Adventure is an unusual and exciting experience or activity; the exploration of uncharted territory leads to new experiences; dreams are an escape, an adventure of the mind. The 1947 film The Secret Life of Walter Mitty best represents James Thurber’s intent to make the viewer take into consideration the idea of individualism; while exploring how imagination enhances everyday lives. The 1947 film is more parallel to Thurber’s short story due to its similar distinctive characters, types of dreams and visions, as well as how the character of Walter Mitty is accepted by his surrounding characters. Thurber’s intent to explore the idea of individualism; while proposing that one can escape everyday life through dreams and fantasies IS best portrayed through the 1947 film. In both the short story and the 1947 film the main character, Walter Mitty, is controlled by women. Throughout the short story, …show more content…
The short story and the 1947 film place Walter in an everyday atmosphere where he is surrounded by friends and family members. In both pieces, Walter is scolded for his tangents by those around him. In the short story Mitty’s wife proclaims, “It’s one of those days. I wish you’d let Dr. Renshaw look you over.” She makes this statement after Walter experiences his first of many daydreams in the short story “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty”. In the 1947 film Walter’s mother accuses him of being absent minded as a result of his daydreaming. She does this after he mistakenly brings home a rake in place of the cake his mother sent him to get. In the 2013 film, Mitty is ridiculed for “zoning out”; however, unlike the short story and 1947 film, in this film he is more commonly taunted at work by coworkers than by family members. The 1947 film can be compared to the original short story for sharing similar settings. Thurber 's intent to develop an everyday setting, making Mitty’s lifestyle seem less exciting, is best portrayed through the 1947 film and
In this essay, I will travel to the depths of little Walter's soul who in spite of his young age suffers from anxiety, fear and tumult in his beloved Birmingham due to his
If I were able to have dinner with Walter Mitty from James Thurber 's “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” I would have to say yes. I have three main reasons to say yes and many a person may say no. I however may find his company enjoyable and much like my own. I would also have to see the way he looks at the world.
When observing the male characters, thematic influences that shape their idea of freedom are status and wealth, from analysis of the text it is evident that it provides the men of these stories with a sense of masculinity and power. Taking a look at Walter’s relation to wealth in A Raisin in the Sun, it demonstrates that he believes that the more leisure and free spending his family has, the more of a man it makes him. When Walter, his mother, and his wife, argue over their spending and finances, Walter states, “Well, you tell that to my boy tonight when you put him to sleep on the living-room couch … Yeah—and tell it to my wife, Mama, tomorrow when she has to go out of here to look after somebody else’s kids” (1.2.191).
The female characters in One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest can be split into extremely different categories. Throughout the movie, the men encounter different types of roles played by women. The way each type of role is treated by the men are noticeably different. These roles are still played by women till this day. Women either are depicted as powerful and emasculating, or a men's toy.
He believes he is “..see[ing] life like it is” (141) in order to rightfully take his place as the head of the family by making this decision for them, regardless of the hope this house brought them all. The rest of the Younger family is disconcerted by this new business deal, and asks Walter if this is what he truly wants and believes is right, to which he responds that he’s “Going to feel fine…[like] a man…” (144). Due to internally knowing he still had prove himself but not physically doing so, Walter’s delicate, false pride in being a man doesn’t allow him to consider how his actions affect
For Walter, society is suppressing his dreams from becoming a reality and causing him to live a life he doesn’t want. This is exhibited through Hansberry’s use of the phrase “rich white people”. It shows how the predominately white society of the 1950’s did not allow people like Walter, who were of a different race, the opportunity to have the same luxuries and success that they have. This causes Walter to believe that he will forever be stuck in a bad job and a small apartment where his son has to sleep in the living room, which means he will forever
In the beginning Walter is basically perceived as a jerk-he doesn’t seem to get along with anyone, not even his own family. His character likes to turn discussions into fights, make rude comments to his wife, and act all around immature. A part that accurately shows the way Walter conducts himself is when he is arguing with Ruth and says “Man say: I got to change my life , I'm choking to death, baby! And his woman say- Your eggs is getting cold!”
Also In the movie adaptation Walter has a job at the life office and loses a negative photo. This gives Walter another goal and this goal changes him more throughout the story. The negative makes him more courageous and risky. The Walter in the story is dry and boring. Lastly the movie gives Walter a reason to daydream.
Walter feels his job is more than unsatisfying, and can not make Mama understand, since her simplistic views are just like Ruths. In spite of his personal inadequacies with his job fulfillment, Walter shines in the end of the story with understanding and growth of his own fathers not so wonderful job. Walter seems to be reflecting on his own status as a
Although Walter does not deserve the power, the manhood of Walter Lee enables him to “control” the family. Conversely, Beneatha’s talkativeness and her aggressive personality are against how a 1950s African American should act. Ruth asks “Can’t you be a little sweeter sometimes? (Act 1, Scene 1)” to indicate the modest characteristics women should have. Furthermore, Ruth’s decision of abortion at the beginning of the play was unconventional since it was against gender expectation because it is against her duty as a wife and a mother.
Despite the fact that dreaming of a liquor store is shallow, Walter’s motivation to be able to support his family helps reconcile his somewhat immoral hopes. Later, Walter shows the idiocy of his plan to own a liquor store when he gets drunk. In act 2, scene 2, Walter borrows Willy Harris’s car and drives around Chicago for two days, then “just walked”, and finally “went to the Green Hat” (2.2 105). Through his actions, Walter shows that he is immature and cares more about pretending to be rich than his job that would allow him to provide for his family.
Key details in the film illustrate how the rest of the world see Walter. He is a shy dull man that is boring and maybe some might say a loner. When you watch the movie beginning to end you see his identity transform from timid to brave and courageous. He steps out of his shell and does thing he thought he would never do. Walter Mitty found his identity.
In the play, A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, there are many examples of sexism throughout its entirety. The character, Walter, demonstrates the acts of a sexist human being. Walter is sexist to not only women in general, but to the women in his family. Not taking into consideration of other people’s sayings and their feelings, Walter generally only thinks about himself, says what he believes, and truly only cares about money. Walter constantly is fighting with all of the women in the family as well.
Walter was introduced as a man who cared about nothing other than his business. He had sacrificed his sister’s dream of becoming a doctor, and held the power to wipe out Mama’s dream for a better home. Walter sees the gender roles as boundaries keeping him from loosening up to his family. He is given the insight that men must be powerful, wealthy, and demanding for them to truly be the head of the household. However, Walter sees past these gender roles, and not only challenges these rigid roles, but he also regains his family’s trust along the
Anne Ferguson Mann writes that Mrs. Mitty, “is there to keep him from driving too fast, to get him to wear his gloves and overshoes, to take him to the doctor,... free him from practical responsibilities of living”. (Mann, 352). In this quote, Ann Ferguson Mann is saying that Mrs. Mitty makes everyday life decisions for Walter and does not let him take charge of his own life and be responsible for his own life. Walter lacks charge of his life in reality, so he makes up for it in his