Short Story Walter Mitty

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• Middelbare school
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• Leerjaar 4

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

by James Thurber

Today's Lesson

Today's Lesson Objectives, you will:

- understand what Modernism is

- understand what a stream of consciousness is.

- know more about the story itself

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

• The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is a short story written in 1939 by James Thurber.
• Appeared in The New Yorker magazine and was later added to his book  'My World and Welcome to It'.
  
• It is one of the most included stories when anthologies are compiled of similar works.
• It has been filmed in 1947 and 2013, as well as performed in theatres.
• These adaptations do not always stick to the original story but expand on its ideas!
  

Now for the plot

Here is a trailer for the most recent adaptation of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

Modernism

The short story was part of a 'cultural movement' called Modernism... here is a brief introduction.  You may take notes!

Modernism

• Modernism was set in motion by the Great War,.
  Afterwards people wanted to break with many

      traditions.
     The horrors of World War II, from 1939 to 1945,

     helped strengthen this idea.

• Modernist writers wanted to “make it new!”
  They also wanted to change the way people think about truth and reality.
  Rather than concentrating on the outside world, they started to focus on the ‘inner self’ and the workings of consciousness.

•  In The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, James Thurber used the stream-of-consciousness technique, in which the reader follows the private thoughts of Walter Mitty

Stream of Conciousness

• a literary style in which a character's
  thoughts, feelings, and reactions are
  depicted in a continuous flow
  uninterrupted by objective description
  or conventional dialogue.
  

What are the four imaginary situations Walter finds himself in?

1. Skater, Banker, Witness, Firing Squad
2. Pilot, Banker, Witness,Firing Squad
3. Driver, Surgeon, Witness, Pilot
4. Pilot, Surgeon, Witness,Firing Squad

How does this story fit into the style of the Modernism movement?

1. It looks at the 'inner self'
2. It was published in 1979
3. It has a beginning, middle and an end
4. A,B, and C

What is a 'stream of consciousness'?

What is the conflict in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty?

1. Internal: Mitty against himself
2. External: Mitty against his wife
3. External: Mitty against the boredom of his life
4. All of the above

What are the common elements in Walter Mitty's daydreams?

1. He always plays a heroic role
2. The sound pocketa-pocketa
3. He is his own age
4. All of the above

What kind of character is Walter Mitty?

1. round and dynamic
2. round and static
3. flat and dynamic
4. flat and static

Does Walter Mitty ever stand up to his wife?

1. Yes
2. No

Do you feel you know what Modernism is in literature?

1. Yes
2. No

Do you know what "stream of consciousnes" is?

1. Yes
2. No

Do you feel that you understand "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty"?

1. Yes
2. No