The Pedestrian

In a future where people do not walk, a man takes a walk every evening and the year is 2053. The Pedestrian is a story written by Ray Bradbury, and it is about the future, where humanity no longer interacts with one another. However, in the mixed of all the loneliness a man takes a walk every evening, his name is Mr. Leonard Mead, a former writer, and a lonesome man. However, on this exact evening, a rare but incredible police car stops Mr. Leonard Mead, and then he gets orders to put his hands up. Mr. Leonard Mead answers some questions about his life and family, and his replies to the police seem a bit weak. The police car is the last remaining police car in the city. It was decided after last year election that the police force was slimmed down from three cars to one because crime was ebbing, and it seen as something unnecessary. When Mr. Mead answers a question about his profession and by saying, he is a writer; the police interpret his response as "unemployed." Mr. Leonard is told to enter the car even though he did not do anything. When as he got closer to the car, he realized that there were no driver at all - the car is computer controlled.
Mr. Mead is confused and overwhelmed with anxiety as he gets into the backseat. Then he is told that he is being taken to a psychiatric center, because of his unusual appearance. His behavior is not acceptable in the society and because of no one takes a walk any longer; it is strange that he continues to do so as a relaxation. On the way to a psychiatric center, they pass Mr. Meads house, which is the one and only house that, was filled with light and seem different from the other houses. Mr. Mead's behavior is completely an unknown, and he do not belong to the society.
Mr. Leonard Mead is the character, he is a man without a family and he is presumably lonely and standard in contrast to the society that he in. Mr. Mead is the last of is kind, and his nightly secret walks are, what seems to be a way to find people who maybe relate to him in some way. His shows some signs of rebellion, but at the time he gives up quickly, as shown I the text when confronting the police car. He somehow seems to have acknowledged, the fact that he can no longer be in the society, and he appears to show some symbols of a man that has nothing at the end of the story.
The story takes in society, which is described as an isolated and soulless society. In a society, which is mute and kept tame; this implicates unaware people that maybe are brainwashed. In the story, Mr. Meads tries to tell us that the minds of the population have been clouded by the TV they are continuously and without resistance are watching. Only Mr. Mead can see over the dullness of the programs: ”Where are the cowboys rushing?” and”A dozen assorted murders”, ”A comedian falling off the stage”. The environment of this faceless society is painted repeatedly by several pictures associated with demise and darkness: “dark windows” “not unlike walking through a graveyard” “tomb-like buildings” and “grey phantoms”. Even Nature itself seems to be dead “like cement was vanishing under flowers and grass.”In the story, there are some very disturbing descriptions, which the author uses to describe the environment. The author uses the atmosphere, which is dark and damp, but the author chains this with a cold. At first the weather is described, because it November and the air is cold, but at the same time, it can be seen that the author is trying to make the reader associate with being cold. The police car is also used her as it describes as being cold and soulless. The author talk more about the weather, ”there was a good crystal frost air”. It makes the story more alive and intense, when reading about the society.
In the story, some elements stand out. These elements have some deeper meaning. First we have a police car; The descriptions connected to the police car are harsh, cold, threatening, oppressive. It almost symbolizes a hunter that is hunting its paralyzed prey “flashed a fierce white cone of light upon him”,“It smelled of riveted steel”. The police car also smelled very clean, which is very unnatural in a way. The author frequently uses words such as metallic and robotic, which also symbolizes unnatural and soulless.
The voice of the police car also sounds robotic: short and sharp commands but in contrast to Mr. Mead’s more warm and lively voice. The police car also helps the reader see the nature of the regime. The lack of acknowledgment of Mr. Mead’s work and the fact that Mr. Mead’s work holds no meaning in the society any longer. In a dystopian society, anything that resembles: inspiration, attractiveness, and a free mind is not accepted. Books and art have no place in this society. An example of dystopian society is damaged rightness attained at any price.

The second element is Mr. Mead’s house. On the way to the psychiatric center, they pass Mead’s house. The house is glowing with lights in contrast to the dark city. “Electric light brilliantly lit every window a loud yellow illumination.” It is a symbol of hopefulness and a sign of life – light is often a symbol of hope, but the car then disappears into the darkness again.
The meaning behind this shot "The Pedestrian," is that the author wants us to see our future. The author gives us a warning of what our life could be. If humanity abandons its humanity to technology and material possessions. The themes of this short story are a world where we devote most of our valuable time watching television, and submissively accepting everything the media feds us, where human interaction and relationships are outdated.