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

theme trough out the story.

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

each section of this story.

 Moreover another important theme of this story is the dilemma. We can see in the story

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.