The Highway, Ray Bradbury: Analysis & Summary

'The Highway': An Early Response to Nuclear Armageddon 'The Highway' is a short story written by Ray Bradbury in 1950, offering one of his earliest reflections on the atom bomb and the specter of nuclear Armageddon. Although Bradbury is widely regarded as one of the greatest science-fiction writers of the twentieth century, he often referred to himself simply as a 'fantasy writer' or a 'writer.' While he is best known for his novels like the dystopian classic Fahrenheit 451 and the horror novel Something Wicked This Way Comes, Bradbury's mastery shines through in his short stories, including 'The Highway,' which was included in his collection The Illustrated Man. Plot Summary of 'The Highway' 'The Highway' revolves around Hernando, a Mexican farmer who resides with his wife and baby in a humble hut situated alongside a highway leading to the United States. Many passing tourists stop and engage in conversations with Hernando, som…