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To me that something has always been the very ending of the flick, that concluding scene that adds a new dimension to otherwise lovely but okay film - those final moments on the bus with Simon and Garfunkel's The Audio of Silence in the groundwork, with shut-
Rarely practise I prefer motion picture versions of a book over the book itself, but there's no competition hither. Dearest or detest The Graduate - the cult 1960s movie - you gotta agree it has heart, or at least that virtually intangible something that burns it into memory.To me that something has always been the very catastrophe of the movie, that final scene that adds a new dimension to otherwise lovely only okay film - those last moments on the coach with Simon and Garfunkel'due south The Sound of Silence in the groundwork, with close-upwardly on the faces of Ben and Elaine, so exhilarated from their on-the-spur-of-the-moment decision - but, as the camera lingers, we meet eventual tiresome fading of the happy grins and uncertainty setting in, and the slightly confused awkward apprehensive glances at each other - now what? - the scene that is the nearly perfect decision of whatever movie ever, and subtle enough for generations of college students to misinterpret it.
Add to it astonishing performances by Dustin Hoffman and Anne Bancroft, breathing life into what otherwise could have been wooden characters, and the residual of the lovely soundtrack past Simon and Garfunkel - and the cult film is born.
This center, this humanity, this something is what Charles Webb'south start novel The Graduate completely lacks, even though superficially it is not that different from the film based on it. The plot is the same - a bored and disillusioned affluent recent college graduate starts an matter with an older woman, then promptly falls in love with her dishrag-personality daughter, madly pursues the above mentioned daughter and breaks up her nuptials to some other affluent boyfriend, all while unsure of his place in life in the 1960s. The scenes are the same every bit in the moving-picture show, the dialogue very similar - merely where the motion-picture show soars, the book drowns like a brick.
You run into, separated from the humanity brought to it by the amazing Hoffman and Bancroft performances, the book feels desolately empty and meaningless. Information technology's seems to mostly consist of awkward circular dialogues that go on forever, full of filler with nothing actually being said, with people droning on an on meaninglessly, constantly request each other, 'What?' The attempts at advice are empty because no one actually has anything to say - a smart literary move, perhaps, if used sparingly and to the point, but the glut of the non-communication quickly becomes tiring, irritating and shallow. By overemphasizing emptiness around Benjamin, the volume becomes quite empty itself.
"Ben?" he said, opening his son's door.Nobody in this volume listens to anyone else, peculiarly Benjamin Braddock, the protagonist, a selfish privileged young college graduate who, later on a life handed to him on the silver platter, has a case of ennui and is lucky enough to have parents rich enough to allow him to parasitically waste matter his life in the pathetic self-pity while openly despising anybody around him because, of class, everyone is junior to his special snowflakeness. He refuses to understand anyone, refuses to have meaningful communication with anyone, places himself into the center of the Benjamin-centric universe, judges anybody except himself, sees no consequences for his actions, and, after deciding - arbitrarily, information technology seems - to fall in dear, basically badgers the most vapid dear interest ever to pay attention to him.
"I'll be downwards later," Benjamin said.
"Ben, the guests are all here," his male parent said. "They're all waiting."
"I said I'll be down subsequently."
Mr. Braddock closed the door behind him. "What is it," he said.
Benjamin shook his head and walked to the window.
"What is information technology, Ben."
"Null."
"And so why don't yous come on down and run into your guests."
Benjamin didn't reply.
"Ben?"
"Dad," he said, turning effectually, "I have some things on my heed correct now."
"What things."
"Simply some things."
"Well can't you tell me what they are?"
"No."
He is ridiculous in his pompous quasi-disillusioned snobbery, and very chop-chop progresses from annoying to only just an ass.
The moving picture treats this scene every bit suffocated cry of a lone soul. In the book, Ben Braddock is a bored and rude self-absorbed twit.
Throughout the story he sounds not similar a talented most-prodigy college graduate. No, he sounds like a perpetually pissed-off snappy overpampered fifteen-twelvemonth-sometime teenager, aroused for the sake of anger. Where film-Benjamin is confused and lost and humanly vulnerable, book-Benjamin is but irritatingly total of himself.
Benjamin stood. "At present look!" he said, waving his arm through the air. "I have been a goddamn—a goddamn ivy-covered condition symbol around here for four years. And I think I'm entitled to—"Entitled is precisely the word to describe Benjamin. Exactly correct.
Written past a very young (24 years old!) privileged human from affluent Pasadena about a very immature privileged man from affluent Pasadena, this volume to me seems a perfect testament to the well-known fact that if you lot are a privileged boyfriend, you tin can exercise whatever the hell yous desire and mope around for a while while being fashionably disillusioned because you know at the finish of it your convenient life will be handed back to you on the same silver platter.
The book is devoid of any kind of internal monologue of characters, of any hints at their mental land, their motivations - nothing except for what'due south on the surface and what gets across in the empty endless dialogue. I can see how that could have been conceived as a literary device, merely likewise much of it makes the book also shallow and empty and meaningless. At least in the picture Hoffman and Bancroft's acting brought life to the characters, filling in what was unsaid with body language and facial expressions, thus creating something behind the actions of the characters. Devoid of this, the book does not provide an alternative - it simply provides nothing.
The expressions of the motorbus people at the end were probably exactly what my expression was by the end of this volume.
And the ending - MY film ending that brings in subtlety and subverts so much of the film - no, of class it was not hither. Information technology would accept been airheaded to expect subtlety from such a slow book. It ends just as flatly as it began, woodenly and purposelessly.
"Elaine was still trying to catch her breath. She turned her face to look at him. For several moments she saturday looking at him, so she reached over and took his manus.
"Benjamin?" she said.
"What."
The bus began to movement."
So if you lot happened to find an old copy of the book The Graduate and, feeling nostalgic for college years, want to relive the experience, I recommend the post-obit: get some nice wine, rent the film The Graduate with Dustin Hoffman and Anne Bancroft, and get comfortable on the couch using the book The Graduate every bit a coaster for your wine drinking glass.
Lovely evening guaranteed.
One-half a star.
...more
"Self, are you enjoying this book?"
"Why? Are you lot trying to seduce me?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about. I just desire you to unzip my wearing apparel because I can't reach the zipper. But actually, are you enjoying this book?"
"Not really. I mean it's interesting in the style that truly awful things are ever int
I am sure I tin write a review in the style of this book. I read virtually of information technology on a subway and then on a charabanc. I stopped and stared at the words on the pages sometimes. Then I would talk to myself."Self, are yous enjoying this book?"
"Why? Are yous trying to seduce me?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about. I only want y'all to unzip my apparel considering I tin't attain the attachment. But really, are you enjoying this volume?"
"Not really. I mean it'due south interesting in the way that truly atrocious things are always interesting. But it must be ameliorate than I think because it's and then famous. But no, I gauge I'm not really enjoying it."
"What are y'all going to do virtually that?"
"Nix."
"What practice you mean nil?"
"I hateful nothing. I'm just going to sit here and keep reading."
"How can you lot do nix? Why would you read a book you're non enjoying? What's wrong with you?"
"I just can, that'south all."
"Well I don't run into how you can. You need to do something. You should take a plan. A definite plan. I'grand going to worry most you until yous take a definite programme."
"If I come up with a definite plan to practise something other than nothing, will you marry me?"
"Well I used to think you raped my mother and five minutes ago I never wanted to see you lot again. Then I guess my answer is mayhap."
"Dandy, allow'due south get get our blood tests in the forenoon."
"Maybe. But I might have decided to ally someone else by then."
I near gave it two stars because information technology was interesting in a very bad-mannered fashion. But then I realized how much the higher up dialogue summed up the book for me. I had to take away the 2nd star.
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The plot is simple: a disenchanted, recently graduated, well-to-do young human being has an affair with an attractive, well-to-practise, older adult female whose husband just and so
In 1963 a swain past the name of Charles Webb published a book called THE GRADUATE, a story that was supposedly based on a true story. It was a sensation. Iv years later on, it became a hit picture starring Anne Bancroft, Dustin Hoffman, and Katherine Ross. Okay, nosotros all know these facts. Let'due south go out the moving-picture show alone and just focus on the book.The plot is simple: a disenchanted, recently graduated, well-to-practise immature human being has an affair with an bonny, well-to-do, older woman whose husband simply so happens to be business partners with the beau's father...don't forget that the immature man also falls in love with the older (cougar) woman'due south daughter. Got that? Good. Because there really is non much else going on in the volume.
And, to exist honest, information technology was not the story that made me similar this novel. No, it was the mode in which it was told that made me like this novel. Charles Webb was 24(!) when he published this novel. This was his first foray into writing. Pretty impressive, fifty-fifty with all the flaws. Yous see, what attracts me to this story is how Webb created, and sustained, entire scenes by using dialogue. Sharp and ironic and sometimes haplessly mundane, these exchanges between the characters create scenes that evoke a sense of fourth dimension and place. Additionally, the reader can really feel the isolation and alienation of all the characters through what they say...or, through what they don't say. (This often lead me to want to brain a character, specially Elaine. Where are your brains, woman?)
This book is a amend, stronger version of what I think THE CATCHER IN THE RYE, written much earlier in 1951, was trying to be. I could exist incorrect, that happens. Regardless, Webb wrote a brilliant, sardonic, and ludicrously funny novel that illustrates a moment in time. The one flaw I see of the novel that is jarring to the reader is the ending. Peradventure Webb puttered out, stopped the story at a place that made sense to him. For me, there needed to be more. Not much, just enough that I knew where Ben and Elaine were headed on that coach.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
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The Graduate is a 1963 novella by Charles Webb, who wrote it soon afterward graduating from Williams College. It tells the story of Benjamin Braddock, who, while pondering his future after his graduation, has an affair with the older Mrs. Robinson, the wife of his male parent's business partner.
تاریخ نخستین خوانش: بیستم ماه آگوست سال 1971 میلادی
عنوان: در سکرات عشق - فارغ التحصیل؛ نویسنده: چارلز وب؛ مترجم: ا. انوریان؛ تهران، بامداد، 1344، در 244 ص
ا. شربیانی The Graduate, Charles Webb
The Graduate is a 1963 novella by Charles Webb, who wrote it shortly after graduating from Williams College. It tells the story of Benjamin Braddock, who, while pondering his futurity after his graduation, has an affair with the older Mrs. Robinson, the wife of his father's business partner.
تاریخ نخستین خوانش: بیستم ماه آگوست سال 1971 میلادی
عنوان: در سکرات عشق - فارغ التحصیل؛ نویسنده: چارلز وب؛ مترجم: ا. انوریان؛ تهران، بامداد، 1344، در 244 ص
ا. شربیانی ...more
I don't really listen a boy who tries to interruption free from the brutal boredom of the American Conventional Dream. Really, I find it quite interesting that he dares to run across the meaninglessness of repeating empty patterns over and over again.
I don't mind the matter between him and Mrs Robinson either. After all, soothing the pain and filling the inner void with sex activity is way more healthy than doing it with endless alcohol, which seems to exist the only other solution that their community tin can come
Well, yeah!I don't really listen a male child who tries to break free from the cruel colorlessness of the American Conventional Dream. Actually, I notice it quite interesting that he dares to run into the meaninglessness of repeating empty patterns over and over once more.
I don't listen the affair betwixt him and Mrs Robinson either. After all, soothing the pain and filling the inner void with sexual activity is way more salubrious than doing it with endless booze, which seems to be the only other solution that their customs can come with.
Awkward silence inevitably followed past the fake-cheerful urge to go but a little bit more drunkard:
"Accept a curt ane?"
"Take a quick one?"
"Time for some other 1?"
What I institute incredibly annoying, ho-hum and frustrating though, was the ultimate placebo medication that the short novel steered towards: endmost the circle of pain by rash marriage.
Heureka! Curing poisoning with poison? Well, let's just say, I can see the new vicious circumvolve on the horizon already.
Why can't we be happier in each other's visitor? Because we attempt plan A over and over over again, equally surprised each time that it doesn't work...
A depressing piece of literature, just however, there were moments of comedy relief!
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Having actually enjoyed the movie and this existence one of the books in the 'Rory Gilmore Reading Challenge', it gave me ii reasons to desire to read it.
What surprised me nearly well-nigh the novel was how like the dialogue between the characters seem to be from my strong memories of watching the film.
I could instantly hear Dustin Hoffman's Benjamin Braddock bound directly from the folio.
I don't mind when movies and novels differ, though a straightforward adaptat
'Mrs Robinson, you are trying to seduce me.'Having really enjoyed the movie and this being one of the books in the 'Rory Gilmore Reading Challenge', it gave me ii reasons to want to read it.
What surprised me almost near the novel was how similar the dialogue between the characters seem to be from my strong memories of watching the flick.
I could instantly hear Dustin Hoffman'due south Benjamin Braddock jump direct from the page.
I don't heed when movies and novels differ, though a straightforward adaptation shows how strong the writing was in the original text.
I really liked Webb's punchy dialogue every bit all the characters come to life.
I should also mention how wonderfully flawed and interesting the grapheme of Mrs Robinson is and helps bulldoze the plot along.
In my heed the extreme actions that Benjamin takes in the later part of the story simply happens after he'due south encounters with Elaine'southward female parent.
I wasn't aware that Webb wrote a sequel, I'm definitely curious to read that too...
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This volume is pointless and inane, but I had to satisfy my curiosity. The best thing I can say about it is that information technology's short. I might have given information technology 2 stars if information technology actually had an ending. Whatever kind of ending. But it does not. It just stops, like information technology'southward the terminate of a affiliate and more than is coming. Don't bother looking for more than pages. It really IS over.
I've never seen the film, but I remember when I was a child those mo
"...koo-koo-ka-choo Miss-united states of america Rob-in-son...dee dee dee dee doo doo doo doo doo...wo, wo, wo...This book is pointless and inane, but I had to satisfy my curiosity. The all-time thing I can say about it is that it'due south short. I might take given it 2 stars if it actually had an ending. Whatsoever kind of ending. But it does not. It just stops, like it'south the end of a chapter and more than is coming. Don't bother looking for more pages. It actually IS over.
I've never seen the film, just I recall when I was a kid those movie posters of little Dusty H. were everywhere. And it was such a big bargain that this immature fool has an affair with a woman twice his age.
I am now somewhere in the same age range as Mrs. Robinson, so here'due south a petty hint for you immature guys who like older women:
Exercise NOT tell her, "I think you're the most attractive woman of all my parents' friends." :0 That's a seriously backhanded compliment which will be heard by the woman as, "Y'all're pretty good lookin' for an sometime hag." Fool, Benjamin, fool.
The theme of the volume had potential in a Richard Yates sort of way. Promising college kid has a blazing brilliant time to come, decides he doesn't want the American dream, and deliberately sets out to self-destruct. But in the end it doesn't evangelize. The characters' motivations are never defined. (Why oh why would a girl like Elaine even consider a nut job like Benjamin?!) Afterward awhile the whole thing but feels repetitive and annoying, simply you continue reading in the hope that it'south leading up to something important. Trust me, it'southward not.
...more than
Then the first betoken of lodge in this review is this: if someone has to ask if y'all're trying to seduce them then information technology probably follows that y'all are doing a piss-poor job in the seduction section. Either that or your object of animalism is especially birdbrained. In fact, much of this book and the bumbling inanities of the immature Benjamin Braddock provide a clear selection of examples of how NOT to practise
Probably best known as a moving picture and for those famous lines "Mrs Robinson, are you trying to seduce me?"So the first point of order in this review is this: if someone has to ask if yous're trying to seduce them then it probably follows that yous are doing a piss-poor job in the seduction section. Either that or your object of lust is particularly birdbrained. In fact, much of this volume and the bumbling inanities of the immature Benjamin Braddock provide a clear pick of examples of how Not to do the art of seduction. A Graduate he may exist... but not from the school of life or love.
1. Never ask the person if they are trying to seduce you. Forcing them to say, "Umm well yes, every bit it goes, I was trying to get in your pants" is a certain burn down mood killer. AWK-WARD!
ii. Folding your clothes prior to coitus. Nothing says control freak and lack of spontaneity better than a neatly folded pile of dress on the bureau or chair.
3. Referring to sex activity as coitus. Watch Big Blindside Theory and see why.
iv. Telling your paramour that they're a drunkard. If you lot stop them drinking it might make information technology harder to go them into bed in the first place (annotation here that I am not suggesting that drunkeness equals the word "yes".... E'er). Once that tipsy haze has gone, she'll see yous for the buffoon you actually are Benjamim Braddock, and clearly Mrs Robinson needs to be wearing the thickest beer goggles possible.
5. Describing the first run across equally climbing on top and kickoff the thing. She is non Ben Nevis, or any sort of peak to be scaled. You are not planting a flag (insert appropriate pole joke here) and frankly this judgement implies that she has all the sexual allure of a bunk bed.
vi. Chatting most your lovers child pre or mail service the bumping of the uglies, and musing on how you may go on a date with them at some point. OK, so the offspring in question is your ain age just this is so not absurd.
seven. Ending the affair by politely thanking someone for their time and the instructive nature of your well-organised and sanitised couplings. You send polite letters nigh the instructive and educational nature of an result to your grandparents after they've sent you a overnice jigsaw for Christmas. This is not the best way to leave your lover.
eight. Referring to your now jilted paramour as "an older adult female". Even if the age gap crosses the border into geological time scales, exercise not, under any circumstances describe attention to it in the format of the written word. This sort of thoughtless penmanship will never lead to anything skilful. Public humiliation, trial by peer and parent and a social meltdown will likely follow by fashion of revenge.
Ultimately this was a very easy read and Webb'due south stilted dialogue actually pushes home that awful blench factor of a world imploding and the fecklessness of unseasoned youth. Merely if you lot're entitled to a mid life crisis as popular civilization would accept us believe, then why shouldn't you be allowed to indulge in some first-class cusp of adulthood cook downward. Failed to go out all your angst during your teenage years? And then follow the fine example prepare by young Benjamin Braddock and self-destruct on your 21st birthday instead. After all, if 40 is the new thirty doesn't that mean that 21 is the new, er.... 11? Oh, Mrs Robinson!
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"I know that. But delight, Mrs. Robinson. This is difficult for me."
The Graduate past Charles Webb.
I cannot practice this book justice in a review. Classic, fantastic, must read.
"I am non trying to seduce y'all."I know that. Simply please, Mrs. Robinson. This is hard for me."
The Graduate by Charles Webb.
I cannot do this book justice in a review. Classic, fantastic, must read.
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This is what actually happened:
Reading
I need a nap
Reading
Nap for an hr
Reading
I want to buy some books
Reading
I don't actually have any I desire to buy
Rea...
What nearly some of those Martin Amis ones I've been drooling over?
Reading
I really need a new pocketbook
Reading
Possibly I should do a reading claiming for postmodernism next year
R
This is what really happened:
Reading
I need a nap
Reading
Nap for an 60 minutes
Reading
I desire to buy some books
Reading
I don't really have whatever I want to buy
Rea...
What most some of those Martin Amis ones I've been drooling over?
Reading
I really demand a new handbag
Reading
Maybe I should do a reading challenge for postmodernism side by side year
Readi...
Or this yr?
Re...
I need to research postmodernism
Reading, dammit
Re...advert...in.....g
The book ended up taking about twice equally long to read information technology every bit it should have. It was totally absurd. I had several specific complaints, although I just didn't like the writing in general. As I said it's nigh entirely dialogue. This included about 300 uses of the word "What?" I finally decided that at least all of those instances of single discussion lines was getting me through the book faster. Also, the character is a bully and an a**hole and he really needed someone to boot him in the assurance then he'd shut the hell up. For the men who just flinched, I don't usually believe in ball boot.
I never got the feel of any kind of a love story because he seemed to but exist bullying the woman into agreeing to ally him, afterwards stalking her exhaustively. He was really obnoxious and domineering. And frustrating.
The good news? I found a purse and ordered some books :)
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I tin can understand why Benjamin wanted Elaine (he's crazy) just why would Elaine even requite him the fourth dimension of twenty-four hour period let alone autumn in love with him? She is one of the least fleshed out characters I've ever read. She has no personality and her wavering between distressing and angry falls very apartment. The only understandable character in the entire novel is Mrs. Robinson. Her deportment and emotions actually fabricated sense to me and she was the only function of this book that I establish enjoyable to read. ...more than
The dialog was and then dull... "Elaine""What""Null""What".... ugh, I'm not afraid to say that these characters made absolutely no sense. Ben and Elaine, I hope you really end up together and leave your poor parents solitary.
Mrs. Robinson was not slap-up, but she was the nigh interesting one and the 1 who acted with purpose. She was depressed and/or bored with her life, and an alcoholic. She reacted ~"as expected"~ when Ben went out with Elaine. I didn't like her husband or This book was pointless!
The dialog was and then ho-hum... "Elaine""What""Nothing""What".... ugh, I'thou not afraid to say that these characters fabricated absolutely no sense. Ben and Elaine, I hope you really terminate up together and exit your poor parents lonely.
Mrs. Robinson was not great, but she was the nigh interesting ane and the 1 who acted with purpose. She was depressed and/or bored with her life, and an alcoholic. She reacted ~"as expected"~ when Ben went out with Elaine. I didn't like her husband or Ben'south parents, merely I estimate they were ok, also, because I sympathise where their actions came from.
But Ben and Elaine, Come ON! Boring, bland, no personality AT ALL. (view spoiler)[ Yes Ben, you should pursue and want to ally the daughter of the woman yous've been having an affair with and human action like a stalker. Aye Elaine, yous should "fall in love" (what was that?!?! It wasn't even infatuation) with a guy you've only been out once a few years ago and now once more, the guy who confessed on your showtime appointment that he had an affair with an older woman, then the second time you meet him, he tells yous it was your mother... way to go Elaine. Also, when your mother tells you he raped her, yous should believe him immediately when he tells you it wasn't. Yes, yous both should elope and let me keep with my life, please :( . (hide spoiler)] ...more
Du
I think reading this novel in my early twenties was another experience as compared to watching the movie. Around four decades ago, my friends and I enjoyed the picture (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gra...) starring (the great) Dustin Hoffman as Benjamin Braddock, Anne Bancroft as Mrs. Robinson, and Katharine Ross as her daughter Elaine also every bit some fantastic, romantic and wistful songs past Simon and Garfunkel, for case, 'The Audio of Silence', 'Scarborough Off-white', 'Mrs. Robinson', etc.During that time loosely called, 'The Period of Identity', in the midst of some Thai and strange hippies in search of the meaning of life in the world, it was mysterious for us then. Notwithstanding, we thought then nosotros needed to finish our studies and had our work to practise kickoff.
I think I'd find the copy kept somewhere and reread it soon.
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At present I have the lyrics of Simon and Garfunkel running through my head.
Here'due south to you Mrs Robinson
Jesus loves you more than you will know
Wo, Wo,Wo
God anoint you, please,Mrs Robinson
Heaven holds a place for those who pray
Hey,Hey,Hey,Hey,Hey,Hey
Loved the song likewise. Pure nostalgia.
I read this book ages ago and besides watched the pic.At present I have the lyrics of Simon and Garfunkel running through my caput.
Here's to you Mrs Robinson
Jesus loves you lot more than you will know
Wo, Wo,Wo
God anoint you lot, please,Mrs Robinson
Heaven holds a place for those who pray
Hey,Hey,Hey,Hey,Hey,Hey
Loved the song too. Pure nostalgia.
...more than
The first chapter was difficult to read, nearly Benjamin being and then rude and awkward to the party guests. His first night with Mrs. Robinson was pretty funny, though. Simply since I already knew the plot (even though I haven't seen the flick yet), the twists lacked a punch. Besides, you never find out quite why Ben is Human being, this book was weird! Sort of like Hemingway with an autistic protagonist. I judge it's supposed to exist social commentary, almost suburban Americans caring but about the way things look.
The kickoff chapter was hard to read, about Benjamin existence so rude and awkward to the political party guests. His first night with Mrs. Robinson was pretty funny, though. Only since I already knew the plot (even though I haven't seen the movie even so), the twists lacked a punch. Also, yous never find out quite why Ben is so disillusioned with college, or what he really did during his three-week escape. ...more
Not for me.
And nobody says "plastics."
Read information technology for curiousity'south sake, I approximate, as I did. It's also interesting to expect upwards the author and see what became of him. I still like the motion-picture show, BTW - the artistry of the film easily glosses over some of the story'due south preposterousness.
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And the famous lines that the film is known for? Yep, "Mrs. Robinson. Yous're trying to seduce me" is in the book only "One word...Plastic." is non.
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Anybody's asking Ben
I don't really know why I decided to read this one, to be honest. Probably because I apparently spent $ane.25(!) on it and that's a lot of money for me, and besides possibly because I see it as one of the first novels to tackle the particularly centre or upper-middle course dillemma of being overeducated and non sure what to do with one'due south life, which has involvement to me as information technology partains to "twntysomething/slack lit," which I am trying to read every bit much as I can of before I plow 30.Anybody'due south asking Benjamin what his plan is, only he seems content to throw away a scholarship to grad school and spend all day sleeping and all night drinking beer and watching movies. This is the part of the volume I similar most. When it starts inbound its famous plotline I start losing involvement. Why? Possibly because a lot of information technology involves dramatic irony apropos Benjamin's thing with Mrs. Robinson, partly because for any unfair reason the content seems dated. While in that location was some attentive build-up in the last forth of the book information technology's difficult to recollect of Benjamin as zip more than a little prick from bourgeoisie with loving, comforting parents, his quest for Elaine conspicuously standing in for some (mysogonistic?) sense of purpose to his life, and not much more.
The book is more moving picture script fluff than anything else, with many pages total of breezy, realistic dialogue, so realistic and breezy in fact it matches the pace of the film perfectly and becomes realitstically repetitive and irritating. The whole book is so deadpan information technology's like shooting fish in a barrel to feel removed from the characters, who never attain whatsoever emotional depth (ane of the lasting assets of the novel form) but float near with ambiguous motives much similar in a film or an Ernest Hemingway story. I guess it'southward not a bad thing, merely 1 can see how this story in particular makes a improve movie than novel, equally nothing is really lost if one cuts out everything but dialogue, as dialogue is as far equally we ever get at a graphic symbol'southward inner world.
I haven't seen the movie all the mode through in a long fourth dimension (although I did come across a broadway product many years ago starring Jason Biggs) but I tin can't imagine it beingness very different than the book, other than the perplexing lack of the famous "plastics" conversation, one of the handful of iconic moments people remember from the movie. The Graduate: the movie, thank you to great performances and cinematography, can be funny and iconic: the book can only pass as cheeky, and then tongue-in-cheek it's practically choking on itself. The action moves so fast by the end that we don't have fourth dimension to irksome downward and wonder why everything is happening, which makes this reader for ane feel pretty impaired. Just I estimate that'due south life and growing upwardly, right?
...more than
However, if you lot've watched the picture, I'd advise yous to skip the book entirely as it reads more similar a screenplay more than than anything else. At commencement, I thought I was reading a script and that I'd been swindled out of my money, but no, it turns out that this was the actual novel.
Okay...
Well, Webb'southward novel is mostly dialogue-heavy, so don't look whatsoever beautiful desc
Most everyone's heard of The Graduate, right? The film'south get iconic for information technology'due south delineation of the older-woman/younger human being relationship.However, if yous've watched the flick, I'd propose yous to skip the book entirely equally it reads more than like a screenplay more than annihilation else. At first, I idea I was reading a script and that I'd been swindled out of my money, but no, information technology turns out that this was the actual novel.
Okay...
Well, Webb's novel is by and large dialogue-heavy, so don't await any cute descriptions almost characters/settings or anything, really.
In the outset, Webb's discrete, sparse, minimal prose was fun because I was flight through it thinking this is easy shit, but then I realised something...
I wanted some description to liven things up, because the manner was becoming tedious. The irony is that in that location'due south a very good plot to the story and even a few salvageable characters, merely at the hands of a prose stylist, the story would have sung.
However, that'south not to say that Webb's prose is terrible. Anything simply, I admire the consistency of the tone. As the story's about a liberal arts graduate Benjamin Braddock going through some sort of quarter-life crisis, the barren and flat style fits with how he's feeling emotionally. Information technology's supposed to be a dry comedy, but I found myself getting frustrated with Benjamin'south stalker-ish tendencies towards Mrs Robinson's daughter Elaine.
The characterisation was interesting in that I did experience sympathy/empathy for more of them at to the lowest degree once, but in that location was a lot of mystery surrounding their backstories, which I would accept liked to accept seen expanded upon. This novel had a lot of potential, just I think the film eclipsed information technology.
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I think enough of people hate this volume, and I get it, I remember. I feel that enjoying this book depends almost entirely on just how sympathetic you retrieve the book is for its languishing protagonist. If you call back the book is very sympathetic, then you probably wouldn't like the book. If instead, you retrieve the book is being both critical and ironic in its affection for its protagonist, so the book is a lot more enjoyable. I happen to think that Charles Webb has some shame and embarrassment for Benjamin Braddock. It's not every bit cut as Edward St Aubyn or Philip Roth, but I as well don't retrieve it's as self-serious as some of the other reviewers have made it out to exist. He's a hapless fool with no direction, no real guidance through his feelings or goals, and untreated depression at a time when only "crazy" people went to psychiatrists. He's wrong for the world and trying desperately (and I retrieve hilariously) to fix information technology.
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In the end, what may be more than interesting than the novel is the story of its author. Twoscore-five years subsequently the book'south publication, a sequel is reportedly in the works. This worrisome news comes years after Webb signed over his royalties to charity, lived an afoot life as a vagabond, and landed destitute in the arms of that most chimerical of muses, the Big Improvement. Stayed tuned to whether Benjamin'due south relevance extends past the age of "plastics."
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Is that weird that I didn't accept to like whatsoever of the characters to really love the book?
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Information technology'south the summer of 1963 in suburban California and Benjamin Braddock has the world at his feet. He's just graduated from university with a teaching scholarship, his dad has bought him a fancy new Italian sports car, and all the Braddocks' friends and neighbours have been invited to a firm party to celebrate. At that place'southward only one problem. Benjamin refuses to go out his room... From BBC Radio 4:
It's the summer of 1963 in suburban California and Benjamin Braddock has the world at his feet. He's simply graduated from university with a pedagogy scholarship, his dad has bought him a fancy new Italian sports auto, and all the Braddocks' friends and neighbours have been invited to a firm party to celebrate. In that location's but 1 problem. Benjamin refuses to leave his room... ...more
Quite a spare novel, more dialogue than description. I love the sudden, open ending. Just similar the film, yes. Luckily, the book is shortish, because I don't know how much I enjoyed reading about disaffected, depressed characters and their messed up love lives. I mean, if that's the merely plot. From 1963
Quite a spare novel, more than dialogue than description. I dear the sudden, open up ending. Just like the picture show, yes. Luckily, the book is shortish, because I don't know how much I enjoyed reading about disaffected, depressed characters and their messed upwardly dearest lives. I mean, if that's the only plot. ...more
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"I know that. Merely please, Mrs. Robinson. This is difficult for me."
"Why is it," she said
"Because I am confused well-nigh things. I can't tell what I'm imagining. I can't tell what's real. I can't --"
"Would you similar me to seduce you lot?"
"What?"
"Is that what you're trying to tell me?"
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Source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/71047.The_Graduate
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