"So primary and forceful have been this novel's appeal and effects upon two generations of us, that to not already know Yates' great book seems incongruous." - Richard Ford
Those are some of the words that literati use to describe Richard Yates' "Revolutionary Road." Often described as a writer's writer, Yates had limited commercial success during his lifetime, but his writtings left a definite impression on those who did read him, and the list is quite prestigous. Michael Chabon, Tobias Wolff, Richard Russo, and Richard Ford are some of the names that cherish Yates' work, especially "Revolutionary Road."
Published in 1961, "Revolutionary Road" chronicles the life of the Wheeler family during the mid-1950s, when many American families benefited from the post-World War II economic boom. The Wheelers are one such family in the book; they have a house in the suburbs, a car and many other comforts of middle-class life during that time.
Even so, there are problems in the Wheeler family. Frank and April Wheeler continue to have marriage problems for one reason or another and both enter into affairs.
Marriage problems aren't Frank and April's only problems. They both have deep psychological problems that haven't been resolved, which is the source of much of the conflict between the two. Also, Frank and April are constantly surrounded by complacency, and they want desperately to escape from it. Just when things couldn't get any worse, they do. April gets pregnant and contemplates getting an abortion.
Richard Yates is not easy reading; he makes so many demands on the reader, even two generations after America's Golden Age. For those who can take Yates' pessimism the rewards are great. "Revolutionary Road" espouses everything that was wrong with middle-class life during the 1950s complacency, materialistic delusions, etc. Although "Revolutionary Road" was writen about the delusions of the Golden Age there are interesting parallels to Generation Y. This generation has been more materialistic than any other previous generation in America, but has been noted for its destructiveness at times. Unlike Yates' generation, who grew up during the Great Depression and then fought World War II, Generation Y has not experienced much hardship until recently.
"Revolutionary Road" is an "An American Beauty" two generations removed, and a great read at that.
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