Short Story 'The Pedestrian' By Ray Bradbury

The Light in the Dark In any given situation, individuals experience conflicts when pursuing a personal desire as particular desires do not conform to the rules that societies standardize for individuals. Individuals quickly adapt to the modernization of the advancement of humanity and technology. Nevertheless, there may be a controversy deciding between obeying society's regulations of consistently keeping up with the innovative contemporary behaviour or sticking with subjective or independent aspirations. In the short story The Pedestrian by Ray Bradbury, Leonard Mead’s complication between pursuing his personal desire and choosing to conform creates an issue with the development as an individual. Symbols within the story that further

In addition, Mr. Mead in “The Pedestrian” demonstrates great personal desires to “walk for hours and miles” that clash with what the highly structured television based “city of three million” people that resembles “gray phantoms” that “stay inside the tomb-like buildings” as a requirement Mr. Mead does not follow. A “viewing screen” or better known as a television is a fantastic example of the difference between Mr. Leonard Mead and the gray phantoms. Which is better demonstrated when the “police voice that was behind the fiery beam” questioned the protagonist and also critically judges him due to the fact that Mr. Mead does not own a “viewing screen”. As the viewing screen is a representation of what technology and humanity has come to be. Furthermore, this is demonstrated through the conversation that Mr. Mead with the “metallic voice” inside the police car as Mr. Mead explains that he is a writer and in “the police car” a voice responded with “No profession”. So in this situation it illustrates how writers are not needed or valuable in a society where all the information is on the glowing television screen and with Mr. Mead not choosing to conform into requiring such a machine is seen as morbid to even a robotic voice inside a police

Ray Bradbury attentively symbolizes objects such as Mr.Meads shoes which illustrates a strong significance of the protagonists approach of conforming to society’s utopia. Additionally, Mr.Mead “wisely choosing to change his sneakers when strolling at night” which is further explained as his “hard heels” are no match for the “dogs in intermittent squads” that would “parallel his journey with barkings”. However, as a result of the barking “lights might click on and faces appear and an entire street be startled by the passing of a lone figure” that presents a complication for Mr. Mead. Subsequently, the protagonist exhibits concerns as he tries not to startle his fellow neighbors as “his feet make no noise on the lumpy walk”. Although, his choice to change his shoes only authenticates how he personally accommodated to conform ,yet, still persisting to carry on with his personal desire; strolling through the concert walk. In this example, the dog’s symbolize the citizens while the shoes indicate Mr.Mead choosing to conform to society through his own method. Moreover, the dogs that seemly travel in large groups proves the society is which clearly contrasts how Mr.Mead is all alone. Nevertheless, the effect of Mr.Mead being all alone harshly influences on his psychological