THE PEDESTRIAN, PART 2, PAGE-161

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

1. Glossary

1. Direction - A course or line of movement or position.

2. Frost - A layer of ice crystals formed on surfaces when the temperature drops below freezing point.

3. Crystal - Clear and transparent, like ice or glass.

4. Blaze - To burn fiercely or brightly.

5. Skeletal - Relating to or resembling a skeleton.

6. Rusty - Having a reddish-brown colour or a rough, corroded surface.

7. Whispered - Spoke softly and quietly.

8. Shadow - A dark shape or area produced by an object blocking light.

9. Hawk - A type of bird of prey.

10. Wintry - Relating to or characteristic of winter.

11. Windless - Without wind; calm and still.

12. Plain - A large area of flat or gently sloping land.

13. Riverbeds - The channel or course of a river.

14. Murmur - A low, indistinct sound.

15. Revue - A theatrical performance featuring a series of sketches, songs, or dances.

16. Cloverleaf - A type of intersection where roads meet.

17. Thunderous - Producing a loud, rumbling sound.

18. Surge - A sudden, powerful increase or movement.

19. Jockeying - Manoeuvring or competing for position or advantage.

20. Scarab-beetles - A type of beetle.

21. Rustling - Making a soft, whispering sound.

2. Paraphrase

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.

3. 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

2. How did the frost appear on the branches?

a) Like snow

b) Like ice sculptures

c) Like rain

d) Bare and dry

3. What sound did his shoes make?

a) Loud tapping

b) Soft brushing through leaves

c) Slapping the pavement

d) Crunching gravel

4. What did he do occasionally while walking?

a) Sang songs

b) Whistled softly

c) Shouted at houses

d) Ran fast

5. What faint smell did he notice?

a) Fresh grass

b) Metallic rust

c) Smoke

d) Flowers

 

 

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

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

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

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

10. What did he think he heard from a moonlit house?

a) Shouting

b) Faint laughter

c) Silence

d) Music

11. What obstacle did he stumble over?

a) A puddle

b) A rough patch of sidewalk

c) Fallen tree branches

d) Loose gravel

12. How many people had he seen walking in all his years?

a) Hundreds

b) Dozens

c) None

d) One or two

13. Where did he eventually reach?

a) A park

b) A cloverleaf intersection

c) A small alley

d) A bus stop

 

14. How was the intersection at night?

a) Crowded with cars

b) Completely silent

c) Busy with street vendors

d) Flooded

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

16. What feeling dominates the passage?

a) Joy and excitement

b) Loneliness and stillness

c) Fear and panic

d) Anger and confusion

17. Which season is suggested by the fallen leaves?

a) Spring

b) Summer

c) Autumn

d) Winter

18. How does Bradbury describe his breath in the cold?

a) Invisible

b) Making long visible flares

c) Hot and smoky

d) Fading quickly

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

20. Which literary device is used when he imagines talking to houses?

a) Simile

b) Personification

c) Hyperbole

d) Irony

21. How does the author describe vehicles at night?

a) Moving quickly

b) Like motionless scarab beetles

c) Shiny and loud

d) Broken down

22. What is the tone of this passage?

a) Cheerful

b) Eerie and reflective

c) Angry

d) Humorous

23. What does the “metallic rust” suggest?

a) Fresh air

b) Industrial or decaying surroundings

c) Pleasant smells

d) Flowers

24. What is the mood created by the empty streets?

a) Excitement

b) Loneliness and eeriness

c) Celebration

d) Fear

25. What does his long walking habit emphasize?

a) Exercise

b) Isolation and routine

c) Adventure

d) Laziness

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

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

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

29. Which sense is NOT mentioned in the paraphrase?

a) Sight

b) Smell

c) Touch

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

31. Which animal is used in the simile for his steps?

a) Hawk

b) Cat

c) Dog

d) Owl

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

33. Which of these describes his interaction with the environment?

a) Aggressive

b) Observant and reflective

c) Careless

d) Frightened

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

35. How does he enjoy walking?

a) By racing

b) By listening to the leaves and whistling

c) By running errands

d) By shouting

36. What type of evening is it?

a) Foggy and damp

b) Misty, crisp, and cold

c) Rainy

d) Hot and humid

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

38. How does he relate to the houses?

a) Ignores them

b) Imagines their life humorously

c) Feels fear

d) Plans to break in

39. What does the rough sidewalk symbolize?

a) Neglect and decay

b) Adventure

c) Safety

d) Happiness

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

Answer Key

1.b 2.a 3.b 4.b 5.b 6.b 7.b 8.b 9.b 10.b 11.b 12.c 13.b 14.b 15.b 16.b 17.c 18.b 19.b 20.b 21.b 22.b 23.b 24.b 25.b 26.b 27.b 28.b 29.d 30.b 31.a 32.b 33.b 34.b 35.b 36.b 37.b 38.b 39.a 40.b

4.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.

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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