![]() When a police car stops Mead on one of his walks, Bradbury reveals the extent of Mead’s nonconformity, which goes far beyond his solitary walks. This shows how strong Mead’s sense of self is: in order to be fulfilled and find happiness, he is willing to put himself at risk. Mead knows that he is deliberately defying the norms of the city, and his effort to prevent being found out indicates that his society is unwelcoming to nonconformists, and also maybe punitive towards them. Mead feels that he must be secretive about his walking, and he “wisely” protects himself from being discovered by wearing sneakers, which make less noise. Furthermore, Bradbury suggests that Mead’s pleasure in walking is not simply unusual in his society, but also perhaps dangerous. Leonard Mead most dearly loved to do.” Bradbury describes Mead’s long walks alone with words that convey individual empowerment: “stride,” “march on,” “his journey.” The only description of other people in this conformist society shows them to be lifeless and disconnected, so the sense of purpose and true pleasure that Mead experiences through his nonconformist actions seems even more important and unique. While others in the city do not walk around alone for pleasure, this is precisely “what Mr. Mead’s nonconformity is most apparent in his enjoyment of solitary walks. Therefore, Bradbury suggests that in a society that is corrupt or broken, nonconformity is necessary to maintain one’s humanity. Though Mead is ultimately punished for his nonconformity, he is the only character in the story who seems happy or fulfilled. Instead, he asserts his individuality in a society that expects conformity, and he lives a fulfilling life by doing what he enjoys rather than following social norms. Leonard Mead is different from everyone else, yet he does not feel lonely or alienated. The car then drives away with Mead inside.In “The Pedestrian,” the citizens of the future city are described as being all the same, scurrying around like insects during the day or mesmerized by their televisions at night. Upon revealing the depth of Mead’s nonconformity, the car instructs Mead get in and tells him he is being taken to a psychiatric institution to be studied for regressive tendencies. ![]() This questioning reveals that Mead is nonconformist in many ways: he doesn’t own a television, he is unmarried and lives alone, and he is a writer in a society that doesn’t value the written word. The car interrogates Mead, trying to discover why he is out by himself. On this night, however, Mead meets a robotic police car-the only one left in the city, since crime is virtually nonexistent. He also talks to himself, addressing the people in the homes, asking under his breath what they are watching on television. The other citizens are described as if they are dead: “gray phantoms” who live in “tombs.” As he walks, Mead enjoys taking in the sights, sounds, and smells of the natural world. He has done this for ten years and never encountered another person, since all the other people remain inside their homes, mesmerized by the light entertainment programs on their television screens. As he walks the empty streets, he passes the homes of other citizens, who are inside watching television. Mead enjoys walking the city streets alone every night. “The Pedestrian” is a dystopian short story that describes one night in the life of Leonard Mead, resident of an unnamed city in the year 2053.
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