Revolutionary Road as Representation of Masculinity in Crisis

Year 2025, Issue: 64, 53 - 66, 30.12.2025

Şenol Bezci

Abstract

As covered in masculinity studies, American men have been in a crisis about the gender roles since the 18th century due to fast changing models of masculinity. The crisis is felt acutely in the Cold War era in particular because of the contrasting models of masculinity that require conformism and nonconformism at the same time. Frank Wheeler, the protagonist of Richard Yates’ Revolutionary Road, is, too, caught in the dilemma of social conformity and individual authenticity. His masculinity is crippled at a young age by his father and his sense of originality or nonconformism is undermined by an insensitive school friend. These two sources of inferiority later turn him into a man who has to deal with his fragile masculinity by rationalizations, justifications and pretensions. These means of dealing with his crisis cast shadow on his efforts of nonconformity.

Keywords

Richard Yates , Revolutionary Road , Masculinity Studies , Cold War America , Suburbia

Ethical Statement

The writer of this article abides by the international ethical principles of scientific and academic research.

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