“The Secret Life of Walter Mitty”

Discussion Record

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1. Is this story meant to make a reader feel happy or sad for Walter

Mitty?

-Supposed to make the reader feel sad Walter isn’t happy in his own life and so he looks to escape- agreed: misunderstood by his wife- happy: he is happy in his secret life and he has control - (33) “Not so fast. You’re driving too fast”

2. Why does the story start and finish with one of the fantastical episodes?

-Dreaming is taking over his real life so Thurber sets the story up in the same way (ie) the dreaming takes over the story- it hooks the reader. See the first line on the first page: (33) “We’re going through...”

3. Are we all heroes in our own minds like Walter Mitty? If so, why is that true and if not, why not?

- We are because we all dream of ourselves as heroic- We like to think the best of ourselves- But, some people aren’t happy with themselves- (34) The other doctor read Mitty’s book

1. Walter Mitty's imagination seems to be somewhat informed by Hollywood (ie) he always sees himself in situations that feel a lot like Hollywood movies. How much of an impact does the media we consume have on our imaginations and our dreams?-Has a huge impact. Media sets trends for people to follow. People pursue dreams based on the media they take in- media brings imagination to life - there is a possibly limiting effect on imagination

2. The story is designed to get us to sympathize with Mr. Mitty, but what about Mrs. Mitty? Do you sympathize with her at all? Why or why not?

-No sympathy because she is short and stubborn and she doesn’t understand him- Yes: she seems exasperated having to deal with him. Her life isn’t interesting either and yet she is not escaping using her imagination- No: she doesn’t let him think for himself

3. Mitty imagines himself as smooth and graceful in his dreams, but in real life that doesn't seem to be the case. Do you think he believes that the "secret" version of himself is closer to the real Walter Mitty than the version everyone else sees? Explain why or why not.

-The secret version is closer to what he imagines. It could even be based loosely on his past. If he thinks these things are happening, then he believes it- The secret version of him is more real to him. Mitty has perhaps forgotten what he is really like - This is what he wants to be, even though other people see him differently

1. Is there a possibility that Walter Mitty is working through trauma after having been a soldier in the war or is that a ridiculous theory? Support your answer with details from the text.

- It is possible because his dreams are so vivid- Yes, when he examines the gun, he knows what kind it is. He is maybe working through guilt for having killed someone (see the courtroom daydream when he is guilty of having murdered someone)

2. What does Walter Mitty mean when he says, "Things close in"(37)?

-When you sit in an open area, things get claustrophobic and things close in on you (agoraphobia)- he doesn’t have control over his dreams. They just come over him- also, on page 36, the sergeant says, “The box barrage is closing in”. It’s possible that the sergeant represents Mrs. Mitty (ie) she is telling him to do things or that there are dangers. His response is to say “We only live once, Sergeant”(37)

3. Why does Walter Mitty choose to go to the smaller pet food store?

- He doesn’t feel happy with his life so he wants fewer people around to judge him

1. Why is it significant that Walter Mitty imagines himself executed but undefeated at the end?

-He is a dreamer. The executioner represents someone who would stop you dreaming, but he is achieving his dreams regardless of people trying to stop him- execution means part of him is dead because he can have these intrusive thoughts/he can’t control them

2. Do you think Walter Mitty's imagination is helpful or harmful to him?

-Because of his daydreams he is doing possibly harmful things (eg) speeding- he is not aware of things around him- helpful because he escapes, but his life might seem bland when he comes out of it which is not at all a good thing-Makes him seem more creative and possibly helps actually make him more creative

3. Look up the meaning of these words: "coreopsis" and "streptothricosis". What do the definitions say about Walter Mitty's intelligence?-Coreopsis = plant in the daisy family

- streptothricosis = skin condition- he is kind of loopy because he is switching in plant names for disease names, but intelligent (if he knows what he is talking about)-Also shows that he is very imaginative

What purpose do Mitty’s dreams/stories serve for him?

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