The Graduate

After a successful stint away at an eastern college, twenty-one year old Benjamin Braddock returns to his parents' Los Angeles area home a graduate. Although the world should be his oyster, Ben is instead in a state of extreme anxiety as he has no idea what to do with his life, which is made all the more difficult since everybody asks him what he plans on doing or tells him what he should do. In his confused state during which he would rather be alone to wallow in self-pity, he is easy prey for the aggressive Mrs. Robinson, the wife of his father's business partner who he's known all his life and who seduces him. Thinking about and then eventually succumbing to her advances only adds to his anxiety and confusion as he hides what they're doing from the rest of the world, and as he needs more than just sex in a relationship, sex which is all she wants from him. His confusion is lessened but his life becomes more complicated when he is reacquainted with Elaine Robinson, the Robinsons' daughter who too is home from college at Berkeley and who he has not seen since high school. Despite a rocky start directed largely by the wants of Mrs. Robinson, Ben and Elaine start to fall for each other. In this complicated situation, Ben has to try to figure out how at least to start to strive for what he believes should be that successful post-graduate life.