Mitty and his wife are literary archetypes. That means
they each fall into a category that we repeatedly see in characters throughout
time.
Mitty could obviously be classified as a
Dreamer. Each day dream, whether he is a famous surgeon, driver,
lawyer, or man about to be shot by the firing squad demonstrates his ability to leave
reality. Many visionary characters would fit this category with Mitty. Unfortunately,
this ability to dream leaves him powerless to do much of anything in his own
reality.
His wife, on the other hand, is the
typical nag. She is controlling and always has a reason to complain
or try to get him to do something other than what he wants to do. His character is
stifled by the control she chooses to inflict on him. This character is regularly seen
throughout literature and the best example I can think of is Mrs. Joe in Great
Expectations.
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