TH-337 Scene (The Graduate)

Benjamin, why are you here?

would you like to come in?

I want to know what you're doing here in Berkeley

would you like some tea? I have tea.

I want to know why you're stalking me

I'm not

I see you on campus you duck into doorways on the bus you hid behind the magazine

I've been meaning to speak to you

You've been following me around for days

would you like to come in?

No

why not

I don't want to be in a room with you. Now, why are you up here?

I'm just living here temporarily I thought I might be bumping into you. I thought I remembered you were going to school up here.

Did you move up here because of me?

no

Did you

I don't know

Well, did you

well what do you think?

I think you did

I'm just living in Berkeley having grown somewhat weary a family life. I've been meaning to stop by and pay my respects, but I have not been entirely certain how you felt about me after the incident with your mother, which was certainly a serious mistake on my part, but not serious enough I hope to permanently alter your feelings about me.

Benjamin, you are the one person in the world. I never want to see again.. I want you nowhere near. I want you to leave here and never come back. Promise me you'll go.

Elaine

Promise me

all right

Pack your bags and go tonight

all right

So promise me

all right

Goodbye Benjamin

I love you

You what

I love you. I love you. I can't help myself and I'm begging you to forgive me for what I did. I love you so much. I'm terrified of seeing you every minute. I step outside the door. I feel helpless and hopeless and lost and miserable please forgive what I did please Elaine oh God Elaine I love you. Please forget what I did Elaine. I love you. I love you. Forget what I did please forget what I did Elaine. I love you.

I don't think so

I do

How do you love me Benjamin when you're so full of hate

of hate

How else could you have done that?

done what

How could you have raped my mother?

what

You must have so much hate inside you

raped her did you say raped her?

Virtually raped her

did she say that?

I want you out of here by morning

no

Don't touch me

I'm not

Then get away from the door

what did she say? Tell me what she said.

Why?

because it isn't true

She said you virtually raped her

which isn't true

Is it true that you slept with her?

yes.

All right, then get away from the door

what did she say?

She said you dragged her up to the hotel room

I dragged her

And you made her pass out and then raped her

I what I drugged her? I dragged her up five floors and I drugged her? I raped her?

You virtually yes

I what

Could I leave now, please?

that is not what happened

I have to leave

my parents gave me a party when I got home from college. Your mother came up to my room.

I don't want to hear this

she asked me to unzip her dress

May I go now?

she took off her clothes she stood there entirely naked and said

What did you think would happen?

what

When you came up here

I don't know

You just came up here

I drove up. I made reservations at a restaurant.

You were going to invite me to dinner

yes

Then what did you do?

I didn't invite you

I know

I just came up here. I got this room. I kind of wallowed out. I wrote you some letters.

Love letters?

I don't remember

So what are you going to do now?

I don't know

Where are you going?

I don't know

Well, what are you going to do?

are you deaf?

What?

I don't know what I'm going to do

Well, will you get on a bus or what?

are you concerned about me or something?

You came up here because of me you messed up your life because of me and now you're leaving because of me. You made me responsible. I don't want you drunken in some gutter because of me.

you want me to stick around?

I want you to have a definite plan before you leave then I want you to leave

I have no plans

Then just make up your mind

what

Don't you have a mind?

of course

Then make it up

I could go to Canada

you want to go to Canada?

no

You think I can study? you think I think I think with you here

just tell me to leave and I'll leave

I have so much work this semester

would you just tell me to leave please?

Are you simple

what

I mean, what do I have to say to you?

I don't know

Can't you see the way I feel

shall I go then?

Why don't you?

why don't I go?

Yes

all right that's all you had to say

You know what she gave me for my 11th birthday she gave me a bartender's guide. I made her cocktails all day.

she's a strange woman

Is she attractive?

yes. Not really.

Well, is she or not?

I don't know

You don't know which she is or you don't know which I'd like to hear

either

And am I

I'm sorry

Am I as attractive as her

oh yes

I have to go now

would you marry me?

What I want

marry me would you?

Marry, you

yes

Marry, you

would you?

Why would I?

I think we have a lot in common

Well, that's true

so will you

Marry, you

yes

Ha ha ha ha ha oh Benjamin, you are something

am I

Yes, you are but I don't know what why do you want to marry me?

it's the way I feel. I feel we should.

What about the way I feel

how do you feel?

Confused

are you fond of me? Are you?

Yes, fond

then let's get married

And can you imagine my parents?

you mean your mother

I mean, my father

I think he'd be very happy for us

And what if he found out what happened?

he won't

But what if he did?

I'd apologize I'd say it was a stupid foolish thing and he'd say he was a little disappointed in me but it's all in the past then that's that

You are so naïve

Forget about your parents this isn't about our parents. This is about us. Have any other objections?

Yes, I do

what are they?

We're too young to be married. You should do other things first.

what other things?

Well, go somewhere Asia Africa, see different places, different people

Elaine I have no desire to hop around the world ogling peasants. so do you have any other objections?

Have you thought about finding a place to live and buying the groceries every day?

sure

No, you haven't

you mean which brand of cereal we should buy

Yes

no I haven't

Well, why not I mean that's the kind of thing you'll have to be thinking about Benjamin and I think you'd get sick of it after two days

but I wouldn't get sick of you would I

Well yes, I think you probably would

well no I wouldn't

I'm not what you think I am. I'm just a plain ordinary person. I'm not smart or glamorous or anything like that.

so what?

So why me?

well you're reasonably intelligent you're striking looking

Striking

sure

My ears are too prominent to be striking looking

no they're very striking

I wouldn't be enough for Benjamin

that isn't true

You're an intellectual I'm not

now listen

You should marry someone who can discuss politics and history and Art

ah shut up would you just… thank you. Now, have you ever heard me talking about any of that crap