Final answer:
Mr. Mead's interactions in 'The Pedestrian' indicate that people are engrossed in watching television, highlighting themes of social isolation and technological dominance.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the text The Pedestrian, Mr. Mead's dialogue with the houses reveals that the people in the houses are watching television. The setting of the story is a future society where people are isolated and engaged with their TVs, rather than participating in outdoor activities or socializing with one another.
Mr. Mead, who is out for a walk, finds himself an anomaly in a world where this simple act is considered unusual. The description of the homes with their glowing TV screens and the absence of people on the streets underscores the theme of social isolation and the dominance of technology in daily life.
The exchanges he has with the houses, or rather the lack thereof, accentuate the eerie silence of the streets and the alienation of individuals in this dystopian world.