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Comparison of 'The Pedestrian' and 'I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream'

By Ashleigh Dalton

Both Bradbury and Ellison explore isolation through the negative effects of technology on humanity.

Introduction

(Amazon 2022)

(Rizza, M 2022)

Speculative Fiction

– Speculative fiction is a genre that

encompasses specific speculative

elements to question our current society

– Both 'The Pedestrian' and

'I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream'

include many speculative fiction

genre conventions

(RareGallery n.d)

Both texts involve the spec-fic genre conventions:

- Alterity

- Power

- Technology

- Nature of technology

The interplay between technology and humanity.

(Peters, J 2021)

Isolation

(Frankenfield, J 2022)

Technology vs. Humanity

(LaDoucieur, A 2019)

'The Pedestrian'

By Ray Bradbury

The Pedestrian

(Gregerson, E 2021)

Background

Background

- Born in 1920, began his writing career at the age of 43 (1943), in 1947 published his first collection of short stories.

- Context: Technological developments after WWII

- Intended Audience: People who have televisions in the late 1940s

(Doss, K 2021)

I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream

I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream

By Harlan Ellison

(Alper, B 2017)

Background

– Born in 1934

– Published first short text in 1958

– Context: AI development during The Cold War

(Encyclopaedia Britannica 2022)

Technology vs. Humanity

Use of imagery and symbolism

Technology vs.

Humanity

'The Pedestrian'

'The Pedestrian'

Both 'The Pedestrian' and 'I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream' explore dystopian societies in the future where technology competes to take over humanity.

– “The police car sat in the centre of the street with its radio throat faintly humming,” (Bradbury, R 2008)

– “it was not unequal to walking through a graveyard” (Bradbury, R 2008)

– “the tombs, ill-lit by television light, where the people sat like the dead.” (Bradbury, R 2008)

'I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream'

'I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream'

Ellison explores technology’s relationship with humanity, expressing the societal fear of the elimination of humanity.

– “Oh, Jesus sweet Jesus, if there ever was a Jesus and if there is a GOD, please please please let us out of here, or kill us,” (Ellison, H 1967)

Symbols:

- The Hurricane Bird

- AM

Comparison

Comparison

Through the application of symbolism and imagery, both Bradbury and Ellison explore dystopian society’s. However, Ellison expresses societal fear through the elimination of society rather than increased isolation indicating a greater effect by technology on humanity in 'I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream'.

Isolation

Use of Imagery and Symbolism

Isolation

'The Pedestrian'

'The Pedestrian'

'The Pedestrian' is concerned with the increase in technology use on isolation.

– People “[sit] like the dead” in front of their viewing screens

– “The grey or multicoloured lights touching their faces, but never really touching them,”

– “and you have a viewing screen in your house to see with?

No.

No?”

'I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream'

'I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream'

Ellison uses the text to demonstrate the isolation of humanity through the increase of technological power

– “[Ted] fled like a cockroach, across the floor and out into the darkness.”

– “I knew it wasn’t a reflex. They hated me.”

Comparison

Comparison

Both 'The Pedestrian' and 'I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream' produce the theme isolation. However, whilst Ellison demonstrates the isolation of humanity through increased technological power, Bradbury is concerned with the increase in technology use on isolation. 'The Pedestrian' shows greater production of isolation through use of personification and similes in order to produce symbolism and imagery to indicate the production of isolation.

Conclusion

Conclusion

– To conclude, both speculative fiction texts, 'The Pedestrian' and 'I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream' indicated both themes of isolation and humanity vs. technology

– Through the multiple genre conventions included in both texts, they both demonstrate the overarching theme of the interplay of technology and humanity and how that is generated through the themes of technology vs. humanity and isolation by literary conventions

– In both texts, technology enables isolation and negatively effects humanity, expressed by both the elimination of humanity and the belief that technology will ultimately rob us of our humanity.

Reference List

Ellison, Harlan 1967. I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream. Galaxy Publishing Corp, United States of America <https://wjccschools.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/01/I-Have-No-Mouth-But-I-Must-Scream-by-Harlan-Ellison.pdf>

Bradbury, Ray. Ray Bradbury Stories Volume 2. 1st ed. London: Harper Voyager, 2008. Print.

LitCharts 2022, The Pedestrian Study Guide, LitCharts, viewed 23 May 2022, <https://www.litcharts.com/lit/the-pedestrian>

LitCharts, 2022, I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream Study Guide, LitCharts, viewed 23 May 2022, <https://www.litcharts.com/lit/i-have-no-mouth-and-i-must-scream>

Allen, H 2020, Analysis, Summary and Themes of “The Pedestrian” by Ray Bradbury, Owlcation, viewed 26 May 2022, <https://owlcation.com/humanities/The-Pedestrian-Ray-Bradbury-Meaning-Themes>

Encyclopaedia Britannica 2022, Harlan Ellison, Encyclopaedia Britannica, viewed 25 May 2022, <https://www.britannica.com/biography/Harlan-Ellison>

Doss, K 2021, The Pedestrian by Ray Bradbury Summary & Analysis, viewed 25 May 2022, <https://study.com/learn/lesson/the-pedestrian-theme-summary-analysis.html>

Images

Reference List

Wired 2017, Harlan Ellison Is Sci-Fi’s Most Controversial Figure, Wired, viewed 27 May 2022, <https://www.wired.com/2017/10/geeks-guide-harlan-ellison/>

RareGallery n.d General Wallpapers and Backgrounds, RareGallery, viewed 27 May 2022, <https://rare-gallery.com/4593971-artwork-fantasy-art-concept-art-science-fiction-planet-city-futuristic-futuristic-city.html>

Peters, J 2021, The isolation of grief in the pandemic, The Verge, viewed 27 May 2022, <https://www.theverge.com/2021/4/25/22399787/isolation-grief-pandemic-covid19-mental-health>

LaDoucieur, A 2019, Humanity, The Roundup, viewed 27 May 2022, <https://chsroundup.com/5585/viewpoints/humanity/>

Frankenfield, J 2022, Technology Sector, Investopedia, viewed 27 May 2022, <https://www.investopedia.com/terms/t/technology_sector.asp>

Amazon 2022, I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream: Stories, Amazon, viewed 27 May 2022, <https://www.amazon.com.au/Have-No-Mouth-Must-Scream/dp/1497643074>

Rizza, M 2022, Retro Reads: Ray Bradbury’s The Pedestrian, Mary Rizza, viewed 27 May 2022, <https://maryrizza.com/hats-off-to-retro-reads-ray-bradburys-the-pedestrian/>

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