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Walter Mitty Theme

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Recommended: Analysis of secret life of walter mitty

Introduction: The short story, “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” is written by James Thurber and tells the story of aging Walter Mitty on his usual trip into town to run errands with his controlling wife. Throughout the day, Mitty is running errands and continuously escapes into a series of fantasises that are propertied by the reality that is going on around him. The title of this short story is significant. The title foreshadows the plot and theme of the story. The title suggests that Walter Mitty is living some sort of secret life, which he is. The secret life the title suggests is one made up of fantasises. There are two focal themes within this story. The first theme is the concept of different versions of reality. Walter Mitty fantasizes …show more content…

self-conflict within this story. Throughout the story Walter Mitty is struggling to focus on the simple tasks that were given to him by his wife because of his active imagination creating various fantasies that are propertied by the events happening around him. Within the first paragraph, Mitty’s wife indicates that Walter Mitty is “tensed up” after a vivid fantasy and states that “it’s one of [his] days” and that “[she] wish [that he] let Dr. Renshaw look [him] over” (2). This shows that these fantasies are normal. As the story continues, events that are happening arounds him elicit other fantasies, which create more internal conflicts for Walter Mitty.
Within the story, there are five different fantasises that Walter Mitty creates. In the text, they are described in depth to create allusions. In relation to the allusions that are created by the thoughtful discerptions of the setting and the plot; the tone changes depending weather if Walter Mitty is engaged in reality or if he is within a fantasy. The tone within his fantasies is very hopeful and adventurous. On the other hand, the tone in his reality is dull. The tone varies differs depending on her Walter Mitty is in the

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The analysis of literary techniques allows for connections. In the short stories, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty by James Thurber and The Story of An Hour by Kate Chopin, the protagonists Walter Mitty and Louise Mallard are trapped in a marriage that does not allow them to express their true identities. While Walter realizes this throughout the story and has daydreams to escape his unsatisfied life, Mrs. Mallard has a cathartic moment when she realizes the freedom she would have after her husband’s death. Connections between the short stories can be made by considering the protagonists' common character traits and the development of their characters. Viewing Walter and Mrs.Mallard through a psychoanalytic lens reveals a theme of oppression.

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In the film, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, the viewers are introduced to the main character, Walter Mitty. From the beginning, Walter’s actions and words can lead one to infer that his character is painfully shy, awkward and quiet. In combination with his awkwardness and shyness, he continually has these moments where he enters “his own world,” and fantasizes about the things he’s too timid to do or that he finds heroic. This is especially unusual to his peers and co-workers who try to converse openly with him.

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For Walter, society is suppressing his dreams from becoming a reality and causing him to live a life he doesn’t want. This is exhibited through Hansberry’s use of the phrase “rich white people”. It shows how the predominately white society of the 1950’s did not allow people like Walter, who were of a different race, the opportunity to have the same luxuries and success that they have. This causes Walter to believe that he will forever be stuck in a bad job and a small apartment where his son has to sleep in the living room, which means he will forever

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Key details in the film illustrate how the rest of the world see Walter. He is a shy dull man that is boring and maybe some might say a loner. When you watch the movie beginning to end you see his identity transform from timid to brave and courageous. He steps out of his shell and does thing he thought he would never do. Walter Mitty found his identity.

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It shows this because Walter diminishes his sisters Beneatha’s dream of becoming a doctor by making a misogynist comment in which insinuates on her settling on being a nurse due to a doctor clearly being an often male dominant profession. Furthermore, Walter is deluded by greed on opening a liquor store which causes him to have no regard for the feelings or desires of others. Clearly, the central idea of the text is that in trying to achieve a dream it can bring out a person selfish tendency because people tend to disparage others dreams in order to attain theirs. The author 's use of conflict is important to the developing the central idea that oneself can become selfish when trying to obtain the American dream because it creates tension.

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Walter feels his job is more than unsatisfying, and can not make Mama understand, since her simplistic views are just like Ruths. In spite of his personal inadequacies with his job fulfillment, Walter shines in the end of the story with understanding and growth of his own fathers not so wonderful job. Walter seems to be reflecting on his own status as a

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In James Thurber’s The Secret Life of Walter Mitty the main character, a man named Walter Mitty who dreams up elaborate fantasies in order to escape his normal, everyday life, much to the dismay of his wife who thinks there is something wrong with Mitty because he is always distracted by them. Mitty's fantasies portray him as the "almighty hero" of the story, who is the bravest, manliest, and toughest character and who always saves the day. He is always the one in control and is praised by the other characters for his extensive display of masculinity and bravery; however, in reality, his wife is the one who, essentially, wears the pants in the relationship and takes control, often telling Mitty what to do and nagging him about not forgetting

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Readers often learn things about characters from what they say, but a less common and just as important part of the story are their actions and behavior. The two characters selected are examples of characters who do not speak words, but speak with their thoughts and actions. Tung-Ming from the lesson of the master and Walter Mitty from the secret life of Walter Mitty have many characteristics that they share, but also many that make them unique. Ting-Ming is a painter who is asked by a merchant

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Throughout time, people have been using their imagination as a way of refuge, where they can run away from the problems that come with being in the real world. This issue is well developed throughout the short story “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty”, written by James Thurber. The short story follows a middle aged man, Walter Mitty, as he goes through fantasies which involve him in situation that are far from his reality. People use imagination to put themselves in situation where they posses certain qualities or a lifestyle which they lack in the real world. Throughout the short story, Walter escapes into event-triggered fantasies in which he can do or be anything he wants to be.

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Also In the movie adaptation Walter has a job at the life office and loses a negative photo. This gives Walter another goal and this goal changes him more throughout the story. The negative makes him more courageous and risky. The Walter in the story is dry and boring. Lastly the movie gives Walter a reason to daydream.

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Instead of facing his problems head-on, he retreats into his own mind, creating a false reality that is more desirable. This creates a sense of disconnection from the world around him, further highlighting his isolation. "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" also touches on the idea of gender roles and societal expectations. Mitty's daydreams serve as a way for him to break free from the strict gender roles and expectations of his time. In his dreams, he becomes a commander, a doctor, and a pilot, all traditionally male-dominated professions.

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