Walter Mitty, while chauffeuring his wife to her weekly hair appointments, falls into a number of fantasies, always playing the masculine and heroic main character. In these dreams, Walter is a leader, and is admired by others. However, in real life, Walter feels ridiculed by passersby and is governed by his dominating wife. Walter’s fantasies are a sort of paradise he escapes to after experiencing frustrations, and they are largely a result of not being in control of his own life.
Walter’s wife’s continuous nagging and henpecking leads Walter to retreat into his own imagination, where he can play the hero, protecting damsels-in-distress. In fact, Walter imagines himself defending a “lovely, dark haired girl” while a criminal on trial. While Walter’s wife is labelled as unfeminine and a little insensitive, the women who appear in Walter’s fantasies are lovely. They serve as props, allowing Walter to demonstrate his heroics, which he is incapable of in real life.
Walter fantasizes himself to be brave and totally in control. He doesn’t have to listen to his wife, forced to wear his gloves and overshoes. One of his alter egos, Captain Mitty, is shown to be able hold his liquor, being in total control of himself even when drinking. In the courtroom, Walter forges his own path, refusing to hide behind his sling, even if it can save him from a sentence. He is in total control of himself, choosing to disclose the truth.
Walter is very conscious of how others view him. He believes the grin of garagemen is mocking him, and plans to “wear (his) right arm in a sling” to avoid the ‘judgement’ of the garagemen. In real life, most passersby only interact with him to criticize him or deride him, such as the woman who laughed at him for saying “puppy biscuit.” In contrast, Walter often imagines onlookers to marvel at his skills and courage. For example, while he is the commander of a hydroplane, his crew trusts that “The Old Man’ll get (them) through.” This aspect of Walter’s fantasies shows that Walter yearns to be someone who does not fear judgement from others.
Walter’s real life and his dream life aren’t exactly two separate realities, but his imaginings are actually a part of his real life. It is what gives him the willpower and strength to continue, and the heroic figures he imagines himself to be are the heroes he hopes to become. His fantasies are the small part of his life he can control, where he can mold himself into the man he hopes to be. In his imagination, Walter can be a Prince Charming to helpless ladies, where he is the one in control and fearless to any criticism.