Becoming The Graduate
I just found a good ol’ gem in my early 20s. The Graduate film. I know, I know! This timeless 1967 oldie goldie flick has been here for ages..
but I’m way too glad to watch it this year.
Why?
Okay. Firstly I’m going to level with you, I don’t know how to start this writing, and I guess I’m not going to put too much pressure to write it in the right order. Let’s dive in with me. Ready?
*** 🎵 Now Playing Mrs.Robinson — Simon & Garfunkel ***
I knew this film because of (500) Days of Summer, my favorite film that I analyzed for my thesis. (Yeah, too bad I have not outgrown this film since the day I watched it in my junior high year now that I’m a fresh graduate). You know what, about The Graduate, it’s like I found a great film in a great film! The Graduate is a film that shapes the life of the main character of (500) Days of Summer, Tom Hansen. Curious, I watched this film to grasp a deeper knowledge about Tom Hansen character. Oh, hang on. Good gracious! This is about The Graduate. I mean, The Graduate film, not me as a graduate. (Weeeellll… I think there are some connections towards it tho!)
Since I’ve recently just graduated, my fear about the future deeply resonates with The Graduate film especially with Benjamin’s struggle to define his future as a graduate in that era. I get that Benjamin wants to be different from the older generation around him. He says it himself in the film and I knew it even before I heard that dialogue in the film the first time I listened to the opening movie soundtrack. The Sound of Silence by Simon & Garfunkel.
And in the naked light, I saw
Ten thousand people, maybe more
People talking without speaking
People hearing without listening
People writing songs that voices never share
And no one dared
Disturb the sound of silence
From this song's lyrics, I know that Benjamin is the one who dares to “disturb the sound of silence” in the film. I can feel the generation gap between Benjamin and his parents as well as his parents’ friends. Ah, especially on Ben’s birthday. This sense of alienation is so vivid in my eyes when I see him through his point of view inside his scuba-diving suit.
Meanwhile, I remember this dialogue where Benjamin gets some advice from his parents’ friend named Mr.Maguire at a party and the word “plastics” hits me freaking differently.
Mr. Maguire: There is a great future in plastics. Think about it. Will you think about it?
Benjamin: Yes, I will.
Mr. Maguire: Okay. Enough said. That’s a deal.
(The Graduate, 1967)
Plastics?
What does that even mean? Does that word refer to the people? The future itself? Or the whole earthly matter that Benjamin is going to find out once he starts his reality outside college?
Plastics.
Is it something to do with the fakeness of something or someone? Or maybe the opposite, like, the idea of the impermanence of something or someone since plastic acquires a very looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong period of time to vanish from this world?
Benjamin doesn’t know for sure, and I don’t know either (yet)..
This film indeed left me hanging with some kind of inevitable feeling of becoming a graduate. You know, the blessing in the blur, the blur in the blessing. Right now, I’m becoming Benjamin Braddock in my own life who’s in search of a reason to live like Benjamin fighting for Elaine’s love (Well actually this is just a metaphor. I’m not looking for true love right now like Tom Hansen going head over heels for Summer in (500) Days of Summer due to a total misreading of The Graduate hahaha I feel bad for you Tom..), and again, metaphorically speaking, whose quest of life purpose is probably going to be rock-bottom yet HOPEFULLY finds its catalyst somewhere down the line like when Benjamin meets Mrs.Robinson.
From this film, I learned that life is always going to get you somewhere for better or worse. Even when you feel like you’re stuck in a place you're not fond of or even you despise the most. Just like at a point in the film where Benjamin feels stuck in the same cycle of fatal attraction towards Mrs.Robinson, or when Benjamin feels so stagnated about his future in general compared to his parents’ expectations regarding the things he has to pursue as a grown-up according to the social standard then. I learned that I might find something that is meant for me from a place or a situation that I/other people thought was the worst.
How? I guess, according to this film is by getting out of one’s comfort zone.
Yeah.. as cliché as it is. I heard it from most people too. To be great is to get out of our comfort zone, they said. Here, Benjamin decides to end that illicit affair with Mrs.Robinson and finally meets Elaine, the love of his life.
However, I kinda have a different perspective in viewing the idea of getting away of the comfort zone when it comes to Benjamin’s post-graduate life compared to what his parents want. I think Benjamin doesn’t get out of his comfort zone due to what he wants in life if the comfort zone meter is set from his perspective, not being measured by the expectations of his parents and the mediocre making him do what he pleases instead of thriving for a change coming from the wishes of the two parties mentioned before. At the same time, I also think that Benjamin does get out of his comfort zone if it’s set from the comfort zone meter of his parents and the mediocre. He’s so cool and brave for choosing the life that he really wants.
Wow, I’m so glad to watch The Graduate in my early 20s. It’s like a fate to me, not gonna lie! Still quite uncertain if I wish to outgrow this movie or not as I feel like The Graduate is such a movie that’s always going to vibe with me no matter how old I’m gonna get. Many lessons learned from each generation in this movie which I cannot write here.. yeah, gonna be way too wordy I guess! So at last I can say that it’s pretty much helpful for my early 20s and beyond especially when I get older and life begins at 40.
P.S I hope I won’t misread this film as Tom Hansen does. Peace.
