In the following pages I want to focus on James Thurber’s famous short story “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” which was first published in 1939 in the magazine The New Yorker. Thurber tells the story of a Walter Mitty, a man who lives in a dream world to escape from the routines and humiliations which he suffers in everyday life.
Today the name “Walter Mitty” also exists in the English language and is used for people who are daydreaming and not paying attention to the real world. Walter Mitty became an archetypal American figure.
By reason of the structure of the short story and “Thurber’s own narrative style – economical, lightly ironic, and wonderfully expressive” (Holmes 218) it seems that this short story can be seen as a garden path story. The expression “to lead someone up the garden path” means “to deliberately deceive someone”. Manfred Jahn analysed this short story with respect to his garden path short story theory. Can “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” generally be regarded as a garden path story? What is of particular interest is whether the reader is misled by Thurber’s narrative technique especially at the beginning of the story. What are the reasons for Walter Mitty’s escapist daydreams and how is Mitty’s character presented in the story?
Firstly, I will describe the garden path phenomenon and applied to “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” I will analyse the beginning of the short story. In addition, I will name some hints where the reader realises Walter Mitty’s various daydream episodes. In the next chapter I will concentrate on the story’s two narrative levels. First of all, I will describe Mitty’s development in the course of his daydreams and then I will take a look on the real Walter Mitty. Moreover, I will briefly try to find similarities between James Thurber and Walter Mitty. Afterwards, James Thurber’s narrative style and his sense of humour will be presented. The conclusion will comprise the main points and some suggestions for further discussion.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The Garden Path Phenomenon
2.1. A Garden Path Beginning
2.2. Indications for Fantasy Scenes
3. Real world vs. Daydreams
3.1. Development in Mitty’s Daydreams
3.2. The Henpecked Walter Mitty
3.3. Thurber – Parallels to Mitty
4. Thurber’s Narrative Style
5. Seriousness of Thurber’s Humour
6. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Core Themes
The primary objective of this work is to analyze James Thurber’s short story "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" through the lens of garden path theory, exploring how the narrative structure manipulates reader perception to differentiate between the protagonist's reality and his escapist daydreams.
- Application of garden path theory to literary narrative.
- Distinction between real-world sequences and fantasy episodes.
- Psychological development and shifting heroism in Mitty’s daydreams.
- The relationship between Mitty’s domestic life and his internal fantasy world.
- Analysis of Thurber’s unique narrative style and thematic humor.
Excerpt from the Book
2.1. A Garden Path Beginning
Thurber’s short story “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” begins with one of Mitty’s reveries of heroism and fame. Because of the fact that the story opens in Mitty's fantasy world with no explanation that it is Walter Mitty’s imagination, the reader assumes that Walter Mitty is the man who is first introduced: an admirable old commander who is getting his hydroplane through a hurricane. He is fearless, has much power and control, and holds the respect of his crew. But when his wife suddenly interrupts him, "Not so fast! You're driving too fast!" (Thurber 34. Page references in the text are to this edition.), she brings him back to reality and the reader realises for the first time in retrospect that the first paragraph was Walter Mitty’s illusion and not his real life.
The new story line, Walter Mitty and his wife driving in a car to Waterbury, suddenly appears and this is the moment where the reader realises the garden path effect. First readers initially proceed on the preference to assume (Jahn 185) that the beginning of “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” is Walter Mitty’s real world because they have no reasons for assuming that they are in Mitty’s fantasy world.
Chapter Summaries
1. Introduction: This chapter introduces the author and the famous short story while outlining the research question regarding the application of garden path theory to Mitty’s escapist fantasies.
2. The Garden Path Phenomenon: This section defines the garden path sentence structure and investigates how Thurber intentionally misleads the reader at the beginning of the story and through specific fantasy cues.
3. Real world vs. Daydreams: This chapter examines the duality of the narrative, tracing Mitty’s development from an active hero to a passive figure and exploring the domestic tensions in his reality.
4. Thurber’s Narrative Style: This chapter analyzes how the author utilizes narrative structure, perspective, and objective versus subjective viewpoints to construct the story.
5. Seriousness of Thurber’s Humour: This chapter discusses the intersection of humor and tragedy in the story, noting how the protagonist’s strange behavior shifts from being comic to eliciting compassion.
6. Conclusion: The conclusion confirms the suitability of classifying the story as a garden path narrative and summarizes the psychological significance of Mitty's ultimate internal collapse.
Keywords
James Thurber, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Garden Path Theory, Literary Analysis, Daydreams, Escapism, Narrative Structure, Manfred Jahn, Walter Mitty, Short Story Theory, Cognitive Linguistics, Heroism, Psychological Realism, Tragic Comedy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this academic paper?
The paper focuses on James Thurber's short story "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty," analyzing its narrative structure, specifically how it employs garden path theory to confuse and eventually guide the reader between the protagonist's reality and his daydreams.
What are the central thematic fields explored?
The core themes include the contrast between escapist fantasy and mundane reality, the psychological state of the protagonist, the manipulation of reader perception, and the intersection of humor and tragedy.
What is the primary research goal or question?
The primary research goal is to determine if "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" can be categorized as a garden path short story and to explain how Thurber utilizes narrative techniques to mislead the reader, especially at the story's inception.
Which scientific methodology is applied?
The study primarily utilizes literary theory and cognitive linguistics, referencing Manfred Jahn’s garden path theory, alongside discourse analysis and psychological insights into character development.
What topics are covered in the main section?
The main section covers the garden path phenomenon, the dichotomy between reality and daydreaming, the specific narrative style employed by Thurber, and the underlying seriousness of his humor.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Essential keywords include James Thurber, Garden Path Theory, Walter Mitty, Escapism, Narrative Structure, and Psychological Realism.
How does the "garden path" effect specifically apply to the opening of the story?
The effect occurs because the story begins directly in a fantasy sequence without warning. Readers assume they are in reality until Mrs. Mitty interrupts, forcing a cognitive reanalysis of the preceding text.
What is the role of Mitty's wife in the context of the story?
Mrs. Mitty represents the "real" world and societal authority. Her interference creates the necessary friction that triggers Mitty's retreats into his heroic, albeit increasingly fragile, internal fantasies.
- Citation du texte
- Anastasia Deibert (Auteur), 2007, James Thurber’s “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” , Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/85711
