The Graduate And Goodbye Columbus: An Analysis

Both The Graduate and Goodbye Columbus were important books and movies during the 1960’s. However, the different tracks that their lead characters take say a great deal about wealth and class in that time period. Both Benjamin Braddock and Neil Klugman are at different spots when it comes to wealth and class. Charles Webb, who wrote The Graduate and Philip Roth, who wrote Goodbye Columbus, talking about drifting and striving as young people tried to find their place in the world

Benjamin Braddock is drifting through life as The Graduate opens and he appears lost as his plane lands in Los Angeles while Simon and Garfunkel’s “Sounds of Silence” plays in the background. Benjamin comes from a well-to-do family in Los Angeles the son of a prosperous

Benjamin Braddock is already starting at the top but does not know what he wants to do next. Benjamin, at the urging of his Mr. Robinson, wants him to sow some wild oats, and encourages him to have fun during the summer. Within a short period of time he is seduced by Mrs. Robinson and they begin an affair at the Taft Hotel. This is a destructive relationship because it’s only bound to become known since Mrs. Robinson has a drinking problem. When Benjamin is attracted to their daughter Elaine, a relationship that would seem appropriate, Mrs. Robinson does everything possible to undermine it. He breaks away from his parents mores but blows them up with his affair with Mrs. Robinson. Neil Klugman, on the other hand, sees the relationship as a chance to move upward. Neil is attracted to the rich life of Short Hill where Brenda and her family lives. At that time Newark New Jersey was undergoing some major changes as middle class families were leaving for the suburb and poorer families of color were taking their places. Neil wants to grab the “brass ring” and move up to a wealthier lifestyle and he see that the best way to accomplish this is to marry into Brenda’s family. Neil not fit well into Brenda’s family, and that mater, Brenda’s life. For him, he is more comfortable working at his low paid job in Newark and when Brenda realizes it, she ends the relationship. In Neil’s case, he wanted to strive upward but found that the price might be too high to