THE PEDESTRIAN, PART 2, PAGE-161

THE PEDESTRIAN, PART 2, PAGE-161: GLOSSARY, PARAPHRASE & QUESTION-ANSWERS

Passage 2, page 161

On this particular evening, he began his journey in a westerly direction, toward the hidden sea. There was a good crystal frost in the air, it cut the nose and made the lungs blaze like a Christmas tree inside; you could feel the cold light going on and off, all the branches filled with invisible snow. He listened to the faint push of his soft shoes through autumn leaves with satisfaction, and whistled a cold quiet whistle between his teeth, occasionally picking up a leaf as he passed, examining its skeletal pattern in the infrequent lamplights as he went on, smelling its rusty smell.

"Hello, in there, he whispered to every house on every side as he moved. "What's up tonight on Channel 4, Channel 7, Channel 9? Where are the cowboys rushing, and do I see the United States Cavalry over the next hill to the rescue?"

The street was silent and long and empty, with only his shadow moving like the shadow of a hawk in a mid-country. If he closed his eyes and stood very still, frozen, he could imagine himself upon the center of a plain, a wintry, windless Arizona desert with no house in a thousand miles, and miles, and only dry river beds, the streets, for company.

What is it now? he asked the houses, noticing his wrist watch. "Eight-thirty PM? Time for a dozen assorted murders? A quiz? A revue? A comedian falling off the stage?

Was that a murmur of laughter from within a moon-white house? He hesitated, but went on when nothing more happened. He stumbled over a particularly uneven section of sidewalk. The cement was vanishing under flowers and grass. In ten years of walking by night or day, for thousands of miles, he had never met another person walking, not once in all that time.

He came to a cloverleaf intersection which stood silent where two main highways crossed the town. During the day it was a thunderous surge of cars, the gas stations open, a great insect rustling and a ceaseless jockeying for position as the scarab-beetles, a faint incense puttering from their exhausts, skimmed homeward to the far directions. But now these highways, too, were like streams in a dry season, all stone and bed and moon radiance.

Glossary

1.    Direction - A course or line of movement or position.
दिशा - किसी वस्तु या व्यक्ति के चलने या स्थित होने की दिशा

2.    Frost - A layer of ice crystals formed on surfaces when the temperature drops below freezing point.
ओस की बर्फ - जब तापमान शून्य से नीचे गिरता है तो सतहों पर जमने वाली बर्फ की परत

3.    Crystal - Clear and transparent, like ice or glass.
स्फटिक - स्पष्ट और पारदर्शी, जैसे बर्फ या कांच

4.    Blaze - To burn fiercely or brightly.
ज्वाला - तेज़ी से जलना या चमकना

5.    Skeletal - Relating to or resembling a skeleton.
कंकाल संबंधी - कंकाल की तरह या उससे संबंधित

6.    Rusty - Having a reddish-brown colour or a rough, corroded surface.
जंग लगी - लाल-भूरी रंगत वाली या खुरदरी, क्षतिग्रस्त सतह

7.    Whispered - Spoke softly and quietly.
फुसफुसाना - धीरे और शांत आवाज़ में बोलना

8.    Shadow - A dark shape or area produced by an object blocking light.
परछाई - प्रकाश को रोकने वाले वस्तु द्वारा बनी अंधेरी आकृति या क्षेत्र

9.    Hawk - A type of bird of prey.
बाज़ - शिकारी पक्षी का एक प्रकार

10. Wintry - Relating to or characteristic of winter.
सर्दियों से संबंधित - सर्दियों जैसा या उसका गुण

11. Windless - Without wind; calm and still.
बिना हवा का - शांत और स्थिर

12. Plain - A large area of flat or gently sloping land.
मैदान - समतल या धीरे-धीरे ढलान वाला बड़ा क्षेत्र

13. Riverbeds - The channel or course of a river.
नदी के तट - नदी का मार्ग या चैनल

14. Murmur - A low, indistinct sound.
सरसराहट - धीमी, अस्पष्ट आवाज़

15. Revue - A theatrical performance featuring a series of sketches, songs, or dances.
रिव्यू - नाटकीय प्रस्तुति जिसमें कई दृश्य, गाने या नृत्य होते हैं

16. Cloverleaf - A type of intersection where roads meet.
क्लोवरलीफ - एक प्रकार का चौराहा जहाँ सड़के मिलती हैं

17. Thunderous - Producing a loud, rumbling sound.
गर्जन करने वाला - जोरदार, गरजती हुई आवाज़

18. Surge - A sudden, powerful increase or movement.
उछाल - अचानक और शक्तिशाली वृद्धि या गति

19. Jockeying - Manoeuvring or competing for position or advantage.
स्थान या फायदा पाने के लिए प्रतिस्पर्धा या चालाकीपूर्वक स्थिति बनाना

20. Scarab-beetles - A type of beetle.
स्काराब कीड़े - एक प्रकार का भृंग

21. Rustling - Making a soft, whispering sound.
सरसराहट - कोमल, फुसफुसाती हुई आवाज़

Paraphrase (1) in English

1. There was a crisp, clear frost outside, and when he breathed out, his breath made long, visible flares in the cold air.

2. The frost covered the branches, almost like invisible snow, and he could feel the cold fighting against him as he walked.

3. He listened to the soft sound of his shoes brushing through the fallen autumn leaves, enjoying the quiet.

4. Occasionally, he whistled softly between his teeth and looked up at the trees, noticing their bare branches lit by streetlights.

5. He could smell the faint, metallic scent of rust from the surroundings.

6. As he walked, he imagined talking to the houses on every street, asking humorously what was happening inside: a TV show, a cowboy adventure, or a cavalry rescue?

7. The street was long, silent, and empty. His slow steps moved like the shadow of a hawk across the land.

8. If he closed his eyes and stood still, he could imagine himself in a vast, empty Arizona plain, with no houses for miles, only dry riverbeds and streets for company.

9. He glanced at his wristwatch, asking the houses again what time it was—whether it was time for crimes, a quiet night, a TV show, or a comedian failing on stage.

10. He thought he heard faint laughter from one of the moonlit houses but, seeing nothing else, continued on.

11. He stumbled over a rough patch of sidewalk, which had started to disappear under grass and flowers.

12. In all his years of walking day and night, covering thousands of miles, he had never seen another person walking.

13. Eventually, he reached a cloverleaf intersection where two major roads crossed. During the day, it would have been busy with cars, gas stations bustling, and traffic jockeying for position.

14. Now, at night, it was completely silent, the vehicles like motionless scarab beetles.

Paraphrase (1) in Hindi

1.    बाहर ठंडी, साफ़-सुथरी ओस की बर्फ़ थी, और जब वह सांस छोड़ता था तो उसकी सांस ठंडी हवा में लंबी, दिखाई देने वाली लपटें बनाती थी।

2.    ओस की बर्फ़ डालियों को ढक रही थी, जैसे अदृश्य बर्फ़, और चलते हुए उसे ठंड का सामना करना पड़ रहा था।

3.    वह अपनी जूतों की आवाज़ सुनता था जो गिरते हुए पतझड़ के पत्तों को छूती थी, और उस सन्नाटे का आनंद ले रहा था।

4.    कभी-कभी वह अपने दांतों के बीच धीमे से सीटी बजाता और ऊपर उठकर पेड़ों की ओर देखता, जिनकी सूखी शाखाएं स्ट्रीटलाइट से प्रकाशित होती थीं।

5.    उसे आसपास से जंग की हल्की, धातुमय गंध आती थी।

6.    चलते हुए वह हर सड़क पर खड़ी घरों से बात करने की कल्पना करता, मज़ाक में पूछता कि अंदर क्या चल रहा है - कोई टीवी शो, एक काउबॉय साहसिक, या एक घुड़सवार सेना की बचाव?

7.    सड़क लंबी, शांत और खाली थी। उसके धीमे कदम भूमि पर बाज़ की छाया की तरह चले।

8.    यदि वह अपनी आँखें बंद कर खड़ा रहता, तो खुद को विशाल, सुनसान अरिज़ोना के मैदान में कल्पना कर सकता था, जहाँ मीलों तक कोई घर नहीं था, सिर्फ सूखे नदी के पल और सड़कें साथी थीं।

9.    उसने अपनी घड़ी की तरफ देखा और फिर से घरों से पूछा कि क्या समय है — क्या अपराध का समय है, या एक शांत रात, टीवी शो, या मंच पर असफल कॉमेडियन?

10. उसने एक चाँदनी घर से हल्की हँसी सुनी, लेकिन कुछ नहीं देखकर आगे बढ़ गया।

11. वह एक खुरदरे फुटपाथ पर ठोकर खाकर गिरा, जो घास और फूलों से ढकने लगा था।

12. अपने कई वर्षों की दिन-रात पैदल यात्रा में, हजारों मील कवर करने के बाद, उसने कभी किसी और इंसान को चलते हुए नहीं देखा।

13. अंततः वह एक क्लोवरलीफ चौराहे पर पहुँचा जहाँ दो मुख्य सड़कें मिलती थीं। दिन में वहाँ कारों का हंगामा होता, पेट्रोल पंप व्यस्त रहते, और ट्रैफिक अपनी जगह पाने के लिए जूझता।

14. अब, रात को, वहां पूरी तरह सन्नाटा था, वाहन जैसे स्थिर स्काराब कीड़े हो गए थे।

यदि आपको आवश्यकता हो तो विस्तार से मदद करता हूँ।

Paraphrase (2) in English

The passage describes an evening walk taken by a man named Leonard Mead, heading west toward a hidden sea. The air is cold and crisp with frost that stings the nose and makes his lungs feel like they are burning. He enjoys the sensation of the cold light and the quiet rustling of his soft shoes on autumn leaves. As he walks, he occasionally stops to examine a fallen leaf, noting its delicate structure and smelling its rusty odor. Passing houses, he whispers questions about the television programs playing inside, imagining cowboys rushing to the rescue on channels 4, 7, and 9.

The street is silent, long, and empty except for his shadow, which moves like a hawk’s shadow over a plain. Closing his eyes for a moment, he pictures himself in a vast, windless desert of Arizona, with no houses within a thousand miles, only dry riverbeds that resemble the streets he walks. He checks his watch and wonders aloud what kind of events—murders, quizzes, or comedies—might be happening on television at that hour. He hears a soft murmur of laughter from a nearby brightly lit house but continues walking when nothing more happens.

He stumbles over an uneven sidewalk where cement has been overtaken by flowers and grass. In all his years of walking thousands of miles at night or day, he has never encountered another pedestrian. Approaching a quiet cloverleaf intersection where two major highways cross, he recalls that during the day this place buzzes with cars and activity, with gas stations open and traffic swirling like insects. But at night, these highways are as still as dry streambeds underneath the calm radiance of the moon.

This paraphrased summary captures the atmosphere, setting, and mood of the passage, emphasizing the loneliness, quiet, and altered urban environment through Leonard Mead’s solitary walk.

Paraphrase (2) in Hindi

उस खास शाम को वह अपनी यात्रा पश्चिम की ओर, छुपे हुए समुद्र की तरफ शुरू करता है। हवा में ठंडी स्फटिक जैसी जमी हुई होती थी, जो नाक को चुभती और उसके फेफड़ों को अंदर से क्रिसमस ट्री की तरह जलाती थी; वह ठंडी रौशनी को ऑन-ऑफ होते महसूस कर सकता था, जैसे सभी पेड़ों की शाखाएं अदृश्य बर्फ से भर गई हों। वह अपने मुलायम जूतों की आवाज़ सुनता जो पतझड़ के पत्तों के बीच दब रही थी और खुशी से सुनकर दांतों के बीच से ठंडी, धीमी सीटी बजाता था, बीच-बीच में एक पत्ता उठाकर उसके हड्डी जैसे नक्काशीदार पैटर्न को कम-घटनाओं वाली लैंपों की रौशनी में देखता और उसकी जंग लगे गंध सूंघता था।

"नमस्ते, वहां अंदर," वह हर तरफ के हर घर से धीरे से कहता हुआ गुजरता। "आज रात चैनल 4, चैनल 7, चैनल 9 पर क्या चल रहा है? कॉबॉय लोग कहां जा रहे हैं, क्या मैं अगली पहाड़ी पर यूनाइटेड स्टेट्स की सेना को बचाने आते देख रहा हूं?"

गली लंबी, शांत और खाली थी, केवल उसकी छाया एक बाज की छाया की तरह घूम रही थी। अगर वह आँखें बंद कर बहुत शांत खड़ा होता, तो स्वयं को एक ठंडे, हवा रहित एरिज़ोना के रेगिस्तान के बीच में कल्पना कर सकता था, जहां हजार मीलों तक कोई मकान नहीं था, और केवल सूखे नदी के तल — यानी सड़कें — साथी थीं।

"अभी क्या हुआ?" उसने अपने हाथ की घड़ी देखते हुए घरों से पूछा। "साढ़े आठ बजे? क्या अब हत्या की योजना, कोई क्विज़, कोई रंगमंच या कॉमेडियन का स्टेज से गिरना शुरू होगा?"

क्या वह एक चाँद जैसे सफेद घर के भीतर से हंसी की धीमी आवाज़ थी? वह थम गया, लेकिन जब कुछ और नहीं हुआ तो आगे बढ़ गया। उसने फुटपाथ के असमान हिस्से पर ठोकर खाई। सीमेंट फूलों और घास के नीचे गायब हो रहा था। रात-दिन हजारों मील चलने के दस वर्षों में, उसने कभी किसी अन्य व्यक्ति से मुलाकात नहीं की, एक भी बार नहीं।

वह उस तीन-पत्ती वाली चौराहे पर पहुंचा जहां दो मुख्य राजमार्ग शहर को पार करते थे। दिन में वहाँ कारों की जोरदार भीड़ होती, गैस स्टेशन खुले रहते, कीटों जैसी आवाज़ें और लगातार जगह पाने की होड़ मची रहती, जब कि स्कैरेब बीटल्स — कारों की तरह — अपनी निकासों से हल्का-सा सुगंधित धुआं छोड़ते हुए दूर-दूर घर की ओर भाग रहे होते थे। लेकिन अब ये राजमार्ग भी सूखे मौसम की नदियों की तरह थे, पूरी तरह पत्थर और नदी के तल की तरह, और चांदनी फैली हुई थी।

MCQs

1.    What made long flares in the air as he breathed out?
a) Smoke from a chimney b) His breath c) Fog d) Streetlight shadows
Ans. b) His breath

2.    How did the frost appear on the branches?
a) Like snow b) Like ice sculptures c) Like rain d) Bare and dry
Ans. a) Like snow

3.    What sound did his shoes make?
a) Loud tapping b) Soft brushing through leaves c) Slapping the pavement d) Crunching gravel
Ans. b) Soft brushing through leaves

4.    What did he do occasionally while walking?
a) Sang songs b) Whistled softly c) Shouted at houses d) Ran fast
Ans. b) Whistled softly

5.    What faint smell did he notice?
a) Fresh grass b) Metallic rust c) Smoke d) Flowers
Ans. b) Metallic rust

6.    How did he imagine communicating with the houses?
a) By knocking b) By asking humorously what was happening inside c) By yelling d) By waving
Ans. b) By asking humorously what was happening inside

7.    How did his steps appear on the street?
a) Fast and noisy b) Slow like a hawk’s shadow c) Hesitant and stumbling d) Confused
Ans. b) Slow like a hawk’s shadow

8.    What did he imagine if he closed his eyes and stood still?
a) A busy marketplace b) A vast empty Arizona plain c) A crowded city d) A forest
Ans. b) A vast empty Arizona plain

9.    What did he ask the houses via his wristwatch?
a) If anyone was awake b) The time—whether for crimes, TV shows, or comedy c) For directions d) About the weather
Ans. b) The time—whether for crimes, TV shows, or comedy

10. What did he think he heard from a moonlit house?
a) Shouting b) Faint laughter c) Silence d) Music
Ans. b) Faint laughter

11. What obstacle did he stumble over?
a) A puddle b) A rough patch of sidewalk c) Fallen tree branches d) Loose gravel
Ans. b) A rough patch of sidewalk

12. How many people had he seen walking in all his years?
a) Hundreds b) Dozens c) None d) One or two
Ans. c) None

13. Where did he eventually reach?
a) A park b) A cloverleaf intersection c) A small alley d) A bus stop
Ans. b) A cloverleaf intersection

14. How was the intersection at night?
a) Crowded with cars b) Completely silent c) Busy with street vendors d) Flooded
Ans. b) Completely silent

15. During the day, how busy would the intersection be?
a) Very quiet b) Busy with vehicles and gas stations c) Only pedestrians d) Empty
Ans. b) Busy with vehicles and gas stations

16. What feeling dominates the passage?
a) Joy and excitement b) Loneliness and stillness c) Fear and panic d) Anger and confusion
Ans. b) Loneliness and stillness

17. Which season is suggested by the fallen leaves?
a) Spring b) Summer c) Autumn d) Winter
Ans. c) Autumn

18. How does Bradbury describe his breath in the cold?
a) Invisible b) Making long visible flares c) Hot and smoky d) Fading quickly
Ans. b) Making long visible flares

19. What is unusual about the city at this time?
a) It is full of people b) It is completely silent c) It is raining d) It is crowded
Ans. b) It is completely silent

20. Which literary device is used when he imagines talking to houses?
a) Simile b) Personification c) Hyperbole d) Irony
Ans. b) Personification

21. How does the author describe vehicles at night?
a) Moving quickly b) Like motionless scarab beetles c) Shiny and loud d) Broken down
Ans. b) Like motionless scarab beetles

22. What is the tone of this passage?
a) Cheerful b) Eerie and reflective c) Angry d) Humorous
Ans. b) Eerie and reflective

23. What does the “metallic rust” suggest?
a) Fresh air b) Industrial or decaying surroundings c) Pleasant smells d) Flowers
Ans. b) Industrial or decaying surroundings

24. What is the mood created by the empty streets?
a) Excitement b) Loneliness and eeriness c) Celebration d) Fear
Ans. b) Loneliness and eeriness

25. What does his long walking habit emphasize?
a) Exercise b) Isolation and routine c) Adventure d) Laziness
Ans. b) Isolation and routine

26. Why does he imagine the Arizona plain?
a) To think about travel b) To feel the emptiness similar to the city c) To plan a trip d) To escape danger
Ans. b) To feel the emptiness similar to the city

27. What does the faint laughter indicate?
a) He is hearing real people b) Imaginary or distant human presence c) Music playing loudly d) Animals
Ans. b) Imaginary or distant human presence

28. What is unusual about the sidewalks?
a) They are wet b) They are rough and disappearing under grass c) They are full of people d) They are brand new
Ans. b) They are rough and disappearing under grass

29. Which sense is NOT mentioned in the paraphrase?
a) Sight b) Smell c) Touch d) Taste
Ans. d) Taste

30. How does Bradbury show the passage of time?
a) By the position of the sun b) By wristwatch and night setting c) By seasons only d) By birds
Ans. b) By wristwatch and night setting

31. Which animal is used in the simile for his steps?
a) Hawk b) Cat c) Dog d) Owl
Ans. a) Hawk

32. How does he perceive the city at eight o’clock?
a) Noisy and lively b) Silent and empty c) Busy with street vendors d) Full of children
Ans. b) Silent and empty

33. Which of these describes his interaction with the environment?
a) Aggressive b) Observant and reflective c) Careless d) Frightened
Ans. b) Observant and reflective

34. Why are the vehicles compared to scarab beetles?
a) Because they are fast b) Because they are stationary and still c) Because they are noisy d) Because they are colourful
Ans. b) Because they are stationary and still

35. How does he enjoy walking?
a) By racing b) By listening to the leaves and whistling c) By running errands d) By shouting
Ans. b) By listening to the leaves and whistling

36. What type of evening is it?
a) Foggy and damp b) Misty, crisp, and cold c) Rainy d) Hot and humid
Ans. b) Misty, crisp, and cold

37. How does Bradbury highlight the emptiness of streets?
a) By showing busy shops b) By describing silence and lack of people c) By adding music d) By describing traffic jams
Ans. b) By describing silence and lack of people

38. How does he relate to the houses?
a) Ignores them b) Imagines their life humorously c) Feels fear d) Plans to break in
Ans. b) Imagines their life humorously

39. What does the rough sidewalk symbolize?
a) Neglect and decay b) Adventure c) Safety d) Happiness
Ans. a) Neglect and decay

40. What is the most striking feature of this city at night?
a) Its lights b) Its silence and emptiness c) Its colourful buildings d) Its sounds
Ans. b) Its silence and emptiness

Who Said To Whom ?

1.    “Hello, in there.” – Who said this to whom?
Ans. Leonard Mead said this to the houses as he walked by.

2.    “What's up tonight on Channel 4, Channel 7, Channel 9?” – Who said this to whom?
Ans. Leonard Mead said this to the houses, imagining their activity inside.

3.    “Where are the cowboys rushing, and do I see the United States Cavalry over the next hill to the rescue?” – Who said this to whom?
Ans. Leonard Mead said this to the houses, humorously addressing them.

4.    “What is it now?” – Who said this to whom?
Ans. Leonard Mead said this aloud to the houses, rhetorically questioning them.

5.    “Eight-thirty PM? Time for a dozen assorted murders? A quiz? A revue? A comedian falling off the stage?” – Who said this to whom?
Ans. Leonard Mead said this to the houses, imagining possible TV programs or happenings inside.

6.    “Was that a murmur of laughter from within a moon-white house?” – Who said this to whom?
Ans. Leonard Mead asked this aloud to himself about the house.

7.    “No one is out here, not in ten years, not once!” – Who said this to whom?
Ans. Leonard Mead thought this to himself while reflecting on the emptiness of the streets.

8.    “All stone and bed and moon radiance.” – Who said this to whom?
Ans. Leonard Mead internally described the highways to himself.

9.    “Why does the cement vanish under flowers and grass?” – Who said this to whom?
Ans. Leonard Mead thought this to himself while stumbling on the uneven sidewalk.

10. “Is this a plain or a desert?” – Who said this to whom?
Ans. Leonard Mead imagined this to himself as he visualized the Arizona desert.

11. “Only dry river beds, the streets, for company.” – Who said this to whom?
Ans. Leonard Mead reflected aloud or silently to himself about the emptiness of the streets.

12. “Am I imagining things, or did I hear laughter?” – Who said this to whom?
Ans. Leonard Mead asked this to himself, unsure of the faint sounds.

13. “Better keep walking; nothing happens.” – Who said this to whom?
Ans. Leonard Mead said this to himself, deciding to continue despite hesitation.

14. “What a silent intersection tonight.” – Who said this to whom?
Ans. Leonard Mead thought this to himself upon reaching the cloverleaf intersection.

15. “During the day, cars roar here like insects.” – Who said this to whom?
Ans. Leonard Mead reflected to himself about the contrast between day and night.

16. “Scarabs skim homeward to the far directions.” – Who said this to whom?
Ans. Leonard Mead imagined or described this internally, comparing cars to insects.

17. “The moon radiance makes everything silver.” – Who said this to whom?
Ans. Leonard Mead noted this to himself while observing the empty streets.

18. “No one walks; I am alone.” – Who said this to whom?
Ans. Leonard Mead thought this silently to himself about the emptiness he experiences.

19. “Is the Arizona desert any emptier than this street?” – Who said this to whom?
Ans. Leonard Mead asked this rhetorically to himself as he imagined the desert.

20. “I am the only living motion here.” – Who said this to whom?
Ans. Leonard Mead reflected this thought to himself while seeing his shadow move like a hawk.

RTCs

Extract 1

 “Direction, toward the hidden sea. There was a good crystal frost in the air, it cut the nose and made the lungs blaze like a Christmas tree inside, you could feel the cold light going on and off, all the branches filled with invisible snow.”

Questions

1. What sensory images does Bradbury use to describe the air?

2. How does the phrase “hidden sea” add to the mystery of the setting?

3. Why does the narrator compare his lungs to a Christmas tree?

4. What season is implied in this description?

5. How does this extract set the mood for the story?

Answer Key

1. Bradbury uses touch (“cut the nose”), sight (“crystal frost”), and feeling (“lungs blaze”) to evoke the air’s sharpness.

2. “Hidden sea” suggests something distant and secret, making the night feel mysterious.

3. The lungs glow like a Christmas tree because the cold air burns inside, creating a sparkling, vivid sensation.

4. Winter or late autumn, as shown by the frost and cold.

5. It creates a lonely, eerie, and almost magical atmosphere, fitting the dystopian mood of the story.

Extract 2

“He listened to the faint push of his soft shoes through autumn leaves with satisfaction, and whistled a cold quiet whistle between his teeth, occasionally picking up a leaf as he passed, examining its skeletal pattern in the infrequent lamplights as he went on, smelling its rusty smell.”

Questions

1. What two senses are strongly appealed to in this extract?

2. Why are the leaves called “skeletal”?

3. What does the “cold quiet whistle” reveal about Leonard Mead’s state of mind?

4. How does Bradbury show the emptiness of the street in this line?

5. What does the “rusty smell” of the leaf symbolize?

Answer Key

1. Hearing (whistle and footfalls) and smell (rusty smell of the leaf).

2. Because the leaves are dried, with only veins like bones remaining.

3. It shows he is calm, contemplative, and perhaps lonely but content in his solitude.

4. By emphasizing the infrequent lamplights and the solitary act of walking.

5. It symbolizes decay, autumn’s end, and the passage of time.

Extract 3

“Hello, in there,’ he whispered to every house on every side as he moved. ‘What’s up tonight on Channel 4, Channel 17, Channel 97? Where are the cowboys rushing, and do I see the United States Cavalry over the next hill to the rescue?”

Questions

1. Why does Leonard Mead whisper to the houses?

2. What does the listing of channels suggest about society?

3. How does the mention of cowboys and cavalry show the kind of entertainment people watch?

4. Why does this scene emphasize Leonard’s isolation?

5. What tone does this passage convey—mocking, sad, or excited?

Answers

1. Because no one is outside; everyone is shut inside watching TV.

2. It shows television dominates life, with many channels but little real interaction.

3. It shows people prefer fantasy and action instead of real-life experiences.

4. Leonard speaks to houses because no human answers him—he is utterly alone.

5. The tone is mocking yet sad—he teases their TV habits but feels the emptiness.

Extract 4

“The street was silent and long and empty, with only his shadow moving like the shadow of a hawk in mid country.”

Questions

1. What is compared to a hawk in this simile?

2. What does the word “empty” stress about the city?

3. How does the shadow of a hawk add a sense of danger or eeriness?

4. Why is there no movement other than his shadow?

5. What feeling does this extract create in the reader?

Answer Key

1. His shadow is compared to a hawk’s shadow.

2. That no people are present and streets are deserted.

3. A hawk suggests a predator—silent, watchful, and lonely, hinting at threat.

4. Because society has retreated indoors and Leonard is the only walker.

5. A feeling of suspense, loneliness, and isolation.

Extract 5

“What is it now?’ he asked the houses noticing his wrist watch. ‘Eight-thirty PM? Time for a dozen assorted murders? A quiz? A revue? A comedian falling off the stage?”

Questions

1. What does Leonard’s question to the houses show about his attitude to TV?

2. How does Bradbury use humour here?

3. What does “a dozen assorted murders” reveal about TV content?

4. Why does Leonard consult his wristwatch?

5. What does this moment show about how predictable society has become?

Answers

1. He is sarcastic and critical about their TV habits.

2. By exaggerating TV programs - “a comedian falling off the stage.”

3. TV shows are violent and sensationalized.

4. To check the time of typical TV schedules.

5. Everyone watches the same kind of programs at the same time, making it routine.

Extract 6

“In ten years of walking at night he had never met another person walking, not one in all that time.”

Questions

1. How long has Leonard Mead been walking at night?

2. What does this statistic show about society’s behaviour?

3. How does Bradbury use hyperbole (exaggeration) here?

4. What effect does this line have on the reader?

5. Why is Leonard’s walking seen as unusual?

Answers

1. Ten years.

2. People no longer go outside; they stay indoors with television.

3. By saying “not one” person in ten years, the isolation feels total.

4. It creates a sense of shock and sadness at the loss of community.

5. Because it goes against the norm of a sedentary, screen-based lifestyle.

One-Mark Questions

1.    In which direction does Leonard Mead begin his walk?
Ans. West

2.    What natural condition makes Leonard’s breath visible?
Ans. Cold air/frost

3.    What season is suggested by the fallen leaves?
Ans. Autumn

4.    How does Leonard hear the sound of his shoes?
Ans. Soft brushing through leaves

5.    What does Leonard occasionally pick up while walking?
Ans. A leaf

6.    What does he examine on the leaf?
Ans. Its skeletal pattern

7.    What smell does Leonard notice while walking?
Ans. Metallic rust

8.    How does Leonard interact with the houses as he walks?
Ans. He whispers humorously to them

9.    What does closing his eyes and standing still allow him to imagine?
Ans. A vast empty Arizona plain

10. What time does Leonard check on his wristwatch?
Ans. 8:30 PM

11. What sound does he think he hears from a moonlit house?
Ans. Faint laughter

12. What obstacle does he stumble over on the sidewalk?
Ans. A rough patch of sidewalk

13. How many people has he seen walking during all his years?
Ans. None

14. Where does Leonard eventually arrive in the city?
Ans. A cloverleaf intersection

15. How is the intersection described at night?
Ans. Completely silent

16. How busy is the intersection during the day?
Ans. Busy with vehicles and gas stations

17. Which feeling dominates the passage?
Ans. Loneliness and stillness

18. How does Bradbury describe Leonard’s breath in the cold?
Ans. Making long visible flares

19. What is unusual about the city at night?
Ans. It is completely silent

20. Which animal is used in a simile for Leonard’s steps?
Ans. Hawk

21. How does Leonard enjoy walking?
Ans. By listening to the leaves and whistling

22. How are vehicles described at night?
Ans. Like motionless scarab beetles

23. Which sense is NOT mentioned in the passage?
Ans. Taste

24. How does Leonard perceive the empty streets?
Ans. As silent and empty

25. What is the most striking feature of the city at night?
Ans. Its silence and emptiness

Two-Mark Questions

1. Why does Leonard Mead enjoy walking alone at night?

Answer: Leonard Mead enjoys walking alone because it gives him freedom, peace, and quiet, away from the artificiality of television-driven society. The streets are empty, allowing him to observe the city, nature, and reflect. This solitude makes him feel connected to the world in a way that indoor life cannot provide.

2. How does Bradbury describe the frost in the story?

Answer: The frost is described as crisp and clear. When Mead breathes out, his breath forms visible flares, highlighting the cold. This vivid imagery sets a quiet, reflective, and slightly eerie mood. The description emphasizes the stillness and isolation of the night, reinforcing the story’s themes of loneliness and societal detachment.

3. What role do the houses play in Mead’s imagination?

Answer: The houses represent human life and activity from which Mead is isolated. He humorously imagines talking to them, asking what is happening inside. This personification shows his loneliness, creativity, and desire for connection. It also contrasts the stillness outside with the imagined bustling life inside, highlighting societal dependence on screens.

4. Explain the significance of the sound of Mead’s footsteps.

Answer: The soft sound of his shoes brushing through leaves emphasizes the emptiness and quiet of the streets. It draws attention to Mead’s presence in a deserted environment. This auditory detail reinforces the theme of isolation and creates an intimate connection between the reader and Mead’s solitary experience in a silent, almost lifeless city.

5. Why does Bradbury include details about the trees and streetlights?

Answer: The bare branches illuminated by streetlights create a ghostly and eerie atmosphere. This visual imagery reflects the emptiness of the city and Mead’s solitude. It also mirrors the cold, lifeless environment, highlighting themes of isolation and the decline of human interaction in a society consumed by technology and uniformity.

6. What is the effect of comparing Mead’s steps to a hawk’s shadow?

Answer: The simile emphasizes Mead’s silent, solitary, and graceful movement. It suggests vigilance, freedom, and the eerie quiet of the streets. The comparison highlights his independence while underlining the city’s emptiness, creating tension and a sense of foreboding. It mirrors his role as an observer in a lifeless urban environment.

7. How does Mead’s imagination transform the city streets?

Answer: Mead imagines the empty streets as vast plains or silent landscapes. This mental transformation underscores his loneliness but also his creativity and resilience. By visualizing desolate beauty, he mentally escapes the oppressive artificiality of the city. It also emphasizes Bradbury’s theme of human imagination contrasting with societal stagnation.

8. Describe the atmosphere when Mead looks at his wristwatch.

Answer: Mead’s glance at the wristwatch amid empty streets emphasizes the passage of time in a stagnant society. Imagining different events inside houses, he reflects on human life, humour, and absurdity. The scene combines loneliness with curiosity, highlighting Mead’s introspection and the contrast between silent streets and imagined societal activity.

9. What does the overgrown sidewalk symbolize?

Answer: The rough, overgrown sidewalk symbolizes neglect, decay, and the abandonment of the city. It highlights the deterioration of public spaces and human connection. Mead’s stumble signifies the difficulty of navigating a society increasingly disconnected from nature and genuine human interaction, reinforcing the story’s critique of technological domination and urban emptiness.

10. How does Bradbury convey the city’s lifelessness at night?

Answer: Bradbury describes silent streets, empty sidewalks, and motionless vehicles. He uses similes like vehicles resembling scarab beetles to emphasize inactivity and decay. The imagery creates a haunting, still atmosphere, reinforcing themes of isolation, societal decline, and human disconnection. Nighttime becomes a metaphor for the absence of life and vibrancy.

11. Why is Mead’s whistling significant in the story?

Answer: Mead’s soft whistling represents human individuality, spontaneity, and resistance to conformity. In a city where everyone stays indoors watching television, his whistle breaks silence, highlighting his vitality. It signals creativity, resilience, and slight defiance. It also deepens the reader’s sense of his isolation, as it contrasts with the emptiness around him.

12. How does humour appear in Mead’s interaction with houses?

Answer: Mead imagines humorously asking houses about their internal activities, including TV shows or crimes. This humour lightens the otherwise eerie and lonely mood, revealing Mead’s playful imagination. It also reflects his observation of absurdities in a society addicted to screens and highlights his unique perspective in a conformist environment.

14. What does the “scarab beetle” simile reveal about the city?

Answer: Comparing vehicles to scarab beetles conveys stillness, lifelessness, and creeping decay. The city appears ancient, dormant, and unnatural. The simile reinforces isolation, emphasizing the mechanical, impersonal nature of urban life devoid of human interaction. It also suggests that technology dominates, leaving no room for spontaneous human presence.

Three-Mark Questions

1. Describe the theme of isolation in the The Pedestrian.

Answer: Isolation is central to the story, portrayed through empty streets, abandoned sidewalks, and motionless vehicles. Leonard Mead’s solitary walks highlight the absence of human connection in a technology-dominated society. Bradbury uses sensory imagery, descriptions of frost, bare trees, and silent nights to emphasize detachment. Mead’s imagination, humour, and reflections underscore his individuality and contrast the conformity and passivity of others, reinforcing the emotional and societal effects of isolation.

2. How does Bradbury use setting to create mood?

Answer: The setting—a deserted city at night—is integral to mood. Frost, dim streetlights, overgrown sidewalks, and silent streets create an eerie, melancholic atmosphere. Auditory and visual imagery, like rust smells or footsteps on leaves, enhance tension. The emptiness reflects societal decay and human disengagement. Mead’s presence as a lone walker contrasts with lifeless surroundings, evoking curiosity and foreboding. Bradbury’s setting immerses

the reader in a reflective, quiet, and slightly unsettling environment, aligning with the story’s themes.

3. Analyse Leonard Mead’s character traits.

Answer: Leonard Mead is imaginative, observant, and independent. He enjoys walking alone, noticing subtle environmental details and imagining humorous scenarios inside houses. He resists societal conformity, contrasting with people glued to television. His whistling, reflection, and creative observations highlight individuality, curiosity, and resilience. Despite isolation, Mead finds joy in sensory experiences and mental exploration, symbolizing human creativity and the value of independent thought in a society dominated by technology and passive entertainment.

4. Discuss the symbolism of the empty streets.

Answer: Empty streets symbolize societal neglect, technological domination, and human isolation. Overgrown sidewalks and motionless vehicles suggest decay and abandonment. Mead’s solitary walks highlight the contrast between active imagination and passive conformity. The streets mirror emotional emptiness, showing how automation and media consumption replace real-life engagement. Symbolically, they represent the suppression of individuality and social interaction. Bradbury uses these streets as both literal and metaphorical spaces to explore alienation, conformity, and the erosion of community.

5. Explain the use of personification in the story.

Answer: Personification is evident when Mead imagines talking to houses, asking what occurs inside. This technique gives life to inanimate objects, reflecting his need for connection. It highlights his creativity, humour, and solitude, making silent streets seem interactive. Personification contrasts passive society with Mead’s active imagination. It reinforces themes of loneliness, the importance of human perception, and the emotional consequences of a technology-dominated environment where human engagement is rare.

6. How does Bradbury critique society in The Pedestrian?

Answer: Bradbury critiques a society obsessed with screens, passivity, and conformity. Streets are empty at night because people stay indoors, engrossed in television. Overgrown sidewalks, lifeless vehicles, and silent streets illustrate neglect and decay. Leonard Mead’s independent thinking and imaginative engagement highlight the loss of human interaction. The story warns against technological overdependence, emphasizing the emotional, social, and ethical consequences of isolation, conformity, and detachment from nature and community.

 

COURTESY: Meta AI & ChatGPT

Compiled by Dr. Shankar D Mishra

 

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