The Secret Life of Walter Mitty by James Thurber
"The Secret Life of Walter Mitty," a short story by James Thurber, explores the contrasting realities of a mundane life and a vibrant imagination. The protagonist, Walter Mitty, experiences a dull, routine existence characterized by his weekly errands with his wife, including shopping and a visit to the beauty parlor. In stark contrast, Mitty escapes into a series of vivid daydreams filled with adventure, heroism, and excitement, reflecting his deep-seated dissatisfaction with his real life. These fantasies are intricately woven through the narrative, showcasing how they are triggered by his everyday experiences and, at times, influence his actions in reality. Walter’s character embodies the universal struggle between the longing for fulfillment and the constraints of ordinary life. The story highlights themes of escapism, identity, and the human desire for significance. Through Mitty's experiences, Thurber invites readers to reflect on their own lives and the dreams they harbor beneath the surface.
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The Secret Life of Walter Mitty by James Thurber
First published: 1939
Type of plot: Fantasy
Time of work: The late 1930's
Locale: Waterbury, Connecticut
Principal Characters:
Walter Mitty , the protagonist, a middle-aged, henpecked husband who is unhappy with his lifeMrs. Mitty , his assertive and domineering middle-aged wife
The Story
Although Walter Mitty's daydream life has much exciting action, his waking life, as recounted in the story, is routine, uneventful, and, at a deep subconscious level, unsatisfying. In his waking life, Mitty motors on a wintry day with his wife into Waterbury for the regular weekly trip to shop and for Mrs. Mitty's visit to the beauty parlor. After dropping his wife off at the salon, Mitty drives around aimlessly for a brief time, then parks the car in a parking lot, purchases some overshoes at a shoe store, with some difficulty remembers to buy puppy biscuit, and goes to the hotel lobby where he always meets his wife. After a short time Mrs. Mitty appears, complaining to Mitty about the difficulty of finding him in the large chair where he has "hidden" himself, and then for a "minute" (actually much longer) leaves Mitty standing in front of a nearby drugstore while she goes to accomplish something she forgot. Interspersed with these events are Mitty's five daydreams or fantasies, which not only are induced by the events of his waking life but also affect them.
Bibliography
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