Through the Tunnel

Jerry, the protagonist, is 11 years old, and it is primarily his thoughts and actions the story follows. The narrative offers no information about Jerry’s father other than that he is dead, but Jerry appears to have a good relationship with his mother. He is also obsessive in nature as he fixates solely on his goal to cross through the tunnel throughout the narrative. He is a dynamic character as he grows and changes throughout the narrative.

Jerry’s character presents the story’s central conflict as he continually negotiates between two primary, warring desires: the desire to remain safe and dependent versus the desire to take risks, find independence, and prove himself as a man. However, though Jerry starts out very childlike, it is within only the first few paragraphs that he shows a nascent maturity and trajectory toward growth: Even apart from his curiosity about the “wild,” rocky bay, Jerry’s concern for his mother reflects a responsibility and impulse toward heroism, however small-scale. As he reassures her that he isn’t bored by spending time with her, he wants to rescue her from loneliness, demonstrating “a sort of chivalry” (Paragraph 3). While Jerry depends on his mother, he believes deep down that she likewise depends on him. However, she teaches him that he needn’t save or protect her, and she encourages him to go adventuring. Lessing thus gives Jerry’s immaturity, as well as his relationship with his mother, a nuanced characterization. His attachment to his mother is not entirely infantile but involves its own, naive sense of responsibility.

Jerry shows great strength and resilience but at times cries and feels weak. He desires to feel independent and mature but still looks for his mother when he is away from her. While he begins the story feeling out of place among the older local boys, he ends the story achieving the same thing they do. He goes from being nervous and insecure to feeling confident and self-assured.