What is the setting of the story in "The Pedestrian"?A.1,000 years in the futureB.Present dayC.The 1950sD.The year 2053SUBMITarrow_backPREVIOUS

What story elements most clearly suggest Mead is living in a dystopian society in "The Pedestrian"?A.He is arrested for simply going for a walk.B.There is no government because people govern themselves.C.There is no work, so people only stay home and watch TV.D.He cannot get married because there is so little social interaction.SUBMITarrow_backPREVIOUS

How does the setting in "The Pedestrian" affect Leonard Mead?A.It forces him to walk around at night.B.It gives him a reason to meet his neighbors.C.It makes him appear abnormal.D.It allows him to be a writer.SUBMITarrow_backPREVIOUS

Which thematic idea best represents both "Harrison Bergeron" and "The Pedestrian"?A.The government's control of societyB.People's lack of concern for their neighborsC.Society's inability to cope with deep emotionsD.The negative effects of technology on societySUBMITarrow_backPREVIOUS

The Pedestrian by Ray Bradbury is a story about Mr. Leonard Mead in the year 2053 in an empty and run-down America. The novel explores ideas relating to the consequences of abuse of power. This story makes us understand that power abuse leads to enslavement, tyranny and division.             Firstly, the story portrays enslavement as a consequence of power abuse. In the story Mead is explained to be jumping over a concrete wall ''... to put your feet upon that buckling concrete wall'' (Bradbury, page 1). This is explaining Mead jumping a wall to escape from the psychiatric hospital where he is being kept. He is being held against his will not being allowed to do what he pleases. '' to step over grassy seams and make your way... was what Mr. Leonard Mead most dearly loved to do"(Bradbury, page 1). Mead is being enslaved and he decides to do something about it. There is an abuse of power and hunger for more of it this leads to the holding of people against their will to have complete control over them and above all the way they think. Thus, showing that power abuse leads to power hunger and causes the enslavement and people and their thoughts.                Secondly, the story shows how power abuse leads to tyranny. Tyranny is an oppressive and commanding government. This is shown when Mead is arrested by the police man even when he is not found guilty. The police tells Mead get into the police car. He says "Get in''(Bradbury, 2) and Mead says "Wait a minute, I haven't done anything"(Bradbury, 2). After asking Mead a series of questions and finding out that he is just on a walk, the police still arrests him anyway. Mead gets into the car and asks "Where are you taking me?".(2) the police replies "To the Psychiatric Center for Research on Regressive Tendencies."(2). Mead is being taken back from the hospital from where he had previously escaped from. The word "Regressive Tendencies" implies the chances for one to go back to an old habit or behavior. Mead is the only one in his city who still goes on walks while everyone stays home watching and he is the only arrested. This is because in the hospital they had tried to brainwash him and make him think a certain way and do specific things and when they noticed he escapes and is living a normal life, they arrest him and take him back to find out how Mead is going back to normal even after he was already brainwashed. The government through the police made sure that people act only the way they see fit and if not they would be arrested.                 Finally, Bradbury shows how power abuse leads to division. " They passed one house in a entire city of houses that were dark... it electric lights brightly lit"(2) and Mead says "That's my house"(2). Mead was the only one whose house was colorful and bright in the whole entire city. The city has been programmed to think and act a certain way and the one person who is not like that, Mead, was entirely different from the rest. There is division between Mead and the others. He was the only one who went on walks and who had a bright colorful house. The power abuse has caused Mead to be different, divided and separated completely from the others.                  In conclusion, Bradbury through this story highlights some of the consequences of abuse of power. It leads to enslavement, tyranny and division. It is inevitable that power abuse leads power hunger and this makes people do unacceptable things. Thus the use of power should be monitored and no one person should have to total power

Read the following excerpt from "The Pedestrian" by Ray Bradbury:And on his way he would see the cottages and homes with their dark windows, and it was not unequal to walking through a graveyard where only the faintest glimmers of firefly light appeared in flickers behind the windows. Sudden gray phantoms 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 tomb-like building was still open.Which statement best explains how the setting affects the meaning of the story?A.The comparison of the street to a graveyard suggests that something is terribly wrong with society.B.The water and wave motif conveys the queasy feeling the narrator has when walking alone at night.C.The firefly light conveys a feeling of nostalgia for long summer evenings spent with family.D.The phrase "whispering and murmurs" suggests that the main character has fits of madness.SUBMITarrow_backPREVIOUS