The ending of The Graduate is one of great interest. Elaine and Benjamin escape from the wedding and catch a ride on the bus to get away. The two take their seats in the back of the bus, smiling and laughing after they realize they had succeeded in getting away. Had the film ended there it would have been just like any other romantic comedy (but with a little bit of an artsy twist. However, the ending scene continues on, and Elaine and Benjamin’s elated expressions begin to fade as they sit in silence in the back of the bus. This simple extension of the ending by a few seconds completely changes the film from something very happy and rewarding, to something very dark and depressing.
Throughout the film Elaine and Benjamin had been rebelling against authoritative figures such as the parents. Seeing as they are the main characters in the film, you begin to side with them, and believe that they are doing the right thing. However, by watching the ending of the film you realize that there was nothing in the film saying that they were doing the right thing by running away with each other, in fact the film does everything to suggest that it is the wrong thing to do. Elaine and Benjamin were just running away with each other in order to strike back at the parental figures in their lives, and never actually evaluated their decision. In the final scene when their smiles where their smiles fade, they finally realize the truth about their decision to run away.
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