Deep Water Class 12 English Flamingo

Key Points of the Story 

• Deep Water is an excerpt from American jurist William Douglas’s book ‘Of Men and Mountains’. 
• It is an autobiographical account of the author’s experience with fear. 
• A fear of water had taken root in him during a visit to the beach with his father when he was a child. 
• When he wanted to overcome this fear after some years by learning swimming, he encountered another terrible incident which exposed him to a near-death experience. 
• The chapter tells us how he did not let that fear hold sway over him. 
• When you read Deep Water Class 12 Summary, you will discover a journey of willpower and resolution that leads the author towards a stage of life where he is no longer haunted by his fear of water.

Detailed Summary 

The author recounts their journey of overcoming a fear of water, commencing with a childhood incident. Around the age of ten or eleven, they decided to learn swimming at the Y.M.C.A pool due to its perceived safety compared to the treacherous Yakima river. The fear of water had its roots in a traumatic event when the author was three or four years old, knocked down by waves at a California beach, leading to a deep-seated fear of water. Despite this, the author eventually gained the confidence to learn to swim at the Y.M.C.A pool.

Their swimming journey began tentatively with the use of water wings, imitating other boys at the pool. One day, they found themselves alone at the pool and waited for companions. However, an intimidating, muscular eighteen-year-old boy arrived, who bullied and forcefully threw the author into the water. The experience was harrowing as they struggled to keep afloat, but they managed to reach the pool floor and devised a plan to escape the water. When they kicked off the pool floor, the ascent was slower and more suffocating than expected, leaving them unable to scream. Panic set in as they attempted to reach the surface but started sinking again.

Exhaustion led to unconsciousness, and they were rescued by others. The perpetrator claimed it was a joke, but someone else acknowledged the near-fatal situation. This incident left the author physically and emotionally weakened.

Years later, the fear still haunted the author when they encountered water, rendering them paralyzed and unable to move their legs. Attempts to conquer this fear proved futile. However, one October, the author decided to take swimming lessons with a step-by-step approach from an instructor. They practiced swimming with a rope tied around them, gradually improving their confidence. After three months of practice, they learned to breathe underwater and continued with leg-kicking exercises. The instructor eventually declared the author ready to swim.

Despite the instructor's approval, the author remained skeptical and continued to swim alone, noticing lingering traces of fear. To test their progress, they swam two miles across Lake Wentworth and experienced fear only once, underwater in the middle of the lake.

Doubt still lingered, so the author swam in Warm Lake and was pleasantly surprised to swim across and back without any difficulty. This marked a significant turning point, and the author described it as a profound feeling that only those who have faced and conquered intense fear can comprehend. The author quoted Roosevelt, emphasizing that the only thing to fear is the fear of death itself.

Theme/Message

The story highlights the journey of overcoming deep-rooted fear through perseverance, determination, and systematic effort. It emphasizes that fear can be conquered with patience and courage, and true victory lies in facing and defeating one's inner demons. The author's experience underscores the idea that fear itself is the greatest obstacle, echoing Roosevelt's wisdom: "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself."

Difficult Words

• Treacherous: Dangerous, Unpredictable
• Subdued: Lowered, Reduced
• Misadventure : Accident, Bad luck
• Aversion: Dislike, Hatred
• Overpowering: Powerful to overcome
• Oblivion: Unconscious, Forgetfulness
• Residual: Remaining, Left over
• Vestiges: Remainder, Trace
• Haunting: Unforgettable, Coming to memory repeatedly
• Exertion: Stress, Tiredness
• Flailed: Repeatedly moved hands and legs
• Thrash: Beat, Move violently
• Cascades: Series of small waterfalls
• Handicap: Disadvantage
• Curtain of life fell: Life ended, Death