In “Through the Tunnel” by Doris Lessing, it talked about a person's life, from childhood to adulthood along with the difficulties you would encounter. In Through the tunnel, Doris Lessing uses various symbolism to describe a person's transition from childhood to adulthood. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Three Major Symbolic Devices in Poetry Safe Beach: The Surface of a Society Wild Beach: The Inner Part of Society Tunnel: Root of Society. “Through the tunnel” Doris Lessing symbolized society, first when you enter everything seems fine, then it becomes more difficult and you come face to face with challenges and problems. At some point in life, a person realizes that there are so many problems that prevent him from advancing or having fun in life. When those moments come, they need to push themselves, try a little harder, or open their minds to adverse ideas and work to move forward. The results of hard work can leave a person feeling proud, making them feel like they are becoming more independent, making them feel like they are entering adulthood. The main character, Jerry from Through the Tunnel, demonstrated this determination with relentless practice and was eventually able to swim the tunnel to fit in with the others. Using different symbolism in Through the Tunnel, Lessing demonstrates the difficulties that people can possibly face in their lives and how they can overcome those difficulties, moving from childhood to adulthood. The story's initial setting takes place on a safe beach. The safe beach is a place without danger; it is calm, peaceful and where Jerry can feel safe and secure, watched over by his mother. That “little yellow spot under the umbrella that looked like a slice of orange peel” on the beach makes him feel safe. Yet, many times he looked back, “relieved to be sure she was there, but suddenly alone,” showing that he is still dependent on his mother, but still curious about the world beyond. The safe beach is very reminiscent of the childhood stage. When you start, you are safe from all the dangers of the world and still innocent of the harsh truths of the real world. However, after a while you get bored and want more. They begin to wonder what's beyond the walls of their safety net, to wonder if the world out there can offer them more, and to wonder if they can wander further and further from where they started. They slowly move forward, away from the innocence of childhood, into the unknown territory of adulthood. On the other hand, the wild beach is like adulthood. Unlike the safe beach, the wild beach is full of dangers and mysteries. The water itself represents danger, “purple and darker blue spots” on the surface of the rocks, the rocks themselves are like “discolored monsters,” menacing in the depths of the water. The warm but dangerous ocean contains “irregular cold currents from the deep waters” that “shocked Jerry's limbs.” The words used, such as “monster,” to describe the rock give readers a very unpleasant feeling, and the color along the beach gives readers a feeling of unease. Along with the words used for water itself, which describe water in a dark way. On this beach Jerry is independent and no longer protected by his mother, he is now alone and responsible for himself. Then there is the tunnel, which symbolizes the difficult transition from childhood to adulthood. These challenges are often difficult, painful, scary, and require willpower to overcome that fear. In the story, Jerry talked about “His lungs were starting to fail.