The Graduate

By Charles Webb

Benjamin Braddock has graduated from college and he couldn't care less. A child of privilege, his life suddenly seems to him to be a huge waste. His plans to attend graduate school are up in smoke.
But his proud parents are clueless and throw a graduation party were they invite all their friends. Ben attends unwillingly. And just as unwillingly drives one of the guests home in the brand new sports car that his parents bought him for graduation. When he drops the guest off at her house, she talks him in to coming inside for a drink and then she attempts to seduce him, unsuccessfully. As he makes his escape she makes it clear that any time he wants to the woman, Mrs. Robinson, is up for it.
Later, after spending days lazing around the house getting drunk and floating in the backyard swimming pool, Ben calls Mrs. Robinson and they arrange to meet at a hotel. Once in the room, he tries to back out but then Mrs. Robinson talks him into and thus begins their affair which lasts all summer and into the fall. Meanwhile, Benjamin is still sour on life and still freeloading off his very tolerant parents, getting drunk, watching TV and screwing Mrs. Robinson, whose husband is Benjamin's father's business partner.
Mr. Robinson really likes Benjamin and he and Ben's parents pressure Ben into making a date with Mr. Robinson's daughter, Elaine. At first, Ben is churlish and rude and takes Elaine to a strip club for their date. She is hugely embarrassed and starts to weep when the stripper twirls her tassels in Elaine's face. Ben immediately regrets his bad mood and makes amends to Elaine.
Mrs. Robinson get ugly about Ben dating her daughter and threatens to cause him problems if he continues. But Ben has decided that Elaine is to be his bride and he won't take no for an answer, even after Mrs. Robinson tells Elaine that Ben got her drunk and raped her. He pursues Elaine over the objections of the Robinsons, over the objections of his parents, who want to put him in a mental health clinic, and over the objections of Elaine herself, chasing her even as she walks up the aisle to wed another man.

Benjamin Braddock is a creep. Screwing the mom, then chasing after the daughter, abusing his parents' hospitality. When the truth comes out, Mr. Robinson dissolves the business partnership with Mr. Braddock. But what does Benjamin care! He has to do what he has to do and to hell with the consequences. The guy is the epitome of selfishness. He is a single-minded fellow with no thought for how is actions affect the lives of others. Yeah, he gets the girl in the end, but you got to feel sorry for the girl, getting stuck with that jerk. The book has its lighter moments and it's a pretty good story but mainly, with such a repulsive hero, it's hard to care about what happens to him.