The Graduate

This film is Dustin Hoffman's first appearance on screen as a recent graduate of college at the top of his class, heavily involved, and completely aimless, until Mrs. Robinson, a friend of his father's seduces him at his graduation party. She offers herself to him, and a distinction is marked between his innocence and her experience, yet Ben, Hoffman's character, only feels alive when he is with her. The rest of the time he feels trapped as an attraction, like in a fish tank, which there are several cinematic references to throughout the film. If Ben is a fish then Mrs. Robinson is a Jungle cat as she is costumed around large tropical plants, and in animal print through the part of the film where she characterizes and plays out the role of the original "cougar." A cougar is a middle-aged woman who seeks out younger men. 

The tone of the film shifts when Ben takes out Mrs. Robinson's daughter and falls in love with her. Their romance is cut short when Mrs. Robinson tells her daughter that Ben had raped her. Eventually Ben convinces Elaine otherwise and there is talk of their marriage. Elaine decides to be practical and marry another man, but ben rushes to the wedding and steals Elaine away, after saying her vows. 

her mother pulls her back saying its too late, and she says "not for me." They run away together and board a bus, as Simon and Garfunkle's sound of silence plays and the film is left ambiguously. 

Youth culture plays tremendously into this film as a measurable generation gap is explored and exposed in the opinions of the adults and younger characters, mainly Ben, in this film.

The soundtrack of SImon and Garfunkle also lend to the youth culture of this film. it brings contemporary music and film together in an intersting way that has been replicated over and over.