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Overcoming Fear of Water: A Journey

In 'Deep Water', William Douglas recounts his lifelong fear of water stemming from childhood experiences, including a traumatic incident at a swimming pool. Through determination and willpower, he learns to swim and confronts his fears, ultimately realizing that the fear of death is more terrifying than death itself. The narrative emphasizes themes of overcoming phobias, the power of nature, and the importance of willpower in personal growth.

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4 views2 pages

Overcoming Fear of Water: A Journey

In 'Deep Water', William Douglas recounts his lifelong fear of water stemming from childhood experiences, including a traumatic incident at a swimming pool. Through determination and willpower, he learns to swim and confronts his fears, ultimately realizing that the fear of death is more terrifying than death itself. The narrative emphasizes themes of overcoming phobias, the power of nature, and the importance of willpower in personal growth.

Uploaded by

anshulkashyap0505
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Deep Water by William Douglas

Summary
• The story has been taken from the author’s autobiography- ‘Of Men and Mountains’.
In this piece.
• He tells about his fear of water and how he conquered it by determination and
willpower.
• As a child, when he was 3 or 4 years old, he would go to the beach in California with his
father. He would get scared by the might of the huge waves which swept over him and it
instilled fear in his subconscious mind.
• A few years later, in his eagerness to learn swimming, he joined a swimming pool where
an incident further increased his terror.
• He was pushed into the pool by another boy and experienced death closely.
• Many years after that incident, he stayed away from water but the desire to go fishing
and swimming in nature was strong enough to motivate him to overcome his fear.
• He learned swimming with the help of an instructor who ensured that William knew
swimming well enough to be able to swim in huge lakes and waterfalls also.
• Still, when he would swim, the fear from his childhood experiences, embedded in his
subconscious mind would grip him over and over again. He wanted to conquer that
fear.
• He faced it sarcastically, thinking that now, as he knew how to swim, what harm could it
do to him. He challenged his fear in the face of it and finally, it would vanish.
• It was a baseless fear instilled in his subconscious mind. This experience was valuable
for him. He had experienced terror and death. He overcame it and finally conquered it.
• William realized that death is peaceful and it is the fear of death that is terrorizing. His
will to live life grew intensely as he had overcome his fear and started living fearlessly.

Theme
• Will power and determination

• Fear of not being feared


• Phobia Vs Victory
• Nature and its powers
• Learning Skills
• Adventures in life
• Exploration of Nature and its beauty
• Mother’s concern
• Death Vs life
• Stillness Vs life

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