The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Scott Fitzgerald's life and work can be explained through the words of French Writer André Maurois when he wrote, “the need to express oneself in writing springs from maladjustment to life, or from an inner conflict, which the adolescent, or grown man, cannot resolve in action” (Bruccoli 1 Preface). In addition, C.K. Doreski quotes Kenneth Burke as he describes Fitzgerald as, “…the perfect example of your theory of social analogy. In all his work the hero represents the rising middle class, the heroine represents inherited money, they kiss as if he were embracing a pile of stock certificates…” (Doreski 97). Fitzgerald was a product of World War I, the “Roaring Twenties” and the Great Depression, periods characterized by major political, social and cultural events in America and the world. His own personal social background and life reflects the history of the time he lived through. (Bruccoli 112)

“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” is a peculiar tale about a man who ages backwards. 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. By trying the experiment upon only one man in a perfectly normal world I have scarcely given his idea a fair trial. The story was published in "Collier's" last summer and provoked this startling letter from an anonymous admirer in Cincinnati: (Curnutt 89)

"Sir--

I have read the story Benjamin Button in Colliers and I wish to say that as a short story writer you would make a good lunatic I have seen many pieces of cheese in my life but of all the pieces of cheese I have ever seen you are the biggest piece. I hate to waste a piece of stationary on you but I will."

An interesting and pretty original idea. Since it's a story, it moves quite rapidly through Benjamin's life, but you get the point. This short story begins as Mr. Roger Button is bustling about Baltimore, waiting for the birth of his first born child. The reception he receives as he arrives at the hospital gives him hints that all is NOT right with his child. And it is a MOST curious case: young Button was born old - as in, beard, watery eyes, wrinkles. OLD. Benjamin, as he's named, prefers cigars ...