Revolutionary Road: Part 3, Chapter 6 Summary & Analysis

After the Givingses leave, Frank takes a large drink of whiskey. He says to April that he knows what April is thinking: that John was right. April agrees. Frank says John is insane and that insanity is the inability to love. April begins to laugh hysterically. When she quiets down, she says that Frank is an amazing talker, and if black could be made white by talking he would do it. She asks if she is crazy because she doesn’t love him; he says she isn’t crazy and she does love him, then moves to touch her. She says she will scream if he comes close to her. Frank approaches and she screams at the top of her lungs. He yells that she is an empty shell of a woman, and that he wishes she had aborted the baby. Storming from the room, Frank congratulates himself on this stinging remark.

Frank locks himself in their room and then hears the kitchen door slam. He fears that April is leaving him and follows her out of the house. She tells him to leave her alone or she will scream. He retreats to the house to watch her. Eventually, she comes back inside and calls Milly, asking her if she can keep the kids overnight. Then April lies down on the couch facing away from him. In the past, Frank would have gone on a drive, but now he feels weak with emotion. He locks himself in their bedroom with the bottle of whiskey and falls asleep to terrible dreams.

At one point during the night, he thinks he sees April sitting by the bed. He says to her, “oh, my baby, don’t go away,” and she replies, “it’s all right, Frank. Go to sleep.” He wakes up extremely hung over, unsure if this was a dream. He realizes he must go to work, because today is the day of Pollock’s introductory conference.

Frank is shocked to see the table set for breakfast for two. April speaks politely to him and asks him to tell her about the conference and the coming work for Pollock. Frank wonders if their fight finally got all their anger out of their systems. He draws a diagram of the way a computer works on a napkin, and April tells him it’s actually sort of interesting. Struggling with his emotions, Frank thanks April for the breakfast. As he leaves, he doesn’t know what to say. He asks April if this means she doesn’t hate him. She says she doesn’t. He leans in hesitantly to kiss her. She looks surprised, but then kisses him back, and he leaves for work.