The Pedestrian Collaborative Analysis

The Pedestrian: Collaborative Analysis Part 1: 5 Things Identify and record each of the 5 Things for the Pedestrian. Key Term 1. Setting 2. Conflict The Pedestrian The setting is set in future tense in the year 2053, it is described as a misty evening in November, in a large unnamed city and the time is 8:00 pm at nighttime. The story takes place in a desolate, empty city at night, which emphasizes the stark contrast between Leonard Mead, who is the protagonist. The setting highlights themes such as insolation, conformity, and the loss of individuality. The streets are quiet and lifeless, reflecting the world where human interactions are replaced by technology as society is glued to their screens indoors. The bleak atmosphere enhances Mead’s sense of alienation as he navigates through a city where society has abandoned the simple pleasure of walking and experiencing the world without technology. The conflict of the story begins to arise from Leonard Meed’s struggle against his conformist society, which had abandoned human interactions between each other, in Favor of technology and entertainment The conflict can be identified as man versus society. Mead’s nightly walks throughout the dark streets serve as an act of rebellion against a society which views acts such as walking in the streets as obsolete. His arrest by the police for simply walking outdoors underscores the societal disdain for those who are defying societal norms. The conflict in this story demonstrates themes of isolation, loss of freedom and rights, the dangers of technological overreach, which ultimately portrays a stark warning about the future and how technology could fully replace human connections 3. Character Leonard Mead: Leonard Mead is the protagonist or main character. He is a solitary man who enjoys taking evening walks through the isolated streets of the city. He represents a sense of individuality and love for life within a society that is stagnant and has become obsessed with technology. The Police Car; Although the police car is not a character from a traditional approach to storytelling, it serves as a representation of societal control. It embodies the oppressive forces that enforce and normalize a technology-driven world and society. The absent citizens: The people of the city who remain indoors absorbed by their televisions. These characters can be depicted as a collective entity rather than being individuals, which show the dehumanizing effects of technology on a society. These characters illustrate the central themes of isolation, conformity, as well as the tension between individuality and what society has normalized. 4. Plot The story’s plot begins with Mead establishing his love for a simple outdoor walk, an activity which has become less common in a society where people are glued to their screens and no longer find joy in venturing outdoors. As he is strolling through the empty streets, Mead reflects on the eerie silence and absence of life in his society, which shows the stark contrast between his appreciation for the world around him, and the isolation of the others who are The Pedestrian: Collaborative Analysis captivated by technology. But despite the bleakness that surrounds him, he still finds joy in his walks. However, one day his peaceful walk is interrupted when a police car approaches him, and he gets questioned by an officer, ultimately leading to his arrest for simply walking outside. The reason for Mead’s arrest emphasizes the oppressive nature of his society that views his individuality as a threat or something wrong. The story ends with Mead being taken to prison. Showing themes of isolation, and a loss of human connection in a society which is dominated by technology. 5. Theme The pedestrian explores several key themes, but the main theme is the conflict between individuality and conformity in a society dominated by technology. The story creates a bigger emphasis on the dangers of losing human connection as people within Leonard’s society become increasingly absorbed in their screens. The characteristics of Leonard Mead represents individuality, as well as the desire for authentic experiences such as the simple joys of life that you can never get from being glued to a screen, while the people around him exemplify a chilling conformity which prioritizes technology over genuine interactions between other individuals. The theme of this story serves us a cautionary reminder of the potential consequences of allowing technology to replace human interactions, and to dictate our lives and diminish humanity. Another way to refer to the theme is man versus society (we can identify the theme using the conflict): The conflict illustrates the boarder theme of isolation vs connection. Mead’s experience underscores the consequences of a culture that prioritizes technological engagements over real human interaction, ultimately portraying a dystopian reality where an individual's desire for freedom, and authentic human experience is stifled by societal expectations. Part 2: Story Structure Identify and record each part of the Story Structure for the Pedestrian. Key Term 1. Exposition 2. Rising Action The Pedestrian The story begins by introducing Leonard Mead, who is a man who enjoys taking long solitary walks through a quiet, dystopian city. The setting of the story is characterized by eerie silence and darkened homes all over where everyone stays indoors and are instead glued to their screens. The streets are empty, and the environment feels oppressive, highlighting the disconnection between individuals and the outside world/society. This disconnection establishes Mead as a unique character or who’s personality or way of thinking in the story is different among those around him. Mead values human experience and nature over the pervasive technology which dominated his society. As Mead continues to walk, slowly the narrative unfolds his thoughts, feelings, and ideas about the world that is around him. He reflects on the lack of interaction between other characters and their strange behaviour, as they are more engaged with technology, rather than with reality and the world. The rising tension continues to build as Mead soon encounters a police car, which is an unusual occurrence in such a deserted city. The police who is representing authority over The Pedestrian: Collaborative Analysis the technology dominated world, becomes increasingly suspicious about Mead’s behaviour especially including his nightly strolls around the city. This indicates a conflict between his individuality and societal norms. This type of conflict can be referred to as man versus society. 3. Climax 4. Falling Action 5. Resolution. The climax occurs when the Police car pulls over and stops Mead and confronts him about his actions. This encounter reveals the oppressive nature of the society he is living in; the officer begins to question why he is taking an outdoor walk instead of staying indoors and be glued to his devices like the rest of society, which everyone seems to find acceptable without any second thoughts. This moment crystallizes the central conflict of the story: Mead’s desire for connection with the outside world and freedom versus a society which has neglected and abandoned those values in favour of technology. Ater Mead’s confrontation, the police arrests Mead which illustrates (shows) the extent to which the society has lost touch with the outside world. The officer’s reaction is cold which underscores the chilling reality that being a pedestrian-or, more broadly embracing one’s own individuality, human experience, and life is seen as a crime or shameful act. As Mead is being taken away by police, the narrator emphasizes the stark difference between the vibrant thoughtful existence and the sterile technology-dominated lives of the citizens in his city. The story ends with Mead being driven away in the police car, which symbolizes his loss of freedom. The final lines: “The police car rolled through the night avenues, flashing its dim lights ahead. They passed one house on one street a moment later, one house in an entire city of houses that were dark, but this one house had all its electric lights brightly lit, every window a loud yellow illumination, square and warm in the cool darkness. "That's my house," said Leonard Mead. No one answered him. The car moved down the empty riverbed streets and off away, leaving the empty streets with the empty sidewalks, and no sound and no motion all the rest of the chill November night. “ The final lines of the story, these convey Mead’s feeling of isolation, and loss of freedom. The empty streets and sidewalks reflect a world devoid of life and human connection, which emphasizes the oppressive nature of a society which has forsaken individual expression for technology and conformity. Mead’s solitary walk sharply contrasts with the vibrant artificial lighting of his house, which suggests that his home symbolizes both feelings of warmth and entrapment. The police car’s movement away from his home, along with the chilling silence of the night, reinforces his alienation; he is left in a world which no longer values human interactions or the simple act of taking an outdoor walk. Part 3: Literary Devices The Pedestrian: Collaborative Analysis For each example, identify what literary device it is in the Literary Device column and explain what it is describing in the Explanation column. Example Literary Device Explanation 1. “he would see the Metaphor cottages and homes with their dark windows, and it was not unequal to walking through a graveyard.” The literary device used in that phrase is a Metaphor. It is comparing Mead’s experience of seeing the cottages and homes with dark windows to walking through a graveyard, which suggests a feeling of emptiness and gloom. The use of ‘not unequal to” emphasizes the similarity of both places: dark, dystopian, depressing. 2. “where only the faintest glimmers of firefly light appeared in flickers behind the windows.” Imagery and alliteration The literary device used in that phrase was imagery. It was used to create a vivid visual scene, evoking the soft, fleeting lights of fireflies. Additionally, it uses alliteration with the repetition of the f sound in words such as faintest and flickers, which adds a lyrical quality to the description. 3. “Sudden grey phantoms seemed to manifest upon inner room walls where a curtain was still undrawn against the night.” Imagery, personification, metaphor, contrast This phrase employs several literary devices Imagery: The description of "sudden grey phantoms" and "inner room walls" creates a vivid visual image, ultimately evoking a sense of eeriness. Personification: The phantoms are described as if they can "manifest," giving them a human or life-like quality. Metaphor: The term "phantoms" suggests something ghostly, which could represent thoughts or memories. 4. “or there were whisperings and murmurs where a window in a tomblike building was still open.” Imagery, metaphor, personification, juxtaposition. Imagery: The description of "whisperings and murmurs" evokes a sensory experience, suggesting sounds that create an eerie atmosphere. Metaphor: The term "tomb-like building" compares the building to a tomb, suggesting it is lifeless or foreboding. Personification: The sounds are described as if they can whisper and murmur, giving them a human-like quality. Juxtaposition: The contrast between the open window and the tomb-like nature of the building which outlines the tension between openness and entrapment. 5. “But now these highways, too, Simile, Imagery, Symbolism, Personification Simile: The comparison of highways to “Streams in a dry season” emphasizes their emptiness and