Response Essay

The topics in this response concern the film Revolutionary Road. Choose only one of the topics. Include evidence from the film in your arguments. Your essay will be evaluated in part based upon the evidence you give for your position. Your essay should be no less than 800 words.

1. Many subtle and perhaps not so subtle scenes appear which reveal much about the relation between men and women in the film. One of my favorite lines comes from Millie who says to Frank, "Give us girls a couple days and we can get over anything." Devise a thesis pertaining to men and women in the film Revolutionary Road. From the beginning make it clear how your thesis and argument pertains to ethics.

2. In one scene April says to Frank "No one forgets the truth, they just get better at lying." Provide no less than three examples from the film in which it is clear that characters are lying to themselves. From these examples construct a thesis in which you develop a model of what lying means in Revolutionary Road.

3. John, the son of Mrs. Givings, seems a typical literary and cinematic character. He is the madman who has the power of speaking the truth. Do you agree? Present an argument with thesis that John indeed is such a character or that John is meant to mislead viewers into thinking he is the truthful madman.

4. The battle comes down to April and Frank. It seems a battle about the best way to live life. Choose a position. Which side, April or Frank, is correct? Present an argument.