The Illustrated Man, by Ray Bradbury, spins together tales of fascination and of adventure that develop across a man’s mesmerizing back. In “The Highway” and “The Last Night of the World”, two of the many stories, depict alike characters experiencing doom day and not realizing how disastrous it is. The result of something as life changing as the end of the world leaves us shocked and overwhelmed.
“The Highway,” shows how one’s view on life may be dramatically changed due to such a significant event like the world ending. After receiving the message about the ending of the world, Hernando “watched the highway, but it did not move again. He doubted that it would move much for a very long time” (42). This statement shows Hernando’s reaction to the momentous news and how he begins to rethink his perspective on life. This quote also exhibits how Hernando is not rushing to do any particular tasks before he dies, displaying how his simplistic lifestyle has satisfied him. He is not necessarily anxious about the end of the world. After gaining his newly acquired knowledge, Hernando returns to his house. His wife calls out to him asking …show more content…
While discussing the end with his wife, the husband inquires, “Are you afraid?” (92). Both the husband and the wife expect the end of the world to be frightening, and daunting, but the couple’s fear is replaced by a sense of calm. The two of them are surprised and confused on how to spend their last day. Later, still engaged in the same conversation, the husband reflects, “I always thought people would be screaming in the streets at a time like this” (92). Society expects the end of the world to be fiery and loud, but this end seems to be the opposite of what they expected. “The Last Night of the World,” describes how the world can end unperturbed, but also