Answer:
The correct answer is John has gained a new confidence in himself and wants to continue through the locks.
Step-by-step explanation:
John is now a braver man than he used to be, after the fight with the other driver boy.
He shows a confidence he didn't have before. He was always afraid of everything, and especially of his father.
In the end, John shows great confidence and seems no longer afraid of his father. He tells him "Water never hurt a man," the phrase his father tells him at the beginning of the story, where he was a scary boy. This proves that he has changed.