An Ordinary Hero in James Thurber’s The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

James Thurber’s “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” takes an imaginative spin on the typical romantic relationships seen in various works of literature such as Romeo and Juliet and The Great Gatsby. Although many of these plots encompass a couple aching to be together, “Mitty” tells the story of an unhappy man who reverts to his daydreams to escape his overbearing wife and mundane life. The story wittily touches on Walter Mitty’s dissatisfaction in his marriage and his different versions of reality. Although he is cowardly in that he “uses his imagination to get away from the fact that ... he lets someone [his wife] live his life for him”, Walter Mitty is still a hero. A hero is not necessarily someone with supernatural powers, but a person who has courage, strength and noble qualities. Walter is heroic because he tolerates his wife’s constant badgering and has the courage to stay with her despite his palpable despair. 

The story exhibits several stages of the hero’s journey, such as the ordinary world, the call to adventure, crossing the threshold, the reward and return with the elixir, justifying that Walter Mitty truly is a hero. In the “Ordinary World”, Thurber introduces Walter sympathetically allowing the audience to identify with his situation. Throughout the story, Walter is depicted as a regular person with relatable problems, one of which is his critical wife. Initially, readers have a clear sense of Walter’s relationship with his wife who is very controlling and domineering in their marriage. After waking up from his first daydream, Walter is startled by the way his wife scolds him for speeding, saying “she seemed grossly unfamiliar, like a strange woman who had yelled at him in a crowd”. The simile Walter uses to outline Mrs. Mitty’s harsh tone and negative attitude indicates that he feels uncomfortable and uneasy around her. Walter’s dissatisfaction makes the audience sympathize with him. Readers who have an overbearing parent or partner can identify with Walter’s unhappiness since they too have someone influencing their decisions. Similar to how Mrs. Mitty talks over and contradicts Walter, “‘toxic parents are known for not listening to their kids, but instead, talking over them or at them’”. Mrs. Mitty talks over Walter when she advises him to see a doctor because he is “tensed up again” and is having “one of his days”, which is ironic judging by the way she mercilessly chastises him for speeding. She has a very condescending tone and implies that there is something wrong with him. Overall, her unpleasant demeanour allows the audience to feel Walter’s frustration and favour him. 

“The Ordinary World” is a prominent stage in which there is a polarity pulling Walter in different directions. Walter’s dissatisfaction pulls him in the direction of his daydreams, while his wife anchors him back to reality. Frankly, the only interaction Mitty has in real life is with his wife. Mrs. Mitty often speaks to Walter in a condescending tone and belittles him, causing him to dislike his actual reality. For instance, she calls him old, tensed up and says he should see a doctor. Mrs. Mitty “is in complete control over Walter Mitty and due to her superiorority Mitty is drawn to a fantasyland where he gets away and has control over something in his life for once. He often chooses powerful personalities for the characters that he becomes.” Walter daydreams because they give him the sense of fulfilment he lacks in his marriage. In his dreams, Walter is a powerful and respectable man. For instance, he imagines being an airforce pilot; someone who is strong and has a high level of authority. Mitty’s dream of flying also stems from his pursuit of freedom in his life. As the saying “free as a bird” goes, flying is a symbol of freedom. It eradicates any constraints Walter feels in his life and marriage, and his ability to control the flight is representative of his personal sense of power. Walter gets lured into his dreams because they allow him to escape his dull life and give him more authority and freedom. Although his wife persistently pulls him back to his wretched reality, Walter is strong and courageous enough to stay with her. Each of Walter’s daydreams is inspired by a “Call to Adventure”; an event that takes place in the external environment or thoughts that arise from within his mind. For instance, when Walter drives by a hospital wearing gloves, he dreams that he is a doctor. The gloves and the hospital are a part of the external environment that incite this dream. However, Walter’s feeling of weakness from being forced to wear the gloves also influences the dream. Earlier, Mrs. Mitty insists that Walter wear his glove, saying “why don’t you wear your gloves? Have you lost your gloves?” Walter has no desire to wear the gloves, but Mrs. Mitty is persistent and eventually, he gives in knowing he has no control over this decision. Immediately, Walter reverts to his dreams which grant him power. Although his dream of being a surgeon was incited by the gloves and the hospital, it arose from his need for a break and to obtain some control. 

Walter’s call to adventure is not simply inspired by the physical environment, but also by his need within to feel valued and respected. When Walter dreams of being a doctor, he feels important and respected by the people around him. For instance, Walter feels appreciated when Pritchard-Mitford commends him for his “brilliant performance” in his book on streptothricosis. It is a combination of both his internal needs that are not fulfilled by his wife in addition to an external event that spurs each of Walter’s dreams. As Walter “Crosses the Threshold”, he abandons the ordinary world for a more refreshing one in which he is more enthusiastic and admirable. Walter dreams he not only enters into a physically new environment, but he also leaves behind the thought of his wife, along with his monotonous and passive qualities. Although Walter is miserable in his marriage, none of his dreams involve a better relationship with his wife. This further emphasizes that Walter daydreams to flee his miserable life and marriage to be in a world where he is praised rather than one in which he is happy with his wife. For instance, when Walter dreams of a doctor, he is flattered when people express that they admire his book. In this same daydream, Walter is much more conversational and friendly with his peers. In reality, however, he is not very interactive with anyone other than his wife. Instead, he is quiet and speaks to himself saying “puppy biscuit”, when a woman overheard him and laughed. However, when he was a doctor, Walter communicates with Pritchard-Mitford and collaborates with a nurse and Dr. Renshaw. Walter also has more authority compared to reality and gives orders saying “give me a fountain pen” and “get on with the operation”. 

In terms of the physical conditions in the daydreams, each one takes place in a different place. The dream in which he is a doctor is very fast-paced and hectic compared to his real life. In reality, Walter does not seem very busy. He simply drives around running errands for his wife. Each time Walter crosses the threshold, both his character and conditions in the new environment have an exciting twist. Walter’s “Reward” in his heroic act of staying with his wife is that he is able to sustain his marriage and find stability in his life. Without his dreams, Walter would not have found the grit to stay with Mrs. Mitty. His dreams fill the void in his life that his wife was not able to fill. Walter’s characters in each of his dreams give him the courage to stay with his wife. The dream version of Walter does not directly give Walter speak to him or guide him per se. Instead, each version of Walter in his dreams indirectly gives him a sense of accomplishment and the confidence he needs to stay with his commanding wife. He enjoys being portrayed as a successful surgeon, a navy commander and an airforce pilot because he “has power and control over the decisions [he] made and [he] skills performed.” Each time Walter transitions into his daydreams, he feels respected, strong and accomplished. However, when he is with his wife, he is belittled. For instance, Mrs. Mitty says to Walter “you’re not a young man any longer”, insinuating he is old. Despite this, Walter can always rely on his dream-self to find the happiness he craves in his insipid life and marriage. His dreams empower him in a way that Mrs. Mitty does not. As a result of his reassuring dreams, Walter is able to find emotional stability in his life and the will to stay with Mrs. Mitty. Although Walter’s heroism is rewarding, an important element in “The reward” of a hero is the risk of losing it. In Walter’s case, the more time he spends in reality, the less stability and courage he will have to stay with Mrs. Mitty. Walter’s dreams are his way of escaping his bossy wife, and without them, he would not be able to tolerate her pestering. In essence, Walter’s marriage depends on his daydreams. 

In the “Return With the Elixir”, Walter has the power to help people who are in a mid-life crisis by giving them hope that life can be adventurous despite their difficulties. A mid-life crisis can transpire in two ways: it can either motivate individuals to pursue their goals or cause them to feel lost in their quest for meaning in their life. Walter’s commitment to his wife despite his dissatisfaction is promising to those who feel lost in their lives. A “midlife is a turbulent time for many. With their children grown and careers and marriages plateaued, the boomer generation is searching for the next step.” Although Walter is unhappy, he is still patient with his wife and distracts himself with his imagination. For instance, he never articulates his dissatisfaction and lets his wife take out her frustration out on him. When Mrs. Mitty chastises him from speeding, he does not vocalize his “shocked astonishment”. Walter keeps his thoughts inside and patiently allows her to yell at him for speeding, order him to get overshoes and put on his gloves. He does all of this without complaining or disputing with Mrs. Mitty. Then, he escapes his troubles by distracting himself with a life he desires. Walter shows that patience and accepting reality without complaining is key in finding oneself and powering through a mid-life crisis. He also shows that if people stay busy and distract themselves from their problems, as Walter does with his dreams, they can certainly work through their challenges. According to Whelan’s review on Hagerty’s Reimagining Life, staying positive, cultivating meaningful friendships and volunteering helps getting through a mid-life crisis. “A shock test that proves the healing power of friendship. A blood test that shows volunteering boosts feel-good hormones.” Ultimately, Walter shows that patience and a positive outlook can transform a mid-life crisis into a breakthrough. 

Thurber’s “Mitty” is a relatable story that resonates with ordinary people, such as the protagonist, who are unsatisfied in their lives. Walter’s heroic character gives people hope and reassurance that life can be adventurous even in the hardest times. His extraordinary courage to stay with his vexatious wife despite his manifest unhappiness makes him a hero. Walter conceives this secret life in which he feels empowered and accomplished. His version of reality gives him the strength, respect and value he craves in his life. However, it is ironic that Walter dreams to sustain his marriage, yet his dreams revolve around himself rather than a happy life with Mrs. Mitty. Nonetheless, the story presents several stages in the Hero’s Journey, thus validating that Walter Mitty is the ultimate hero.