Pedestrian!

[hollis]

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T and H talk some (non)sense.

[Firrhill Admin]

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[ems]

‘The Pedestrian’
by Ray Bradbury

3 P.E.E.s on setting in the pedestrian

p- 'The pedestrian' is set in the future.
e- its set in 2053
e- it is set in the future as a warning to humanity that if we don’t change our ways, it could become dangerous in the sense that technology is taking over
and he predicts that we will be almost dead. 'the TV. touching them but never really touching'. Ray seen the pleasures of TV as dangerous and as though TV was taking over because it was so predominant in houses at that time.

P- the use of quiet city streets is highly important
E-‘To enter out into that silence that was the city at eight o’clock of a misty evening in November, to put your feet upon that buckling concrete…that was what Mr Leonard Mead most dearly loved to do.’
E-the setting directly effects mead's character as he is the only one to walk the cracked pavements. The cracked pavements being a symbol of broken connections, as paths are used to connect people and nobody uses
them anymore so they don’t care about the pavements being ruined.

P- The time of day plays a major part in the setting, it is mainly set at night but he refers to the daytime, and contrast between day and night .
E-‘During the day it was a thunderous surge of cars, the gas stations open, a great insect rustling.’
E-he refers to the 'others' as insects during the day to exaggerate the contrast between the city during the day and night, in reference to the others as insects he see's them as dirty little creatures scuttling about. The use of insect like imagery exaggerates the fact that the society is obsessed with time keeping and planning, meads prediction of the society is almost correct in the sense that current day society is already obsessed with timekeeping and a majority of current day society will make time for technology over other people

[craigwilson]

Craig Wilson Pedestrian Homework

P – Mead’s love of walking gives us a sense that he is an individual and has been for a long period of time.

E - “To enter out into that silence that was the city at 8 o’clock of a misty evening in November, to put your feet upon that buckling concrete... that was what Mr Leonard Mead most dearly loved to do”,

E - This shows us that Mead has developed a pattern of what time of night he goes out at. He needs to stick to this routine in order to keep relaxed. Mead loves to see the outside world and get fresh air every night.


P - The technology is somewhat a threat. It gives commands to Mead, not sentences. Mead is in a way trapped by the lights of the car, the car also becomes the ‘character’ of technology.

E – “ Stand still. Stay where you are! Don’t move!”

E – This gives us Bradbury’s views on technology and how in the future people will become more and more reliant on technology. People won’t feel the need to go out and see the world in it’s beauty. Bradbury is giving us a chance to change our ways.


P – We get the idea of Mead walking past all the houses and all he can see is the flickering lights that the tv’s are producing. It gives us a sense that people have the same boring pattern that they stick to in their everyday lives.

E – “The tombs, ill – lit by television light, where the people sat like the dead, the grey or multi – coloured lights touching the faces but never really touching them.”

E – We notice that Bradbury is comparing the people to the ‘dead’, this is showing us that people aren’t being active and are letting the entertainment come to them, rather than seeking it for themselves.

[hollis]

Thanks for homework -

HERE IS MR T'S PEDESTRIAN STUFF -


You will find all of the important quotations that must be memorised and the analysis that goes with them. If you have this at your finger tips AS WELL as the material on THEMES, then you will be unstoppable. Beware though, you must fit this to a suitable question.

You will notice that I have not provided the Topic Sentence and Point sections. You will need to generate these yourselves for whatever essay questions you get. The T.S and Point sections are for being relevant to the question. But once you use the quotation, you can trot out the analysis! Then at the end of your paragraph again come back to the question.

You need to learn the analysis just as well as you know the quotation.

Here you go!



Mead’s Love of Walking and his Sense of Freedom

Q

‘To enter out into that silence that was the city at eight o’clock of a misty evening in November, …that was what Mr Leonard Mead most dearly loved to do.

A

Bradbury opens his short story with this long sentence. It is a very long list of all the things about walking that Mead enjoys. The sentence creates a tranquil mood. Bradbury also builds the list up to the words ‘dearly’ and ‘loved’ at the end to emphasise Mead’s extreme pleasure in the simple act of walking the streets at night. The word ‘misty’ has connotations of mystery and magic and adds to the peaceful feeling.


Q

The street was silent and long and empty, with only his shadow moving like the shadow of a hawk in mid-country.

A

Bradbury compares Mead’s shadow to that of a hawk. This gives the picture of a noble creature soaring in its environment and able to go wherever it pleases. This literally means that Mead is free to roam but it also makes the reader appreciate the individuality of Mead and see him as far more than just a ‘walker’ but as someone adventurous.






The Others in Society

Q

‘On his way he would see the cottages and homes with their dark windows, and it was not unequal to walking through a graveyard…’

A

Here a striking contrast is made between Mead and the others in society. Bradbury contrasts the light of Mead’s world and its openness with the darkness of the houses. The houses literally have no lights on, but the word choice of ‘dark’ also suggests a sense of being threatening. This is further built on in the simile comparing the houses to a ‘graveyard’. This has the connotations of lifelessness and death. It suggests that the people in these houses have no quality of life. Mead’s life seems much better.

(an optional Q+A below---
Q

‘The tombs, ill-lit by television light, where the people sat like the dead, the gray or multi-coloured lights touching their faces but never really touching them.’

A

Inside their houses, the other inhabitants of the city lead entirely different lives from Mead. Inside of being free and curious as Mead is, they sit still in front of the television. The receive their entertainment instead of being active and finding it for themselves. Bradbury again compares them to the dead to suggest their lack of emotion and activity. He also uses a powerful paradox in describing the television light. Physically it touches the faces of the watchers, but what they are watching does not actually activate their emotions. If their emotions and brains are not engaged by what they are watching, then the reader is forced to question the value of the life in front of the television.

----)

Day vs Night

Q

‘During the day it was a thunderous surge of cars, the gas stations open, a great insect rustling.’

A

The contrast between Mead and his society is further shown in the fact that others are frantic and over busy in the daytime. Bradbury uses onomatopoeia ‘thunderous’ and ‘rustling’ to give the impression of the great noise of the cars. He also uses imagery to compare the cars to ‘scarab beetles’. This gives the reader the picture of the shape of the cars, but also has connotations of something disgusting.



Due to the life of the others’ Society is neglected

Q

‘He stumbled over a particularly uneven section of sidewalk. The cement was vanishing under flowers and grass.’


A

This piece of symbolism is effective in portraying the breakdown in society. A society that does not take care of its environment does not take care of its people. Just as the cement is vanishing, so too are the bonds that link people together. The breaking in the sidewalk mirrors the breakdown in the community.

The Police Car – Technology Personified

Q

‘A metallic voice called to him:
“Stand still. Stay where you are! Don’t move!”
“Your hands up! Or we’ll shoot!”

A

The police car is the personification of technology. Bradbury makes the police car seem threatening and dangerous – just like he sees technology in general. He achieves this through the choice of the word ‘metallic’ which has the connotations of something cold and hard. It gives the impression that the police car’s voice lacks emotion and compassion. The car mostly gives commands It tells Mead exactly what to do and takes away his freedom.

Bradbury believes our reliance on technology is taking away our freedom.


More analysis if you need to talk about setting – see below.
Q

‘..the back seat was a cell, a little black jail with bars. It smelled of riveted steel. It smelled of harsh antiseptic; it smelled too clean and hard and metallic. There was nothing soft there.’

A

The inside of the police car also serves to provide the reader with the impression of the character of technology. Bradbury builds up through the repetition of ‘smelled’ a range of unpleasant smells. The car smells of ‘antiseptic’ which has sterile, lifeless connotations. It is as though technology sees the rebels like Mead who are unwilling to submit to it as a disease which it needs to cleanse. Therefore, it imprisons Mead and takes him to ‘The Psychiatric Centre for Research on Regressive Tendencies’ in an attempt to find out what is broken inside Mead.



Optional --- The Final Impression of The Society

Q

‘They passed one house on one street, one house in an entire city of houses that were dark, but this one particular house had all of its electric lights brightly lit, every window a loud yellow illumination, square and warm in the cool darkness.’

A

As Mead is taken away to be ‘treated’ for his condition. Bradbury leaves his reader with a very bleak view of this society. Through repetition of ‘one’ Bradbury highlights Mead’s true individuality in daring to be different from the crowd and be his own person. He emphasises the difference through the contrast of the warmth of Mead’s house vs the ‘cool’ of the dark and the bright of his house vs the darkness of the others. These contrasts represent Mead’s emotional liveliness contrasted with the deadness of the others. As Mead leaves, Bradbury makes it clear that no one else will fill his shoes. He is the last individual and there is no hope for the society to recover from the threat posed by technology. The fight has been lost.

[hollis]

Pedestrian and Setting 23/3


Setting is about CONTRASTS.


Key Elements of Setting –

Opening is concerned with FREEDOM and BEAUTY.

Opening sentence – Length emphasises the pleasures in Mead’s world, word choice ‘misty’ has connotations of beauty and magic.

‘long moonlit avenues of sidewalk in four directions.’ – ‘moonlit avenues’ creates beautiful image, something romantic. ‘four directions’ emphasises the choice Mead has. He’s free.

‘made the lungs blaze like a Christmas tree…’ – Even though it’s cold, Mead sees beauty in that – reminds him of cold Christmases, and joy.

‘his shadow moving like a hawk in mid-country’ – emphasis on Mead’s freedom – nothing to stop him, all around, free like a bird etc.

‘cement vanishing under flowers and grass’ – Nature re-claiming Mead’s world of night.

‘clover-leaf intersection’ – Despite being man made, Mead sees the beauty in the junction. Relates to nature again.

‘stone and bed and moon radiance’ – repetition of ‘and’ builds up image. ‘radiance’ something bright and beautiful.

Mead’s take on the houses

‘moon-white home’ – Different from previous ‘moon’ images. This seems un-natural, distant, like the moon.

‘not unequal to walking through a graveyard.’ – Contrast between Mead’s view of the streets, and inside the houses. Life vs. Death.

‘gray phantoms’ – unknown, menacing.

‘tomb-like buildings’ – Places where the dead are stored.

‘the gray or multicoloured lights… never really touching them’ – Contrast between Mead & his setting, and the others & theirs. Mead is connected physically with his setting. He engages. The others do not. They are separate.


The world of the daytime

‘thunderous surge of cars…great insect rustling.’ – Contrast in beauty vs. unpleasantness. Mead sees cars as ‘insects’ – a plague. ‘rustling’ ‘thunderous’ – loud sounds, no peace.


The police car
The police car is the antithesis of Mead’s walking. It is a place where beauty and freedom are non-existent.

‘little cell, little black jail with bars’ – repetition of ‘little’ emphasises how cramped Mead feels (no freedom)

‘smelled of riveted steel. It smelled of harsh antiseptic; it smelled too clean and hard and metallic. There was nothing soft.’ – Contrast to Mead’s walking. ‘metallic’ ‘antiseptic’ ‘clean’ contrast with organic and natural. (look at language style * contrast with opening *)


Mead’s house.
Mead’s house is a clear symbol of the contrast of his personality and the others’.


“one home, on one street, one house… every shadow a loud yellow illumination, square and warm’ – Contrast of Mead’s house to every other one. ‘loud yellow illumination’ – as if screaming with life. Welcoming.

[hollis]

Pedestrian Character / Characterisation 24/3


- Important to remember that setting and character are not separate entities.
- Setting defines character / character sees setting in different ways.
- Themes come from development of character in setting.
- Plot emerges from character’s reaction to setting.

-Leonard Mead
- Bradbury uses pathetic fallacy to tell us about Mead’s character.

(pathetic fallacy – elements of setting / weather reflect emotions of the character.)

-Opening of Pedestrian – cool, misty, night.

- Reflected in Mead’s character – not unpleasant, perhaps magical (Mead is a creative person), interesting.


- Characterised as –
- Humorous – (speaks to houses, laughs at occupants).
- Positive – (doesn’t see the negatives in the people at home – sees the positives in his out walking.)
- Creative – (is a writer. As Mead is the only person out walking, we (as readers) can assume that Bradbury’s elaborate description of the night-time somehow reflects Mead’s perception of it.)
- Not a threatening person – (Speaks to the houses in a friendly manner, stumbles over road, creates positive images.)

Police Car

- Antithesis to Mead
- Immediately a threatening presence (Shouts commands at Mead. Threatens the story in many ways – changes the style of writing, from flowing elaborate prose to a lot of exposition.)
- No Creativity – (Cannot fathom why someone would walk to enjoy it. Walking for the car is the process of getting from A to B)
- Humourless – (Does not see humour that Mead creates.)
- Negative – (Everything that is not like the car is a threat. * see setting of inside car for reasons *)

[john]

how would i approach a turning point question?

[hollis]

To do a turning point, you must first establish Mead as an individual, therefore putting him up against society.

I'd do the following 2 paragraphs -

Mead's love of walking

The rest of the city in their 'tombs'

And you must establish that these two are at contrast with each other.

Obviously, this then leads on to the turning point of the police car arriving - it is when Mead, for not being like the rest (as you've mentioned in the first two paragraphs) is now challenged. This is the turning point as Mead will not be able to continue his regular walk.

Next paragraph -

Commands by police car or the lights blinding Mead

Then

Mead getting in the police car (antiseptic etc.)

Finally

Mead's house vs. all the rest.

The last two show the impact of the turning point, and how it means that there will be no indiciduals such as Mead to continue.

[hollis]

Of course, don't forget to book-end your analysis. You want to talk about the first two building up to the turning point as they set up a contrast (or if you want to be fancy - dichotomy) between the two sets of principles. This leads to Mead being confronted, so you MUST talk about the police car BEING THE TURNING POINT OF THE STORY!
Then the last two are how the story is affected as a result of the turning point.

It's a great question for this text if it comes up!

[hollis]

FINAL POINT -

For your first paragraph, don't forget this -

-Leonard Mead
- Bradbury uses pathetic fallacy to tell us about Mead’s character.

(pathetic fallacy – elements of setting / weather reflect emotions of the character.)

-Opening of Pedestrian – cool, misty, night.

- Reflected in Mead’s character – not unpleasant, perhaps magical (Mead is a creative person), interesting.

[john]

thanks ;D

[hollis]

Nae Bother.

It's a class essay to write, you'll do well. Keep the Ped in your mind. It's a great one to write on. Good luck tomorrow.

[Bj]

I did a Pedestrian question in the exam, I think that's the first time I've ever done the Pedestrian in exam conditions. I was pretty gutted that a question didn't come up about a social issue because I learned your model essay for that off by heart! I did number 4 about a person having a conflict with society. I hope I did ok :/

[hollis]

That's about as perfect a question as you can get! Fantastic! What other questions did you do?