"The Pedestrian" is a short story by Ray Bradbury, an author known for deeply philosophical and poetic prose that is often set in a time of space travel. Occurring in the year 2053, "The Pedestrian" tells the story of Leonard Mead, a man who walks alone at night, seemingly for the pure joy of it. This appears to upset the neighbors, who, when they are not criticizing the habits of others, are
thoroughly engrossed in their televisions.In 2053, people do not walk outside -- even the sidewalks are succumbing to the endless growth of grass. At some point during his walk, Leonard Mead is accosted by the one remaining police car in the city of three million (there is apparently no need for a police force when no one goes outside and they are instead glued to the front of their TV sets). He is asked his occupation, and he replies that he is a writer, which the police consider an invalid profession. The police are incredulous that he would walk "just to walk," and arrest Leonard. When he gets in the car, he is told he is going to the Psychiatric Center for Research on Regressive Tendencies, where they can examine him to determine what is wrong. He is then unceremoniously carted away in an automated police car, the victim of a society so degraded it cannot comprehend something so simple as enjoying a walk.The story is a cautionary tale against society's growing infatuation with television and electronics. It warns that society, similar to the sidewalk, is sure to crumble without human interactions to keep it whole. In "The Pedestrian" by Ray Bradbury, the television is the ultimate "dehumanizer" -- it prevents crime, but also removes any possibility of interpersonal exploration, and also serves to spoil the bodies of those that get obsessed.
The Pedestrian Analysis
I analyzed “The Pedestrian” from a biographical standpoint.
“The Pedestrian”
Ray Bradbury’s fascination with topics that are science fiction and out of the ordinary has inspired him to write some of the greatest stories in American history. Bradbury’s short story, “The Pedestrian”, is a science fiction themed story that takes place in the future. It is written in a manner that relates themes from the book to elements of Bradbury’s life. Bradbury’s passion for writing indirectly relates to Leonard’s passion for walking. Bradbury also is one of the only people who held onto childhood fantasies like Leonard is the only one who goes out at night to walk. Leonard is directly related to Bradbury because both of them are writers.
Leonard Mead, on evening nights, likes to go on walks, sometimes for hours. He was the only one who did this. This is related to Ray Bradbury himself, by the fact that, as Bradbury stated, “My staying in love with these things (skeletons, circuses, Sci-Fi) all of the good things in my existence came about” (Bradbury 52). Leonard’s passion for walking being the only one in his world symbolizes the passion that Bradbury has for writing. Bradbury says, “I am not embarrassed of circuses, some people are… By 15 they have been divested of their loves”, (Bradbury 52).
This relationship that Bradbury has with Leonard is undeniably similar. Leonard, being the only one walking at night, when everyone else is inside watching there “viewing screens” (51), is probably representative of Bradbury being the only one who wasn’t embarrassed at the circus, one of the people who held onto their childhood fantasies and loves. The people who watch their TV screens are probably the people who, as Bradbury would say, “reached maturity… no fun, no zest, no gusto, no flavor”, (Bradbury 52).
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Leonard is a writer. He tells the policeman this when the policeman asks for his profession. The policeman dismisses this and says that he has no profession. “I guess you’d call me a writer … No profession”, (Bradbury 50). This could be representative of Bradbury being Leonard, and maybe Bradbury doesn’t consider writing to be a profession, just a hobby. Leonard being a writer who can’t sell the stuff he writes could relate to a time when Bradbury was struggling, or thought about ending his career as a writer.
Ray Bradbury’s short story, “The Pedestrian”, is written in a manner that relates themes from the book to elements of Bradbury’s life. Ray Bradbury’s passion for writing indirectly relates to Leonard’s passion for walking. Bradbury also is one of the only people who held onto their childhood fantasies like Leonard is the only one who goes out at night to walk. Leonard is directly related to Bradbury because both are writers.
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What
is the story of the pedestrian by ray bradbury about?
In
this story we encounter Leonard Mead, a citizen of a
television-centered world in A.D. 2053. In the city, roads have
fallen into decay and people only leave their homes during the day,
staying home at night to watch TV. It is revealed that Mead enjoys
walking through the city during the night, something which no one
else does. On one of his usual walks he encounters a robotic police
car. It is the only police unit in a city of three million, since the
purpose of law enforcement has disappeared with everyone watching TV
at night. The police car struggles to understand why Mr. Mead would
be out walking for no reason and decides to take him to the
Psychiatric Center for Research on Regressive Tendencies.
What
is the theme in the short story The Pedestrian by Ray Bradbury?
that
if mankind advances to the point where society loses its humanity,
then mankind may as well cease to exist.
Who
is the protagonist in the short story The Pedestrian by Ray
Bradbury?
Leonard
Mead
Symbolism
through the Short
Story The
Pedestrian By Ray Bradbury
Since
the turn of the century, new technology has slowly begun to create an
anti-social and impersonal society. Take, for instance, the
advancement of the entertainment industry;
people's idea of a social night
out is
"going to the movies", where there is very limited social
interaction. With the advancements of kitchen
appliances,
time is rarely spent with ones family in the kitchen whether it is to
cook, wash dishes,
or just socialize. Since online
chatrooms
and email, the use of the telephone has become almost obsolete, and
people rarely meet face-to-face. When one thinks of how impersonal
western civilization is today, try to imagine life fifty years from
now. The short
story "The
Pedestrian", written by Ray Bradbury, is set fifty years from
today. In "The Pedestrian" impersonality is shown to be the
result of advancements in technology through the symbolic use if the
empty police car, the empty streets and the continuous viewing of
television.
Ray
Bradbury expresses the negative impact of technology in "The
Pedestrian" through the use of the empty police
car. Leonard Mead
is on his nightly walk and is approached by an empty police car, he
is questioned about his walking and if he has reason to do it. After
he tries to explain his reasoning for walking the police
car orders him
to get in, and informs him that he is going to be taken to
a psychiatric ward.
"He
put his hand to the door and peered into the back seat,
which
was a little cell, a little black jail with bars. It smelled
It
smelled of riveted steel. It smelled of harsh antiseptic;
it
smelled
too clean and hard and metallic.
There was nothing
soft
in there." (p157)
In
this passage, Ray Bradbury uses many symbols to represent
impersonality. The "little black jail with bars" shows hat
the police car is a jail cell on wheels. The fact that it is black
shows that a criminal or potential criminal is not given any chance
for...