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**Angel** · 06-20-2010, 01:59 AM

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Benjamin Button, the first child of Mr. and Mrs. Roger Button, a socially prominent couple in antebellum BALTIMORE, is born as an old man, about age 70. His parents try to ignore or disguise his age as much as possible—feeding him only milk at first, buying him toys, and sending him to kindergarten.
At age 18 he passes the entrance examinations for Yale but is not allowed to matriculate because he looks as if he is 50. He joins his father’s hardware business and marries young Hildegarde Moncrief.
As he grows older, Benjamin appears younger and takes up activities—such as dancing—which are appropriate for his apparent age. He attends and graduates from Harvard but later goes to kindergarten with his own grandson. He grows younger and younger until he finally fades out.
Fitzgerald explained in the annotated table of contents for TJA that “this story was inspired by a remark of Mark Twain’s to the effect that it was a pity that the best part of life came at the beginning and the worst part at the end”.

CHARACTERS

Button, Benjamin Man who is born 70 years old and grows younger rather than older.
Button, Mrs. Roger Benjamin Button’s mother.
Button, Roger Benjamin Button’s father, the president of a wholesale hardware company.
Button, Roscoe Benjamin Button’s son, who demands that his father call him Uncle when his father begins to look younger than Roscoe.
Hart, Mr. Yale registrar who refuses to believe that Benjamin Button is 18 years old and orders him out of town.
Keene, Doctor Family physician who delivers Benjamin Button and then refuses to have anything else to do with the Button family.
Moncrief, General Hildegarde Moncrief’s father, who is outraged by her engagement to Benjamin Button.
Moncrief, Hildegarde Young woman who marries Benjamin Button. He becomes tired of her as she ages and as he grows younger, and she leaves him to live in Italy.
Nana Benjamin Button’s nurse during his infancy.
the Shevlins Hosts of the dance where Benjamin Button meets Hildegarde Moncrief.

"I was born under unusual circumstances"

According to Fitzgerald's "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," age is much more than just a number. Not only does it dictate our physical condition, but our personality and character traits as well. Benjamin Button isn’t just born with the body of an old man – he’s born with the mind and tastes of an old man. As he gets younger, it’s not just his body that’s more active, but also his social interests and passion for life. According to Fitzgerald, like it or not, age plays a big part in identity. You are going to change as you get older, Fitzgerald tells us, and that’s just the way it goes.

Which isn’t to say that life is downhill after 40. What makes Benjamin unhappy in this story is having to pretend he’s an age that he isn’t. When he’s old, he really just wants to sit around and chat with other old men. When he’s young, he’s satisfied to play with strips of brightly colored paper. In this story of a man growing younger, there may be a lesson or two about aging gracefully.

Critical Companion to F. Scott Fitzgerald;Mary Jo Tate;2007;Facts on File Inc.
shmoop.com
benjaminbutton.com

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