The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

1
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

• By James Thurber

2
James Thurber

• 1894-1961
• Lived through 2 World Wars
• Reflected in writing American pride in soldiers

3
Look at page 227
4
James Thurber

• Author of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
• Humorist (writer and cartoonist)
• Gift for being funny and serious at the same time
• Writings/drawings about men and women who cope
  with one another and with modern life and
  puzzled, compassionate dogs who observe human life

5
James Thurber

• From Columbus, Ohio
• Worked for The New Yorker magazine
• Walter Mitty inspiration for Snoopy

6
Ellipses

• It looks like this
• Three periods
• Uses to show youve omitted words (for example
  if you are quoting someone and you want to
  shorten the quote) and to show hesitation/falterin
  g speech or thoughts
• Can use an ellipses to shorten the beginning,
  middle, or end of a quote (if at end put period)
• When using ellipses to shorten quotes, dont
  change true meaning of quote

7
Ellipses

• Example from The Lady or the Tiger
• Original Quote
• But how much oftener had she seen him at the
  other door! How in her grievious reveries had she
  knashed her teeth and torn her hair when she saw
  his start of rapturous delight as he opened the
  door on the lady (36).

8
Ellipses

• How in her grievous reveries had she gnashed
  her teeth and torn her hair when she saw his
  start of rapturous delight as he opened the door
  on the lady (36).
• But how much oftener had she seen him at the
  other door! How in her grievous reveries had she
  gnashed her teeth and torn her hairas he opened
  the door on the lady (36).
• But how much oftener had she seen him at the
  other door! How in her grievous reveries had she
  gnashed her teeth and torn her hair when she saw
  his start of rapturous delight as he opened the
  door on the lady (36).

9
Jargon

• Special Language of a group of people, especially
  people in the same job
• People who use jargon engineers, educators,
  lawyers, carpenters, etc.
• Often language is necessary to communicate
  complex/technical ideas
• Used to impress outsiders
• The Secret Life of Walter Mitty pokes fun at the
  jargon in various groups (Mitty misuses it)

10
Jargon

• Lets brainstorm Jargon in Methacton
• ISS
• PSSA
• MHS

11
Irony

• A contradiction between what is expected to
  happen or what is meant

12
Dramatic Irony

• The contrast depends upon the contradicton
  between what the character believes and what the
  reader knows to be true
• EX Mitty has a fantasy about flying ace, but the
  readers know from Mittys inept behavior in the
  parking lot that he has trouble just parking his
  car

13
Situational Irony

• A contrast between what is expected from what
  actually occurs

14
Verbal Irony

• When something is said that contrast what is
  meant

15
Direct Characterization

• A method the author uses to develop the character
• The writer directly tells the traits
• Direct statements giving the writers opinion of
  the character
• Physical descriptions of the character

16
Indirect Characterization

• A method the author uses to develop the character
  without directly stated the qualities
• Shows/not tells
• Characters actions
• Characters comments and reactions of other
  characters
• Through the characters thoughts
• Through the characters words