Year 11 English - The Pedestrian

When was this text published

1950

when was this text set

2053

who wrote this text

ray bradbury

list ideas and themes presented in this text

slavery to AI

loss of freedom and individuality

no use of mind or body

describe different perspectives

humans are devoted to AI

individuality and freedom are important

AI is overpowering humans

slavery to AI is regressive

descriebt the setting of the text

in 2053

isolated

desolate

undesirable

descrieb the characterisation of AI

harmful, violent and immoral

describe the characterisation of humans

majority are enslaved

lack mind and body

no individuality

conformative

describe the characterisation of Mr Mead

philosophical

individual and unique

free

happy to be alone and enjoy nature

explain “the street was silent and long and empty”

a polysyndeton

emphasises each word to build better image of the setting

draws out the sentence, much like how society is quite empty

explain “a plain, a wintry, a windless arizona desert”

comparing society to a natural setting

describes an emoty setting as being even more desolate and void of life

explain “lungs blaze like a christmas tree”

a simile

christmas known to be a social period that brings people together

lungs are an essential organ for life

suggests that mead, and therefore humans, rely on real social interaction to function properly

explain “moving like the shadow of a hawk in mideountry”

simile

reveals how mead feels isolated within this world and sees it as barren and empty

it is no place for life to exist

explain “the silence that was the city”

setting

cities are usually known for being the centres of business and life, yet they have now become silent

shocks the reader as it contrasts preconceived ideas

explain “not unequal to walking through a graveyeard”

setting

graveyards are a place of death

shows that the world as we knew it has ceased to exist

mead now wanders though it remembering how it used to be

highlights how there is no life

explain “highways were like streams in a dry season”

mead links society back to its roots of nature

however in this phrase nature is struggling

explain “tombs ill lit by television light”

ill lit conveys that the tv light is simply inadequate

saying houses are tombs reinforces death imagery and that lighting them up is pointless

explain “metallic voice” and “harsh antiseptic”

shows AI to be insencere and fake life

is very sterile and unwelcoming

lacks genuine emotion and character

explain the significance of mean being arrested for walking

shows that the AI who run society lack empathy and a moral compass

supports the fact that earth needs humans which can never be fully replaced by AI

explain “viewing screens”

people are enslaved by their televisions

by placing ourselves under the control of AI we have lost the capacity ot use our own minds and manage ourselves

explain “grey and multicoloured light touching their faces but never really touching them”

suggests how nothing can really provide interaction like a real human can

our minds need to be stimulated more than what AI can achieve

explain “loud yellow illumination”

symbolises individuality and the joy which mr mead retains, unlike the rest of society

explain “i guess you’d call me a writer”

shows mr meas to be philosophical but also a bit humorous

he does not follow the lead of society and supports the imprtance of retaining mind and being individual and unique