History Literature / TheDemolishedMan

* Letters2Numbers: Names like Wyg&, ¼maine, @kins and S&erson. The magazine version also does this to Tate ('T8'), Jackson ('$$son') and Sentry ('¢try').

* AdaptationNameChange: In the original magazine version, Reich's company is called Sacrament. In the book it becomes Monarch.

* Letters2Numbers: Names like Wyg&, ¼maine, @kins and S&erson. The magazine version also does this to Tate ('T8') and Jackson ('$$son').

* Letters2Numbers: Names like Wyg&, ¼maine, @kins and S&erson.

* CasualInterplanetaryTravel: Powell, needing to question a witness on Venus, simply asks Mary to call the spaceport and book him a place on the 11am flight.

* YesMan: When Reich is searching for Barbara D'Courtney, one of the lines of inquiry he launches is to try and recruit her as an advertising mascot. As he lays out his "campaign", the only contribution made by the head of Monarch's advertising division is sycophantic fawning.

* TheStarsAreGoingOut: Towards the end of the book, Reich learns that the police's case against him has collapsed, and there's nothing to stop him taking over the Solar System. In the middle of his NothingCanStopMeNow speech, he happens to look at the sky... and the stars have disappeared.

* SocietyMarchesOn: Despite the characters stated disconnect from the 20th century, the book is pretty emblematic of the time it was written in respect to gender roles, although Ms. Wyg clearly has an active sex life which is only complained about when she distracts undercover cops. On the other hand, there is a scene where a black applicant is accepted into the Esper's Guild on account of his latent talent, which suggests that at least their group is meritocratic. Also, the president of the Guild is Asian.

* SocietyMarchesOn: Despite the characters stated disconnect from the 20th century, the book is pretty emblematic of the time it was written in respect to gender roles, although Ms. Wyg& clearly has an active sex life which is only complained about when she distracts undercover cops. On the other hand, there is a scene where a black applicant is accepted into the Esper's Guild on account of his latent talent, which suggests that at least their group is meritocratic. Also, the president of the Guild is Asian.

* GeniusThriller: It's very similar to ''Anime/DeathNote'', one of the TropeCodifiers, except the antagonist has the supernatural power instead of the protagonist

* MutantDraftBoard: The Espers Guild which is based in part on something like a bar or medical association, especially in the sense of mandating using their powers for beneficial ends, but also dominates the lives of its members, including [[StalkerWithATestTube stipulating that they marry one of their own]], since the gift is hereditary.
** Senior Guild members have to pay almost all of their income to support [[WellIntentionedExtremist the Guild]], which becomes a plot point when [[spoiler: a disgruntled Esper shows Reich how to defeat a mind scan in exchange for support in his campaign to reduce the Esper tithing rate.]]

* BenevolentBoss / NiceToTheWaiter: Reich makes a conscious effort to be well liked by his employees due to a wish to avoid enemies. Thus, its not really a PetTheDog for him.
** Particularly since it doesn't work; he can charm his servants face-to-face, but behind his back they hate and fear him.
** It does work for most of his employees, just not on the few he screws. And he actually does want to be nice to everyone, it's just that he's willing to throw people to the dogs if he feels it will help him.
%%* BlankSlate

%%* CocaPepsiInc

%%* TheFutureIsNoir: One of the original examples.

%%* HeroAntagonist: Lincoln Powell.
* IdiotBall: Translate the telegraphs at the beginning.

* MadnessMantra: After a while, Reich's EarWorm becomes this- essentially, when Espers try to read his mind, even if they can't read particular thoughts, it's quite clear he's having a breakdown.
* MeaningfulName: Ben '''[[UsefulNotes/NaziGermany Reich]]'''. Who, it so happens, is about to, [[spoiler: almost without realizing it, start a Fourth Reich of a telepathic master race]]...
** Reich does also mean [[RichPeople rich]] in German.

** And, of course, in a Meta way as stated above, the ''Series/BabylonFive'' use of Bester and "Demolition".

%%* Proto {{Cyberpunk}}.

%%* UnconventionalFormatting

%%* VillainProtagonist: Ben Reich.

Creator/AlfredBester's other famous novel besides ''Literature/TheStarsMyDestination'', ''The Demolished Man'' is a ReverseWhodunnit centering on Ben Reich's attempt to get away with the murder of a hated business rival and the efforts of Esper policeman Lincoln Powell to prove his guilt. The novel heavily inspired the psychic police of ''Series/BabylonFive'', although the ones in the novel are by far more benevolent. The name of the author was used for the [=PsiCop=] character played by Walter Koenig, along with possibly the DeathOfPersonality inspired from "Demolition", the "what do you want?" question by Morden, and an EarWorm being used to block telepathic scanning.

%%* CasualInterplanetaryTravel

%%* PsychicPowers

%%* TheStarsAreGoingOut

* AllPsychologyIsFreudian

* BlankSlate
* CasualInterplanetaryTravel
* CocaPepsiInc

* TheFutureIsNoir: One of the original examples.

* HeroAntagonist: Lincoln Powell.

* Proto {{Cyberpunk}}.
* PsychicPowers

* TheStarsAreGoingOut

* UnconventionalFormatting

* VillainProtagonist: Ben Reich.

* RousseauWasRight: Powell makes a statement about this at the end, and it drives him throughout the novel. People are good but the barriers between them cause misunderstandings. That's why he wants to catch Reich and is appalled at the idea of a death penalty. He sees Reich can be good and that humanity needs people like him. It's also behind the eugenics program of the Guild-once everyone can read minds they can break down the barriers and live in harmony.

* MeaningfulName: Ben '''[[NaziGermany Reich]]'''. Who, it so happens, is about to, [[spoiler: almost without realizing it, start a Fourth Reich of a telepathic master race]]...

* HeelFaceBrainwashing: [[spoiler: What it means to be "demolished", a process of LossOfIdentity which at the end of the book happens to Ben Reich. Granted, it's used here an alternative to capital punishment so it arguably avoids the FamilyUnfriendlyAesop that usually comes from this trope.]]

* MutantDraftBoard: The Espers Guild which is based in part on something like a bar or medical association, especially in the sense of mandating using their powers for beneficial ends, but also dominates the lives of its members, including [[StalkerWithATestTube stipulating that they marry one of their own]].

* SocietyMarchesOn: Despite the characters stated disconnect from the 20th century, the book is pretty emblematic of the time it was written in respect to gender roles, although Ms. Wyg& clearly has an active sex lfe which is only complained about when she distracts undercover cops. On the other hand, there is a scene where a black applicant is accepted into the Esper's Guild on account of his latent talent, which suggests that at least their group is meritocratic. Also, the president of the Guild is Asian.

* {{Ubermensch}}: Reich is very clearly on the verge of becoming one, and [[spoiler: this is the ultimate reason Powell has to stop him]]

* VillainProtagonist: Ben Reich