Identity is an important thematic element in “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty." (Just think about the title after reading the story.) There are elements of reality to each of Walter’s daydreams, and there are elements of the daydreams that work their way into his reality, which all tell us what kind of a character Walter is.

Walter Mitty seems to dream up fantasy worlds in order to escape his boring reality. In the real world, he is ordinary, passive, and sometimes inept. In his fantasies, Mitty is strong and decisive, and possesses every good quality he lacks in reality. This story is humorous for how Walter so easily slips into daydreams and then is snapped out of them, but the story is also a bit sad, since we can perceive that Walter will never experience in reality what he achieves in his dreams.  

When reading this short story, it is important to reflect upon identity based on reality and daydreams, and how each influence one another. It’s also important to reflect upon our own identity. This is what fiction allows us to do: to look at someone else’s life and learn about ourselves and our world.