The Secret Life of Walter Mitty By: Gaines Bates Colby Miller Rachel Rodenberg

Author: James Thurber  James is blind in left eye  He was born in 1894 and died in  His stories are humorous or, edgy and tense.  Many of his stories ridicule people.  He worked for the New Yorker Magazine  E.E. White helped him get a job there.

Vocabulary  Distraught-adj.- very upset;confused. The story left me very distraught.  Haggard-adj.-having a worn and tired look The business man looked haggard at the end of the day.  Craven-adj.-extremely cowardly. Taking all the credit was very craven.

Vocab. continued  Pandemonium-n.- a wild uproar In court there was a wild pandemonium.  Disdainful-adj.-showing scorn for someone or something regarded as unworthy. He has disdainful feelings towards the teacher.

Theme  The theme of the story is when we daydream we all think of do some great act that brings a lot of fame or imagining yourself pull off a great stunt that in reality not seeming to be possible.

Plot Chart  Characters: Walter Mitty, Mrs. Mitty, Lieutenant Berg, Commander, the firing squad,and the Judge Basic Situation: Walter is shopping downtown with his wife.  Setting: A cold day in downtown New Millford.

Plot Chart  Internal Conflict: Walter is mad that his wife because she is making him go hunt down some new overshoes while she’s getting her hair done. Man vs. Man  External Conflict: Walter Mitty has also been accused of murdering Greg Fitzhurst.  Complication: During the trial the court was questioning if he could have shot Greg while his right arm was in a sling.

Plot Chart  Climax: Walter is released from trial and is waiting for his wife while standing next to a drug store.  Resolution: Walter was shot by a firing squad that appears.  Protag.: Walter Mitty Mrs.Mitty  Antag.: The firing squad  Dynamic: Walter Mitty  Static: Walter Mitty, Mrs. Mitty

Literary Element is Diction Diction is the choice of words the author uses to show character and to create a different tone and mood for each of Walter’s dreams. When the Commander says “I am not asking you”, to Lieutenant Berg it shows that the Commander is a strict man.

Dig Deeper  Throughout the story Walter is daydreaming numerous times. He dreams that he is a doctor doing surgery, in a fighter plane, in court, or about to be shot by a firing squad.  He must want more excitement in his life then going shopping with his wife. We all dream about things more exciting or more important in our day to day lives.