WALTER MITTYS Meaning and
Definition
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Walter Mitty is a term derived from the literary character of the same name created by James Thurber in his short story "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty." This term has come to refer to a person who often daydreams, engaging in elaborate fantasies or scenarios to distract themselves from their mundane or unsatisfying reality.
A "Walter Mitty" typically displays a tendency to retreat into their own imagination, where they imagine themselves in heroic, extraordinary, or adventurous situations which starkly contrast their ordinary, uneventful life. This term is often used to describe individuals who have a strong desire for escapism, creating elaborate daydreams as a means of coping with the monotony or dissatisfaction in their everyday existence.
Individuals labeled as "Walter Mittys" are often seen as lacking self-confidence or having an inherent need for excitement and fulfillment that their reality fails to provide. They may use their imaginative daydreams as a means of compensating for these perceived deficiencies. While daydreaming itself is not necessarily negative, being referred to as a "Walter Mitty" often carries a connotation of being detached from reality or living in a fantasy world.
In popular culture and everyday usage, the term "Walter Mitty" has become synonymous with daydreaming or fantasizing excessively, suggesting an inclination to retreat from reality into a world fabricated within one's own mind.
Common Misspellings for WALTER MITTYS
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Etymology of WALTER MITTYS
The term "Walter Mitty" comes from the short story "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty", written by American author James Thurber and first published in 1939. The main character, Walter Mitty, is portrayed as a meek and mild-mannered man who daydreams about being heroic and adventurous.
The term "Walter Mitty" has since entered the English language and is commonly used to describe someone who indulges in escapist fantasies or daydreams excessively. It has been attributed to people who spend more time in their imagination rather than engaging with reality.
There is no specific etymology for the term beyond its origin as the name of the character in Thurber's story. It has become a cultural reference and an idiom based on the popularity and lasting impact of the character in popular culture.
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