电影毕业生the_graduate英文论文

湖南文理学院

《英语电影赏析》课程论文

题 目：The Struggle and Confusion

Viewed From the Movie Graduate

《毕业生》 里的挣扎与困惑

学生姓名： 张丹

学 号： 201007010313

专业班级： 英语10103

指导教师： 徐鑫敏

The Struggle and Confusion

-----A Brief Comment on The Graduate

Abstract:

The Graduate (1967) is one of the key, ground-breaking

films of the late 1960s. The influential film is a comedy with

stinging satire not only on the college graduates who finds

himself isolated with social environment but also on the values

of Americans in1960 through the vivid description of the

confusion, and struggle of Benjamin. The numbness and

confusion of Ben is not only his personal problem but also the

miniature of that era.

摘要

毕业生(1967)是一个关键的、突破性的电影在二十世纪60年代末。也是一部颇具影响力的电影，它用喜剧和带刺的讽刺表现了大学毕业生发现自己与社会环境孤立的挣扎，也生动的描述了那个年代美国人的价值观的困惑,不仅仅是主人公Benjamin的斗争。麻木和混乱的Ben反映的不仅是他的个人问题,也是那个时代的缩影。

Key word: numbness, confusion, miniature, graduate, struggle

Introduction:

The movie was adapted firstly from a novel written by

Calder Willingham, Buck Henry and then premiered on

Broadway in early April of 2002, with Kathleen Turner

reprising her role as Mrs. Robinson, along with Jason Biggs and

Alicia Silverstone in the other major roles. Mike Nichols

Benjamin Braddock who was the main character is adrift after

graduate from college. He was seduced and betrayed by a

corrupt, decadent, and discredited older generation twice his age

Mrs. Robinson. She was an insightful woman who can notice

Ben’s inner emptiness in the party. Then Benjamin’s dream girl

was shocked when she found out he has been sleeping with her

mother. Finally Benjamin followed his heart and went with his

dream girl. As far as I concern what impressed me most is the

confusion and struggle of the youth in that age.

The struggle:

In 1960s with the rapid economic development, people

began to have doubts about the old social order which kept

capitalism running. The suspicion promoted a series of struggle.

For example, black nationalism, women liberation, anti-Vietnam

War, and sexual liberation. The entire struggle reflected the

disruptive innovation and destructive effect of the new

generation. Anti-establishment which was the main melody in

literary works was deeply reflected in The Graduate. I will

analyze the struggle exposed in the movie.

Firstly, on the term of hippies’ struggle, in the movie when

Ben and Elaine were sitting in the car and chatting freely, the

hippies played rock music constantly outside. The noisy

prevented them from hearing each other clearly. When Ben

called the hippies to turn down the music, they didn’t follow

Ben’ order and even made their music louder. This sight showed

a sharp contrast of the youngsters’ rebel personality against the

traditional thought.

Secondly, as to the sexual liberation, the resign of President

Kennedy left the American society in a mess. People were eager

to find outlets for their frustration and confusion for their future.

Then sexual liberation appeared as times acquired. In this movie

Mrs. Robinson’s sexual allure of Ben was also the embodiment

of sexual liberation. In tradition a boy should love a girl who is

of the same age. While in this movie Ben, a promising graduate,

had a love affair with a woman who was old enough to be his

mother. This section of roentgen loves obviously violated the

traditional concept.

Thirdly, in the aspect of anti-war movement, the

Vietnam conflict broke out in 1950s, and soon anti-war passions

began to heat up and soon gained a peak in the end of 1960s.

There was a sense of dissatisfaction with the status quo and the

middle-class values flowing in the mass. The breakthrough

movie described the restless emotion so profoundly and it also

mirrored that anarchic mood perfectly for American youth of the

60s during the escalation of the Vietnam War. In the movie the

exhausting Ben sat in Berkley Berkeley. This university was the

home of student movements and was also the most active place

for anti-war activities. When Ben sat beneath the flying

American flag which represented the American Dream, he still

felt confused with his future. This sharp satire which indicated

the collapse of American Dream.