Revolutionary Road

Goodness. I don't even know where to start. Richard Yates said, "If my work has a theme, I suspect it is a simple one: that most human beings are inescapably alone, and therein lies their tragedy." I have a hard time relating to those kinds of themes, for obvious reasons (the gospel, a happy and fulfilling marriage, my family, etc.), but it was an interesting book. The American Studies classes I enjoyed most were my 50s and 60s classes, so I got to think back on things like the paint by numbers craze and the emergence of suburbia in order to better understand the book.

One thing that I was trying to wrap my mind around was why Sam Mendes decided to adapt the book into a movie this past year, almost 50 years after the book was published. (I haven't seen the movie, but it sounds like a pretty accurate adaptation.) I definitely believe that media is a mirror of our times; I probably just need more time to think on it. I would be interested to hear your thoughts if any of you decide to read it, and hope that you have that question in mind.

Like I said, I guess I have gospel goggles on, because I don't feel trapped in my marriage, and Robbie has never tried to suppress my hopes and dreams. It was a really difficult task to try and sympathize with the protagonists because they were both just sickeningly selfish, yet I was still quite shaken by the time I finished the book. Simultaneously shaken and relieved, strangely enough.

I'd recommend it. It seemed a bit daunting and slow-moving at first, but I plowed through it in a couple of days. Really compelling.

Ed. note: I just read Kenneth Turan's review, and he says that "the core of this film finally cries out to us today, makes us see that the notion of characters struggling with life, with the despair of betraying their best selves because of what society will or won't allow, is as gripping and relevant now as it ever was. Or ever will be." Interesting.