"The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" is a story about a man who prefers to live in his fantasies rather than dealing with real life. The story begins when a military officer shouts an order for his crew to proceed with a flight in spite of the dangerous conditions. The unyielding commander speaks with confidence and courage, and his crew expresses their faith in him by saying, "The Old Man'll get us through, the Old Man ain't afraid of Hell!" (NA, 1499). Suddenly, Mitty is brought back to reality by a sharp reproach from his wife for driving too fast.

Thurber uses various literary elements to incorporate humor into the story. One way in which the author creates humor around Walter Mitty is by emphasizing the contrast between his real character and the one who he imagines himself to be in his fantasies. In his imagination, he is sharp...