Think as you read
1. What is the "misadventure" that William Douglas speaks about?2.What were the series of emotions and fears that Douglas experienced when he was thrown into the pool? What plan did he make to come to the surface?
3. How did this experience affect Douglas?
4. Why was Douglas determined to get over his fear of water?
5. How did the instructor turn Douglas into a swimmer?
Understanding the text
1. 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.2. How did Douglas overcome his fear of water?
Talking About The Text
2. Find and narrate other stories about conquest of fear and what people have said about courage. For example, you can recall Nelson Mandela’s struggle for freedom, his perseverance to achieve his mission, to liberate the oppressed and the oppressor as depicted in his autobiography. The story ‘We’re Not Afraid To Die,’ which you have read in Class XI, is an apt example of how courage and optimism helped a family survive under the direst stress.