Review

Revolutionary Road – Richard Yates 

Since it was first published in 1961, Revolutionary Road was widely hailed as a masterpiece, and is acknowledged to be the finest work of its author, Richard Yates. It is an intense portrayal of the tumultuous relationship of a young couple, Frank and April Wheeler, who live a comfortable life in a comfortable suburb and are yet deeply dissatisfied with their lot in life. Convinced that their discontent is the fault of a consumer-driven 1950's American culture, they become equally convinced that their only salvation from the 'hopeless emptiness' of suburban life lies in Europe. A plan is formed; they will move to France with their children (yes, they have two kids) and April will support the family at a dull day job, whilst Frank 'finds himself'.

April was once an aspiring actress whose perpetual role has become that of wife, mother and domestic drudge. She is attractive, yet aloof and cold, and constantly gives the impression of an oppressed slave – working hard domestically without taking having any joy in either her home or her family. Frank, was once admired for his intellectual potential:

“there was nothing average about his performance in the beery, all-night talks that had begun to form around him – talks that would often end in a general murmur of agreement, accompanied by a significant tapping of temples, that old Wheeler really had it”,

yet with the neglect of that potential he has now become stultified at what he refers to as “the dullest job you could possibly imagine” working in some vague sales promotion-type job.

Their marriage is, well, disintegrating. The pages are full of unspoken dialogue, things Frank hoped April would say, or imagined he would say to her. Whole conversations are held this way and one can't help but feel that if they only attempted to communicate to each other aloud, then the general feeling between them would improve. And their fights! Phew! I felt like a needed to take several deep breaths after each of them (there were quite a few). In the opening pages, such a fight gets out of control:

“It [the fight] quivered their arms and legs and wrenched their faces into shapes of hatred, it urged them harder and deeper into each other's weakest points, showing them cunning ways around each other's strongholds and quick chances to switch tactics, feint, and strike again. In the space of a gasp for breath it sent their memories racing back over the years for old weapons to rip the scabs off old wounds; it went on and on”.

In essence, we are confronted with a couple who have unfulfilled dreams, who are deeply resentful of one another, and consider themselves superior to the 'mediocre' life they live (and the people in it)– so different to the vague, glittering dreams of their youths. Gripped by their pretensions they look down their average noses with disdain for the tedium of the everyday; the houses, the chores, the commute to work, etc. Naturally, they themselves have no responsibility for the direction their lives took, it was everyone else's fault; it may sound a little simplified, but that is how I felt the characters behaved. They are remarkably committed to their self-deceptions, avoiding the realities of their lives with dedication and the help of cigarettes, alcohol and infidelity. Their two children (Jennifer and Michael) barely feature, being mentioned only on, perhaps, a dozen pages. This seems fitting, as April and Frank are so self-absorbed they do not think of their children, nor do they consider them in their plan to move to Europe. This plan never eventuates, as we knew it never would. Their lives change, that is true, but it is a tragic turn, not a glamorous one; and I cannot help but feel that the Wheelers were so consumed with reaching for the stars that they never saw the chasm at their feet.

This review contains a number of direct quotes from the book, and there is a very simple explanation for this. Revolutionary Road is one of the best written pieces of contemporary fiction I've ever had the pleasure of reading. There is not a superfluous word, a poor turn of phrase, or a moment where I thought “that should've been better worded”. The reading of the book is a delight, it is a feast for those of our generation who have been raised on mediocre literature (unless we have had the common sense to look back a few centuries to authors who really knew how to write). He writes without sentimentality or any affinity for his characters. Though not quite brutal, Yates' portrait of the Wheelers is not kindly or tempered by empathetic understanding. He does however, skilfully infuse his phrases with cynicism or a touch of venom, which is in sympathy to the reader's frustrations with his characters. And yet, the Wheelers endure such a harrowing emotional journey that as the book draws to its close we begin to really feel for these people.

As for myself, it was not until page 300 of a 336 page book, that I felt any emotional sympathy for this couple. I must admit, were it not for the sheer skill of a remarkable wordsmith, I would not have finished reading Revolutionary Road. The story did not grab me, let alone hold me. I had little interest in how the Wheeler's story would end, and was frequently heard saying (with great compassion) “oh, just top yourselves already!”. At page 300, I made my connection with April, I granted her some clemency and, for the first time, felt engaged in the story. Too little, too late, Mr. Yates. A masterpiece? Oh yes, it was a triumph of the writer's craft, but not enjoyable. Do not read if you're a little down yourself; it won't help.

Rating, in terms of literature: ***** (5 out of 5 stars)

Rating, in terms of storyline: ** (2 out of 5 stars)