Conflict
Leonard Mead is arrested because his behavior differs from what society considers normal. What type of conflict is this?
Person vs. society
What is POV in literature?
The perspective a story is told from.
What is characterization?
The way an author develops and reveals a character’s personality and traits.
What is the setting of a work of literature?
The time and place that a story happens in.
What is a theme in a work of literature?
A message or insight about life or human nature that a text develops.
In “Examination Day,” the government controls whether children are allowed to live based on their test results. What type of conflict does this create?
Person vs. society
A narrator describes a character using “he,” “she,” or “they” instead of telling the story using “I.” What broad type of point of view is this?
Third-person point of view.
An author directly states that a character is nervous. Is this direct or indirect characterization?
Direct characterization.
In “The Pedestrian,” what is unusual about the streets Leonard Mead walks through at night?
The streets are nearly empty, and most people are indoors watching television.
Is “technology” a theme or a topic?
A topic.
A character struggles with fear and uncertainty inside their own mind. What type of conflict is this?
Person vs. self, or internal conflict.
A narrator reveals the thoughts and feelings of one character but does not reveal the thoughts of every character. What type of third-person point of view is this?
Third-person limited.
A character avoids eye contact, speaks quietly, and fidgets. The author never directly states that the character is nervous. What technique is being used?
Indirect characterization. Readers infer the character’s traits from their actions and behavior.
In “Examination Day,” what does the government testing environment suggest about the society?
It suggests a highly controlled society in which the government has authority over people’s lives.
Turn the topic of government control into a complete theme statement that could apply to “Examination Day.”
When governments gain too much power, they can take away people’s individual freedom and rights.
Leonard Mead wants to walk outdoors, but his society expects people to stay inside and watch television. Explain the conflict between his desires and society’s expectations.
Leonard’s desire for individual freedom conflicts with society’s rules and expectations.
Why might an author use third-person narration instead of allowing a character to tell the story using “I”?
Third-person narration allows the author to describe events from outside the character and can create distance, suspense, or a broader perspective.
Leonard Mead chooses to walk outside while everyone else stays inside. What does this choice reveal about his character?
He is independent, curious, and willing to act differently from society.
How does the empty, quiet city in “The Pedestrian” help develop a theme about technology?
It emphasizes how television and technology have replaced social interaction, leaving people isolated and disconnected from the world around them.
In “The Pedestrian,” Leonard enjoys walking outside while the rest of society watches television. What theme could this contrast develop?
Overreliance on technology can isolate people and disconnect them from the world around them.
Compare the central conflicts in “Examination Day” and “The Pedestrian.” What powerful force threatens the characters’ freedom in both stories?
An authoritarian society that uses government control, rules, or technology to limit individual freedom.
Imagine “The Pedestrian” were told in first person by Leonard Mead. What might readers gain, and what might they lose?
Readers might gain more direct access to Leonard’s thoughts and feelings, but they might lose some outside perspective and the effect of observing him as an outsider.
In “Examination Day,” Dickie is curious and trusting about the government test. How does this characterization make the ending more disturbing?
His innocence and trust contrast with the government’s cruel treatment, emphasizing the danger of unquestioned authority.
Both stories portray futuristic societies. Explain how each story’s setting helps reveal that its society is dystopian rather than perfect.
In “The Pedestrian,” technology has isolated people from one another. In “Examination Day,” government control threatens individual freedom and human life.
A student writes, “The theme is that technology is bad.” What is one weakness of this answer, and how could the student improve it?
The answer identifies a topic and expresses a broad opinion instead of a developed, nuanced message. A stronger theme statement is: “When people rely too heavily on technology, they may lose meaningful connections with others.”