Question:
What did the author think when he was drowning in deep water? (from 'Deep Water')
What did the author think when he was drowning in deep water? (from 'Deep Water')
Updated On: Sep 24, 2026
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Solution and Explanation
Step 1: Context:
In 'Deep Water' by William Douglas, the author, as a boy, nearly drowned in the YMCA swimming pool when a bigger boy threw him into the deep end.
Step 2: His thoughts while drowning:
As he sank, he was gripped by sheer terror. He thought he was going to die and that his short life was flashing before him. He desperately tried to reach the surface, but each time he came up, he sank again, swallowing more water, and eventually he lost consciousness, feeling as though everything had gone limp and dark — a total, paralysing fear that stayed with him for years afterward.
Final Answer:
He thought he was about to die; he was consumed by terror and a desperate, failed struggle to reach the surface before losing consciousness.
In 'Deep Water' by William Douglas, the author, as a boy, nearly drowned in the YMCA swimming pool when a bigger boy threw him into the deep end.
Step 2: His thoughts while drowning:
As he sank, he was gripped by sheer terror. He thought he was going to die and that his short life was flashing before him. He desperately tried to reach the surface, but each time he came up, he sank again, swallowing more water, and eventually he lost consciousness, feeling as though everything had gone limp and dark — a total, paralysing fear that stayed with him for years afterward.
Final Answer:
He thought he was about to die; he was consumed by terror and a desperate, failed struggle to reach the surface before losing consciousness.
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