Ray Bradbury's 'Pedestrian'

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"What in actuality would be the threat of the problematic is here tamed to mere imagination," (Warren, "Why do we read fiction?"). Bradbury based his works upon one principle: "I don't try to predict the future; I try to prevent it." These stories intend to frighten us, and inspire us to evaluate our own futures. However, they also make the information digestible by presenting it in an entertaining fictional context. Penn Warren explains the appeal in his essay about why we read and enjoy fiction. Not only is the idea fascinating, but it also sends an important message to the reader. We know Bradbury's purpose because he clearly shows us a variety of possible futures. In these futures, he exemplifies how technological advancement in addition …show more content…
Leonard Mead lives in the "...one house in an entire city of homes that were dark, but this one particular house had all of its electric lights brightly lit, [and] every window [was] a loud yellow illumination" ("The Pedestrian"). What would be seen as regressive in our society is normalized in the society Leonard Mead lives in; going out and living is considered a regressive behavior, while sitting in the dark watching television constantly is typical. Mead's house is the only one illuminated, and he is the only person in this fictional universe who tries to experience the outside world. The others' addiction to televisions prevents them from living normally. The society is so corrupted that the addiction is irreparable. Similarly to The Pedestrian, The Veldt portrays an addiction to technology, but on a smaller scale. Both the children and their parents are spoiled by their technology, as it does everything for them. The adult Hadleys have technology raise their children, while the children use the technology of the nursery as an escape from their resentment of their parents. The children are neurotic due to their parents' overt reliance on technology, as well as their own, and their family is destroyed because of it ("The Veldt"). In these examples, Bradbury warns us that focusing too much on technology and other advancements prevents us from having a normal life. It causes us to redefine normality in the most awful possible
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