Revolutionary Road is a novel written by Richard Yates and the story takes place in 1955. The main characters are Frank and April Wheeler who live in the suburbs. The title of the novel is symbolic because Wheelers are trying to make a revolution in their lives. Paris is also a symbol of hope which is the only thing that makes April happy.
The use of symbolism is important for this book because the lives of Frank and April seem to be like an illusion. Therefore, the two of them are looking for something more from life. They are not satisfied in life because he does a job that does not satisfy him, while April is a housewife. She is a trained actress, but she studied only because she wanted to escape from home. She says to Frank: “And I mean you know perfectly well I was never any kind of an actress and never really wanted to be; you know I only went to the Academy to get away from home” (Yates 69). Acting is also a symbol of freedom for April, but she never gets a real chance of proving herself to be a talented actress. She marries Frank instead because of the norms of the society. Frank also has an illusion of a perfect life which includes living in Europe, especially in Paris. April is unhappy until the moment she realizes that Paris is her chance for happiness. She would be a secretary there and Frank could focus on finding his true self and realizing his potential.
At one moment, they realize that there is nothing special about them, although there is. April says: “Because everything you said was based on this great premise of ours that we’re somehow very special and superior to the whole thing, and I wanted to say ‘But we’re not! Look at us! We’re just like the people you’re talking about” (Yates 68). That is why they choose Paris as a symbol of a better and more fulfilled life. The life in the suburbs is dull and they see such a living as “the hopeless emptiness” (Yates 116). This is a brave thing to say because not many people are capable of admitting that their life is pointless and that they are living in a routine which is killing them inside.
Paris would solve this emptiness, but as Frank’s friends say, he would have found his true calling anywhere because he would not need to be in France in particular. This proves to be true once he gets a promotion because he is tempted to stay. Milly says: “I think this whole thing of theirs sounds like a pretty immature deal” (Yates 92). That is the problem, because April seems to be immature as well as Frank. They got married young and had two children which prevented them from having fun in life. They settled in the suburbs and their whole life revolves around complying to the norms imposed by the society. That is why April seeks for answers in art and why she chooses Paris. Art is a symbol of escape, an illusion and a dream which would make life seem more bearable.
The street they live in is called Revolutionary road which is also the title of the book and it symbolizes the personal revolution that the Wheelers have throughout the book. Their marriage seems to be perfect because he has a well-paid job at the same company his father worked for, while April is a housewife. They are well off and can support two children, but they are both unhappy.
The real problem is April and her wish to become a secretary in Paris because she wants a different life. She does not realize that she is the problem and not the suburbs. April says: “Have you any idea how much they pay for secretarial work in all these government agencies overseas? “(Yates 67). She is determined to move to Paris which is glorified in her imagination. Frank understands her and he supports her idea before he gets the promotion.
Art is what makes life more interesting, but a person needs to find inspiration which is why Paris could be a good choice for the Wheelers. They are also looking for an adventure in order to make life less boring. The third child is on the way, but April does not want to keep it and she risks her life by performing an abortion herself. She does not care whether she lives or dies because her life is over for her. Frank and April need psychological counseling, just like John, but they are too proud to admit that. Frank does not understand April and he just wants her to be happy for him. However, that is selfish because she is unfulfilled even though she promises her a better life with more money and travel.
The name of the street they live in is the symbol of their revolution although Frank refuses to be a part of the same revolution as April once he gets promoted. He feels self-accomplished having a beautiful wife he loves, a nice house, a good job and two children. He is also looking forward to having the third child, but April does not agree because she is stubborn and choses to be miserable instead. Her revolution is different than Frank’s because it is leads to self-destruction and leaves Frank a widow and a single father. The illusion about Europe is too tempting for both of them: “and he knew too that the best part of Paris, the part where the people really knew how to live, began around St. Germain des Pres and extended southeast (or was it southwest?) as far as the Café Dome” (Yates 81). They have this idea of European superiority and places where people lead interesting lives.
Frank would stick with April’s choice if had not got a promotion which is when he begins to think like an adult. April has a lot of spare time to think about her misery and she feels it because it is slowly killing her. She is not employed because Frank provides as good life for his family. Moreover, women were not encouraged to work in the 1950s but raise families instead and take care of the household. This makes April unhappy and miserable and not even acting can make her happy again. Acting is now a symbol of a dull life as well because a new life would involve her working as a secretary who is well paid and can support her husband while he studies.
Maturity is a process that happened with age and with having a fulfilled life which is what happens to Frank. However, April never reaches this point in her life and she needs to do something to prove herself that she is in charge of her own life. That is why she performs the abortion that kills her and she may have planned to kill herself as the punishment for killing the unborn baby. She also feels guilt for not being able to be a good and caring wife who supports her husband. Their marriage is also a symbol of a great rand honest relationship between two talented people. When they talk about truth, she reveals to him that she knew he was the one for her from the very beginning.
Frank is also a symbol for April because she marries him in order to escape her dull life. She is fascinated with him because he seems to be full of life and interesting and she wants to become a part of such a life. There is a promise of a bright future which happens too late because April chooses to kill herself instead of trying to lead a better life because she no longer loves Frank.
Works Cited
Yates, Richard. Revolutionary Road. London: Vintage, 2000. Print.
