The Secret Life of Walter Mitty Essay Example for Free

The Secret breeding of Walter Mitty EssayThe Secret Life of Walter Mitty is a short story that deals with the feeling of a Walter Mitty, a middle-aged, absent-minded service troops who spends much of his time daydreaming virtually a fantasy world in which he is at the center of various heroic escapades. During a trip to town with his wife, he dreams about a bearing filled with images of conquesthe pictures himself as being a Navy pilot commanding a hydroplane in the middle of a storm, a brilliant surgeon about to perform an catch operation, an adept killer being questi adeptd in court, and a brave soldier on a representation to bomb an ammunition dump. It is an interesting story, which preempt be interpreted in many different ways. Thematically, it touches on various aspects of social, psychological, as well as existential issues that afflict the common man and that many can relate with. One of the main and prevalent themes in the story is about escapism. Mitty is a timid and henpecked husband who appears to live a mundane and colorless life. He represents the average American middle-class man whose truly experiences are dull and conventional.Through his depiction of Mitty, the author suggests that the life of an average, middle-class man offers lilliputian opportunity for an exciting existence. Because of this, Mitty tries to escape life through his imagination. This way, he is able to get away from the defeats of his life as well as the conflicts posed by his wife and society in general. The story shows how that for somewhat people, fantasy is a welcome alternative to reality. In his mind, Mitty takes on the shellistics he would like to embody. Not exclusively is he brave and heroic, he can hold quick and witty dialogues in his fantasies.In line of descent to real life, he is meek and mild-manneredin scenes wherein he parks his car and shops for puppy biscuit, it is seen that his real nature is the reverse of that of the characters he imagin es himself to be. A nonher theme deals with failure and the feeling of helplessness in ones life. Throughout the story, Mitty is shown passively taking orders from his overpowering wife. He wanders into his alternate reality even as his wife gives out orders. It can be speculated that Mrs. Mitty is one of the sources of his frustrations.While in his daydreams he is controlled and masculine, in real life, he lets himself be dominated and ordered around by his wife. His fantasies represent his inner character which he is too afraid to actualize in real life. The fact that Mitty does not complain is a sign that he feels powerless and that he is already resigned to his fate. Therefore, the only way he is able to inhabit his lackluster life is through his fantasies. Mitty also appears to have issues with self-fulfillment. One can deduce that he is not successful and thus re-creates himself as an accomplished man (i.e. being a celebrated doctor or a dazzling naval commander). Not only do es his life lack excitement, it seems that his very existence is odioushis wife constantly nags him, park attendants and cops talk down to him, women on the street laugh at his actions. Mittys last fantasy can be interpreted a number of ways, one is that it evokes the feelings of helplessness Mitty feels about his real-life situation. He imagines himself facing a firing squad an this shows that he feels tired living his life and that hed rather not live it.