Question

Reread the portion of "Through the Tunnel" that describes Jerry’s journey through the tunnel. How does word choice create a sense of danger and suspense? Your response should be at least 150 words.

Answer 1

The word choice that Doris Lessing utilized in the scene where Jerry finally goes to complete his rite of passage―which is swimming through the underground tunnel―creates an anxious and suspenseful mood. The words that Lessing had selected―such as “panicky,” “frightened,” “dying,” “struggled on in the darkness,” and “groping forward”―also form a sense of danger in that it brings to the reader’s attention Jerry’s wrestle with the tunnel as he attempts to pull himself through towards the end of the shaft & prove himself to the other boys living there who do not speak his language. Another way in which Doris conveys suspense is her use of Jerry counting numbers in his head both while he’s training himself to hold his breath and as he’s traversing through the underground tunnel. However, he had never before held his breath for so long despite his practice. When he was making his attempt at successfully travelling through the tunnel, he repeated the number “A hundred and fifteen… a hundred and fifteen…” in his head, suggesting that he has been holding his breath for much longer than he thought he was able to.

Step-by-step explanation:

Please put your answer in your own words :)

Answer 2

A reader could start to feel suspense by first connecting to Jerry's curiosity. When he discovers the tunnel, the reader recognizes Jerry's fear of octopuses and possible death. The reader will then feel more suspense through Jerry's actions. This is because the boy takes so long to get inside the tunnel. It is also because of the author's descriptions. The reader would feel the tense feelings of Jerry because he obviously is holding his breathe for a long time. Then the reader would visualize the blue waters which were not comforting in a scary setting. While reading, a person would feel Jerry might not survive. The suspense develops when Jerry sees the crack of life and fights for air or survival. A reader can observe that suspense is most felt when characters are put in dangerous scenarios. Their feelings and their settings descriptions create the suspense. The author also has to very good with descriptive words.