A Highly Influential Piece of Work
The original novella, The Graduate, was very successful upon release, being well-received both by expert literary critics and the general public at large as well. It also proved to be a highly proactive book, foreshadowing various social issues and tensions that would define the 60s as a decade.
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The novel also introduced the literary archetype of a “seductive older woman.” Her name was Mrs. Robinson, and she would become a significant figure in American literature and influence many other characters in books and other media.