I loved his short stories and I can see how this story is a bit of an extension of his bitterness, ramblings against nuclear families, the dirt between fingernails, and the mundane tendencies of picture perfect marriages. Frank and April Wheeler are from parents who never wanted to have kids, and the Wheelers seem to try to define their lives by their marriage, home on revolutionary road, steady income, and family - even though their minds are in denial that what they believe and how they chose to live will change and be nothing like the conservative neighbors around them. The affairs with Mareen Grube, happy hour with the Campbells, and the only strike of truth from Mrs. Givings insane son John are still refreshing and simple. Yea, but this story ended too predictably. I can see how the story in the time it was written (60's) was a kick in the head for the American Dream scheme, and it still works. I think if I still lived with my parents in suburbia and was going to school to work in a cube for a corporation, I would say "hell yea", this is what should happen to those white picket fence families, but I vowed to never fall into that lifestyle...so ho hum.
Reading this now.. and its refreshing. weeeeeee
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