The Revolutionary Road Theme

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Recommended: Gender Role In Revolutionary Road

The film Revolutionary Road directed by Sam Mendes is a story about a married couple that appear to be living a happy, american dream lifestyle. We later find that Franks wife, April is very unhappy with the way her lifestyle has turned out, she is consumed with the concept of moving to paris to lead a different life fuelled with freedom and love. With Frank being sceptical of her idea, consistent arguing pursues and subsequently leads to April loosing her life through an unsuccessful, self administered abortion. The themes in this film strongly suggest that males had complete dominance and supremacy over females in the 1950’s. April was rebelling against this idea, several examples in the film display this fact with great clarity.

An example of this theme would be when April said “I think if you touch me, Im going to scream” He replies with “F**k you!” and continues to lecture her, telling her she is hollow and she shouldn’t be able to have his next child. This scene particularly shows how April tried to take control of the situation but Frank scares her and ends up taking complete control of her. This film is constantly switching dominant roles in the protagonists. One moment Frank is the man of the house, and the next, April is rebelling against the conformity of the american dream lifestyle. This film always relays the theme of male supremacy, April seems to be looked down upon by all males in the film. She is bored of being a house wife, looking after the kids and cleaning the house, and waiting for her husband to come home. “We should move to paris, and get away” says April, Frank replies “Whoa whoa, how will I support us, how will I get a good job?” Immediately April replies “You don’t have to work, You can stay at home wi...

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...a man?” Frank screams and raises his fist to punch her, but instead he turns and beats up the car roof to take out his anger. This scene is particularly important as it displays one of the themes of the film clearly. Frank automatically assumes that April is “sick” because she simply didn't want to talk. April standing up for herself was almost seen as an act of defiance against simple, happy suburban life.

The film Revolutionary Road shows us many themes, the theme that was displayed most clearly was male domination and supremacy. Therefore the audience is more understanding of what it was like to live in suburbia in 1950’s america. Women had to follow what was expected of them, and this film shows us that the lifestyle of the american dream is not suited by everybody, in this case April wanted to move away from the imperfection and impurities of the perfect life.

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