Student Question
In The Pedestrian, what does Mead notice as he approaches the car?
Quick answer:
As Leonard Mead approaches the police car, he notices that it is completely automated, with no human inside. This highlights the dystopian society's heavy reliance on technology. The car's voice questions him about his profession as a writer, which is not valued in this future society where people mainly watch television. Eventually, the automated car takes him to the Psychiatric Center for Research on Regressive Tendencies.
When Leonard Mead is stopped by a police car, he hears a voice coming from the front seat questioning him about his business or profession. Leonard Mead responds by saying that he is a writer, which is not considered a profession in Bradbury's dystopian future society, where people rarely read and spend the majority of their time watching television shows. The voice from the car then questions Leonard about what he has been doing, and Leonard proceeds to tell the voice that he was simply taking a walk.
When the voice instructs Leonard to get into the back of the car, Leonard looks into the front window and sees that there is nobody inside. The police car is completely automated, which emphasizes the dystopian society's reliance on technology. Leonard Mead is then transported by the automated police car to the Psychiatric Center for Research on Regressive Tendencies.
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