The secret life of Walter Mitty - Worksheet
Useful
vocabulary
a hurricane = un ouragan
the crew = l'équipage
a storm = un orage/une tempête
overshoes = des couvre-chaussures (nm)
a pair of gloves = des gants
a parking lot = un parking
a fountain pen = un stylo à encre
a white gown = une blouse de chirurgien
the ignition key = la clé de contact
cocky = suffisant, sûr de lui
grinning = affichant un large sourire (to grin)
a sling = une écharpe (le bras en écharpe)
the slush = neige fondante ou fondue
a newsboy = vendeur / crieur de journeaux
a trial = un procés
the district attorney = the D.A.= Procureur de la République
the witness stand = la barre des témoins
the defendant = le prévenu / l'accusé
the chin = le menton
a brand = une marque
the lobby = le hall
a copy of Liberty = un exemplaire du journal Liberty
a bomber = un bombardier
a dugout = un abri / une tranchée-abri
the shoulder = l'épaule
a handkerchief = un mouchoir
a firing squad = un peloton d'exécution
What
various parts/roles does Walter Mitty play throughout the story?
Cross out the ones he doesn't. Indicate passages (line __, page__)
a clerk
a cop = a policeman
a crack shot
a hairdresser
a mechanic
a millionaire banker
a newspaper boy
a parking lot attendant
a captain of the US force during WWII
a prisoner about to be executed
a renowned surgeon
a retired
an officer / an airforce commander
Put
back in chronological order the various imaginary places evoked.
a- a court 1__
2__ 3__ 4__
5__
b - a dugout
c- a firing squad
d- a hospital operating room
e- a navy hydroplane caught in a terrible storm
Put
back in chronological order the various real places mentioned.
a- a drugstore on the corner 1_ 2_
3__ 4__ 5 __ 6__ 7__
8__
b- a parking lot
c- a shoe store
d- an A. and P. shop
e- on the road to downtown Waterbury
f- past the town hospital
g- the hotel
h- Waterbury's main street
True or false? See page
indications to save time and quote from the text.
T - F Walter Mitty has always
been an absent-minded person. (p.69)
T - F Today, he is having his
hair done in town. (p.69)
T - F The operation on the VIP
is a piece of cake. (p70)
T - F Dr Mitty is a renowned
surgeon (p.70)
T - F The surgeon manages to repair
the faulty anaesthesizer with a pencil. (p.70)
T - F Walter Mitty resents the
attendant's superiority, he feels superior to him. (p.71)
T - F Walter Mitty reproaches
the garage man with his young age and his attitude. (p.71)
T - F Walter Mitty enjoys the
weekly shopping in town. (p.71)
T - F In his dream, Walter
Mitty boxes the D.A. (p.72)
T - F The greatest pistol shot
in the world can't even remember brand names. (p.72)
T - F Walter Mitty decides to make himself
comfortable in the lobby of the hotel. (p.73)
T - F Captain Mitty is nervous
about bombs, he's a cowardly coward. (p. 73)
T - F Mrs Mitty treats her henpecked
husband as a child. (p.74)
When
and where does this short-story take place?
Write
a sentence to sum up each of Mitty's 'dreams'.
The common point to all his 'dreams' is a sound/ a noise. Which?
The shift between dream and reality is always marked using the same
punctuation. Which?
Who or what is satirised in this
short-story?
An escapist is 'someone who
thinks a lot about imaginary things in order to avoid thinking about their
ordinary life' (syn. a dreamer)
Escapism is 'activity that
helps you to think about pleasant or fantastic things instead of the
uninteresting or unpleasant aspects of your everyday life'. (syn. fantasy)
Do you think these terms can be applied to Walter Mitty and his attitude? (50 words)