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Walter Mitty
An ordinary, middle-aged man and the protagonist of the story. Mitty possesses an extraordinary imagination and daydreams to escape his dull life. In his daydreams, Mitty imagines himself as a Navy commander, a surgeon, a marksman on trial, a WWI flying ace, and a prisoner facing a firing squad. In his fantasies, he is heroic, courageous, in control, and attractive to women. In reality, he is meek, forgetful, and dominated by his wife and others he encounters throughout his day.
Read an in-depth analysis of Walter Mitty.
Mrs. Mitty
Walter Mitty’s wife and the main antagonist in the story. Mrs. Mitty does not understand her husband. Mitty chauffeurs her around town while she runs her errands. She treats him more like a child than as an equal partner in their marriage. She is unaware of Mitty’s secret life of imagination.
Read an in-depth analysis of Mrs. Mitty.
Dr. Renshaw
Mitty’s real-life doctor. Mrs. Mitty wants Mitty to go see him for a checkup. Renshaw also appears in Mitty’s hospital fantasy as one of two doctors assigned to the important patient, McMillan. Desperate and perplexed by McMillan’s condition, he calls upon Dr. Mitty to save McMillan’s life.
Lieutenant Berg
A low-ranking officer in Mitty’s Navy fantasy. Berg is fearful and uncertain in the face of danger, a foil to the Commander’s courage and certainty.
Cop
A law enforcement officer. He snaps at Mitty when Mitty fails to notice that the traffic light has changed. He represents authority in Mitty’s world.
Wellington McMillan
A patient in Mitty’s hospital room fantasy. Twice McMillan is referred to as “the millionaire banker,” suggesting that in Mitty’s mind, money equals prestige and power. Yet despite his wealth, McMillan’s fate rests in Dr. Mitty’s hands.
Dr. Benbow
A doctor in Mitty’s hospital fantasy, assigned to the McMillan case. Described as a craven drinker, Benbow contrasts the brave, virtuous Dr. Mitty.
Dr. Remington and Dr. Pritchard-Mitford
Physician specialists in Mitty’s hospital fantasy. They arrive from New York and London, respectively, to help save McMillan. Despite being specialists from large, metropolitan hospitals, they defer to Dr. Mitty’s knowledge and skill.
Parking-lot attendant
A man who helps Mitty park his car. When Mitty nearly hits another car and finds himself in the exit-only lane, the attendant tells Mitty to turn the car over to him. The attendant handles the job of parking the car with “insolent skill,” leaving Mitty feeling frustrated and unmanly.
Garageman
A young man who helped Mitty take the chains off the tires of his car. Mitty tried to do this himself but failed miserably. Mitty feels that the garageman’s grins reveal his contempt toward him. The encounter leaves Mitty feeling weak and incompetent.
District Attorney
A prosecutor in Mitty’s courtroom fantasy. Mitty, the defendant, remains cool and calm under his aggressive questioning. Mitty not only expertly dismisses the District Attorney’s verbal attacks, but he also physically bests him with a blow to the chin when he assaults a young woman who has thrown herself into Mitty’s arms.
Woman
A passerby that laughs at Mitty when she overhears him say “puppy biscuit.” Her laughter demeans Mitty and makes him feel ridiculous. She contrasts the enamored women of Mitty’s fantasies.
Sergeant
A low-ranking officer in Mitty’s WWI fantasy. He anxiously discourages Captain Mitty from running the bombing run alone. His anxiety contrasts with Mitty’s calm bravado.
