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Theme Of Authority In The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty

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Authority is a certain power to control someone else and conformity is a behavior following the policy, or the most common behaviors people do in society. In the short stories “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” written by James Thurber and “A&P” written by John Updike explore similar themes. Walter Mitty from “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” is a character who refuses to confront. Mrs. Mitty, his wife, usually nags him when she expects him to do what she wants, but he doesn’t. Even though, he knows that she wants him to match himself for her, he doesn’t argue with her and do as she tells him to. However, deep inside his heart, he has an intention to gain authority, and his intention of gaining authority shows from his daydreams. Usually from his daydreams he is set as some kind of important person who holds a high position. Sammy from “A&P” is a normal 19-year-old cashier. One day, three girls come into the supermarket with their swimsuits, and he falls in love with a girl who seems like a leader of the group at one sight. He decides to call her “Queenie” and after he realizes his sentiment, he makes a huge decision that changes his life because of the temporary emotion. He gets confused about when to be authoritative to the three girls and when to listen to the market’s manager, Lengel’s saying. The two authors fit the theme into the characters extremely well that Walter Mitty shows two different sides of himself from his dreams and from the real life. Compared to Walter

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