Revolutionary Road: The American Dream

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Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates is the "American Dream" fighting through a nightmare. It has been in fashion because people today still commute to the suburbs; a majority of Americans actually live in suburbs. It is often considered the original anti-suburban novel. The book is about an unhappy young Connecticut couple. However, in order to do it justice, we must transcend the easy anti-suburban categorization. Although Yates's depiction of suburban life is devastatingly hellish, Revolutionary Road is far more than a anti-suburban novel. In reality, the novel is about a married couple that doesn't know who or what to blame for their unhappiness. In the beginning, Frank and April Wheeler live in Greenwich Village, and one thing led to another. …show more content…
Frank has accepted his life in Connecticut. He enjoys the idea of family life and prattling with the Campbells. But April, who's convinced herself that geography is the cause of her misery, is euphoric about Paris. April focuses on the anti-suburban talk that comes out of Frank's mouth but in reality he's pretending to be the non-conformist he and April want him to be. When he does, he becomes, in April's eyes, once again the man she married. This shows how they are the only ones to blame for their unhappiness. April's unwillingness to settle down and raise a family and accept that she's finally an adult damages their relationship and their children. This could have taken place in an urban setting where a couple could be split in deciding whether or not they want to settle down in suburbia. It may be a fit setting for the scenes but it is not the only place that houses couples like Frank and April. Suburbia doesn’t make the Wheelers miserable. Revolutionary Road is about the transitional period in life where you stop chasing your dreams and identify who you are. The psychological sophistication of realism enhanced the book's connection to the hope for true happiness. April's thoughts are not unique only to her but to many others. Her strive to be different and not conform was a response to the general lust for conformity that began to spread not only in the suburbs but all over
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