Question

Read the following extract from Ray Bradbury's short story, ‘The Pedestrian’ and answer the questions that follow:

“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 it really made no difference."

1. What was Leonard Mead’s occupation?
   What did he love to do?
   When is the story set? [3]
2. To what does Mead compare his walk through the empty streets?
   Mention TWO reasons he gives for making this comparison.  [3]
3. ‘Why had Mead decided to change his footwear from hard-heeled shoes to sneakers?  [3]
4. What happened quite suddenly as he was making his way home?
   What was Mead's immediate reaction?  [3]
5. ‘Why was Mead taken away by the police car?
   ‘Would you call this a horror story or a piece of science fiction?
   Give reasons for your answer.  [4]

Answer 1

1. Leonard Mead is a writer.
   He loved to go out on long walks, in the evening, in the silence, on the concrete sidewalk or on grassy patches.
   The story was set in A.D. 2053.

2. He compares his walks through the empty streets — to the shadow of a Hawkin mid-country.

   The roads were as deserted — as the centre of a plain in the Arizona desert— with no house in a thousand miles.

   He was as alone in the city — as a hawk in the mid-country with no habitation or people.

3. His hard-heeled shoes attracted unwanted attention, he wanted to move quietly, and unobserved dogs on the streets/dogs barked people in houses/lights came on.
4. A lone car turned the corner, and he was caught in its headlights. He stood motionless, spellbound, fascinated and moved towards it.
5. Mead was taken away by the police car for walking without a purpose.
   "The Pedestrian" by Ray Bradbury is best described as a piece of science fiction rather than a horror story. Here are the reasons for classifying it as such:
   
   1. Social Commentary: The story critically examines potential future developments, particularly the risks and ethical concerns associated with them. Bradbury uses the narrative to comment on what might happen if society continues to trend towards automation and isolation.
   2. Technological Dystopia: The story's setting in a world where human connections have deteriorated and where an individual's simple act of taking a walk at night is seen as abnormal highlights a dystopian society shaped by technology.
      Overall, while "The Pedestrian" might evoke a sense of foreboding and critique dystopian trends similar to those in some horror stories, its core elements and themes align more closely with science fiction, focusing on speculative futures and the human experience within them.