James Thurber’s casuals

the most interesting uninteresting characters in American literature

Resumen

The American James Thurber (1894-1961) is known for creating imaginative and comical characters. The two stories selected for appreciation, “The Departure of Emma Inch” and “Casuals of the Keys” feature some of the most engaging and bizarre characters of the twentieth century. The objective is to make a presentation of these characters intermingled with a discussion on the theoretical background behind their creations, from the literary devices and allusions used in Thurber’s narrative to the philosophical perspectives on character realism. The examination of the two short stories hopefully boasts contribution to the understanding of the workings of both human and animal characters in Thurber’s writings. And also to the understanding of how fictional realism, biographical studies (including autobiographical attributes), and tall tales can be used to be both informative and amusing.