Superego In The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty

The protagonist, Walter Mitty copes with his repressed desires by using dreams as an escape from his unfulfilling life; ultimately, showcasing the negative consequences to the superego dominating the ego. In The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, James Thurber portrays Mitty’s self-awareness that his desires cannot be accomplished in reality, therefore he needs to repress these desires. As reinforced by his wife, “You’re not a young man any longer” (Thurber 1). Everytime Mitty attempts to re-enact his desires he is ultimately, oppressed by his wife. Similarly, to how his superego constantly prevents his ego from manifesting in reality which causes him to resort to his fantasy. In addition, his superego reasons with him that his age prevents him from being a young man, however, in his daydreams his ego can forgo age and act in his own self-interest. …show more content…
Instead of dealing with the dissatisfaction in his life, he continues to prolong the problem and this ultimately does not solve his discontentment. In addition, Mitty’s superego maintains his meek and shy personality while his ego tries to exert his masculinity. Mitty retreats to his fantasy everytime he feels unsatisfied with himself, “Then, with that faint, fleeting smile playing about his lips, he faced the firing squad; erect and motionless, proud and disdainful, Walter Mitty the Undefeated, inscrutable to the last” (3). This reinforces how Mitty’s superego is over dominating his life and how his ego is constantly finding ways to regain a sense of dominance. The superego reasons with Mitty that his submissive personality is beneficial in his life. However, the benefits they come with an over dominating superego seem to be only benefiting the people around