Chapter 4

The Pedestrian
By Ray Bradbury
To enter out into that silence that was the city at eight o'clock of a misty evening in November, to put your feu
upon that buckling concrete walk, to step over grassy seams and make your way, hands in pockets. through
the silences, that was what Mr. Leonard Mead most dearly loved to do. He would stand upon the corner of an
intersection and peer down long moonlit avenues of sidewalk in four directions, deciding which way to go, but i
really made no difference; he was alone in this world offA. D. 2053, or as good as alone, and with a final decision

frosty air before him like the smoke offa cigar.

made, a path selected,
Sometimes he would walk he for
would stride
hours andoff,miles
sending patterns
and return
of
only at midnight to his house. And on his way he would
see the cottages and homes with their dark windows, and itt was not unequal to walking through a graveyard
where onlythe faintest glimmers of firefly light: appeared in flickers behind the windows. Sudden gray phantom,
seemed to manifest upon inner room walls where a curtain was still undrawn against the night, or there were
whisperings and murmurs where a window in a tomblik building was still open.

Mr. Leonard Mead would pause, cock his head, listen, look, andmarch on, his feet making no noise on the lumpy
walk. For long ago he had wisely changed to sneakers when strolling at night, because the dogs in intermittent
squads would parallel his journey with barkings if he wore hard heels, and lights might click on and faces appear
and an entire street be startled by the passing of a lone figure, himself, in the early November evening.
On this particular evening he began his journey in a westerly direction, toward the hidden sea. There was a good
crystal frost in the air; it cut the nose and made the lungs blaze like a Christmas tree inside; youcould feel the cold
light going on and off, all the branches filled with invisible snow. He listened to the faint push of his soft shoes
through autumn leaves with satisfaction, and whistleda cold quiet whistle between his teeth, occasionally picking
up aleaf as he passed, examining its skeletal pattern in the infrequent lamplights as he went on, smelling its rusty
smell.
 Hello, in there," he whispered to every house on every side as he moved. "What's up tonight on Channel 4,
Channel 7, Channel 97 Where are the cowboys rushing, and do I seethe United States Cavalry over the net hill
to the rescue?"

The street was silent and longand empty, with only his shadow moving like the shadow of ahawk in midcountry.
Ifwindless
he closedhiscyes
Arizona andwith
desert stoodnovery stil,in frozen,
house he could
a thousand miles,imaginehimself
and only uponbeds,
dry river thecenter of afor
the streets, plain, a wintry,
compay
"What is it nowr" he asked the houses, noticing his wrist watch, "Eight-thirty P M.? Time for a dozen assorted
murders? A quiz? Arevue? A comedian falling off the stage?"
Was that a murmur of laughter from within a moon-white house?
He hesitated, but went on when nothing more happened. He stumbled over a particularly uneven secion
ofthousands
sidewalk.ofThe cement was vanishing under Alowers and grass. In ten years of walking by night or day, for
miles, he had never met another person walking, not once in all that time.
Hecame to a cloverleaf intersection which stood silent where two main highways crossed the town.. During the
day it was a thunderous surge of cars, the gas stations open, a great insect rustling and a ceaseless jockeying
for position as the scarabbeetles, a faint incense puttering from their exhausts, skimmed homeward to ne ta
directions. But now these highways, too, were like streams in a dry season, all stone and bed and moon radiance.
He turned back on a side street, circling around toward his home. He was within a block of his destination when
the lone car turned acorner quite suddenly and flashed afierce white cone of light upon him. He stood entranced,
not unlike a night moth, stunned by the illumination, and then drawn toward it.

A
metallic voice called to him:
"Stand still. Stay where you are! Don't move!"
He halted.
"Put up your hands!"
"But-" he said.
"Your hands up! Or well Shoot!"
The police, of course, but what a rare, incredible thing, in acity of three million, there was only one police car
left, wasn't that correct? Ever since a year ago, 2052, the election year, the force had been cut down from three
cars to one. Crime was ebbing; there was no need now for the police, save for this one lone car wandering and
wandering the empty streets.
"Your name?" said the police car in a metalic whisper. He couldn't see the men in it for the bright light in his eyes.
"Leonard Mead, " he said.

The Pedestrian
 n h F d shy gm m men, nek thryst throvgh chest
in vears Magazines and books didnt ell any mOTe
F*g t taghs h a s at night now, he fhought. ontinuing his fancy The tormbs, 1-it by
p e t lske the dead the grey or multoored Iights touching their faces, but never

mv ac th honograpt: vr, hissing What are you dong out

haang'Nd i ard Med
Maarg'A ard Med

a t g h e nt semps, but his face felt cold

hak N waing wallin:

alkry u h kr what

7 nStt: Satnt James Street

"Ans he a n yoat hUse, Vou have an air conditioner, Mr. Mead?

'And vs tune a viewng Teen in your house to see with?"

whe a cacking quiet that in itself was an accusation.

Ar ou marred Mr Mead

Not mamed,sad the polce voice behind the fiery beam, The moon was high and clear among the stars and the
heuses were gray and silent.
"Ntkdy wanted me, "sd Lenard Mead with a smile.
Dont speak uniess you re spoken to"
Leonard Mead waited in the cold night.
Just walking, Mr AMead
"Yes.
"But you haventexplained for what purpose.
lexplained, for ait, 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 al?" he asked politely.
LITERATURE IN ENGLISH CLASS-X
 he re Here
Thmexh e Thr

Tprote

Mr. Mead
ealked hke a man suddenk dnk As he
here was nO One n the frOnt et. pavrd heont wint
nn ne n he cn at a
Get in."

He put hs nana to the donr and perr no ehak set h h w sa r

smelled of iveted stee It smelle3 of t,
e g i
nothing Soft there harsh anthcephe t smellei
Now if you had a wife to gve vou an aisb
ad the in voe Bt
Where are vou taking me
The car hesttated, or rather gave a faint wirmng -ck s t
punch-slotted card under electric eves "To the PvEhistrsCenterrtomabon am
or Rear;h e Rrsre
E
He got in. The door shut with a oft thud mr
The police car rolled through the night avenues.
fashing its dim hghts ahet
They passed one house on one street a moment Later. one house in an entire y h:ehat w
one particular house had all of its electrk bghts brcht'y ht. every
wirdow a
kdvma a
warm in the cool darkness.
That's my house, said Leonard Mead
No one answered him.
The car moved down the empty nver-bed strets ard ott awav,
walks, and no sound and no motion all the rest of the chiil leaving the emph rets wh he
November night
About the Author
Ray Bradbury
(August 22, 1920-June 5, 2012)
Ray Bradbury was born in Waukegan, Illinos, US. Hewas an
for his highly imaginative short stornes and novels that biendAmerican author b known
a poetic style, nostalga to
childhood and social criticism.
Bradbury published his tirst short story Hollerbuchen's Dilemma in the League's tanzine.
Imagination'. He published his own fanzine Futurna fantasia' in 1939. His collextion ot stones
with elements of horror and fantasy were publshed in Weird Lale and his first boot Dark
Carnwal'. Bradbury's style is rich in metaphors and similes. His novel Fahrenheit 45T is
regarded as his greatest work He has otten been considered a science fction authot
Bradbury received many honours for his work including an Emnmy' and the National
Medal of Arts. In 2007 he was awarded a special citation by the Pulitzer Prize Board tor his
distinguished career.
The Pedestrian' is a dystopian science fiction short story. It is about a man who is arrested for taking anight time walk
in adeserted futuristic city in which walking for enjoyment is unprecedented.
Theme of the Story
"The Pedestrian' is a story set in a dystopian future, an innaginary society or world in which people live a fearful and
undesirable life, where there is injustice and suffering, The story talks about the dangers of isolation in the absence of

The Pedestrian85
 community. The narnative is a wake up call for the humans that if wve continue to lead a obsessed and self-conained
life, we will land up in a state similar to Mr Mead, the protagonist of the story. His only crime was that he used to go
for a walk, akne at night. He was arrested by the roboic police car and sent to the Psychiatric centre for Research on

Regressive
The centralTendencies
conflict offor
thethat.
story is between the protagonist Leonard Mead and the cold gray dystopian society in
which he lives. Here, the author has highlighted the theme of conformity against individualism. Leonard represents
an individualistic ideal who dares to walk alone at i night whispering to the houses for the sake of communicatio while

other
Therepeople are glued
is a pressure to their television
on individuals like corpses,
to conform He refers
to the social to their
norms. As houses as ois sent to an asylum for the simple
Mr. Leonard
action of walking through the city at night this pressure grows. In this society in which any human is judged just
because he isinnot
The people theasame
such society
as are blindedelse.
everyone by the deceiving eyes of technology. Technology dominates the lives of living,
crime
car to monitor as people
There is no place for communication and understanding. There was only one robotic crime or commit it
were so glued to their television and other gadgets that, they were too busy to care
about
a slave of technoloBy
themselves,
n such a world the people have no individual opinion or creativity, They become
Summary of the Story
The story The Pedestrian' by Ray Bradbury features Leonard Mead, a citizen of atelevision-dominated city in Noovember
fallen into decay. Mead enjovs walking through the cily at nght, which i
ofSomething one city,
In the
AD 2053. no Its a cold,have
does.sidewalks
else the misty evening in an unnamed city that is home to about three mmillion people.
With hands in his pockets, Meads, the protagonist, reaches an intersection and looks in all the four directions, trying to
decide which one to take. Finally, he decides on one and continues S walking on it. Sometimes, he would take long walks
through the windows and also observes the
and return at midnight. He would witness the glow of television screens a chance to hear
shadows of the people, moving around the house like ghosts in a graveyard. Sometimes, he would get
voices.e
Some murmurings of people when the windows were open. He liked to listen to those folowed him
To avoid drawing the attention of dogs, with his hard heels. he chooses to wear sneakers. The dogS
otherwise and would bark at him. This would make people peep out curiously to stare at this lonely Person.
Observing the fallen autumn leaves, he moves on pondering what type of entertainment are people busy watching in
their homes-whether it is the cowboys or the brave cavalry soldiers rushing for arescue, or some murder show, quiz,
review programs or acomedy featuring aperformer falling off the stage.
Mead reflects upon now he had walked for thousands of miles over the span of 10 years but has never met any other
person while walking in the city. When he passes an intersection, he thinks about how busy it is during the daytime.
magining the cars "jockeying" with each other and the smell of car exhaust. But now the intersection is completely
empty.
Dn his way back, when he is just one block away from his home, acar appears and flashes a light on him and orders
im to stand still. It is the police. Mead is amazed, because for three million people in the city, there is only one police
ar and it has found him Previous year, there were three cars as it was the election year but these days, there is just one
sthe crime rate had dropped very low.
ne policecar starts to interrogate Mead, about his name and profession. He says he is a writer and the car notes that
has 'no profession' because people spend their time watching television and, there is no need of awriter and Mead
snot even written for a long time. Books and magazines do not sell anymore because all people do now is sit in
eir houses, which he referred as 'tombs' and watch television like 'the dead' When Mead says that he has been out
king, the voice is surprised and get suspicious. It gets rude to Mead and orders him not to speak unless he is spoken
The voice inquires his address and asks whyhe needed air when he already had an air conditioner in his house. The
ce is surprised to know that neither did Mead have a television at home nor was he married. Mead thinks that the
rrogation is over and questions the voice to confirm the same. But the back door of the car opens and the voice tells
d to get in. Mead tries to protest but the voice insists. He peeps in the car only to find it was empty at expected. It
a robot car. The back seat was like a prison cell. Mead is not shocked which shows the use of artificial intelligence
2w enforcement was common in his society. The car voice said it would have helped if Mead had a wife to give him
LITERATUREIN ENGLISH CLASS-X
 Psyhiatric
taken to "the
alibi
but he does not have one. When asked by Mead, the car informs him that he is being
Center
an for Research on Regressive Tendencies". Mead
not dark and has all it lights on.
Mead
gets
into the car jail which passes the only house in the entire city that is
description of Mead being driven and
tthe
the car that it is his house, but no one answers.
The story ends with a
informs
streets being left empty once again.
Characters in the Story
Leonard Mead

dystopian society. He
The of the story, Mr. Leonard Mead is an unmarried writer who lives in a futuristic
Protagonist
met anyone on
years. But has never
likes to take walks at night through his city and has been doing this for the last ten
television screens, obServes ne
ay of his walks. He walks Outside at night, when evervone is at home glued to their
world outside, and observes the empty repetitive content being watched by his neighbours.
no reader of
seems
to be a rebel in this society. His choice of profession, that is being aa writer, when there was
Mead uncommon that even
books magazines, shows his rebellion against the norms of his world. Being a witer was so
or
no television at home. e1s
Ehe Robot poice car doeS not ike his answer. He is a unigue man living in this city. He has house is the only
and is satisfied with his isolation. He loves nature and likes to observe his surroundings. His
al o n e r
house which is brightly lit with lights among the entire city of dark houses.
arrested and sent to a
He stands as a
symbol for individuality in the face of pervasive social conformity. At the end he is
psychiatric institution to be studied for his"Regressive Tendencies.

Word/Meaning
Misty filled or abounding with fog8
Concrete
capable of being perceived by the senses; not abstract
Peer look narrowly or curiously
Stride walk with long steps
Glimmer a flash of light; a feeble or intermittent light
Phantom
something existing in perception only; a ghost; a figment of the imagination
Tomb a large room, typically an underground one, for burying the dead
Manifest
display or show by one's acts or appearance; demonstrate
Murmur a low continuous indistinct sound
Intermittent
stopping and starting at irregular intervals
Cavalry troops trained to fight on horseback
Revue a theatrical show with short sketches, dances and songs
Surge rise and move, as in waves or billows
Ceaseless uninterrupted in time and indefinitely long continuing
Incense aroma
Ebb the outward flow of the tide
Wander move or cause to move in a sinuous or circular course
Specimen a bit of tissue or fluid taken for diagnostic purposes
Accusation an assertion that someone is guilty of a fault or offence
Fiery suggestive of a flame
Antiseptic relating to or denoting substances that prevent the growth of disease-causing micro-organisms
Alibi proof or claim one was somewhere else when a criminal act was supposed to have taken place
Psychiatric relating to the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders
Regressive opposing progress; becoming less advanced; returning to a former or less developed state
The Pedestrian87
 Multiple Choice Questions
authors.
L Ray Bradbury was one of the most famous 20 century.
(a) American (b) Australian

(c) French (a) Russian

genres?
2 Ray Bradbury did not write stories in which of the following
(a) Mystery (b) HorTOr
() Sience fiction
(c) Humour
3. This forms the theme of the story:
(a) an adventurous journey into future (b) mystery of a night
() technologies of future
(c) dangers of isolation
4 The setting of the story takes place in:
(a) a utopia (b) the past
() adream () a dystopia
5. The ime inthe evening that Mead goes out for a walk is:
(a) eight (b) nine
(c) eight thirty () nine thirty
6. In whích year is the story set?
(a) 2052 (b) 2085
(c) 2025 (d) 2053
7. What do the phrases "grassy seams', lumpy walk' suggest?
(a) the city has not been looked after properly
) Sorme incident in the past damaged the city
(c) No one uses the side paths and so they remain unattended
(d Mr Mfead is very critical about things
8. What was Mr. Mead's profession?
(a) Doctor (b) Writer
lc) Psychiatrist (d) Scientist
9. Which television channel did he not mention while whispering to the houses?
(a) Channel 8 (b) Channel 7
( Channel 4 (d) Channel 9
10. What term does he use for the silent and empty street he crosses?
ia) Graveyard (b) Mid-country
() Intersection (d) Tomblike
11. How does M. Mead's profession of a writer act as a threat to society:
iay Wiriters are unsuccessful people
(t, Writers have no ability to think and act practically
ic) Writers are creative and can talk about individualism
(4, WiriTS always live in a fantasy world.
12 The protagonist is sent to the asylum for:
i2) disturting the peace of the residents, by whispering to their houses
(e, Seisrg the dozs to bark and starting the people.
 Walking alone in the night.
misbehaving and arguing with the police car.
How many cars did the city have in the election year?
13. (a) one (b) two
(c) three () four
Mr. Mead
felt his shadow moved like the shadow of a in midcountry.
14.
(a) hawk (b) Crow
(c) vulture (d) crane
stop the dogs from barking at him and disturbing the residents the protagorüst:
(a) stopped going for evening walk (b) changed his shoes to sneakers
() startied carrying a stick (d) started walking as slow as possible
Mr. Mead's address was:
16. (b) Tenth, South saint Peters street
Eleven, North saint James street
) Eighth, North saint peters street (d) Eleven, South Saint James street
. Findthe odd one out:
(a) Mr Leonard was unmarried (b) Mr. Leonard had a television at homne
Mr Leonard had an ait conditioner at home. (d) Mr. Leonard lived in a dystopian future.
18. A voice came fron the police car.
(a) distanced
(b) brassy
() metallic
(d) harsh
What was Leonard's marital status?
(a) marned
(b) single
( ) divorced
(d) widowed
20. What docs he do when he passes by the houses?
(a) He flingsstone at them (b) He knocks on the doors
) He kicks at doors (d) He whispers to them
21. How many people were seated in the police car?
(a) one
(b) none
( ) two (d) four
22 Which month is the story set in?
(a) Ototber
(by November
() December
(4) January
1 Leonard's house stood out among the rest because it was:
(a) Brightiy lit with electric lights (b) The most dilapidated house
() It was enorOus
(d) It had no doorS and windows
24. What according to Mr. Mead were the people doing in their houses:
(a) lying lazily or sleeping (b) having dinner and gossiping
() arguing with each other
(a) watching television
25. What could have saved Mr. Mead from being taken away by the police car?
(a) a little more argument
(b) awife who couid have provided an alibi
() running away as fast as he could
(d) shouting and gathering people
 Reference to Context
Questions onlv at midniçht to his house. Andon his wy he wouldsec the, cotlages ang
uncqual to toalkinç throuçh a graeyard where only thejantest glimmers offirey

i r r e i fkm hhnd thr tndores

1 DesT the etting of the story.
2 1ho he retered here? What d1d he love to do?
3. nhat tune itwas? Nhere was he going?
4 What woukd he do on rcaching the coner of an intersectiont
3. nhat hpe f atmosphere is descnbed in the opening of the story?
Mr Lad Snd aid ptus, ank kis hcad, listen, look, and march on, his fect making no noise on thelumpy walk. For long ago
r ha ariy cherod te sneskers uhen strolling at night, because the ogs in intermittent squads would parallel his journey wit
bericme a hard heels, and lights might click on and faces appear and an entire street be startled by the passing ofai lone figure,

hiest mthr oariy Niromter ening.

1. What would Mead see on his way?
in that perioda wiy
2 What metaphon have been used in the 2nd paragraph to describe the society
3. From where could the murmurs be heard?
4 Why does Mead switch to sneakers for his evening walks?
S. Why was there no person outside at night in the story?
on Channel 4, Chamnel 7,Channel o
"Hcio, in the," he utsered to ery house on every side as he moved. "What's up tonight
1her are the ctos rushing, and do I sce the United States Cavalry over the next hill to the resciue!
Th stret aus siert and long and empty, with only his sadoo mouing like the shadow of a hawk in midcountry. If he closed his er
and stad ry stil, frozen, he could imagine kimself upon the center of a plain, a wintry windless Arizona desert with no house in

a thrusand miis, and only dry riner beds, the streets, for company.
1. Describe the weather that night.
2. In what mood was Mead? What did he do with the fallen leaf?
3. What did he whisper to the houses he passed on the way?
4. What does Mead's attitude towards television show?
5. How did the street look like?

He hesitated but unt on hen nothing more haypened. He stunbled ocera particularly zneoen section of sudeealk. The cement u
unishing under floaTS and grass. In ten years of ualking by night or day, for thousands of miles, he had never met another persor
Lalling, not once in all that time.
1. Standing on the empty street where did Mead imagine himself to be?
2 What was it that made him hesitate?
3. What was always common about Mead's walk for the last ten years?
4. Why did the intersection of the two highways roSsing the town seemed very strange at night?
5. What happened when he was just a block away from his house, while he was returming?

90 LTERATURE IN ENGLISH CLASS-X

 to him:
Ametallic voice called
"Stand still. Stay tehere you are! Don't mote
He haltcd.

handsr
your
"Put up
"But-" he said.

Your hands up! Or we'll Shootr

police, of course, but what a
The rare, incredible
Ezer since a year ago, 2052, the election year, thething, ina city of three million, there taxas only onc police catlt. a ttiat oet?
force had heen
now for the
police, save for this one
lone car wandering and cut doum from tirree cars to one. Cime uas chtn thrr ws noers
What was Mead's reaction when uandering the empty streets.
1.
Erom where did the metallic voice the flash of light fell on him?
2
come?
3. What did the voice order him to do?
4.
What did Mead find incredible?
What had changed since last year?
What was the reason for this
held him fixed, like a change?
The light museum specimen, needle thrust
through chest.
"You might saythat," said Mr. Mead. He hadn't written in
houses at night now, he thought, years. Magazines and books didn't sell
continuing his fancy. The tomes, ill-lit ty televisionay
tomblike
the more. EverTything wnt on tn
dthe gray or multicolored lights light, where the people sat like the
touching their faces, but never really touching
. Why did the police car them.
note the narrator's profession
. Explain the simile used in
the above mentioned line.
as'No profession'?
What was the next question put up by
4. Which two machines did the police cartheask
police car? What was Mead's response to
Mr. Mead about? What do vou think isit?
question? the purpOse ot asking s
- What did Mead say
about his marital status?
snlice car sat in the center of the street
with its radio throat faintly
"Well, Mr. Mead," it said. humming.
"1s that all?" he asked politely.
Vos" said the voice. Here. There was a sigh,
a pop. The back door of the rolice car
"Wait a minute, I haven't done anything" sprang wide. "Get in.
"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
the front seat, no one in the car at all. expacted, there was no one in
1. What did the police car forbid Mead
from
2. What did the police car command Mr. doing?
3 What did Mr. Mead follow the
Mead to do?
4. What had Mr. Mead expected? \Nas
command obediently after a slight protest?
5. Describe the back seat of the police
his expectation correct?
car.
The police car rolled through the night avenues, flashing its dim
lights ahead.
They passed one house on one stret a moment later, one house in an
had allof its electric lights brightly lit, every window a loud welloe entire city of houses that were dark, but this one particular house
illumination, square and warm in the cool darkness.
The Pedestrian91
 1.Why was it important for Mr. Mead to be married?
2. Where was the car taking Mr. Mead? Why
was he being taken there?
What did Mr. Mead point out? How was the obiect be minked diferent from others of the same type?
5. ow
What does
was Ray Badbury portray isolation
Mr. Mead's brightly lit house
usingsensorydetails, especially towards the end of the story?
signify?