Literary Analysis of "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty"

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The Secret Life of Walter Mitty”, the power behind the imagination is revealed. The use of the narrative point of view, the clear juxtaposition of Mitty’s real life and imagination, as well as the diction, allegories, and symbolism used contribute to the theme in various ways.
The story is set in a third person limited omniscient narrative point of view and shows what Mitty is thinking as well as the general actions within the story. For example, when Mitty “drove past the hospital on his way to the parking lot” (Thurber 34), his imagination displaying him as a surgeon is shown and connections between his real life and fantasy life can be made. The ability to understand his mindset and fantasies develops his character and theme through the juxtaposition of Mitty’s reality and his imagination.
The contrast between reality and fantasy is quite evident. In reality, Mitty lives a dull and controlled life where he feels belittled. He is constantly being told what to do by his overbearing wife and the people around him. Mitty’s way of escaping and coping with his controlling life is through his imagination. His fantasies are lively and exciting in comparison to his actual life. Another difference would be that Mitty is the one who is in control and giving orders. For example, when Mitty is a surgeon, he takes the leadership role by staying calm in a frantic situation, ordering his co-workers to “‘give [him] a fountain pen!’” (34) and informing them that they should “‘get on with the operation’” (35) because the fountain pen “‘will only hold for ten minutes’” (35). To demonstrate a clear transition between reality and fantasy, certain triggers are used. Mitty incorporates sounds, objects, and people from his surrounding environment into ...

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...s leads him to be proud in reality and reinforces the theme of being confident happy, and not letting other people control what is not theirs to control, the lives of others. Furthermore, the theme is reinforced in the final line when it states that “he faced the firing squad; erect and motionless, proud and disdainful” (37). The firing squad symbolizes the people who control him and constantly belittle him. This final line is him coming to terms with who he is and being proud of that.
Overall, the combined use of the narrative point of view, and the theme portrayed by the juxtaposition of reality versus imaginary, symbolism, allegory, and diction all display the power behind the imagination. “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” shows that the imagination is so powerful that it can not only serve as a way of escaping the hardships of reality, but as a coping mechanism.

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