Bring on the tough stuff. There’s not just one right answer.
- Is Benjamin rebelling against his parents by not looking for a job?
- Why does Benjamin decide to take up Mrs. Robinson's offer of a sexual affair?
- What is Benjamin trying to get out of life? Is he supposed to be an idealist? If so, what are his ideals? If not, why isn't he one?
- Is a future in "plastics" really a fate worse than death?
- As he got older, Roger Ebert said that he viewed Mrs. Robinson as the more sympathetic character, whereas Benjamin starts to seem like a "creep"? Do you sympathize with Ebert's perspective? Do you think you might when you're older?
- What does Mrs. Robinson want from Benjamin? Is their relationship purely sexual?
- What is Mrs. Robinson's relationship with her husband like? How about with her daughter?
- What kind of future do you think Benjamin and Elaine might have together? Will their relationship last?
- What's the significance of the famous line about "Plastics"? Do you think younger people today would still find the prospect of that kind of corporate future disheartening? Or have attitudes towards the corporate world changed?