Comprehension
In what year is the story set?
2053 AD
Why does the police car consider Mead’s profession suspicious?
Because he claims to be a writer in a society that no longer reads
The police car not having a driver symbolizes:
The loss of human interaction and human agency
What does Leonard Mead most enjoy doing?
Walking
What is ironic about Mead’s arrest?
He is arrested for something harmless
What emotion does Bradbury create with the description of “silent streets” and “dark windows”?
Loneliness and emptiness
Why does Mead wear sneakers on his walks?
To Avoid Making Noise and attracting Dogs
The description of traffic as “scarab beetles” is an example of:
Metaphor
Mead is unmarried, what does this say about him?
He doesn't fit into society
How are the houses described at night?
As tombs, or graveyards
What does the comparison of houses to tombs suggest about the people inside?
They are trapped and lifeless
The ending, where Mead is taken to the “Psychiatric Centre for Research on Regressive Tendencies,” suggests:
Walking is seen as dangerous and abnormal
The phrase “sending patterns of frosty air before him like the smoke of a cigar” is an example of:
Simile
Why is Mead unusual in his society?
He refuses to watch television, and he chooses to walk instead
Overall, Bradbury uses Mead’s walk to criticize:
A society that values technology over individuality