Perspectives

Literary perspective

The short story “The Pedestrian” falls into the science-fiction genre. As most works in the genre, the story is set in the future, in the year 2053. 

Another science-fiction element is the focus on technological and societal developments. In the story, machines can do jobs typically reserved for humans, such as policing, and society relies so much on technology that people no longer go outside. The dystopian aspect of the story further adds to its science-fiction traits as this fictional society is oppressive and does not tolerate nonconformity. 

Finally, the story could also be a criticism of certain practices, such as relying too much on technology. The people in the story are presented as submissive and vulnerable to an oppressive ...