preview

The Secret Life Of Walter Mity: Short Story And Film

Decent Essays

John MacGillis
ENG3U
Mr. Langevin
Wednesday, April 13, 2016
The Examined Life of Walter Mitty
A Comparison of Character Traits in the Short Story and Film of the Secret Life of Walter Mitty
Walter Mitty says in one of the first scenes, “I just live by the A-B-C’s, Adventurous, Brave, and Creative.” (Stiller, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty). This quote soon shapes both his real life and his day dreams in the movie, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. Walter Mitty has both striking similarities and differences between his representation in the movie and the short story that represent his desire to be brave in his personal life to give his life a sense of self-worth. The character traits under examination are his meekness in real life in the short …show more content…

First of all, Walter Mitty as portrayed in the short story is a very meek person. An example of this character trait is how he obeys his wife, no matter how demeaning she may be. Walter Mitty’s wife says to him, ““You’re not a young man any longer.” He raced the engine a little. “Why don’t you wear your gloves? Have you lost your gloves?” Walter Mitty reached in a pocket and brought out the gloves” (Thurber Para 4). This is representative of how she acts as if she is his parent, imposing herself on to him in a manner that Walter yields to. Another example of Walter demonstrating his meekness is when his wife makes him stand outside of the drugstore, and says, ““Wait here for me. I forgot something. I won’t be a minute.” (Thurber Para 15). In this quotation, Walter Mitty’s wife orders him to wait outside of the drugstore in a similar manner to a child or a domesticated animal. Walter Mitty allows his wife to completely dictate his actions proving he is a meek individual. The meekness demonstrated by Walter Mitty in his real life is the reason that he has such a brave “alter-ego” in his day dream. In the movie, Walter Mitty has the character trait of bravery. Whether it be skateboarding towards active volcanos in Iceland or climbing the upper Himalayas, Walter was ready to rise to any challenge within the movie (Stiller, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty). In the movie, the …show more content…

Firstly, daydream Walter Mitty in the short story was a heroic individual who saved lives in the operating room (Thurber Para 6) or a pilot who was taking down the Luftwaffe (Thurber Para 13). This is an example of Walter Mittys desire to satisfy his thirst for adventure and give himself a sense of self-worth. Secondly, daydream Walter Mitty possess the character trait of bravery for different reasons. Walter is Brave in his dreams but not in the 1950’s sense of his equivalent in the short story. In the movie, Walter dreams of ridiculing his boss and ultimately beating him in a fight and speaking to the women he has expressed interest in (Stiller, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty). This is more of a hero to himself, benefitting not the masses, but the individual, being himself. He does act heroically, as a superhuman who jumps in to burning buildings to save a dog, but this exemplifies Walter trying to impress a woman, not better society as a whole. For these reasons, Walter Mitty’s day dream bravery is ultimately a tool to give himself a sense of

Get Access