Unit 2 The Graduate (1967)
II. Questions for Thoughts
The following answers are given only for reference, and the students are encouraged to present their own understandings of or opinions on these questions.
1. How do Benjamin Braddock’s parents celebrate Ben’s returning home? Does Ben like this idea? They hold a party to celebrate his college graduation. However, Ben is not as excited as his parents and he is reluctant to meet the guests. He is deeply worried about his future because he wants to do something other than receiving further education as his parents expect. 2. Who are invited to the party? What do they think of Ben? Why? The guests are all his parents’ old friends, so none of them is of his age. They all regard Ben as an excellent boy with a promising future, because he has graduated with good records and won a scholarship. 3. How does Ben behave himself at the party? Why does he finally escape to his room upstairs? He tries to be polite to everyone but obviously he seems detached, not being able to enjoy any bit of the party. Finally, he retreats to his own room because he finds it impossible to share his worries and cares with anyone in the party and he wants to be alone. 4. Who is Mrs. Robinson? How does she persuade Ben to drive her home? Mrs. Robinson is one of the old friends of Ben’s parents. Her husband has been the business partner of Ben’s father. She asks Ben to drive her home, saying that their car is taken by her husband. At first, Ben gives her the key of his car and asks her to drive by herself. However, Mrs. Robinson insists Ben give her a ride home for she doesn’t know how to drive Ben’s car.
5. How does Mrs. Robinson make Ben stay with her in her house? What does Ben think of her? When they arrive in front of the house, Mrs. Robinson asks Ben to come into the house with her because she is afraid of darkness. Then, she persuades Ben to have a drink and stay with her till her husband comes back, saying that she’s afraid of being alone. Later, when Ben feels so nervous that he insists on leaving, she asks Ben to help unzip her dress and bring her purse from downstairs to the bathroom upstairs. Ben has always thought of her as a nice family friend. Now he suspects she is trying to seduce him, so he becomes quite confused and scared. 6. How do the Braddocks celebrate Ben’s birthday? Does Ben have a good time? Why or why not? They hold a party around the swimming pool, inviting some family
friends again. Ben is dressed in the diver’s wet suit, carrying an oxygen can, wearing a mask and holding a spear gun in his hand. He is about to make a show of diving into deep water as arranged by his father. Ben doesn’t like the idea at all. He tries to discuss it with his father, but his father is overexcited about the idea and what he cares is that Ben should not disappoint the guests.
7. Why does Ben invite Mrs. Robinson to accompany him at the hotel? He is at a loss about his life. In his depression, Mrs. Robinson’s offer of an affair appears much more fascinating than before. Nevertheless, Ben does not call Mrs. Robinson in order to have an affair; he is not sure of his action and is fearful of such a situation. 8. How does Ben manage to get a room at the hotel? Is he prepared for having an affair with Mrs. Robinson? He pretends to come to stay in the hotel by himself. At the registration desk, he figures out a false name for himself. When the receptionist offers to help him with his luggage, he lies that he prefers to leave his luggage in his car outside and he’d rather go to find the hotel room himself.
He has some vague idea about what will happen in the hotel, but he is not fully prepared for this. What he wants most is to talk with her about his deep worries, to find some emotional outlet. So, when Mrs. Robinson starts to take off her clothes, he’s extremely nervous and somewhat scared.
9. How do Ben’s parents plan for his future? Do they get suspicious of his behavior? They want him to go to a good graduate school. His father thinks Ben is just relaxing and drifting around after a long time of hard study. He is a bit angry and disappointed with Ben when Ben shows no intention to consider preparing for his further education, but he never suspects anything about his affair with anyone. Ben’s mother suspects that Ben may get involved with some girl, but she is also far away from the truth.
10. How would you describe the relationship between Ben and Mrs. Robinson?
Why does Ben insist on starting a conversation with her while they are together in the hotel room for the second time?
Answers to this question may vary. A possible answer can be like this: Their relationship is nothing more than a sexual affair, for they never understand each other and they do not have anything in common. Both of them take the affair as their emotional outlet and a way to escape difficulties and frustration in life.
Ben wants to start a conversation because what he wants is not only an affair but a kind of intimate relationship based on mutual
understanding.
11. What does Mrs. Robinson say about her marriage?
She says she doesn’t love Mr. Robinson at all. They get married because she gets pregnant at that time. She doesn’t feel happy after marriage and they have not slept together for five years. Now both of them are heavy drinkers.
12. What promise does Ben make to Mrs. Robinson? Does he promise her
willingly? Why or why not?
Ben promises he will not take Elaine out. He is not quite willing to make such a promise because he finds that Mrs. Robinson does not think he is good enough for her daughter. That hurts Ben and makes him reflect on their affair, and he feels sick of it. 13. Does Ben keep his promise? Why or why not?
No. His parents insist he should ask Elaine out because both of them think Elaine is a very good girl for him. Besides, Mr. Robinson keeps asking Ben’s parents to let Ben call Elaine, and that makes Ben’s parents rather embarrassed when Ben keeps refusing to call the girl. So, the parents decide if Ben doesn’t want to ask her out, they’d like to invite the Robinson family to have dinner at home. To make things less awkward, Ben finally agrees to ask Elaine out. 14. How does Ben behave himself on his first date with Elaine? Why does
he do so?
He behaves very rude on purpose. He drives fast, pretends to be not hungry, making Elaine feel he has no intention to have dinner with her, and he walks very fast, making it difficult for Elaine to follow. Then, he takes Elaine to watch a stripper’s show which makes Elaine feel insulted and hurt. He tries to hurt Elaine because he thinks it’s better for both of them to keep away from each other.
15. How does Elaine get to know that Ben had an affair with her mother?
How do the daughter and the mother react to the revealing of the truth?
Ben tells her something about his having an affair with an older woman, but he doesn’t tell her who the woman is.
However, later Mrs. Robinson demands that Ben stop seeing Elaine and she threatens to tell Elaine the truth if Ben turns a deaf ear to her warning. With Mrs. Robinson following him to Elaine’s room, Ben decides to tell Elaine the truth himself. Just at that moment, Mrs. Robinson appears, and Elaine can tell from their expressions that her mother is the older woman.
Elaine is on the edge of breaking down while getting the truth. Mrs. Robinson remains cold and untouched because she takes it as an acceptable price for stopping Ben and Elaine from seeing each other.
16. How does Ben know that Elaine left for Berkeley? What does he decide
to do then?
He often stands outside the Robinson house, watching Elaine from far away and one day he sees Mr. Robinson and Elaine putting her luggage in the car and driving away. Then he knows Elaine is leaving for Berkeley.
He decides to go to Berkeley to look for Elaine and make a proposal to her.
17. Does Ben have a substantial conversation with Elaine after he arrived
in Berkeley? Why or why not? What does he do then?
No. At first, he cannot get an opportunity to have a real conversation with Elaine for she always stays together with a group of students. Besides, he is very nervous, having no idea how to talk with Elaine about his incident with Mrs. Robinson and how to make her understand him and forgive him. So, he just stands somewhere watching Elaine on campus. Later, he finds Elaine is going out with another guy and he just thinks it’s impossible for them to have any further talks. 18. Why does Elaine go to visit Ben and then ask Ben to leave her alone?
Does she believe in Ben’s words about his relationship with her mother?
She wants to tell Ben she can never forgive him for doing such a terrible thing to her mother, for her mother tells her that she was raped by Ben. When Ben tells her everything, she finds it too hard to believe; but deep in her heart, she knows that her mother might be lying to her.
19. How does Mr. Robinson get to know the affair? What does he decide
to do?
Mrs. Robison tells him about her relationship with Ben, but she obviously lies. Mr. Robinson comes to Berkeley to warn Ben not to get close to Elaine again. Otherwise, he says he will prosecute Ben and send him into prison.
20. Why does Elaine refuse Ben’s proposal?
She feels it’s best for her to refuse Ben because her father gets very angry with Ben. If they get married, her father will definitely take a revenge on Ben. Besides, her mother will also be mad at them. So, Elaine feels it will never work out.
21. How does Ben get to know that Elaine is going to marry Carl?
When he goes to look for Elaine at the Robinson house, he meets Mrs. Robinson, who tells him in a triumphant way that Elaine is going to marry Carl. 22. How does Ben find the wedding church and how does he prevent the
announcement of the marriage?