is still very .
             much attached to his mother. He would accompany her to the "safe beach"(Lessing 67,50 for .
             the routine of swimming and sunbathing with his mommy. The young "English boy" shows .
             early signs of transition by not wanting to stay at the "big beach"( 67,50) and going .
             to the "wild and rocky bay"( 67,50). This represents Jerry wanting to explore the .
             wonders and dangers of manhood. "He saw that it spread among small promontories and .
             inlets of rough sharp rock and the crisping, lapping surface showed stains of purple and .
             darker blue"( 67,50). Even though the boy is alone he still needs the security of his .
             mother to fall back on. "There she was a speck of yellow underneath the umbrella.".
             (67,51). Jerry was torn between being independent and having the security of his mother, .
             "Relieved at being sure she was there but all at once feeling lonely". ( 67,51). Jerry .
             also wanted to fit in, be a part of a crowd, to have someone older to look up to, "to be .
             with them, of them was a craving that filled his whole body. ( 67,51). The local boys saw .
             Jerry as a "foreigner" but the protagonist sees the boys as role models due to the loss of .
             his father and his need for manly direction. "They were big boys-men, to Jerry" ( 67,51). .
             There was no one to teach Jerry how to become a man so these big boys substituted that .
             void. "He was an only child. She was a widow"( 67,50). Jerry's separation from .
             his mother is one the many steps to manhood, which leads into maturity.
             By disciplining himself to reach his personal goal, Jerry is at the beginning of his .