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Ch 3 · Flamingo Prose · William Douglas

Deep
Water

20 MCQs NCERT Class 12 Updated May 2026
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Chapter Overview

An autobiographical essay by U.S. Supreme Court Justice William Douglas. He recounts how a near-drowning at the YMCA pool as a child planted a paralysing fear of water — and how, years later, methodical training conquered the phobia. The essay's universal lesson: fear must be faced to be defeated.

Key Themes
Key Concepts
First seed
Wave at California beach buried Douglas as a small child
YMCA Pool
Yakima, WA — nine-foot deep end where the bully threw him
Three descents
Douglas tries to jump up; water holds; loses consciousness
Instructor
Pulley + belt across the pool; piece-by-piece training
Final test
Two miles across Lake Wentworth, NH — proves the fear is gone
Sample MCQs
Q1. What started Douglas's fear of water?
A. Storm at sea while sailing with his father near a coastline
B. A wave at the California beach which knocked him down as a small child
C. Falling into a river while crossing a wooden bridge
D. Being trapped in a flooded basement during a heavy storm
When Douglas was three or four, a wave at the California beach buried him — the seed of his lifelong aversion.
Q2. How did Douglas finally overcome his fear?
A. Consulted a psychiatrist
B. Stopped going near water for life
C. Hired an instructor and trained methodically with belt + pulley
D. Moved away from any river, lake or sea
He hired an instructor at a swimming pool and trained piece by piece — face, arms, legs, then full strokes.