question_answer 9)

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?    

Answer:

Douglas, as an adult, recounts his childhood experience of terror and his way of conquering it. He recalls how petrified he was of water but anally he swam across Warm Lake to the other shore and back, just as Doug Corpron used to do; More than him becoming an accomplished swimmer, he rejoiced at having conquered his fear of water..   He feels that the experience had a deep meaning for him as he had conquered stark terror. He feels that unlike death, fear is not peaceful He had experienced both the sensation of dying and the terror that fear of it could produce. He realized that the richness of life is found in adventure. Adventure calls on all the faculties of the mind and spirit. It develops self-reliance and independence. Life then teems with excitement. But, one is not ready for adventure unless one is rid of fear. For fear confines one and limits one's scope. One stays tethered by strings of doubt and indecision and has only a small and narrow world to explore. Hence, sharing his experience would be immensely useful to others who feel scared like he did when he was young.