Paper 2 ENG 142 Critical Style Paper Choose one of the critical styles to analyze the story you wrote about in your first paper from a critical perspective as outlined in WEAL, and as we discussed in class. Choose the critical style that best explains, supports, or illuminates your theme. You may draw parallels from history, examine one of society’s values, look at how women are treated in the story, examine finances and power and who controls them, or consider the psychology of the author or characters. You may focus on one of the following elements: symbolism, the idea of a quest contained in the play, or character studies of the main or supporting characters, plot, irony or a pattern that supports your identification of the theme. The paper should be a minimum length of six pages or 2400 words in MLA style. You MUST cite at least two other sources besides the author, Foster or W.E.A.L. for a total of at least FOUR sources, two of which must be critical style sources. When writing about literature, do not spend more than one short paragraph on the plot, unless plot is an element that you are using to support your theme. DO NOT RETELL THE STORIES IN YOUR MATERIAL. Make a point, then give details from the story, from Foster or WEAL, and then support your main points from a supporting critical style work. MLA Format All writing must be in MLA Style. See Keys for Writers or The Owl at Perdue Online. In papers, when citing a source, use the author name page number format: Joyce utilizes colloquialisms in his writing in order to give a sense of place and time: “besides they were dreadfully afraid that Freddy Mains might turn up screwed” (Joyce 585). Remember to cite the author, not the editor, in your in-text citation and your Works Cited page. Your Works Cited page should contain at least four works, including your play. Paper Submission Guidelines: You will need to adhere to the following special instructions when you submit papers that use outside sources. Essays not conforming to these requirements will not be accepted: 1. You must gather information from reputable sources; use of internet websites are not allowed (note that full-text articles accessed online through library databases are allowed). 2. Each paper must be submitted to Turnitin.com by class time on the day it is due. 3. This paper must also be submitted to the dropbox on Moodle labeled Paper Two 4. The critical style sources that you use must be printed out and placed in a folder and handed in on the due date in class. See over Paper construction Be sure that you have carefully edited your first version of the paper according to the instructor’s feedback on turnitin.com. Grammatical errors, format errors, MLA errors, and structural errors will all lose more points if they are not corrected. Your thesis should include a clear statement of a THEME you have discovered in the story. The theme should be a meaningful statement about life or human nature. This is .

1. Paper 2 ENG 142
Critical Style Paper
Choose one of the critical styles to analyze the story you wrote
about in your first paper from a critical perspective as outlined
in WEAL, and as we discussed in class. Choose the critical
style that best explains, supports, or illuminates your theme.
You may draw parallels from history, examine one of society’s
values, look at how women are treated in the story, examine
finances and power and who controls them, or consider the
psychology of the author or characters.
You may focus on one of the following elements: symbolism,
the idea of a quest contained in the play, or character studies of
the main or supporting characters, plot, irony or a pattern that
supports your identification of the theme. The paper should be
a minimum length of six pages or 2400 words in MLA style.
You MUST cite at least two other sources besides the author,
Foster or W.E.A.L. for a total of at least FOUR sources, two of
which must be critical style sources.
When writing about literature, do not spend more than one short
paragraph on the plot, unless plot is an element that you are
using to support your theme.
DO NOT RETELL THE STORIES IN YOUR MATERIAL.
Make a point, then give details from the story, from Foster or
WEAL, and then support your main points from a supporting
critical style work.
MLA Format
All writing must be in MLA Style. See Keys for Writers or The
Owl at Perdue Online.
In papers, when citing a source, use the author name page
number format:
Joyce utilizes colloquialisms in his writing in order to give a

2. sense of place and time: “besides they were dreadfully afraid
that Freddy Mains might turn up screwed” (Joyce 585).
Remember to cite the author, not the editor, in your in-text
citation and your Works Cited page. Your Works Cited page
should contain at least four works, including your play.
Paper Submission Guidelines:
You will need to adhere to the following special instructions
when you submit papers that use outside sources. Essays not
conforming to these requirements will not be accepted:
1. You must gather information from reputable sources; use of
internet websites are not allowed (note that full-text articles
accessed online through library databases are allowed).
2. Each paper must be submitted to Turnitin.com by class time
on the day it is due.
3. This paper must also be submitted to the dropbox on Moodle
labeled Paper Two
4. The critical style sources that you use must be printed out
and placed in a folder and handed in on the due date in class.
See over
Paper construction
Be sure that you have carefully edited your first version of the
paper according to the instructor’s feedback on turnitin.com.
Grammatical errors, format errors, MLA errors, and structural
errors will all lose more points if they are not corrected.
Your thesis should include a clear statement of a THEME you
have discovered in the story. The theme should be a meaningful
statement about life or human nature. This is a CLAIM- an idea
that is significant (not self-evident or a cliché) and arguable
(someone can disagree with it). The thesis must have three
parts: 1. Type of person or society, 2. Actions, 3. outcome
Your MAIN POINTS should be YOUR ideas. They should
clearly support and relate to your thesis. They should also be
claims.

3. SUBPOINTS should be DETAILS or evidence (no re-telling or
summarizing) from the story or another source that clearly
support and relate to your Main Points.
Paragraphs should begin with a main point or subpoint.
ADD supporting information for each main point in a new
paragraph following your existing paragraphs.
Format should be:
Opening paragraph, which should include a brief introduction
and the
Thesis: What THEME you have discovered.
There should be a second paragraph that explains which critical
style is being used, what the critical style is, and why it is the
best choice to support the theme and thesis for your paper.
Subsequent Paragraphs should start with A MAIN IDEA or a
Supporting idea. Be Sure to Begin paragraphs with a clear
statement that you then back up within the paragraph. End
paragraphs with a transition sentence.
Paragraphs should be no shorter than 3 sentences and no longer
than a half page (MAX!).
ADD supporting information for each main point in a new
paragraph following your existing paragraphs.
The end of your essay should have a clear re-statement of your
thesis and main points- but not a word for word one- clear
statements about the conclusions you drew in your paper, and
what applicable lesson or insight the reader can gain from your
paper to apply to life. (SO WHAT action statement)
Works Cited page is your final page. Be sure to use Times new
roman 12 pt font for this page as well. If you copy and paste the
citation from Ohiolink, be sure to change the font and to make
sure that the hanging indent transferred. Be sure the citation is
formatted correctly for MLA.
Men and Masculinity in the Secret Life of Walter Mitty

4. Shuq Aljahani
Dalva Church
ENG 142-4
10/9/15
Men and Masculinity in the Secret Life of Walter Mitty
The short story “The secret life of Walter Mitty” written by
James Thurber talks about a man by the names Walter Mitty,
who fantasizes about being an extraordinary man in contrast to
his real self (Thurber 1). He does this fantasizes through his
daydreams. In his daydreams, he takes the roles of powerful and
bold individuals who are more decisive in their life but
ironicaly of him in real life.
Men who fantasize about their life lose sight of their reality,
which leads to them questioning their masculinity.
Men who fantasize are not happy with their lives. Walter lives
in fantasies to escape the bitter reality of his life dominated by
the wife. Mitty is not satisfied with his life because he does not
live up to his desired qualities masculine ideals as presented in
his daydreams (Thurber 3). Males are normally socialized to be
more active than females in the society. That quality not
reflected in the stature of Mitty as a man because it his wife
who has a say in almost everything. She is overly controlling
over her husband. For example, when she commands that he
reduces the speed limit, "Not so fast!" She yelled at Mitty”
(Thurber 7). In this scenario, Mrs.Mitty symbolically limits
Mitty's independence and masculinity by ordering him to reduce
the speed. However, the opposite happens in his fantasy where
the commander is the one who demands to faster . Men who

5. fantasy tend to run away from their reality because they are
unable to confront the issues in their lives. Mitty fantasizes that
he is in control of the hydroplane and showcases his skills as a
pilot. By daydreaming that scene, he is simply using a defensive
mechanism to repress his thoughts of his controlling wife. Many
people use fantasizes to avoid the harsh realities of their life.
Mitty as a man is expected to be able to confront his problems.
Instead he is passive and inept in so many ways. The fantasy
dreams reflect a contrast of what is a typical male masculinity
such as skilled, bold, decisive, confident, and someone who is
respected in society.
Mrs.Mitty is the sole reason for her man's unhappies Foster.
Men who fantasize hid from their realities because they are
unhappy. Mitty is unable to be happy because his wife hurts his
ego. According to Foster, human beings try to protect their egos
based on sexual drives where he says, "…ego is one of the
major defenses" (Foster . 43). A man would want to be a man
just like a woman would want to be recognized as a woman. a
rift between men and women in many. In Feminist criticism,
women try to feel represented in a male dominated world or
patriarchal society. It is said that "A woman is referred as the
"other" in a patriarchal society," (Brizee et al par.63). The quest
for women to be felt is so evident in the short story where
Mitty's wife has managed to dominate the husband in all
aspects. In doing that, she has exposed the weakness in her
man's masculinity. The man does not have independence and is
dictated to by the wife.
Women are normally socialized supposed to take care of their
men and support them psychologically. There is no couple
awareness between them as witnessed when Mrs. Mitty suggests
that he goes for a medical check-up, and yet he is just
psychologically affected(Thurber 7). Mitty's wife is so
inconsiderate by leaving him in the cold while she goes to get
something at the drugstore. That is ironical of her and yet she

6. claims that he is sick. That is not how a sick person is supposed
to be treated. The woman in the short story is so nagging that
she prevents Mitty from doing what he loves to do. That is
depicted where she reminds Mitty to purchase a pair of
overshoes as much as he does not need them. In response, he
races the car engine as a sign of annoyance. He is also forced by
the wife to wear the gloves as much as he does not want to. He
cannot talk back at her because he fears the wife's controlling
attitude. It is a sign of weakness in him for not being
independent and decisive as a man. Men are expected to lead the
pack especially in terms of skills. That is ironical of Mitty, who
cannot even pack the car properly. He symbolizes men in
society who are not up to the task of tackling certain issues in
society. That is why women have lost respect for them and are
now leading the pack. It also affirms that men are not born
masculine but rather socialized to be one as seen through the
lens of feminist criticism (Brizee et al par. 66). Sex is just an
aspect of biology, but the way human beings are socialized is
what determines their personalities and approach to life issues.
Mitty only fantasizes male masculinity but does not live to that
billing. He is living a lie and, therefore, brings shame to the
male folk in society. Power relations expect that men are more
powerful than women, and whenever that imbalance is created,
conflicts would be inevitable. Mitty envies or resents the young
men who possess the skills that he does not have, more so the
masculine skills.
Mitty's plan to wear a sling is a symbol of shame that confirms
his self-acceptance as less masculine as perceived by the wife.
It shows his internalization of the wife's beliefs about him. The
modern man is emasculated by the modern woman as Mitty is
subordinated to his wife who remotely controls him and even
scolds at him for his incompetence. Gender studies put it that
there is a quest to have equality of sexes where none dominates
the other. Women have been very vocal in that particular front,
and men see that as a threat to their masculinity.

7. Conclusion
Mitty escapes from reality and hides in the fantasies of his
dreams. His real life is ironical of the fantasies he experiences.
He is portrayed as incompetent by the overbearing wife. The
short story also depicts the wife as nagging and controlling
woman who dominates over the husband. His life is boring and
stressful that he has to dash into the fantasy world to repress the
thoughts and events of reality. From the literary theory and
school of criticism in particular Gender Studies, the short story
is a reflection of the modern day society. Women are rising to
challenge men in all aspects of life. At the same time, men are
also losing the battle to affirm their positions as masculinity
demands. The theme masculinity demands that men rise to the
occasion by stopping to fantasize and instead competently take
action so as to earn respect from women. The short story is a
worth reading piece of literature that mirrors the current
society.
Works Cited
Brizee, Allen., Tompkins,Case.,Chernouski, Libby.,& Boyle,
Elizabeth. Literary Theory and Schools of Criticism. Purdue
OWL, 2015.
Foster, Thomas. How to Read Literature Like a Professor: A
Lively and Entertaining Guide to Reading Between the Lines.
EBook.
Thurber, James. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. Penguin
Books, 2013. ISBN 0141395303
Thurber, James. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. The Creative
Company, 2008. ISBN 1583415866
1