The Pedestrian - by Ray Bradbury The Pedestrian is a science fiction short story by American writer Ray Bradbury. This story was originally published in the August 7, 1951 issue of The Reporter

Leonard has no “viewing screen” in his home and no spouse. What does this tell us about Leonard and his place in this society?

“Don’t speak unless you’re spoken to!” Leonard Mead waited in the cold night.
“Just walking, Mr. Mead?”
“Yes.”
“But you haven’t explained for what purpose.”
“I explained; for air, and to see, and just to walk.”
“Have you done this often?”
“Every night for years.”
The police car sat in the center of the street with its radio throat faintly humming.
“Well, Mr. Mead,” it said.
“Is that all?” he asked politely.
“Yes,” said the voice.
“Here.” There was a sigh, a pop. The back door of the police car sprang wide. “Get in.”
“Wait a minute, I haven’t done anything!”
“Get in.”
“I protest!”
“Mr. Mead.”
He walked like a man suddenly drunk. As he passed the front window of the car he looked in. As he had expected, there was no one in the front seat, no one in the car at all.
“Get in.”
Why is Leonard arrested? What can we learn about this society that what Leonard is doing is considered criminal behavior?

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 of riveted steel. It smelled of harsh antiseptic; it smelled too clean and hard and metallic. There was nothing soft there.
“Now if you had a wife to give you an alibi,” said the iron voice. “But-“
“Where are you taking me?”
The car hesitated, or rather gave a faint whirring click, as if information, somewhere, was dropping card by punch-slotted card under electric eyes. “To the Psychiatric Center for Research on Regressive Tendencies.”
What does the word “regressive” mean? Why would this be Leonard’s punishment? What can we learn about this society from this punishment?

He got in. The door shut with a soft thud. The police car rolled through the night avenues, flashing its dim lights ahead.
They passed one house on one street a moment later, one house in an entire city of houses that were dark, but this one particular house had all of its electric lights brightly lit, every window a loud yellow illumination, square and warm in the cool darkness.
“That’s my house,” said Leonard Mead.
What does it tell us about Leonard that his house is the only one that is brightly lit?

No one answered him.
The car moved down the empty river-bed streets and off away, leaving the empty streets with the empty side-walks, and no sound and no motion all the rest of the chill November night.
Bradbury uses repetition of the word “empty” here. Why is this use particularly ominous?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

What social issues does Ray Bradbury observe and see as potential problems for society?

How do you think television and other modern technology could be used to control a society’s thinking?

Looking toward the future, what harmful trends from today do you see being potential problems for our future as a society?

Does our society bear any similarity to that of Leonard Mead’s society? How might we be becoming isolated in a similar way?

From this small peek into this society, what do you imagine every day life is like for the people? Keep in mind, Leonard has been walking alone for ten years at night, there is a single unmanned police car that roams the street due to the lack of crime, and the “viewing screen” seems of utmost importance.