Mr. Mead in “The Pedestrian” by Ray Bradbury is a non-conformist in the society in which he lives. We takes nightly walks for fresh air and wanders around the city noticing that everyone is in their homes are watching television instead of enjoying life. He describes his walks as if he is journeying through a graveyard because the houses are dark and tomb-like. He used to be a writer, but since society doesn’t need books anymore, he has been out of work for some time. We also learn that he is unmarried when the robot police car questions him about walking at night. Mr. Mead is a loner and an enigma in society.
Somehow, Mr. Mead has avoided the mind-numbing values of a society that lives to be entertained by their television programs. Mr. Mead is “old school” in that he still treasures life and what life can give him. When the robot police car takes him to the Psychiatric Center for Research on Regressive Tendencies against his will, we can assume that Mr. Mead will be re-indoctrinated to the ways of society. According to society, Mr. Mead’s behavior has regressed and is, therefore, dangerous to the oppressive government keeping its citizens happy through the lack of knowledge.
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