Reader-Response Critical Essay on Mitty free essay sample

Reader-Response Critical Essay On Mitty Erica Tosh ENG 125 Introduction to Literature Prof. Alex Vuilleumier August 1, 2011 Reader-Response Critical Essay On Mitty Did you listen to anything that I just said to you, are you even paying attention to me at all? These words are often what I hear rolling off of my grandmother’s tongue, the constant bickering, everything needing to be done a certain way at a particular time. This seems to be the same way Walter Mitty lives his life in the short story, â€Å"The Secret Life of Walter Mitty† by James Thurber. I have elected to write a reader-response critical analysis on this shorty story to define why I found this short story to be alluring, how I related to each character, and how I was able to reminisce on my own life through the words of Thurber. Instantly, the story starts with a daydream of Mitty’s, he is a commander of an 8-engine hydroplane trying to fight his way through a horrific storm. We will write a custom essay sample on Reader-Response Critical Essay on Mitty or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page As the story goes on and the commander is screaming to switch the dials, I can feel the intensity, almost as though I am a co-pilot next to Mitty battling with the rest of the crew. Within seconds, his shrieking wife snaps Mitty out of his daydream, so fast that he barely recognizes her. As fast as this daydream occurs is as fast as reality sets in, and this is an ongoing process throughout the entire short story. Thurber made this story intriguing, leaving the reader with the anticipation of wondering what would be next. As his day goes on, he continues to daydream of various settings, no longer Walter Mitty, now a brilliant surgeon asked to assist in a procedure for a rich Englishman. Thurber strongly uses satire, â€Å"literary art that calls attention to the difference between what a particular thing should be and what it actually is,† (Clugson, 2010 Ch. 1. 2). He uses the word coreopsis as though it is some kind of terrible disease, when in fact this is a beautiful, yellow, wildflower found throughout the world. I found this to be very humorous and creative, enjoyed trying to figure out what it was that Thurber was trying to imply. It would seem impossible to imagine an individual would live a life without ever having a daydream; life wouldn’t be normal for that person. Living without daydreams could possibly result in a completely boring life, living day after day in complete repeat. I did not relate to Mitty’s daydreams due to the intensity and how in depth they were. He imagined being places and doing things that I have only read in a book or have seen on television. My usual daydream contains ideas on what I would like to do with my day or possibly even my week, I have never imagined myself in a completely different atmosphere with a totally different career. When Mitty finally remembered what it was that his wife had asked him to purchase, and he said it out loud, while he was alone, this was the one time I was able to relate to him. He did not realize he was talking to himself and that everyone could hear, it was the excitement that he had actually remembered, and I have found myself doing the same. In this short story, I was more able to relate to Mrs. Mitty. I felt as though I could understand where she was coming from when scolding her husband. He obviously did this often, and she was disturbed by this and felt as though he needed to seek help from a professional. It is hard to be ignored, especially by a significant other, so I felt the annoyance Mrs. Mitty must have been feeling. The humor he brought out in this story was incredible, he made me laugh out loud and I felt the need to continue reading. After the story was over, it made me reminisce on episodes of my own grandfather daydreaming while my grandmother would talk to him. He often would run simple errands and return home with not one thing my grandmother had asked him to buy, not because he didn’t want to buy them, but simply because he left without a clue of what he was out to buy. After reading this story, I asked my grandfather what exactly it was that he would think about while she talked to him, his answer was simple, not hearing the sound of her nagging voice. Reference: Clugston, R. W. (2010). Journey into Literature. San Diego, California: Bridgepoint Education, INC. https://content. ashford. edu/books