The Pedestrian By Ray Bradbury: The Future And Hope Of Humanity

Imagine living in a futuristic environment. You may think that there will be flying cars or floating skateboard like in the movie “Back To The Future”. But in the year 2053 A. D. , people are stuck inside their homes, their eyes attached to a viewing screen. Their lives are hooked on electronics. No books, no walking outside with nature, just nothing. You are controlled by the government just like everyone else. Their laws state that any normal human activity that is been seen or done, you will be arrested.

In the short story, The Pedestrian by Ray Bradbury, it is an ironic, symbolic story of a man, Leonard Mead, a writer, who lives in a society where all people are attached to a viewing screen that the government provides for them. Leonard is different from anyone in his neighborhood. He usually goes out every night for a walk to get some fresh air. He's been going outside for ten years, but he walks with no one. Everyone doesn't even go outside. Sidewalks are empty with no one walking on them except Leonard. Instead, people are stuck in their homes and being entertained by that viewing screen. Leonard doesn't listen to the government and their rules. He knows what's right and what’s wrong. In the end, he gets arrested. His house is a representation or a symbol of his life and the story on how he lived differently than others.

Leonard’s house symbolizes enlightenment. His house lights are the only ones on in his whole neighborhood. It represents how bright and intelligent Leonard is. He reads books and is a writer and he doesn’t watch those viewing screens because he knows that it’s a bad thing, “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”. Other than the whole neighborhood. Their houses are dark and gloomy, but they have a little light. The only light they have that is shown, is the viewing screen. Everyone is completely brainwashed and brain- dead from this light. Knowledge also symbolizes Leonard’s house. The lights in his house are lit which represents knowledge. Lights are turned on, and the brightness represents Leonard being intelligent or smart in his own way. He is very aware of what’s happening around his neighborhood and society. He also knows the crucial impact that this environment has created for everyone to be kept in their houses twenty-four-seven. To not get influenced by the government's or society’s strict habits, he goes his own way and uses his imagination as a writer and reader to not get tricked. People seeing Leonard’s house lights on, makes them interested, but sooner or later it will open their eyes to a new change about how they are going to live their life independently without the government controlling them.

Individuality is another symbol. Unlike everyone in his neighborhood, Leonard uses his creative imagination to be different. This society does not agree with Leonard’s actions on being a writer and reader. People are against it, thinking that it’s not normal, “‘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. ’” The people in this city they live in, have no kind of imagination than what Leonard has. Therefore, the only thing that prevents them from going outside or doing any normal activity that we do now in 2018, is the government. These poor human beings have no sense of individuality or creative imagination. Leonard’s actions like walking, reading, and writing, separates him from the rest of the people in this city. It makes him an independent individual which represents individuality. Going back to people not having any knowledge or imagination, they are brainless zombies, they don’t even laugh, smile, or have any emotions when something funny pops up on the TV. There is a lack of emotion going through their minds. A small, dim of light in each and everyone’s houses have a lack of humanity in their lives. This is a society that is no fun for Leonard and that it is a dead silent place to live in. All humans do in this future generation is being stuck on a flashing screen which takes away their humanity and their knowledge, “Sometimes he would walk for hours and miles and return only at midnight to his house. And on his way he would see the cottages and homes with their dark windows”. The traits creative, imaginative, and knowledgeable represents how Leonard is compared to everyone else. The government is blocking the people’s way of living life as an individual.

To conclude, there is hope. Hope also symbolizes Mr. Mead’s home because in my opinion, there will be a time when people will somewhere come to reality and realize how bad the government put a bad impact on their lives and how they kept it on hold. Also, a day where this society will encourage others to realize what life they are living in and to start living independently as individual human being and protest against the government to be free. And for one day, everyone will go back to walking outside as pedestrians, reading, writing, and do any normal activity we, 2018, do now.