Based on the wording of the question, it seems that the answer only needs to explain the items that do apply to "The Pedestrian."
Totalitarian government: This applies to the story. The Encyclopedia Britannica defines totalitarianism as follows:
Totalitarianism is a form of government that theoretically permits no individual freedom and that seeks to subordinate all aspects of the individual’s life to the authority of the government.
Readers are not told what kind of government exists in the year 2053; however, by the end of the story, it is clear to readers that individual citizens are not permitted many individual freedoms. The freedom that an individual has is to stay at home and watch the "viewing screen." Leonard Mead doesn't do that. Instead, he goes out for nightly walks. Unfortunately, the society that Mead lives in doesn't allow for that usage of time. Mead is ordered to get into the automated police car, and he is then taken to a psychiatric ward.
"Get in."
[...]
"Where are you taking me?"
The car hesitated, or rather gave a faint whirring click, as if information, somewhere, was dropping card by punch-slotted card under electric eyes. "To the Psychiatric Center for Research on Regressive Tendencies."
I suppose a case could be made that Mead's encounter doesn't indicate a totalitarian government. He isn't technically arrested, and the car never says that Mead is breaking the law. Mead is simply acting in a way that is completely unlike every other citizen. Why do all of the citizens stay in their homes and watch entertainment? It could be government-mandated, or it could be by choice. Readers don't know. What we do know is that Mead isn't given the option to go back home. He's taken and forced to go to a psychiatric hospital by a government "employee." He won't be given the option to explain himself in court. Mead will be treated for his "regressive tendencies" before being allowed back into society. If he doesn't reform himself, then he'll likely be a ward of the state forever. The government has complete control over his final destiny. That sounds like totalitarianism to me.
Rigid caste system: This does not apply in my opinion.
Society is closely monitored: This doesn't apply to the story. Readers are told that Mead frequently goes on his walks and never comes across anybody.
. . . he was alone in this world of A.D. 2053, or as good as alone . . .
Readers are also told that "long ago" Mead began using sneakers to muffle his steps. We are under the impression that Mead has been going on his walks for a long time, and nobody notices. Readers are then told that Mead has been going on his walks for a full decade, and he has never met another person.
In ten years of walking by night or day, for thousands of miles, he had never met another person walking, not once in all that time.
Readers are also told that the police are not likely to notice Mead either. We are told that police are "rare" and that the city only has one police car.
The police, of course, but what a rare, incredible thing; in a city of three million, there was only one police car left, wasn't that correct? Ever since a year ago, 2052, the election year, the force had been cut down from three cars to one. Crime was ebbing; there was no need now for the police, save for this one lone car wandering and wandering the empty streets.
Highly developed technology: This applies to the story, but it does depend on your interpretation of what highly developed technology is. I think an automated police patrol is advanced technology. The police car isn't just self-driving. It is also capable of asking Mead questions, interpreting those answers, and making a judgment based on those answers.
Violence and pain: This does not apply to the story. Mead is not subjected to any kind of violence or pain, nor does he use those things against someone or something else.
Environmental disasters: This does not apply to the story.
Lack of free choice: This applies to the story. Mead is taken by the police car because of his free choice. He chooses to go on nightly walks, and that is seen as questionable behavior. For that reason, Mead doesn't really have a choice of how he uses his free time. He either watches TV, or he runs the risk of being taken away to a psychiatric facility. It's like telling somebody that they can choose any color pen they want as long as it's blue.
Thursday, May 23, 2019
Which of these 7 elements (totalitarian government, rigid caste system, society is closely monitored, highly developed technology, violence and pain, environmental disasters, lack of free choice) appear in "The Pedestrian," and give reasons why this is so. You have to discuss all of those that appear. Give detailed reasons where the elements you chose appear in the story. You have to take each element individually (there are 7) and state for each one if it appears in "The Pedestrian" or not. If it does you have to give the reasons, explaining in detail, why this is so.
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