The secret life of walter mitty full text intensive english 1. Not only has the story created such a buzz throughout all these decades, but the character of walter. Dec 31, 20 the secret life of walter mitty, which opened on christmas day, is just such a picture, with plenty of funloving adventure, humor, and earnest sentiment to make it entertaining for everyone. A naval commander is captaining a huge, hurtling, eightengined navy hydroplane through a terrible storm. The secret life of walter mitty versus the story of an hour. Litcharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in the secret life of walter mitty, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. The secret life of walter mitty by james thurber plot summary. It also allows the story to start off midfantasy without tipping its hand that it is midfantasy. A short film based on the short story by james thurber cast benjamin sansom walter mitty kristen sansom mrs. Best movies like the secret life of walter mitty bestsimilar.
The secret life of walter mitty 20 plot synopsis imdb. The most famous of thurbers stories, it first appeared in the new yorker on march 18, 1939, and was first collected in his book my world and welcome to it harcourt, brace and company, 1942. The theme of failure occurs in this short story because walter fails to live life to the fullest so the dayreams come replace the reality of normallife with fantasies of scenarios where he. The secret life of walter mitty summary the secret life of walter mitty tells the story of the aging walter mitty on a trip into town with his overbearing wife, mrs. The secret life of walter mitty a comparisson essay of the movie and the short story. In the secret life of walter mitty, walter is an elderly american man who is retired and has nothing better to do but to follow his wife around. The secret life of walter mitty summary gradesaver. The secret life of walter mitty tells the story of the aging walter mitty on a trip into town with his overbearing wife, mrs. Dec 28, 20 the secret life of walter mitty was a spry short story written by james thurber back in 1939 and spinning the tale of a henpecked fantasist in humdrum connecticut. In the secret life of walter mitty, thurber tells the story of walter mitty, a man who lives in a dream world to escape from the routines and humiliations he suffers in everyday life.
Walter attempts to contact cheryl via eharmony but todd maher. Perhaps staying in a new place for a few days or you might nurture a new hobby. As walter mitty and his wife run errands, walter daydreams. Instead of living cooped up in your house all your life, try something new. The theme of failure occurs in this short story because walter fails to live life to the fullest so the dayreams come replace the reality of normallife with fantasies of scenarios where he someone very heroic and lively. Walter daydreams about a life that he wishes he had. He wore his fulldress uniform, with the heavily braided white cap pulled down rakishly over one cold gray eye. The focus of this story is to represent a fantasy world opposed to a reality. Walter mitty is a character from the book the secret life of walter mitty. The secret life of walter mitty is one of the touchstones of american culture, and there are references scattered throughout literature and the pop scene to the passiveaggressive dreamer who escapes into. Another way to interpret this is as a sort of victory on mittys part, as far as the story is concerned. The secret life of walter mitty is a short story by james thurber, which explores the fantastical daydreams of the mundane walter mitty.
The film was adapted for the screen by ken englund, everett freeman, and philip rapp, and directed. In this lesson, we will learn more about what makes walter special in. Walter mitty does not fit the threeact plot breakdown. The secret life of walter mitty, which opened on christmas day, is just such a picture, with plenty of funloving adventure, humor, and earnest sentiment to make it entertaining for everyone. The question and answer section for the secret life of walter mitty 20 film is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel. The secret life of walter mitty in honor of design. Walter mitty, american literary character, a meek and bumbling man who spends much of his time lost in heroic daydreams the short story the secret life of walter mitty 1939 by american author james thurber begins with its protagonists fearlessly leading a navy crew through an aircraft takeoff amid nearhurricane conditions, only to reveal that the scene is merely his fantasy. Review the secret life of walter mitty offers family. What is the structure of the story the secret life of. Source for information on the secret life of walter mitty. The secret life of walter mitty, thurbers bestknown story, is, like most of his fiction, short, requiring only five or six pages. The secret life of walter mitty vs the story of an hour.
What is the core theme or message of the movie, the secret. Also have an eye for beauty whether it is a place, a per. Born in ohio, he joined the staff of the new yorker magazine in 1927. Alfred prufrock on, to costar adam scotts fussily styled fake beard, to the overall depiction of how a print magazine worksworked, to the consoling midtownmanhattan. In this lesson, we will learn more about what makes walter special in a summary of james thurbers the secret life of. Because of this, a movie may differ from the novel. Pritchardmitford congratulates mitty on his book about streptothricosis.
He wrote stories, plays, essays, and poems, and he was also a great cartoonist. Mitty also has a crush on a coworker named cheryl, but never has the nerve to tell her his feelings towards her. In this lesson, we will learn more about what makes walter special in a summary of james thurbers the secret life of walter mitty. That story is taking place aboard a naval hydroplane equipped with eight engines and facing what appears to be a lifeanddeath situation. The secret life of walter mitty short story plot line by.
Its important to note that the secret life of walter mitty both begins and ends inside walters fantasies. The secret life of walter mitty questions and answers. The firing squad that he is waiting for is mittys wife. The secret life of walter mitty is an immensely popular short story which since the late 1930s has inspired numerous other stories, a stage play, and also two movies, one in 1947 and the more recent 20 version with ben stiller as the lead. The secret life of walter mitty 1947 plot summary imdb. It also allows the story to start off midfantasy without tipping its hand that it is mid fantasy.
As mitty and his wife are on their way to do some errands. Study guide for the secret life of walter mitty 20 film the secret life of walter mitty 20 film study guide contains a biography of director ben stiller, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. This title, in a way, belongs to walter mitty, because hes the one who sees his fantasies as a secret life, not as mere foolish daydreams. The secret life of walter mitty plot summary course hero. The secret life of walter mitty analysis essay sample. Mitty is a ordinary man that seems to live a simple life which he is happy nor sad about. The plot in the secret life of walter mitty revolves around walter mitty, an employee of life magazine. When the light changes, a cop snaps at him to hurry, and mitty puts the gloves back on before he drives away. May 19, 2014 the other week, based on a few recommendations from friends, we tried out the secret life of walter mitty. You could argue that his journey is his imaginings, but the story begins and ends with a man already committed to fantasy instead of reality. The question and answer section for the secret life of walter mitty is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel. Ben stiller directs and stars in the secret life of walter mitty, james thurbers classic story of a daydreamer who escapes his anonymous life by disappearing into a world of fantasies filled. Walter unintentionally gets involved with a dangerous ring of spies that are seeking a black book with notes about a hidden treasure. In 1939, james thurber wrote a captivating story entitled the secret life of walter mitty.
Producers often use a book as a springboard for a movie idea or to earn a specific rating. Though his lieutenant fears he cant make it, the commander insists on full speed ahead, and the admiring crew expresses its faith in his abilities. It was made into a film in 1947 starring danny kaye, with a remake directed by, and. The reader is thrust right into what might well be the climax of a more traditional story. Recommendation engine sorted out humorous, semi serious, romantic and clever films with plots about mentor, storytelling, destiny, life philosophy, romance, love story and dialogue mostly in comedy, romance and drama genres.
The secret life of walter mitty 1939 is a short story by james thurber. The secret life of walter mitty, and the public one of. What is the structure of the story the secret life of walter. What is the plot in the secret life of walter mitty by. The secret life of walter mitty summary supersummary. That film was a series of loosely connected sketch pieces about a henpecked. The question and answer section for the secret life of walter mitty is a great resource to. The short story deals with a vague and mildmannered man who drives into waterbury, connecticut, with his wife for their regular. The secret life of walter mitty 1947 film wikipedia. While helping his mother sell her piano, mitty recounts his story but.
The secret life of walter mittyby james thurberthe literary work a short story set in a suburban connecticut town during the mid to late 1930s. Walter mitty is a negative assets manager at life magazine who daydreams of adventures to get away out of the tedium of his boring job. The short story deals with a vague and mildmannered man who drives into waterbury, connecticut, with his wife for their. All at once, a large machinethe hospitals new anaesthetizerbegins to malfunction. If you watch the trailer alone you might feel a little confused like i was, and wondering what the heck the plot is about. The secret life of walter mitty analysis 4 april 2017 theme and narrative elements in the short story patrick powell eng. The plot line for the secret life of walter mitty by james thurber found in pretince halls timeless voices, timeless themes gold level 2005. Plot summary walter mitty and his wife take their usual trip into town so she can get her hair done. He is walter mitty the undefeated facing the firing squad. Aug 11, 20 a short film based on the short story by james thurber cast benjamin sansom walter mitty kristen sansom mrs. Born in ohio, he joined the staff of the new yorker magazine in. Mitty thinks walter is sick and wants to get medicine for him.
In this comedic adaptation of james thurbers short story, ben stiller stars as walter, a milquetoast proofreader for a magazine publishing firm. Physical descriptions associate him with cold and ice. Get all the key plot points of james thurbers the secret life of walter mitty on one page. Older filmgoers will recall danny kayes 1947 mitty, also based on james thurbers 1939 new yorker story. Thurber loosely based the character, a daydreamer, on his friend walter mithoff.
The secret life of walter mitty is a 1947 technicolor comedy film, loosely based on the short story of the same name by james thurber. Mitty steps into the drugstore to grab some last minute item, mitty stands against the wall outside and imagines that he is standing before a firing squad. The secret life of walter mitty by james thurber plot. Spoilers walter mitty is a negative assets manager at life magazine who daydreams of adventures to get away out of the tedium of his boring job. The secret life of walter mitty 127 james thurber was a rare writer who expressed his comic genius in both words and pictures. He feels that his life does not have much meaning or adventure, and decides to create a. As the pounding of the cylinders increasestapocketapocketapocketapocketapocketacrew. Wanda deffenbaugh july, 18 2011 in the short story the secret life of walter mitty the themes identified are. The synopsis below may give away important plot points. The film stars danny kaye as a young daydreaming proofreader later associate editor for a magazine publishing firm and virginia mayo as the girl of his dreams. The secret life of walter mitty was a spry short story written by james thurber back in 1939 and spinning the tale of a henpecked fantasist in humdrum connecticut. About a short story, the elements created using powtoon free sign up at create animated videos and animated presentat.
Act i ends when the hero is fully committed to his journey, yet walter mitty never fully commits to any journey. The secret life of walter mitty some of the deepestdyed thurber fans may squeal since theres naturally considerable change from the famed short story on which the screenplay is built. The secret life of walter mitty 20 rotten tomatoes. The secret life of walter mitty is a short story by james thurber, which explores the fantastical daydreams of the. The action takes place over the course of a single day, during which walter mitty and his wife go on their weekly shopping trip. Nov 25, 2015 about a short story, the elements created using powtoon free sign up at create animated videos and animated presentat. The secret life of walter mitty by james thurber were going through. Walter mitty is a negative assets manager at life magazine who daydreams of.
Mitty works with photojournalist sean oconnell, whose images are highly regarded. See plot diagram summary the commander the setting of the opening scene of the secret life of walter mitty is aboard a navy hydroplane seaplane, where the commander has just announced that he will safely steer his crew through an impending hurricane. The secret life of walter mitty a naval commander is captaining a huge, hurtling, eightengined navy hydroplane through a terrible storm. What is the resolution of the plot of the secret life of. The story was again adapted for the stage in 1964, this time by joe manchester. The secret life of walter mitty 20 plot summary imdb. The secret life of walter mitty the secret life of walter mitty 1939 is a short story by james thurber. James thurbers the secret life of walter mitty presents a story in which fantasy intrudes upon the boundaries of reality in an episodic fashion the reader can delight in mittys creative. Most similar movies to the secret life of walter mitty the list contains related movies ordered by similarity. The other week, based on a few recommendations from friends, we tried out the secret life of walter mitty. Synopsis through his imagination, a man leaves behind his humdrum life for the road to high adventure. Walter james mitty is a fictional character in james thurbers first short story the secret life of walter mitty, first published in the new yorker on march 18, 1939, and in book form in my world and welcome to it in 1942.