53 pages • 1 hour read
Richard YatesRevolutionary Road
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1961A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
Richard Yates's Revolutionary Road explores the lives of Frank and April Wheeler, a young couple with two children who move to a Connecticut suburb. Discontent with their mundane existence, they plan to move to France for a fresh start. However, their relationship unravels due to professional and personal conflicts, ultimately leading to tragic consequences. The story critiques the conformist pressures of 1950s American society. The narrative addresses themes of abortion and mental health.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates masterfully dissects suburban malaise and the struggle for authentic self-identity. Praised for its unflinching realism and rich character development, critics laud its piercing insights into marital turmoil. However, some find its bleak outlook overly pessimistic and the prose occasionally dense. Overall, a compelling but somber read.
Who Should Read Revolutionary Road?
A reader who appreciates complex character studies and critiques of suburban life will relish Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates. Fans of Richard Ford's Independence Day or John Updike's Rabbit, Run will find similar themes of existential dissatisfaction and the search for meaning.