Language, Dialogue, And Imagery In The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty

As Mr.Mitty walks down the street of the town, he shouts out, puppy biscuit, for it was the item his wife asked him to get. At that time two women walk by and laugh at Walter, for they see him as a stranger walking down the street shouting random words. Later on, as he waits for his wife to finish from the hairdresser’s, Walter sees pictures of a German plane and imagines he is a British pilot willing to sacrifice his life for his country. During this fantasy a sergeant talking to Mr. Mitty says “I never see a man could hold his brandy like you, sir” (Thurber, 711). The sergeant compliments Walter’s manly swig of brandy. In reality, Mr. Mitty is made fun of by the two women walking by; therefore, he seeks to find respectful treatment in his fantasy. He is complimented and praised for his simple actions, and also gains respect from society because he is willing to sacrifice his life to fight in the war. He is satisfied with the treatment of other people only when he escapes the real world. In other words, the negative behaviour of other people towards him is responsible for Walter’s daydreaming (Mann, 352). If Walter was happy with the way society treats him, there would be no need for him to dream about

Sometimes when you are in a relationship, you start to wonder what your life would be like if you hadn't been with the person you are with if you aren't happy. In the short story by the author James Thurber called "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty", a man named Walter Mitty daydreams about having different lifestyles away from his controlling wife. The theme of the short story is that you can be whoever you want to be as long as you are yourself. Throughout the short story, the literary terms found in "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" are characterization and conflict and they are explained in many forms. They both show how Walter's daydreams relate to his real life and how he wishes his real life was different.

The movie, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, uses the stream of consciousness technique very well. The premise of the movie is essentially built on this writing technique. At the beginning of the movie, Walter experiences daydreams very frequently, while his actual life is very average and boring. The viewer even gains a sense of pity for Walter because he dreams of doing so many amazing things, but lacks the courage and boldness to realize these fantasies.

In the story “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” by James Thurber, we get to experience what a normal day for the main character, Walter Mitty, is like. Walter Mitty is constantly jumping into a fantasy world where he is something that he is not in reality due to the feeling that he is a failure in life. Walter Mitty also thinks he is constantly being picked on by the people around him and also considers his wife to be a nag because she complains about everything that he does wrong. What I believe is myself is that Walter Mitty’s wife is not a nag, but just is a loving wife that has the best interests for him at heart and wants to protect him from himself. It was said in the story that Mrs. Mitty said, “Remember to get those overshoes while I’m having my hair done… Why don’t you wear your gloves? Have you lost your gloves” (Thurber 2)? Walter Mitty had viewed what his wife had said as nagging, but what he did not understand was that she was just looking out for Walter Mitty because it was cold and she did not want him to get sick. Mrs. Mitty

Life is about finding yourself, each other, and being true to one’s self. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is an extremely original and creative story written by James Thurber. The movie, The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty, starring Ben Stiller, conveys a daydreamer escaping his typical life by disappearing into a realm of fantasies filled with heroism, romance and action. In both the movie and the book, the title character retreats into fantasy as an escape from his mundane reality because in the real world, he is ordinary, insecure, and passive. In the short story, Walter

As Walter's dreams become bigger and bigger, he seems to neglect the 'smaller' things such as his family. "Here I am a giant surrounded by ants! Ants who can't even understand what the giant is

     As Walter's dreams become bigger and bigger, he seems to neglect the 'smaller' things such as his family. "Here I am a giant surrounded by ants! Ants who can't even understand what the giant is talking about,? (Hansberry 85). Walter has big ideals, but his methods of achieving his goals and ideals are somewhat irrational. Walter can be regarded as more concerned with becoming self-employed without really thinking about the consequences, which may be imposed on his family. Later in play, Walter learns that he needs to set his dreams aside for the sake of the

In James Thurber’s “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty,” Walter Mitty faces the every day challenges of the real world. Thurber uses surreal dreams to allow Walter Mitty to escape these challenges. The main two characters are Mr. and Mrs. Mitty. Mr.Mitty finds himself in the middle of action packed dreams until someone or something brings him back to reality. Walter Mitty escapes through his fantasies because he lacks the strength to face reality and the courage to express his real feelings and opinions.

Because of this Walter has lost his self esteem and will to do anything to make his life better. This is important because it shows that Walter does not have a firm grasp on his own identity.

Mann, A. (1982). TAKING CARE OF WALTER MITTY. Studies in Short Fiction, 19(4), 351. Retrieved from

Showing his frustration to his mother, Walter does not feel like he will ever acquire his dream because he feels like he never got the chance or opportunity to. The inability of not able to provide a better life for his household is causing him to stress, act out of character and clouding his decision making. With nowhere else to turn he thought he could use his father’s life insurance money to invest into a liquor store which turned into a scam. Walter feeling trapped from making advancements in life, he makes a huge mistake and learns from this error. In the play Walter is talking to mother describing his anger,

It is clear that “Walter” has a serious problem. It has created trouble in his marriage. His wife seems frustrated with him. After reading about “Walter’s” problems, it is clear that his wife has a right to be frustrated with him. Maybe she is a nag, but he forces her to be a nag. She wanted a husband, but instead she got a grown man with the mind of a two-year-old child.

It was not until Walter talked back to his wife at the end (5) that readers see the only concern she presents is of worry whenever Mitty does not act in his usual and expected behavior. One can see that because they do not have much in common helps readers see why they have problems in their marriage There is many more intext context that contribute to Walter and his wife in this story; nevertheless, there are many more clues that the reader can conclude when looking on how these two characters think about themselves and each other.

Walter's frustration festers and his anger turns inward towards his family who, in Walters eyes, do not understand him. Walter's family members do understand him and they also want to amass material dreams, but Walter's family members know that it is going to take work to get there.

Walter struggles in understanding who he needs to be for his family. He wants to take his place as the patriarch of the family, but he feels incapable of providing them with the lifestyle they deserve. This concern is always at the forefront of his mind, and it affects his attitude and outlook. The anxiety that Walter is dealing with creates confrontation with his sister. He fears that her dream will interfere with his own agenda of making a better life for his family. The severity of the tension becomes more and more apparent with Walter’s unwise investment. Walter is dealing with the burden that he has let his family down, while Beneatha is flabbergasted by the reality that her future has been snatched away from her, and she had no control over it. While reflecting on the situation, Beneatha remarks, “ I sound like a human who just had her future taken right out of my hands! While I was sleeping….things were happening in this world that directly concerned me and nobody consulted me—they just went out and did things—and changed my life” (Hansberry 3.15). Walter and Beneatha’s individual issues with the outcome of the situation cause them to find fault with one another during a time when their family needs to pull together to get through such a financial hardship. Walter is in an emotional pit; his turning to alcohol and music instead of his family for support expands the