Television - the Equivalent of Death

Television - The Equivalent Of Death

In "The Pedestrian" it seems as though everything has some kind of connection to death. Ray Bradbury makes so many references to words that make us feel as though we are staring down death straight in the eyes. Words such as "phantoms" and "frozen" lead us to believe that the world of 2056 is a very chill and alone one. We feel as though Leonard Mead is the only alive thing left roaming the earth.

There are a lot of examples in "The Pedestrian" that we can compare to everyday occurrences. Such as when Leonard Mead said he couldn't pull himself away from the light. We see this happen in everyday life. We know something might lead to danger, yet we are still drawn to it out of curiosity and human nature.

"The cone of light" described in the story as a flashlight reminds us of a light at the end of the tunnel that some people believe to see before death. It's as if Leonard Mead is drawn to it knowing that it could lead to something very horrible if he chooses to follow it, but yet he follows it still, as if he is a mosquito enchanted by a citronella candle. Inches away from his entrapment but just cannot pull himself away.

When Leonard Mead is interrogated by the police officer it describes his experience as a "museum specimen, needle thrust through chest". It seems as though Leonard Mead feels as if the police officer is trying to somewhat "kill" him; make him like all the others. Questioning his love for life and the great outdoors. Forcing him to conform to the rest of the population.

The TV's role in "The Pedestrian" is some sort of murderous monster. It traps people inside their homes turning them into zombies. They soon begin to breathe, eat, and sleep television. They no longer have a need for anything else in their life. So in a way, the people are somewhat victims, but aren't they victimizing themselves?

It seems as though the evolution of technology is not always for our own good. When we have created more than enough gadgets we can come up with to last an entire century, why do we keep developing more? Is there really a need to go that far? At some point or another, technology is going to catch up with us, and in the long run, become more advance than us. It begins to take over our lives. We become lazy and brainwashed. We no longer care about the things that used to matter such as enjoying the outdoors and spending real quality time with the family. And with all respect, TV is NOT quality time.

Technology is not human. It should not replace humans. It can't be a friend to you, or a teacher, or a parent. It is not alive! But yet in "The Pedestrian" people are treating