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The Pedestrian

By Ray Bradbury

The PedestrianBy Ray Bradbury

Introduction to the Text

Imagine a world where everyone stays inside their homes and stares at a screen...


...A world where people are so glued to that screen that they don't have any interest in talking to each other or even going for walks outside their homes.


Imagine being the one person in the world who doesn't care about a screen, the one person in the world who just wants to go outside, enjoy the fresh air, and walk.


This is Ray Bradbury's "The Pedestrian," a dystopian, science fiction short story that explores the idea of freedom in a dysfunctional future society in which technology has made humans so mindless that they only sit inside all day and look at their screens.


This leads us to our ESSENTIAL QUESTION: "What does freedom mean?" Can a person express and maintain freedom in a society where technology seeks to control all human behavior?

Objectives

  • Read (or reread) "The Pedestrian" by Ray Bradbury.
  • As you do, take notes on your reading using the "First-Read Guide."
  • In the final section of the "First-Read Guide," be sure to write your own answer to our Essential Question: "What does freedom mean?" Can a person express and maintain freedom in a society where technology seeks to control all human behavior?

STEP 1: DOWNLOAD THE CLOSE READING QUESTIONS

STEP 2: DOWNLOAD THE SHORT STORY "THE PEDESTRIAN"

STEP 3: LEARN THE BACKGROUND

Learn some Background information about the author and the story:
  • Watch the "Meet the Author" video about Ray Bradbury.
  • Read the definitions of Science Fiction & Dystopia.

Meet the Author

Who was Ray Bradbury?
Ray Bradbury Vividly Recalls His Own Birth

STEP 4: READ THE STORY

Read "The Pedestrian." As you read, answer the Close Reading Questions. These questions will take you paragraph by paragraph through the story, helping you focus your attention on the meaning of the story. I have read the story aloud for you, if it helps you to listen to an audio version. Please see the video below:
The Pedestrian by Ray Bradbury

STEP 4: SUBMIT YOUR COMPLETED CLOSE READING QUESTIONS TO CANVAS

Submit your completed CLOSE READING QUESTIONS to Canvas.