REVISION OF THE PEDESTRIAN BY RAY BRADBURY COMPLETE THE TABLE AS A MEANS OF COLLATING YOUR NOTES.
Genre: Science Fiction/short
story/narrative
The Pedestrian by Ray Bradbury
How could you use this text?
It addresses genre: science fiction
or dystopian.
It addresses context: shaped in a
post- world war society. The
advent of the cold war, the
increasing use of technology and
fear that society would fragment.
It addresses conventions: think of
the effect of third person.
Think of the use of language
devices metaphors, similes,
repetition, use of dialogue, tone.
It could be compared to either
Nineteen Eighty- Four, Hunger
Games or another of Bradburys
short stories.
It could be compared to any other
fiction text or used to comment
on the role of fiction.
Ideas
What
Science fiction concerns itself
with What If?
It is speculative about the future
of the world.
It often focuses on the impact of
new technology or advancements
in science or the discovery of new
worlds.
The Pedestrian focuses on the
future of society under the
control of an authoritarian yet
remote system of government.
The individual lives an isolated
life. The machine controls in one
form or another their life. They
live insular lives focused on
watching television. They are
expected to remain inside at night
and are controlled by mindless
entertainment.
Conventions
How
Role of setting
To establish the futuristic world
dates are often significant,
mention of new technology and
descriptions of this technology or
of different life forms(alien
beings) are part of the narrative.
Setting the year is AD2052 but
this short story was published in
1953. Bradbury is envisioning
what the world might be like in a
100 years.
The first sentence establishes the
difference between this world
and ours.
Language is used to convey the
setting of time and place.
Example/Quote
TO ENTER INTO THAT
SILENCE
To enter suggests it is an even
that is about to happen.
Key word is silence
misty evening in November
Grassy seams the world
AD 2053 the futuristic world is
lonely.
Effect/Response
Intellectual and emotional
It is in capitals and this indicates
that his venture is momentous.
The world of no sound is very
unusual and the fact that he
mentions that it is a city makes
the reader wonder how it is
possible for a city to be silent.
Creates an eerie atmosphere and
adds to the sense of isolation
since mist creates a fog and lack
of visibility.
The environment appears
neglected and uncared for but
more importantly it is evident
that no-one travels this way. He is
alone.

Social isolation
Break down in society
Use of television or
entertainment to dull the senses
and control the mind.
Element of control
Use of machinery automated
cars
Central power
Power of the car to mesmerise
him. Its light is blinding and
Silence that is almost unearthly is
established.
The cottages and homes have
dark windows.
Language features -
The third person point of view
he is distanced from the reader
and it is evident this is a world of
few emotional connections.
People do not relate to each
other. They live insular and
isolated lives inside their houses.
Narrative structure as he walks
through the streets Mead
provides the reader with a
reflection of life in the future.
Language
Use of simile the car arrives
graveyard
Quote
Gray phantoms - metaphor
Tomb-like buildings simile
lungs blaze like a Christmas
treee
Mr Leonard Mead the
narrator observes him from a
distance.
Quote Sometimes he would walk
for hours he never meets
anyone.
What is it now? He asked..
Setting
Comparison between day and
night -
There is a sense of haunting
eerie atmosphere.
The comparison of people to
ghost like figures reinforces the
eeriness or stillness of the night.
He alone is active, all the rest of
society is passively sitting
watching mindless television.
This could be compared to our
obsession with social media,
trivial gossip, and of course
netflicks or instantaneous
gratification. Could be linked
easily to the image of the Proles
in 1984.
He is sneering about the
programs they watch all
mindless drivel. Think about
Animal Farm- they are being
manipulated by this form.
although he realises why it is Quote
there he is too stunned to react.

Dialogue he is interrogated by
an unseen voice

Structure/language/point of The arrival of the car unheard of

view
He stood entranced, not unlike a
night moth, stunned by the
illumination, and then drawn
towards it.
but it is one that signals the
intrusion of the government in
the life of the individual.

Conflict Quote
Abuse of power This is also developing the
conflict between Mead/ his
environment.
Quote

Destruction of individual It is leading to the climax or his

punishment for daring to be
different and travel the street at
night alone.
Climax

He is unable to convince the

Quote metallic voice that he is harmless.
Resolution They consider his behaviour to b
abnormal and a challenge to the
Quote state.

There is no room for

individuality.

He is punished for being different.

The world of the future is

dehumanising.
He uses the futuristic setting and
the generic features of science
fiction to explore real concerns of
the world.