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At age 70 (just born)
Upon birth, Benjamin is a surly, unhappy, old man. He grumbles about his conditions, saying, "This is a fine place to keep a youngster of quiet tastes. With all this yelling and howling, I haven't been able to get a wink of sleep" (63). Mr. Button, Benjamin's father, appears quite displeased with his son's unusual appearence: "What will people say? What must I do? (63)" -
At age 58 (12 years since birth)
A few weeks after his birthday, Benjamin thought he saw something rather peculiar. Although time was passing as usual, Benjamin seemed to be growing younger, and he desired the proper clothes of someone his age: "I am grown . . . I want to put on long trousers" (68) Benjamin also appears more determined at this age. -
At age 52 (eighteen years after birth)
Benjamin has lost his unstable, elderly traits, and so his father sends him to apply to Yale College. After passing the examinations, Benjamin is promptly thrown out by the college registrar, who believes him to be insane: "Get out of college and get out of town. You are a dangerous lunatic"(70). Taunts from the undergraduates made Benjamin extremely determined to plan a revenge against Yale: " 'You'll regret this!' he shouted. (71)" -
At age 50 (20 years after birth)
Benjamin begins "going out socially" (71). and attends a dance at a country house. Benajmin and his father could pass for brothers at this age, and are "more and more companionable (71)" Benjamin instantly falls in love with Hildegarde Moncrief, who is in turn just as enchanted as Button. -
At age 50 (20 years after birth)
Benjamin's engaement to Hildegarde is made known, and the society in Baltimore becomes very excited. Rumors fly about the life of Benjamin, who becomes known as the Mystery Man of Maryland. Hildegarde stubborly refuses to believe any of the stories, even the true one. However, everyone believes that for Hildegarde to marry Benjamin was simply "criminal. " (74). Benjamin is viewed with distaste is this point of hsi life because of his marriage to a younger woman. -
At age 36 (34 years since birth)
People begin to accept Benjamin as his family's fortune grows: "Baltimore eventually recieved the couple to its bosom. Even General Moncrief became reconciled to his son-in-law when Benjamin gave him the money." (74) On the up-side, Benjamin was filled with "new vigor" (75). and was beginning to be "more and more attracted by the gay side of life. (75)" Benjamin even joins the army, and after great success, was celebrated. On the down side, "Benjamin's wife had ceased to attract him." -
At age 25 (45 years after birth)
As Benjamin's "thirst for gayety grew stornger" (77) and he pursueed activities such as golf and dancing, Benjamin's life at home was very sour and unhappy. His wife even seemed to blame Benjamin himself for his decreasing age: "If you've made up your mind to be different from everybody else, I don't suppose I can stop you, but I really don't think it's very considerate" (77). -
At age 20 (50 years after birth)
Benjamin begins to attend Harvard University in Cambridge, and excelles in school and on the sports field: "He almost immediately attained a prominent position in the class . . . . his success was largely due to the fact that in the football game with Yale he played so brilliantly. . ." (78). -
At age 17 (53 years after birth)
Now a senior at Harvard, Benjamin is weaker and more fragile than his classmates. Benjamin has become "so slight and frail that one day he was taken by some sophomores for a freshman, an incident which humiliated him terribly" (78). Benjamin did not even make the football team in his fourth year at college. -
At age 17 (53 years after birht)
Returning home to his son after his graduation from Harvard, Benjamin is met only with frustration and hostility. Roscoe, Benjamin's son, even blames Benjamin's perdicament on the man himself, saying, "This has gone too far to be a joke. It isn't funny any longer. You - you behave yourself!" (79). Roscoe then perceeds to order his father to adress him as "Uncle" from then on, as a way to hide Benjamin's unusual situation from any visitors. -
At age 14 (56 years after birth)
Benjamin is delighted when he recieves a letter saying that "many reserve officers who had served in the Spanish-American War were being called back into service" (80). Life with his son is becoming increasingly tense, and this is just what Benjamin wants. However, when he shows up for duty, Benjamin is sent away in disgrace. Roscoe was called to "escort the weeping general, sans uniform, back to his home" (81). -
At age 10 (60 years after birth)
Now acting and looking like an average ten-year-old, Benjamin is a constant source of torture for his son. For Roscoe to think about his father for very long "drove him to the edge of insanity" (82). Roscoe thinks the matter is "inefficient" (82). -
At age 5 (65 years after birth)
Benjamin, along with his grandson, Roscoe's child, is enrolled in Kindergarten. He spends his days in cheerful, innocent bliss: "There were gay hours in the cheerful room, with . . . Miss Bailey's kind hand resting for a moment now and then in Benjamin's touseled hair" (82). -
At age 3 (67 years after birth)
Before completinga third year of Kindergarten, Benjamin is pulled from school. He is "too little now to understand what the bright shining strips of paper were for." Nana, Button's nurse, cares for him as he slowly becomes more and more like a toddler: "Nana became the centre of his tiny world. . . . Somtimes Nana let him jump on the bed, which was fun. . . . And when the long day was done at five o'clock, he would be fed oatmeal and nice soft mushy foods with a spoon" (82-83). -
At 6 months (69.5 years after birth)
In the last months of Benjamin Button's curious life, he forgets everything about himself; all the memories slip away until Benjamin's whole world consists of fleeting sounds and tastes: "There were no troublesome memories. . . .he did not remember. Then it was all dark, and [everthing] faded out altogether from his mind" (83).