'The Graduate'

The cinematography of the The Graduate is beautiful in its practicality. The first frame portrays Ben almost as if to say out-loud "this is our protagonist" and widens as though to say "and this is where he is." It then cuts to a somewhat profile view of him on the travelator which in itself reflects the fact that he is being propelled in life through no will of his own. He could have just as easily been walking, moving himself forward on his own accord, but the travelator is a more accurate representation of his current state and the message of the film. The audience cannot see what is in front of him, which is a reflection of how Ben views his own future; he doesn't know where he's going and the soundtrack is a glimpse into his own subconscious feelings about it. He's worried or even depressed concerning his own assertions of his future. This is expressed aloud by his father when he asks him about his future and Ben responds with ambiguity, which is more accurately portrayed with "The Sound of Silence." Ben's aimlessness is depicted in several other ways through the cinematography such as when he is in the pool drifting in the foreground, seemingly content while his parents are nearly submerged behind him. His aimlessness is perhaps no better depicted, if not most literally, as when he's leaning against his door next to his dartboard. None of the darts are anywhere near the bull's-eye. None of his attempts at happiness have come to fruition. No matter where he lands or what he achieves Ben feels lost or as though he's "missed the mark."

The lighting reflects the transition from internal narrative to external dialogue such as when his father turns the light on and asks what's going on in the next scene. Hard lighting continues throughout the film to portray the internal reflections of the characters contrasted by the exposition of natural lighting such as when Ben and Mrs. Robinson are discussing art. In the dark she says she doesn't know anything about it, a reflection that she's hiding something, which she reveals in natural lighting when Ben flips the switch and she confesses to having majored in art. The exception to this contrast is the end of the film which portrays the apparent insecurities expressed on Ben and Elaine's countenances in natural lighting as a reflection of their shared revelation that what they thought they wanted or would attain in marriage hasn't given them any sense of resolution.

The assertion of power is portrayed in the film by the apparent size of characters, such as when Ben is asked to get Robinson's purse. The shot of him at the bottom of the staircase with the house around him makes him appear to be small and powerless. This dominance is exchanged when he goes to confess of his affair and the camera angle portrays Robinson at the end of the hallway as small and powerless while Ben, now in the foreground, as larger, so as to depict his assertion of power and dominance. This is perhaps the most positive message or theme in the film; that regardless of how uncertain we are about our future we must happiness lay in the attempt of asserting dominance over it lest a more domineering figure, be it our parents, mistress or spouse, assert themselves over us.