Who is Walter Mitty
... his nagging and critical wife when she says, “Not so fast! You’re driving too fast!” Which is quickly followed by a grim, “What are you driving so fast for?” (Charters, 2003, p. 726). This is the first glimpse that the audience gets of the REAL life a Walter Mitty. It is a life of constant criticism and patronizing remarks. As the story unravels it sheds a deeper nagging side of Walter’s wife and helps to color the true identity of Walter’s spouse and therefore the truth about Walter’s drab existences. Quickly the audience learns that Walter is not even fond of the weekly trips to town. The story reads, “In a way he hated theses weekly trips to town- he was always getting something wrong. Kleenex, he thought, Squibb’s, razor blades? No. Toothpaste, toothbrush, bicarbonate, carborundum, initiative and referendum? He gave it up. But she would remember it. ‘Where’s the what’s-its-name? she would ask” (Charters, 2003, p.727-728). So, why is it that Walter continues to go on these shopping expeditions if he hates them so much? The answer is just another testament to Walter’s character. He is not strong-minded enough to stand up for what he wants and/or does not want. Walter has no backbone and would rather continue making weekly trips that he hates than to confront his wife and tell her that he no longer wants to go or, for that matter, that she is a horrible wife! It is not only Walter’s wife that appears to overpower him. It seems that Walter gives off a vibe, either through his physical appearance or his mannerisms, that he is inferior to even strangers. This becomes apparent in the parking lot scene when Walter is talked down to by the parking attendant. Even the parking attendant is talking to Walter in a condescending way! This is bad news! Every time Walter is confronted by one such encounter he throws himself into a vivid, vigorous adventure in his mind where he is the man in charge and is calling all the shots. Starting off his trip to town Walter places himself in a battleship as their Commander; he goes on to be a surgeon, the District Attorney a millionaire banker and a Captain in the army. In each of these situations Walter is the man everyone is needing and depending on to assist them through their tasks. Never being talked down to, Walter is clearly in charge in each of his mental daydreams. Walter Mitty is thinking up mental excursions to help himself escape the overbearing demands of his critical and manipulative wife. Walter’s everyday life is rather meek, ordinary and bland except for the unending demands and bossiness of wife. His wife takes away any ideas, thoughts and/or personality that Walter obtains. In o...