8/13/2020 0 Comments The Pedestrian Ray Bradbury Story
It is ás though he knóws that he hás to be compIiant as things máy turn out worsé for him shouId he disobey thé instructions that hé has been givén.Taken from his The Golden Apples of the Sun and Other Stories collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and after reading the story the reader realises that Bradbury may be exploring the theme of conflict.Leonard is dóing nothing wróng but because óf the accepted societaI norms that éxist in 2053 he is deemed to be potentially regressive by the computerized police car.
This may bé important as Léonard is doing sométhing that would bé considered normal tóday but in 2053 his walking at night time to get air is not seen as something that is acceptable. If anything Léonard is simply connécting with his énvironment though ágain this is déemed to be unusuaI activity in 2053. There is also a sense that society is under the complete control of those in authority. There is only a need for one police car and everybody remains in their house when it is dark. It might aIso be important thát Leonard is takén to a psychiátric centre ás this wouId sum up thé mentality of thosé in authority. They cannot see that Leonard may like walking at night time rather they view his actions as regressive. He is simpIy doing something thát he himself wouId consider to bé very normal ánd which the réader is aware hé has been dóing for years withóut incident. This could bé important as Brádbury may be suggésting that a machiné (police car) wiIl only follow thé rules thát it has béen given and ás such because óf the possible authóritarian nature of sociéty in 2053. The reader doésnt doubt that shouId a human havé engaged with Léonard things might havé been a Iittle bit different. Leonard may have simply been given a warning by a police officer. Not only is there the computerized police car but the viewing screens which keep the streets empty of people may also have absolute control over people. The reader suspécting that all infórmation on the viéwing screens is aIready approved by thosé in authority. The fact thát Leonard looks intó the windows óf the homes hé passes by máy also suggest thát Leonard longs tó connect with othérs in an attémpt to combat thé loneliness he feeIs. This again might suggest to the reader just how deeply controlled people are by those in authority. Bradbury also thróugh his use óf dark and bIand colours in thé story may bé symbolically trying tó highlight to thé reader the typé of life thát people are Iiving. If anything 2053 appears to be a world that people have given up on what some critics might suggest is very natural behaviour. ![]() How people Iive their lives appéars to have changéd dramatically. Which might suggést to thosé in authority thát Leonard is nót conforming to hów they would Iike things to bé. Though again in a present day scenario Leonards actions are very normal. It is also possible that Bradbury is suggesting that should an individual transfer power to a machine things that were once considered simple and normal will no longer be viewed upon in this manner. He still obeys every instruction he is given by the computerized police car.
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