Important Questions: Deep Water | English Class 12 PDF Download

Short Answer Type Questions

Q1: How did the incident at the YMCA pool affect Douglas?
Ans: Douglas, a ten year old boy, was standing alone at the YMCA pool when a big bully of a boy picked him up and tossed him into the deep end and at once he was at the bottom of the pool. Though he did manage to come up with extreme difficulty, he could never again go back to the pool. He started fearing and avoiding water. Whenever he went near water a haunting terror would seize him.

Q2: When Douglas realised that he was sinking, how did he plan to save himself?
Ans: When Douglas realised he was sinking he was frightened out of his wits and it was then that he decided to make a big jump and come up to the surface. He thought of lying flat on water for some time and then to paddle to the edge of the pool.

Q3: What sort of terror seized Douglas as he went down the water with a yellow glow? How could he feel that he was still alive?
Ans: When Douglas went down the water with a yellow glow it was a nightmarish experience for him. His legs were almost paralysed, his lungs were aching and his head was throbbing. He felt the thumping of his heart and the pounding in his head and these made him realize that he was still alive.

Q4: What misadventure did William Douglas experience at the YMCA pool?
Ans: A misadventure at the YMCA pool wherein Douglas was thrown into the deeper end of the pool by a big boy made Douglas afraid of water. He went down into the water three times but failed to come up. Though he was ultimately saved, a terror of water developed in him as his lungs filled with water. His head throbbed and his legs felt paralysed thus making him fear water permanently.

Q5: Why did Douglas go to Lake Wentworth in New Hampshire?
Ans: Douglas went to Lake Wentworth in New Hampshire to test whether he still had any fear of water. After his vigorous swimming practice he was still not very sure if his terror for water had left him. So he wanted to try out his swimming skills at Lake Wentworth. He dived into the lake and only after swimming across the shore and back did he feel certain his terror of water had fled.

Q6: What did Douglas learn from his experience at the YMCA pool?
Ans: His experience of drowning at the YMCA pool had a very deep impact on Douglas. He became extremely terrorised and fearful of death. He had experienced both the sensation of dying and the terror that fear of it can produce. So his will to live grew in intensity. He learnt slowly to become a swimmer brushing aside his fear gradually.

Q7: Why did Douglas go to Lake Wentworth in New Hampshire? How did he make his terror flee?
Ans: Douglas went to Lake Wentworth in New Hampshire to test whether he still had any fear of water. After his vigorous swimming practice he was still not very sure if his terror for water had left him. So he wanted to try out his swimming skills at Lake Wentworth. He dived into the lake and only after swimming across the shore and back did he feel certain his terror of water had fled.

Q8: Which two frightening experiences did Douglas have in water in his childhood?
Ans: Douglas’ first frightening experience in water was when he was three or four years old. He was knocked down by waves while surfing at California beach. He had been terror-struck at that time. Years later, his experience at the YMCA pool revived unpleasant memories when an eighteen year old boy had hurled Douglas into the deep end of the pool. Both these experiences led Douglas to develop a fear of water.

Q9: How did Douglas make sure that he conquered the old terror?
Ans: Douglas went to Lake Wentworth in New Hampshire to test whether he still had any fear of water. After his vigorous swimming practice he was still not very sure if his terror for water had left him. So he wanted to try out his swimming skills at Lake Wentworth. He dived into the lake and only after swimming across the shore and back did he feel certain his terror of water had fled.

Q10: Why did William Douglas use the YMCA pool and not Yakima river to learn swimming?
Ans: Douglas used the YMCA pool and not the Yakima river to learn swimming because the river was treacherous His mother continually warned him against it and kept the details of each drowning in the river fresh in his mind. On the other hand the YMCA pool was safe, only two or three feet deep at the shallow end.

Long Answer Type Questions

Q11: How did Douglas develop an aversion to water?
Ans: When Douglas was three or four years old, his father had taken him to the beach in California. As he and his father had stood together in the surf, the waves had knocked him down and swept over him. He was buried in water. His breath was gone and he was frightened. Then, when he was about ten or eleven years old and had decided to learn to swim, he had gone to the YMCA pool. There an eighteen year old boy picked him up and tossed him into the deep end of the pool. After this incident he never went back to the pool. He developed a fear of water and avoided it whenever he could. Even when he went wading or boating in water the terror that had seized him during these experi¬ences would come back and take possession of him completely. His legs would become paralysed and icy horror would grab his heart.

Q12: How did the instructor make Douglas a good swimmer?
Ans: The instructor put in serious efforts to ‘build a swimmer’ out of Douglas. He understood Douglas’ mortal water-phobia and practiced five days a week, an hour each day, with him. He devised a unique way to teach him how to swim. He attached a rope to Douglas’ belt that went through a pulley which ran over an overhead cable. Holding the end of the rope in his hand, he made Douglas move back and forth in the pool without causing him much fear. Douglas was taught how to exhale under water and raise his nose to inhale. This exercise was repeated numerous times and they went to and fro across the pool week after week. The instructor then taught Douglas to kick with his legs. At first his legs would not work but finally he was able to control and command them. Finally he was transformed into quite a perfect swimmer by his instructor.

Q13: What misadventure did Douglas experience at the YMCA swimming pool?
Ans: As the timid Douglas sat alone at the side of the YMCA swimming pool waiting for other people to come, a big bruiser of a boy, probably eighteen years old came there. He asked Douglas whether he would like to be ducked. Saying this he picked up Douglas and tossed him into the deep end of the pool. Douglas landed inside the pool in a sitting position, swallowed water and went at once to the bottom of the pool. Though Douglas was extremely frightened he had his wits intact so on his way down he started to plan. He decided that when his feet would hit the bottom he would make a big jump, come to the surface, lie flat on it and then paddle to the edge of the pool. At that moment the nine feet deep pool seemed like ninety feet to him and before he touched the bottom he felt his lungs were ready to burst.

Q14: How did Douglas’s experience at the YMCA pool affect him and how did he overcome his fear of water?
Ans: The big bully of a boy found Douglas alone at the pool. He picked him up and tossed him into the deep end of the pool. Douglas was thrown at the bottom of the pool and feared that he would be drowned. This ‘misadventure’ caused Douglas a lot of trouble and agony. He developed an aversion to water as he experienced a series of fears and emotions. Icy horror grabbed his heart and made him panicky. This experience had a lasting effect on Douglas. It deprived him of the joys of boating and swimming. This fear of water ruined his fishing trips. He never went back to the pool. This fear of water stayed with him as the years rolled by.
Whenever he tried to enter water, he was seized by fear. Wherever he went his joys of fishing, boating and swimming were ruined. This fear of deep waters stayed with him for years and firmly held him in its grip. Douglas had to resort to professional assistance to overcome his fear of water. He employed an instructor to teach him how to swim. He practiced five days a week, an hour each day with the instructor and piece by piece the instructor built a swimmer out of Douglas.

Q15: Desire, determination and diligence lead to success. Explain the value of these qualities in the light of Douglas’ experience in “Deep Water”.
Ans: Determination and perseverance is a combination of attributes and abilities that drive people to set goals for themselves and then to take the initiative to achieve these goals. Douglas was able to overcome his fear of water by the values of positive attitude and courage. Initially he was afraid of water but his grit and determination made him get an instructor and overcome his fear. Determination today leads to our success tomorrow. It is that innate quality in our soul, which comes to surface when an incident irks it. It is a reflection of our values taught to us by society and circumstances and enables us to overcome all obstacles. There is always admiration for heroes like William Douglas who face challenges courageously and finally emerge successful. For years the fear of water haunted him. It deprived him of the joy of canoeing, swimming, fishing and boating. However, it was deliberate, planned and continuous efforts that enabled Douglas to get over his fear. He was absolutely determined to get rid of his fear and it was due to his perseverance and resoluteness that he emerged victorious.

Q16: With the help of courage one can achieve a lot. How did Douglas overcome his fear of water?
Ans: Douglas was afraid of water from a very young age. His misadventure at the YMCA pool further increased his water phobia. He was unable to enjoy fishing and boating trips. Finally he decided he had to overcome his fear. He could not do it without seeking professional help, so he appointed an instructor who gradually made him an excellent swimmer. Still, Douglas was not satisfied. He made use of every opportunity to swim and dive in water thus challenging his fear. He was able to overcome his fear completely and this led him to make the statement that what one is afraid of is fear itself and if we are able to overcome that fear then we can achieve anything in life.