THE GRADUATE

By. Kristen Wood

    The era of the 1960’s was one of a kind.  In 1967, the year “The Graduate” is set in, life in the United States is only a couple months off from becoming chaos, as the beginning of the Vietnam War starts and the Cold War reaches its height.  However, the film focuses on something different.  It focuses on the social and sexual aspects of society.  Standings in society were complex as class rank based on wealth and power, dominated the life of everyone living in the Unites States.  Critics reviewed it as “best seriocomic social satire” and “it gives a scathing view of the older affluent generation, of the total amorality and hypocrisy of our adult society”. (New York Times Film Facts)  
  
     Benjamin Braddock, played by an up and comer in the time, Dustin Hoffman, is the title character in the film.  A young man just graduated from college, Benjamin is at a crossroad in life.  All of his family and friends are extremely proud of his accomplishments and want nothing more than to praise him constantly and expect only more great things from him in the future. Overwhelmed by the intense pressure put upon him, Benjamin must find a way out, an escape to freedom.  The only problem is, because of his young age, no one in his life considers him qualified to make decisions concerning his own life.  Benjamin is like so many other young Americans during this era.  They are furious at the injustices placed upon them in areas such as university schooling, racial inequality, social injustice, and the political and economic constraints placed on them in everyday life and work (1960's Overview).  Young people all over the country were rebelling against the unfairness placed on them through protests on college campuses and in the work place. Benjamin was one of these young people.  He, however, chose to rebel and make his statement through a certain Mrs. Robinson.

    In the 1960’s, power and prestige came from class standing.  In “The Graduate” however, the emphasis was placed more on age.  Obviously, as it has always been seen throughout the ages, the older you get, the more wisdom and experience you gain.  This somehow automatically gives an older person the advantage and power over anyone that is younger than themselves.  Mrs. Robinson, played by Anne Bancroft, took advantage of this given power.  Using the power of seduction over the distressed and confused Benjamin, she manages to fulfill her needs through a young man, almost half her age.  Mrs. Robinson, distraught over the failings and lack of love in her own marriage, decides to take the matter in her own hands, because she knows that she will be able to accomplish domination .  Benjamin is young and the son of some of her best friends.  She knows that he will be unable to say, “No!” to her.  Despite the bad feelings that Benjamin has about the adulteress act that he is participating in, he never quits.  Quite possibly, because he may think Mrs. Robinson must have the knowledge and experience to know what is allowed between the two of them.  Stopping the act would be too risky to attempt with a woman such as herself.  Mrs.Robinson's age and experience was clear during the first night at the hotel.  Benjamin was extremely uncomfortable with the prospect of getting a room with Mrs.Robinson and the actual act of reserving the room.  Mrs. Robinson is forced to talk him through the steps of this and the occurances when they first arrive in the room.  This situation truly shows the immaturity and lack of experience on Benjamin's part, compared to that of Mrs. Robinson.

      It was love for Elaine, Mrs. Robinson’s daughter, and Benjamin, in the midst of the “summer of love”, 1967.  It is not surprising that the two fell for each other on the basis of something other than sexual passion.  Both were young and dated as any young couple would.  Hippie style: free and fun, expressing their “flower power” (1960's Overview).  They enjoyed activities such as the movies and drive-in.  Two activities of the 60’s youth generation.   he relationship between Elaine Robinson and Benjamin was different than that of her mother and Benjamin.  First of, the two were equals.  They shared the same passions and dreams.  They understood how strangled the other felt by the society surrounding them.  Despite the happiness that these two young adults feel, the power of the older generation was never going to be far behind.  Mrs. Robinson does everything in her power to keep Elaine and Benjamin apart. Why, according to Mrs. Robinson, should she let her younger daughter have any happiness that could be hers?  Why does it matter that by being domineering, just because she can, hurts her own daughter greatly?  This represents an attitude of many of the affluent and powerful society members of the era.  Happiness and prestige of the higher class/group can only be achieved through making the other group inferior to your own group (Liberty).  Mrs. Robinson does this by allowing herself to control the relationship of her daughter and lover.  This is described in a film review by the New York Times, which reads, “Elaine is beautifully fluid and true to the typical college-senior daughter whose sensitivities are helplessly exposed for brutal abrasion by her parents and by the permissive society in which she lives (New York Times Film Facts).