Benjamin Button

This story was weird. Could you imagine an old man being born? I could not. How strange. It was interesting though. In the beginning, I felt bad for the old Benjamin. When he was born, the doctor saw him as a tragedy. Today, wouldn't this be a medical miracle? The doctor was so furious that he never wanted to see Benjamin or his family again at the hospital. He thought they were making a mockery of him.

When his dad first saw him, he thought it was a joke. Well, wouldn't you? The imagery of the old man hanging out of the crib with a long beard was creepy. Benjamin's father was angry, but he was more worried about his reputation than he was about his son. I wonder how his mother felt? They never mention her in the story, and I just couldn't imagine how she was when she saw what she gave birth too. I think she might have fainted or maybe she would love him unconditionally. We will never know.

I find it funny how everyone in the story is in denial. Benjamin's father refuses to treat Benjamin as a man, even though he is one. Benjamin's father even goes to the store and buys him a child's suit. Benjamin looks ridiculous, but that is how it is since he is only a baby. Benjamin passed as his fathers brother, and they never corrected anyone about it. They were too worried about their reputation. I feel like this is a tragedy, because their son should be their pride and joy.

When he marries, people feel sorry for Benjamin's wife. Why would she marry such an old ugly man? Everyone talked about them, and it even said her father was unhappy about the situation. They thought Benjamin would not be able to even support her. He loved her for a long time, but he started to change and that changed his view and hers.

It is ironic, that Benjamin is so critical about his wife's aging since he was ridiculed his whole life. You would think he would be more sympathetic since he went through it. He feels like she is not pretty and that she has lost what he loved about her. People even say that they feel sorry for such a young man for marrying such an older women. This is exactly what they said about him. How do they not remember this?

Even as Benjamin grows younger, he is ridiculed. His wife insists that he stops, and his son warns him to turn right back around and start back the other way. His own son?!? My goodness, after all those years, you would think at least his son would understand.

Benjamin goes through life with a lost identity. He never finds a happy medium. He will never be normal, and abnormality was never excepted. He could never truly embrace who he was. It was even interesting that when he aged so did his maturity. When he was born old, he was wise. As he grew younger he was more immature.

What happened at the end of the story? He is just a baby, and that is how it is left. A pure innocent baby. Did he disappear? Did he become a fetus. I guess it is left up to our imagination. We will never truly know.