, Research Paper

? The Secret Life of Walter Mitty?

James Thurber was born December 8, 1894 in Columbus Ohio. He is known for his novels but it is the short narrative in which he excels. In the short narrative? The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, it is possible to see that Thurber? s life has a profound impact on the narrative? s subject.

The short narrative? The Secret Life of Walter Mitty? was written by James Thurber. After reading this short narrative, one can reason that this short narrative had some connexion with the life of James Thurber.

The short narrative? The Secret Life of Walter Mitty? begins with Walter Mitty set downing a plane that was bound for at hand catastrophe. The words? decelerate down Mr. Mitty you? re driving to fast, ? woke him up from his reverie. These words were coming from his married woman who was being dropped off at the hairstylist. Mr. Mitty dropped his married woman at the hairstylist. She barks out orders for him to purchase overshoes and instructs him to have on his baseball mitts.

Throughout the remainder of this narrative, Mr. Mitty goes through other reveries in which he is unbeatable and undefeatable. As Mr. Mitty arrives to pick up his married woman, she comes in the auto and is really speculative about what he has been making. Mr. Mitty asked

his married woman, ? Does it of all time occur to you that I am believing? ? Mrs. Mitty followed this statement up by stating that he needed to see a physician shortly.

When they reach the apothecary’s shop on the corner, Mrs. Mitty gets out and tells her away. With a swoon fliting smile praying about his lips, he daydreams once more, this clip he faces the fire squad ; erect and motionless, proud and disdainful, Walter Mitty, the undefeated, cryptic to the last.

James Thurber was born December 8, 1894 in Columbus Ohio. His male parent was Charles Leander and his female parent was Mary Agnes Thurber. ? Thurber? s male parent had dreams of going an histrion or a attorney. He is said to be the footing of the typical little adult male in Thurber? s short narrative. Thurber? s female parent was strong-willed, and was besides a practical jokester? ( Pegasos 1 ) .

James? s brother William by chance shot James in the oculus, doing him to be partly blinded. ? Since Thurber could non play the athleticss and childhood games the other kids did, he developed a rich phantasy life? ( Pegasos 1 ) . Although Thurber was an first-class pupil, he dropped out of Ohio State University in 1914. He re-entered Ohio State in 1915 ( Baughman 385 ) .

James Thurber married Althea Adams in 1922. ? Between 1927 and 1935, Thurber became one of the best known authors at the? New Yorker? ( Baughman 387 ) . ? Thurber became known as a humourist while working at the? New Yorker? ? ( Locher 608 ) . ? He was originally a managing editor, but after six months, he managed to work himself down the ladder to staff author? ( 608 ) .

? After a hard thirteen-year matrimony, James and Althea Thurber filed for divorce. ? ( Baughman 387 ) . ? Thurber so married Helen Wismer, who he subsequently declared his? seeing eye-wife? ? ( 387 ) . ? By 1950 Thurber? s vision deteriorated to number sightlessness? ( 387 ) . ? Thurber died of Pneumonia on November 2, 1961 in New York? ( Pegasos 1 ) .

? ? The Secret Life of Walter Mitty? was a success every bit shortly as it was published in 1931? ( Maddocks 432 ) . It is safe to name Walter Mitty a? chronic woolgatherer? . The narrative begins and ends with him woolgathering. ? Walter Mitty? s reveries originate from some portion of his environment. He so transforms the det

garlics imaginatively? ( 432 ) . ? All of Walter Mitty? s reveries are interrupted by his married woman? s nagging or others turn toing him? ( 433 ) . Throughout the narrative, Mrs. Mitty nags her hubby and bosses him about. ? Mrs. Mitty likely does non recognize how much her nagging and stamping about affects her hubby. This might be because of how complaisant and willing Mr. Mitty is? ( 433 ) .

In his short narrative, Thurber? s wit is sensitive to the frights and follies of adult male ( Pegasos 1 ) . ? Thurber? s narrative is humourous, yet it shows that the Walter Mittys of the universe will stay? small work forces? . They will go on to show their ain limited positions of themselves and others ( Maddocks 434 ) . James Thurber? s Walter Mitty character is now a portion of medical vocabulary in Great Britain. ? The narrative? The Secret Life of Walter Mitty? was taken up by psychologists. ? Walter Mitty Syndrome? was put in a British medical diary as a clinical status, which manifested itself in compulsive fantasizing. The rubric character is a meek, mild mannered, dominated hubby who escapes his mundane being to heroic phantasies ( Pegasos 2 ) .

? The Secret Life of Walter Mitty? has some connexion with the life of James Thurber. As stated earlier in the paper, Thurber & # 8217 ; s male parent is said to be the footing of the

typical little adult male in Thurber? s short narrative. In Thurber? s short narrative there is besides a nagging, and autocratic married woman. It is possible for one to reason that this irritating and troublesome character was based on Thurber? s ex-wife, Althea Adams. The twosome went through 13 old ages of hard matrimony. The fact that this short narrative was written shortly after their divorce makes this decision more likely. This short narrative might be an illustration on how James Thurber feels about unhealthy matrimonies and differences within matrimonies. Some of Thurber? s other short narratives contain a little elusive adult male, and a domineering married woman. ? The Secret Life of Walter Mitty? was James Thurber? s manner of showing these positions, while adding an component of wit to entertain his audience. James Thurber? s short narrative besides showed that in a life of underachievement a individual can fall back to woolgathering and fanciful phantasies to counterbalance for one? s ain restrictions.

In add-on to parts to humour, literary accomplishments, and contemplation on matrimonial struggles James Thurber made a part to society. His part to society may good be a construct for psychological science and medical scientific discipline to decode. Finally, James Thurber? s short narrative is one history of the connubial struggles that go on in many families. After reading James Thurber? s short narrative, ? The Secret Life of Walter Mitty? , one can so reason that this humourous short narrative, which dealt with matrimonial differences, had some connexion with the life of James Thurber.

Bibliography

Baughman, Judith. ? Thurber? DLB. Ed. Karen Rood. Volume 4. Detroit, Michigan:

Gale Research Inc. 1992.

Locher, Frances. Ed. ? James Thurber? . Contemporary Artists. Volumes 73-76. Detroit Michigan: Gale Publishing Company. 1985.

Maddocks, Melvin. ? James Thurber? . Short Story Criticism. Detroit, Michigan: Gale

Research Company. 1990.

Thurber, James. ? The Secret Life of Walter Mitty? . McDougal, Littell: Literature.

Evanston, Illinois: McDougal, Littell and Company. 1989.

Pegasos- Literature Related Resources: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.kirjasto.sci.fi/thurber.htm