Phoebe Rose S.

Saquing March 25, 2011

BS Nursing

AN EDUCATION
Movie Review

The movie “An Education” emphasizes the unforeseen effects of innocence and
seduction. Literature imparted a big role in the success of the movie and thus assisted in its
comprehension. It started with the introduction of the life of a devoted student and an
enthusiast of contemporary novels and French classical music who became attracted to
sophistication in an instant upon getting to know a stranger.

CHARACTERS

Jenny, the lead character, an adoring, curious, and clever girl aiming for an English
Degree in Oxford University but mot of the time suppressed by her very decent private school
and strict parents especially regarding her decisions. She fell in love with a stranger and was
fascinated with him right away. Not knowing the real side of this man’s life, she decides to
dwell on his invitations and take chance on whatever he has in store for her.

David Goldman, the stranger who crawled to Jenny’s life, who was twice her age, and
was able to mesmerize her with his suave and flawless acts. Sensibly, good-looking as he saw
Jenny carrying a cello during a rainy afternoon he begins to chat with her and became
interested with one another. He began plying her by inviting her to concerts, art auctions,
restaurants with good jazz music with much neglect to cigarettes and champagnes. Eventually,
Jenny finds out that he is already married and found out the he has been seducing women
many times already.

Danny, one of David’s fabulous friends who eventually turned out to be the zealous and
fiddly guy with dirty ways of arranging with clients regarding their secret work agendas making
them not so high-living.

Helen, a happy go lucky lady who pretends to be elite, also one of David’s friends who
clicked with Jenny right away. She opened Jenny’s perspectives into a whole new view by
eventually teaching her by transforming her outer beauty and introducing her to a higher social
life.
 Jack, Jenny’s conservative father who cares a lot about her daughter’s studies and
future killing his social life and repressing his child from her decisions making her life more
miserable but eventually relying to David as he sees his onset in their lives, an opportunity for
social progression.

Marjorie, Jenny’s mother who is so much into letting her child grow the way her
daughter wants her to be by being enabling her to see the real world and indulging herself in it
but still refrained by her husband’s decision. She remained happy for Jenny’s decision at first
for she believed that David would help her in becoming a successful lady in the years to come
but was then hypnotized easily by David’s sly actions.

Miss Stubs, a sad but kind teacher, Jenny’s adviser who keeps on advising her to go
straight forward in studying more and preserved a better future for Jenny. Practically she was
concerned with Jenny. However, a lot of times she’s been disobeyed by her.

Headmistress, marked a great impact in the movie through her fierce disapproval of
Jenny’s relationship with David. She and Miss Stubs both made an effort to let Jenny consider
the results of her curiosity as well as the pleasures.

Hattie and Tina, Jenny’s best friends who were there for her through rough and smooth
times but most of the time, bad influences.

Graham, Jenny’s boyfriend who was very nice but socially awkward most of the time.

SETTING

During the early 1960’s in an urbanized place in London, a residential house was
occupied by Jenny and her family. The movie switch to certain places like in Paris, and Oxford
University where they were able to expose the audience in the other striking scenes of the
movie. The private school was also a location but the movie mainly settles on places in London
during the pre-Nancy Grace days.
THEME

Anyone could live a lie at certain times, that’s why most of the people we know become
unknowable at such situations. But sticking in reality, a teenager would easily indulge to things
their interested to even if they necessarily need to survive by being deceitful no matter how
hard it is to get out of that situation. In the end, upon apprehending our true condition we end
up losing hope and regretting every single mistake we did. A lot of times we need to think hard
about our decisions and strive not to be passionate about the progress of modern age. As we
see it, the advantage of the advancements in our social life could never be enough in helping
one child grow the way he/she should be.

PLOT SUMMARY

During the early 1960’s, a smart teenage schoolgirl, Jenny at 16, was in a rush in
achieving her goals for pursuing an English degree in Oxford.

One rainy day, in the afternoon, and having been jammed, David Goldman, a man way
older than her helps Jenny to get home. Since she was amused by David’s interest in Cello
music and very much pleased by his airy way of talking, Jenny was then attracted to him.
After a short time, David began leaving bouquets of flower to Jenny’s doorsteps and
leaves her a good impression of Good Luck during her performance. When Jenny saw him while
she was with her friends, she approached him and thanked him for his kind motives. David then
invited her to a concert Friday Evening and late supper at a supper club. Hesitant that she’ll be
permitted, He then decides to fetch Jenny at her house and ask for her parent’s permission. Her
parents was moved by his charms and eventually allowed her to go.

After a few weeks, David offered to take Jenny on an excursion with his friends. They
went to an auction and headed to David’s place. He invited her to pay a visit to Oxford and to
get approval from her parents he lied about being an alumni of the University and knowing a
famous author C.S. Lewis. By then Jenny gets the immediate thought of playing along with his
craftiness. They forged C.S. Lewis' signature on a copy of "The Lion, The Witch, and the
Wardrobe" to drag off the practical joke.

Not being used to being in the same room with David, she confessed that she was still a
virgin and would want to stick with that for a while till she turns 17. David agreed with her.
 As form of bribery for her school works, Jenny decided to give Miss Stubbs a "Chanel No.
5”. Miss Stubbs refused to accept the gift and talked to her with intellect about things she
should think about.

David proposed sooner but Jenny had to let her parents think about it. Deceived by
David’s cunning her father sees no reason to interrupt David proposal of marriage to her. The
school was then surprised by seeing Jenny wearing an engagement ring and this became a
major talk in the whole campus. The Headmistress confronted her and disagreed with her
decisions leading to Jenny quitting her studies altogether.

In a while, David arranged for night out with Jenny and her parents where when they
stopped at a gasoline station and Jenny examined the glove box, a series of letters addressed to
Mr. and Mrs. Goldman appalled her and demanded to go home and pushed David to confess.
Jenny was then in regrets for quitting school and losing hope in getting to study for Oxford.

Jenny visited the house of David’s wife and regained justice and hope from her
mistakes. Upon returning home, she confessed everything to her parents. Her father apologized
for their exchange of harsh words.

In the end, Jenny decided to return to school even though the Headmistress wouldn’t
allow her. Miss Stubbs helped her through her studies and eventually Jenny was accepted to
Oxford and avoided the worthless fate of Helen for her.
INSIGHT

We could easily imagine how our life would be after a few years. We may dream to
become someone better than we could ever imagine. With this dreams comes great
responsibilities and such responsibilities if neglected shall be the reasons for our future being
drawn back. We must be grateful enough to the pleasure we get from simple things in a simple
life for it is much more complicated when we try to live a life that’s way better than our
standards.

Many times, we are in a rush to finding ourselves and fitting ourselves in a higher social
rank in the society where we get to be accepted in an instant and we enjoy things we are
interested into. These lead us to ignorance that we could have avoided and dreams shattered
that could have been fulfilled sooner. Regrets are the only things left for us to ponder about in
the end but these gives us a new way to start directing ourselves to the future we once
envisioned of.

Truly, the movie was a great education about life. I have been touched and inspired to
move forward though I make a lot of slip-ups at times. To be sure about our decisions in life, we
must consider many factors. Do not strive for sophistication for the betterment of your life.
Better yet use our sophistications in settling on.