Home > The Secret Life of Walter Mitty Summary & Study Guide > Critical Overview
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty | Critical Overview
"The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" is Thurber's best-known short story. Walter Mitty has become a well-known character in American fiction. The tenth edition of the Merriam Webster Collegiate Dictionary defines a "Walter Mitty" as "a commonplace unadventurous person who seeks escape
from reality through daydreaming." Waller Mitty, the average, ineffectual American is a recurring character-type in Thurber's fiction. Critics refer to this type of character as the "Thurber male."
However, critics are divided on how to interpret this Thurberian character. On the one hand,...
[The entire page is 536 words long]
Join eNotes
The above is a free excerpt. Get total access to this content with the:
Summary and Analysis – Themes – Characters – And much more...
Join eNotes
Over 3,500 study guides, question and answer forums, literature criticism, reference content, and much more!
Navigate
- The Secret Life of Walter Mitty: Introduction
- The Secret Life of Walter Mitty: Summary
- The Secret Life of Walter Mitty: James Thurber Biography
- The Secret Life of Walter Mitty: Characters
- The Secret Life of Walter Mitty: Themes
- The Secret Life of Walter Mitty: Style
- The Secret Life of Walter Mitty: Historical Context
- The Secret Life of Walter Mitty: Critical Overview
- The Secret Life of Walter Mitty: Essays and Criticism
- The Secret Life of Walter Mitty: Compare and Contrast
- The Secret Life of Walter Mitty: Topics for Further Study
- The Secret Life of Walter Mitty: Media Adaptations
- The Secret Life of Walter Mitty: What Do I Read Next?
- The Secret Life of Walter Mitty: Bibliography and Further Reading
- The Secret Life of Walter Mitty: Pictures
- Copyright
Related Topics
Tell a friend about The Secret Life of Walter Mitty at eNotes.
