The Sound of Mrs. Robinson at the Scarborough Fair

Cute movie. Ben's awkwardness and panicked squeaks kept me amused. The most interesting part was the use of the music. The same music. Over and over. Either Mike Nichols was a Simon and Garfunkel fan, or the songs actually mean something. Or both. The songs "The Sounds of Silence", "Scarborough Fair", and "Mr. Robinson", among others, are many times played during transitional times of the movie, ending, or setting up, important scenes or dialogue, and especially between entire acts (such as when Ben is driving up to Berkeley to see Elaine). Not a lot is done to most of them, either- sometimes they're played in their entirety. They aren't just any songs, however, they do have a purpose. They serve to express the feelings Ben is experiencing at the moment, feelings he can't let out. At times he's sad, confused, and conflicted, and the lyrics in the songs reflect it. The songs reflect frustration with society, just as Ben's inner voice is frustrated with the superficial people he returns home to, people he feels have lost their values and their ability to communicate with him.