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Success in Daydream The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
Success in Daydream The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
Just few seconds ago Audry was feeling so nervous but now she feels like the most lucky
and special person in the world. Because right now she is standing in the stage of the biggest
beauty pageant competition of this country. And now the anchor announced that she is the
winner of this competition. So, her joys has no bound. She was just going to receive the crest. All
of a sudden, her friend Liyana walks up to her and says “You’re still sitting with this tiffin box!
Tiffin time is over, come soon to the class.” She realizes she cannot even participate in college
programs in the fantasy. Her habit of day dreaming resemblances Walter Mitty, the protagonist
of the fictional comedy. “The secret life of Walter Mitty” by James Thurber Mitty prefers fantasy
to deal with adverse situations because his surrounding provoke him to do so, he remains in the
dilemma of fantasy and reality and for that his own identity is being crafted which are shown as
One of the important theme of this story is Watler Mitty’s heroism. He always thinks
himself as a hero of real-life. In his fantasy he always leads a tradition masculine role. In the
beginning of the story we can see Mitty thinks himself as a naval commander when he saw an
“eight engine Navy hydroplane.” Again he thinks himself as a daring surgeon who treats a
millionaire by his intelligence when other doctors could not treat him and get stuck. And
sometimes he thinks himself as a fighter pilot. He is admired for macho qualities like Strength,
bravery, aggression, lack of emotion and is easily able to dominate the all-male social groups
where his imagination makes him a leader. The theme of Heroism and Masculinity appears in
that Walter Mitty always remains in fantasy. But the themes and events in the fantasies are
directly linked to the frustrations Mitty feels in the reality particularly his sense of not being in
control of his own life. Actually he is depressed with his life. He thinks himself as many heroic
characters but opposite. When he dreams of becoming a prestigious doctor it distribute because
of his wife nagging to drive slowly. In addition, when Mitty goes to the store to buy the puppy
biscuit, he is identifying himself as the grates pistol shot in the world as he wonders what brand
of biscuit to buy. When he remains in fantasy he can escape from his wife’s nagging or from his
life’s trouble. So the fantasy life and reality life blend together more and more.
Finally, because of being constantly discontent with life Mitty gradually loses his true
identity. Actually people around him treat him with dishonor and disgrace. But he deserve at
least a little amount of respect. But no one rather his own wife treats him like a child rather a
mature man. She keep reminding him that he has aged enough. He easily get zoned out and he is
incapable of remembering things that has been told. He is an absentminded driver cannot handle
simple mechanical tasks. But his wife hurts him a lot by unknowingly. She treats him like he is
no body. He thinks society has become materialistic thus he unconsciously shapes his own image
as a vulnerable person and gradually loves his own identity. Those characters in his imaginary
became the most prestigious, honorable characters to him this own identity is being crafted.
In conclusion, Watler Mitty is an ordinary old man who fills his mind with fantasies in
which he plays the hero, saves life as doctor, navigates enemy territory and proves his
masculinity. These all are his daydreams. Each time he gets turned down by the reality of life
when he tries to obtain his desire. When a person is underestimated for not being able to serve
the society. He jumps to his own imagery where he gets everything makes him satisfied.