The Graduate Sex Quotes

Benjamin is being slowly lured into something that's making him very anxious. The way Mrs. Robinson slowly ropes him in suggests she has some experience in this. She's extremely sexual and totally nonchalant, almost amused, during the whole process.

Benjamin's right, of course—she is trying to seduce him. The comedy comes from her continuing the pretense that she isn't even as she escalates the seduction and Ben gets increasingly anxious. She's perched on a high bar stool in a short dress and spreads her legs just enough to give Benjamin a view of her thighs. That's what unconsciously prompts him to say she's "opening up" her personal life to him.

Mrs. Robinson is surprisingly businesslike and matter-of-fact about a potentially explosive situation, while Benjamin is freaking out. She almost enjoys making him uncomfortable. Why do you think she's so businesslike about it? Is she drunk? Does she do this all the time?

This is a pretty hilarious juxtaposition of Ben's awkwardness and need to please vs. the fact that he's about to sleep with his parents' close friend. Mrs. Robinson is playing on the fact that Ben's a nice guy and doesn't want to appear insulting.

In a classic comic misunderstanding, the room clerk accidentally delves right into the source of Ben's anxieties as he waits for Mrs. Robinson to show up. He clearly feels jumpy and guilty about what he's about to do. The scene shows us that this clandestine stuff isn't exactly business as usual for Ben.

Mrs. Robinson hits Ben in a psychological soft spot, challenging his manhood and fears about sexual inadequacy. In the novel, it's clear that Ben has a fair amount of sexual experience. Was there a reason why Nichols chose to portray him as anxious and inexperienced? Is it more comical?

This is somewhat of a role reversal—the young man wants to talk; the older, sophisticated woman just wants to get naked. Mrs. Robinson may just want to avoid talking about her unhappy life, but Ben sees sex without a relationship as being "dead" and meaningless. Why do you think he's trying to make more out of it than it is? Doesn't he later tell Mr. Robinson that it wasn't any more personal to him than shaking hands?

Mrs. Robinson is clearly unfulfilled, but Ben can't even imagine such a scenario. Even if he's sexually experienced, he's still pretty naïve about what can happen in a marriage.

It gets even more interesting for Ben. He shows his naïveté even more here. You know, old folks don't get it on. He can't imagine Mr. and Mrs. Robinson as impulsive, lustful young people. Not only that, they did it in the back of a Ford. This is the beginning of a conversation where we see some similarities between Ben and the young Mrs. Robinson.