James Thurber, one of the best-known American comedians, is best known for "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty". The story was first published in 1939 in the New Yorker magazine, for which he worked, and received much appreciation for it. Although Thurber did not receive much education, he had a talent for hiding the themes of his stories, which some critics considered "dark", under humorous plots. In “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty,” Thurber uses his character and comedic settings, along with other elements of his stories, to fully express his views on society. Although the story seems humorous, Thurber hides a message: society has become boring. James Grover Thurber was born in Columbus, Ohio, on the eighth day of December, 1894, to Charles and Mary Fisher Thurber. Thurber's mother Mary, like most of Thurber's female characters in his stories, was domineering and said to take "control of people and things and order the lives of those around her" (Gale) . At a young age, Thurber began his writing career working for his high school newspaper. After high school, he continued his education at The Ohio State University. He entered the university in 1913 where "he worked on the university's literary and humorous magazines, the Ohio State Lantern and the Sun-Dial" (Gale). Thurber, unfortunately, did not complete his studies and left Ohio State University in 1918. Thurber explained that he could not pass a required botany course due to an eye injury he suffered as a child while playing William Tell with his older brother (Gale). . The arrow that hit one of his eyes contributed to the total blindness he would ultimately suffer in 1951. The injury also prevented him from joining the military, limiting him from positions of masculinity. After...... middle of paper ...... their minds. James Thurber was a gifted man, even without having received a full education. Perhaps it could spark a revolution in society that people never imagined could happen. Works Cited Gale, Steven H. "James (Grover) Thurber". American short story writers, 1910-1945: second series. Ed. Bobby Ellen Kimbel. Detroit: Gale, 1991. Dictionary of Literary Biography Vol. 102. Literary Resource Center. Internet. May 20, 2014. Ring, Trudy. Essay on “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.” Short stories for students. Ed. Kathleen Wilson. Flight. 1. Detroit: Gale, 1997. 42. Print. “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty”. Short stories for students. Ed. Kathleen Wilson. Flight. 1. Detroit: Gale, 1997. 183-90. Print.Thurber, James. “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.” Anthology of American Literature: II Realism to the Present. Ed. George McMichael. New York: MacMillan Editions, 1985. 1466-70. Print.