Comparing 'The Pedestrian And Ark Of Light'

In the story “The Pedestrian” by Ray Bradbury, we meet the lead character, Mr. Mead, who is out on a walk at night like he had done many years before, when he gets stopped by a robot police car that can’t comprehend why he is even out walking and eventually arrests him and brings him to a psych ward. In the story “Ark of Light” by Victor LaValle, we meet the traveler who is traveling to a different planet because their planet is being recolonized by the government and is being prepared by the secondary character the Transmisson Liasion to go to another planet. The interactions between the protagonist and secondary character in the short stories “The Pedestrian” and the “Ark of Light” show a major transition in their lives because one story has an ending that’s hopeful while the other story’s ending is tragic.

In the story the protagonist, Mr. Mead, is taking his nightly walks like he had done many times before but this night was different only because he gets stopped by a robot police car for no apparent reason. In the story it states “Just walking,” he said simply, but his face felt cold. “Walking, just walking, walking?” “Yes, sir.” “Walking where? For what?” “Walking for air. Walking to see.” The police car stopped him for walking even though he wasn’t doing anything but walking. Then the police car arrests Mr. Mead for walking, thinking he was a crazy man. As the text states ““But - Where are you taking me?” The car hesitated, or rather gave a faint whirring click, as if information, somewhere, was dropping card by punch-slotted card under electric eyes. “To the Psychiatric Centre for Research on Regressive Tendencies.” This interaction gives me a sense of tragedy because we don’t know what will happen to Mr.