Adventureland: Life After College Graduation
I enjoyed Adventureland (2009) so much that I’ve seen it three times in the last few years. Maybe that’s because the story takes place during the 1980’s (my favorite decade) and the main character is an aspiring journalist (I’m an aspiring writer). It’s the summer of 1987 and recent college graduate James Brennan (Jesse Eisenberg) must take a summer job at Adventureland, an amusement park, instead of traveling to Europe before attending grad school in the fall. This choice is due to his family’s financial situation and James must also save money to live in New York City where he plans to attend Columbia University. As a recent college graduate myself (at the ripe age of 40), I can easily relate to this movie. No matter what era this movie takes place, finding a job post-college graduation can be challenging, especially if you are majoring in liberal art studies. James graduated with a degree in comparative literature and plans to get his master’s degree in journalism so he can become a travel essayist. Joel (Martin Starr), his friend at Adventureland, is majoring in Russian literature and Slavic languages. Here’s a conversation he has with one of the characters:
Sue O'Malley: What are you majoring in?
Joel: Russian literature and Slavic languages.
Sue O'Malley: Oh wow, that's pretty interesting. What career track is that?
Joel: Cabby, hot dog vendor, marijuana delivery guy. The world is my oyster.
That pretty much sums up job choices for literature and writing majors like myself. In October 2016, I received my bachelor’s degree in English Literature because I enjoy reading and want to become a better writer. Studying the works of early writers such as Shakespeare, Melville, Dickinson, and many other authors from before the 21st Century, has helped me to improve my writing skills. I feel that writers before my time wrote more eloquently than today’s writers. Excellent reading and writing skills should help college graduates get their feet in the door more easily than those who don’t have a college education. To work as some of the above professions Joel mentions is something anyone can do. At least he appears to have an optimistic outlook on his future as he claims the world to be his oyster. Yet, his character is sarcastic and probably frustrated because where would he find a job in which he can use his knowledge in Russian literature and Slavic languages? I sometimes wonder what kind of job I could have in which I put to use my knowledge of English literature. Well, I have worked at my local public library for over eight years, but it’s a part-time position. During most of those years, I’ve been in school. First, to complete my associate’s degree in library science, then a certificate in children’s literature, and finally my bachelor’s in English literature. Have I done this all for nothing?
Watching Adventureland for the third time has helped me to realize that all of life is an adventure. While James had to forego his original plans to travel Europe, he got to experience the working world at an amusement park. He made new friends and fell in love. Although I enjoyed viewing the romance between James and Em (Kristen Stewart) blossom then flounder and return, the most significant relationship was between James and Joel. Both young men share a common ground: They are majoring in fields where work is harder to come by. James’ parents prefer that he find a job at a Fortune 500 company (typical of the 1980’s) and Joel realizes that his college majors will not guarantee him a financially successful future.
When I turned eleven during the summer of 1987, I did not yet understand the importance of financial security. However, I was aware of the increasing significance of materialism during that decade. Some of my classmates had more toys than I ever did and their parents drove nicer cars than my parents. Luckily, my family never bought into the trap of keeping up with the Joneses. James and Joel did not seem to buy into that trap of materialism as well. I feel that I’m in the same boat as them. I majored in what I am passionate about, not what will make me financially wealthy. I’m not saying that I am just going to settle for a crappy, low-paying job for life. I see greater things in my future such as publishing more books.
As for this moment, I have had to push back the release date of my second book due to increasing migraines I’ve been experiencing since I was rear-ended in a hit-and-run car accident over a month ago. James also had to push back his dream of attending grad school at Columbia due to wrecking his parents’ car. WOW! I find it so interesting how a movie I’ve just watched can correspond with the current circumstances of my life.
