Question

reading check

1. what ominous fact about this future society is foreshadowed, or hinted at, by the “buckling concrete walk” in the first paragraph? as the story develops, what else are you told about the setting of “the pedestrian”?
2. find the sentences and phrases that at first suggest that leonard mead is the only person living in this setting in a.d. 2053. find the passage that reveals that there are other people living in this setting.
3. explain leonard mead’s “regressive tendencies.”
4. describe the police automaton’s response when mead says he is a writer.

thinking critically

1. leonard mead is the only human character in the story. in what way does he live on the edge of society? who—or what—appears to be in charge of this future - world?
2. list several details that describe the houses leonard passes and the evening streets. what mood do these details create?
3. what do you think bradbury’s purpose was in writing this story? how does the setting he chose help him achieve his purpose? cite details from the story to support your answers.
4. which of today’s problems seem to have been eliminated from leonard mead’s society? what does leonard miss that we still enjoy today?
5. how is technology used to control leonard’s world? what point about technology and its power do you think bradbury is making in this story? find some key words, phrases, or events in the story to support your interpretation.

extending and evaluating

1. do you think bradbury is too pessimistic about technology? support your opinion with details from the text and from the real world.

Explanation:

These questions pertain to the analysis of Ray Bradbury's story "The Pedestrian". They cover aspects like setting - analysis (e.g., what the 'buckling concrete walk' foreshadows), character - analysis (Leonard Mead's tendencies, the police automaton's response), and thematic analysis (Bradbury's view on technology). Answers would involve close - reading of the story, identifying key passages, and making inferences based on the text and real - world knowledge.

Answer:

1. The "buckling concrete walk" may foreshadow decay or instability in the future society. As the story develops, we learn it is a desolate, mostly empty place at night with houses that are dark and people seemingly isolated indoors.
2. Sentences like "In ten years of walking by night or day, for thousands of miles, he had never met another person walking, not once" suggest he may be alone. The passage "But in the houses, he could see only a few faint lights, perhaps a television tube..." reveals others are living there.
3. Leonard Mead's "regressive tendencies" refer to his preference for simple, human - centered activities like walking alone at night, which are not the norm in a society overly reliant on technology.
4. The police automaton seems confused and suspicious when Mead says he is a writer, as writing and creative endeavors may be rare or not valued in this society.
5. Mead lives on the edge as he doesn't conform to the technology - centered lifestyle. The technology, represented by the police automaton and the way people are glued to their TVs, appears to be in charge.
6. Houses are described as dark, with only a few faint lights possibly from TVs. Streets are empty. This creates a mood of desolation and isolation.
7. Bradbury's purpose may have been to warn about the dehumanizing effects of technology. The setting of a mostly empty, technology - dominated world helps show how people have become isolated and passive. For example, the empty streets and people indoors watching TV.
8. Problems like traffic jams (since there are no cars on the streets for Mead to encounter) may seem eliminated. Leonard misses the social interaction and the simple pleasure of walking and observing the world that we still enjoy today.
9. Technology controls Leonard's world by monitoring and regulating people's behavior, like the police automaton stopping him. Bradbury may be making the point that technology can have a powerful, controlling influence. Words like "automaton" and the way it questions Mead support this.
10. Answers may vary. Some may say Bradbury is not too pessimistic as technology has led to social isolation in real - world cases (e.g., excessive phone use). Others may say he is too extreme as technology also has many positive aspects like improving communication and medical research.