Deep Water class 12 NCERT solutions

Deep Water class 12 NCERT solutions: Deep Water is a lesson from class 12 NCERT English main textbook Flamingo. Deep water is written by William Douglas. Here you'll get Deep Water class 12 NCERT solutions. 

Deep Water class 12 summary

'Deep Water' is an autobiographical account of William Douglas describing how, as a young boy, he nearly drowned in a swimming pool. It occured at the pool in Y.M.C.A. in Yukima, when he was eleven or twelve years old.

This incident left him a long lasting fear of water which, however he was able to overcome with sheer determination and will power. Here, he talks about his conscious efforts to conquer his fear and challenge the waters again.

Deep Water class 12 explanation

• Paragraph 1 to 3

"It had happened when I was ten..... the misadventure happened."

Explanation: The writer recounts a terrifying incident that happened when he was just ten or eleven years old. It was an incident which, despite the feeling of horror, brought several positive changes in his life. Even as a child he had always had a fear of water.

He remembers the ordeal as waves knocked and rushed over  him when he was with his father at a bench in California. He clung to his father who, not realizing what he felt, merely laughed away his fear. But he felt suffocated and utterly scared.

Then as he grew up, at the age of ten or eleven, he went to the pool at Y.M.C.A in Yukima. The pool was a safe place compared to the rough Yukima river which his mother had always warned against.

It offered him an opportunity to learn swimming and he also bought a pair of water wings for the purpose. Though he was  self conscious about his skinny legs, he decided to keep his pride aside and go to the pool.

The childhood fears did come back as he neared the pool, but brushing it aside, he joined the other boys and started paddling. Over a couple of days, he gained confidence and was quiet at ease in water. But then again, everything changed.

• Paragraph 4 to 7

"I went to the pool when no one..... but not my mouth."

Explanation: One day, he went to the pool when no one else was around. A little hesitant to enter the pool alone, he sat at the side and waited for others to come. Then came an elder boy, about eighteen, strong and muscular, who bullied him and threw him into the deep end of the pool.

The author landed in a sitting position, swallowed lot of water and went at once to the bottom. He was frightened, but decided to make a big jump when he reached the bottom of the pool. He would then come to the surface, lie flat on the water and paddle to the side.

But the fall seemed endless. Nine feet felt more than ninety. Even before his feet touched the bottom, his lungs were about to burst. Finally, when his feet touched the bottom, he gathered all his strength and tried to spring upwards.

But the result was not what he had expected. When he opened his eyes, he saw nothing but water around him. Panic gripped him and he tried to grab at something but to no avail. He only touched water. His voice failed him and only his nose and eyes were above the water level.

• Paragraph 8 to 11

""I flailed at the surface.......... that I was still alive." 

Explanation: He flapped his legs in the water but merely swallowed more and choked. His legs seemed paralysed and knew he was sinking back to the bottom once again. Breathlessness, throbbing head, dizziness and an ache in the lungs overpowered him. A great force pulled him under water but still he remembered a strategy he ought to adopt. He would spring up to the surface, lie flat on the water and reach the edge by striking out with his arms and legs.

But once again, his attempt proved futile. Terrified, he tried calling for help and only the water heard him. As he sank, he saw dark water around him which he could not see through. His feelings could only be understood by a man who has actually experienced drowning, a terror that is not easy to comprehend. He felt stiff and paralysed. The only sensation of life was his pounding head and pulsating heart.

• Paragraph 12 to 17

"And then in the midst of the terror...... the curtain of life fell."

Explanation: Even in the grip of terror, he did not give up trying. However, it made no difference. He tried to call for his mother. For a moment he thought he had come out of the yellow water but went down again. His efforts died within him. There was no fear and no more panic. He felt tired and drowsy and finally, was oblivious of everything around him. He had, somehow, given up no life.

• Paragraph 18 to 22

"The next I remember...... joy of canoeing, boating and swimming".

Explanation: On regaining consciousness, he found himself lying on his stomach beside the pool and was vomiting. The boy who threw him said he was just having fun but someone else remarked that he had nearly died. Several hours later he walked back home in a state of shock. The trauma haunted him day and night. Even slight exertions upset him. He never went near the pool and avoided water whenever he could.

Few years later, he felt tempted to get into the water in different lakes and rivers but whenever he neared the water, the same old terror seized him. The dreadful memory of the pool weakened him for many years. Consequently, he could never enjoy swimming, boating, canoeing or even fishing.

• Paragraph 23 to 27

""I used every way to overcome this fear..... another length of the pool."

Explanation: Unable to shed this fear, one fine October he finally decided to get an instructor to learn swimming. He practised five days a week, an hour each day. The instructor put a belt around him attached to a rope. Every time the instructor relaxed his grip on the rope, he got panicky. As the instructor held on to the end of the rope, Douglas swam back and fourth in the pool. Douglas was taught different techniques but whenever he put his head under water, he became tense. It took him not less than three months to exhale and mastered the same through repeated exercise.

The instructor succeeded in making him a swimmer. By next April, he could dive and swim the length of the pool. The instructor done his job. Though he mastered the art, yet the confidence of being alone in a pool was not there. He then started to confront his fears by swimming even longer.

• Paragraph 28 to 31

"This went on untill July....... climb the peaks and to brush aside fear."

Explanation: He went on in this way till July but wanted to be sure that even the last remnants of his fear had left him. So he went to Lake Wentworth in New Hampshire and swam two miles across the lake to Stamp Act Island.

Once, right in the middle of the lake, he just happened to put his face under and saw nothing but bottomless water. There was a moment's uneasiness but he challenged his fear which fled in dread. He did the same at Warm Lake and felt certain that he had conquered his fright once and for all.

Other Lessons from Class 12 Text-book

• The Last Lesson 
• Lost Spring
• Memoirs of Chota Sahib
  
• Indigo
  
• Going Places
  
• The Tiger King
  
• Enemy
  
• On the face of it
  
• Magh Bihu or Maghor Domahi
  
• My Mother at Sixty Six
  
• Keeping Quite
  
• A road side stand
  
• A Thing of Beauty
  

Deep Water class 12 textbook questions answers

Think as you read
• Page No 27

Q1. What is the "misadventure" that William Douglas speaks about ? 
Ans: The "misadventure" that Douglas speaks about is the incident of near drowning in the Y.M.C.A. pool. He had a fear of water since childhood but wanted to get over it. Thus, one day, he went to the pool in Yukima when no one was around it. He was sitting by the side when a boy picked him up and tossed him into the deep end of the pool. This misadventure was a traumatic experience in William Douglas life.

Q2. What were the series of emotions and fears that Douglas experienced when he was thrown into the pool ? What plans did he make to the surface ? 
Ans: Douglas landed on the water in a sitting position, swallowed a lot of water and went straight to the bottom. He was frightened but not out of his wits. He planned he would make a big jump as his feet touched the bottom and come to the surface. He would then lie flat and paddle to the edge of the pool.


Q3. How did this experience affect him ? 
Ans: This experience traumatised him for a long time. That day, he couldn't sleep or eat and cried all night. Even the slightest exertion upset him. He never went to the pool and avoided water whenever he could.


• Page No 29

Q1. Why was Douglas determined to get over his fear of water ? 
Ans: This fear became a huge handicap for Douglas because he missed out on the fun of all aquatic activities. Wherever he went, the hunting fear of water followed him. It deprived him of the joys of boating, canoeing or swimming and ruined the excitement of the fishing trips.


Q2. How did the instructor "build a swimmer" out of Douglas ? 
Ans: Understanding Douglas's condition, the instructor put a belt around him attached to a rope which went through a pulley. He was made to go back and forth the pool for one hour every five days of the week. The instructor also taught him to inhale and exhale while swimming. Gradually, Douglas was trained to put his head under water and kick with his legs. Thus, part by part, the instructor built a complete swimmer out of him.


Q3. How did Douglas make sure that he conquered the old terror ? 
Ans: Douglas wanted to make sure that even the last remnants of fear had left him. So, he went to lake Wentworth and swam across the two miles to an island. There was a moments uneasiness when he saw the bottomless water in the middle of the lake but he brushed it aside. His final test was the Warm Lake where he dived, swam across and back and shouted with joy at his victory over fear.


Understanding the text
• Page No 29

Q1. How does Douglas make clear to the reader the sense of panic that gripped him as he almost drowned ? Describe the details that have made the description vivid. 
Ans: Douglas did not panic initially because he thought he would make a jump upwards the moment his feet touched the bottom. He did just that, but could not make it to the surface. It was a slower rise than expected and there was nothing but water all around. He went down again. The nine feet deep pool seemed like ninety. Even the second and third try did not save him. He was terrified, paralysed and suffocated. He tried to scream, to call for his mother but only the water heard him. His lungs ached and head throbbed. Finally, all his efforts ended as drowsiness came over him and he felt it was the end of his life.


Q2. How did Douglas overcome his fear of water ? 
Ans: The traumatic experience at the pool left in him a deep sense of fear for water. Even proximity to a pool made him shudder. He felt deprived of all the joy of fishing, boating, swimming etc. but he made up his mind to overcome it. Thus, he got an instructor who, learning about his condition, trained him up gradually. Having learnt the technique of inhaling above and exhaling under water, kicking with the legs and the different strokes. Douglas became a complete swimmer. Finally, he had to test his courage and, to do that, went to Lake Wentworth. He swam across two miles and knew that he got over the terror. His ultimate sense of triumph came from the swim up and down the Warm Lake.


Q3. Why does Douglas as an adult recount a childhood experience of terror and his conquering of it ? What larger meaning does he draw from this experience ? 
Ans: Douglas once had a horrifying experience at a pool in the Y.M.C.A. A big bully picked him up unaware and threw him into the pool. He had nearly drowned even after struggling for a long time. This incident created such a dread for water that he feared even going near it. He could not enjoy any activity related to water. Thus, determined to shed fear, he got an instructor to make him a swimmer. Perseverance and sheer will power helped him in achieving his target. He even swam great lakes like the Wentworth and also the Warm Lake to prove to himself that he had actually conquered the fear. He recounts these incident to show that fear should always be confronted and conquered.

The larger meaning of his conquest is that in the incident of near drowning, he had experienced the sensation of dying and the fear of death. But when he surpassed both, he had nothing more to fear in life. He was a free man.

Deep Water class 12 extra questions answers

Q1. Why was Douglas sitting by the pool when no one was around ? 
Ans: Though Douglas arrived at the pool before anyone else, he was hesitant to enter the water all alone. So he sat by the pool and waited for others to come.


Q2. Which feat of Douglas satisfied the instructor that his job was over ? 
Ans: When Douglas could dive and swim the entire length of the pool and crawl stroke, the instructor knew his job was done. He could now let Douglas swim on his own.


Q3. When did all his efforts cease ? 
Ans: All his efforts ceased when he failed to come up to the surface again and again. He was exhausted and his legs went limp. He had no more strength or any other strategies to work on. Finally, he gave up.


Q4. Who was it that caused the traumatic incident in his life ? 
Ans: It was a well built boy of around eighteen who tossed him into the pool. This bully of a boy, without any reason or provocation, threw Douglas into the deep end of the pool just to have some fun.

Deep Water class 12 important questions answers

Q1. What made Douglas feel safe about the Y.M.C.A. pool ? 
Ans: Douglas felt quite safe about the Y.M.C.A. pool because the swallow end was only two to three feet deep, and while the deep end was nine feet, the drop was gradual. It was also white and clean as a bath tub.

Q2. Why was there an aversion to water since his childhood ? 
Ans: A minor incident at a beach in California created his aversion to water. When he was three or four years old, his father took him to a beach. Though he was clinging to his father, a wave knocked him down and buried him under water. He was breathless and terrified.


Q3. Did Douglas panic the moment he fell into the pool ? Why ? 
Ans: Douglas did not panic initially. He landed in a sitting position, swallowed a lot of water but was not out of his wits. As he went down, he kept thinking of the strategy he would adopt to come back to the surface.


Q4. What happened when all his efforts ceased ? 
Ans: When Douglas gave up trying, he was relieved of the fear. There was no panic, he was rather calm and peaceful. His consciousness gradually failed and very gently his senses faded into oblivion.


Q5. Where did Douglas go for his final conquest of fear ? 
Ans: At first Douglas went to Lake Wentworth in New Hampshire and swam two miles across to Stamp Island. Thereafter, as a final test, he swam across Warm Lake and proved to himself that he had conquered fear itself.

Deep Water class 12 long questions answers

Q1. Why did Douglas have an aversion to water from the beginning ? 
Ans: Douglas's aversion to water began when he was merely three or four years old. He was with his father at a beach in California. They stood together in the surf. Though he was clinging on to his father, the waves knocked him down and swept over him. Buried under water, he felt suffocated and frightened. His father thought it was an enjoyable experience but Douglas was terrified by the overpowering force of the waves. Since that day, he had always felt an aversion to water.


Q2. How did Douglas land at the bottom of the pool ? 
Ans: Douglas had mustered enough courage to learn swimming at the Y.M.C.A. pool because it was quite safe. One day, he went to the pool when no one was around. He could not brave himself to enter the water alone, so he sat beside the pool and waited for others to arrive. In the meantime, a big boy came and picked him up threw him into the deep end. Douglas landed in the sitting position, swallowed a lot of water and gradually landed at the bottom of the pool.


Q3. Did the fear of water haunt Douglas after the incident ? 
Ans: The incident at the swimming pool haunted Douglas for many years to come. Several hours after he was rescued, he walked back home, weak and trembling. He couldn't eat anything and cried all night. For days, fear gripped his heart and even the slightest exertion upset him. He never went back to the pool and avoided water whenever he could. The haunting fear of water followed him even years later and ruined his fishing trips and also deprived him of the joys of swimming, boating and canoeing.


Q4. Describe Douglas's final test of courage and confidence under water. 
Ans: Though trained under an instructor, Douglas still needed to test his confidence in being able to swim alone and be sure that he had shed the last traces of fear. So he went to Lake Wentworth in New Hampshire, dived off the dock and swam two miles across to Stamp Island. Once, in the middle of the lake when he put his face under and saw the bottomless water, he felt slight fear but soon brushed it aside. His ultimate confidence came when he dived into the Warm Lake, swam across to the other shore and back. He shouted with joy at his conquest over fear once and for all.