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First Born (actual age 70)
Coming into the world as a gray beared 70 year adult Benjamin Button had a difficult time. His father wanted to disown him, and he is screamed at by nurses and doctors ever since he came of his mother's womb. He is wise for his age. Also, the hospital has decided to stick him into a a baby's crib surrounded by crying babies. "This is a fine place to keep a younster of quiet tastes. With all this yellig and howling, I haven't been able to get a wink of sleep" (63). -
Period: to
Benjamin Button's life
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At age 3 ( actual age 67)
As a young child Benjamin Button had many playdates with children his own age (supposely). However, he did not enjoy this time and instead enjoyed talking with his grandfather. "When his grandfather's intitial antagonism wore off, Benjamin and that gentleman took enormous pleasure in one another's company" (68). -
At age 5( actual age 65)
Entering kindergarten at age 65, Benjamin days were long and boring. He was stuck with other children, whom already bored him. He would rather hang out with his grandfather. "When he was sent to kindergarten, where he was initiated into the art of pasting green paper on orange paper, of weaving colored maps and manufactucturing eternal cardboard necklaces. He was inclined to drowse off and sleep in the middle..." (68). -
At age 12 (actual age 58)
While living his first twelve years of his life as a senior, Benjamin is able to see that he looks younger than he did when he was a baby. The experience shocks him. His actual body was also in better condition. "Did his eyes deceive hi, or had his hair turned in the dozen years of his life from white to iron-gray under its concealin dye" (68). -
At age 18 (actual age 52)
Like many teenager his age Benjamin tried to get into college like the rest of them. He ended up getting in Yale, however at this time he actually 52 and you could easily tell that he was out of place. The school ended up denieing him his place at the school. Telling him that he was lying about his age, even after Benjamin showed him his birth certificate. "Mr. Hart opened the door. 'The idea!' he shouted. ' A man of your age trying to enter here as a freshman," (70) -
At age 20 (actual age 50)
Once Benjamin Button became 20 years of age he started to go out with his father to social events. At one of these events he meet his future wife: Hildegarde. "Benjamin felt himself on the verge of a proposal--with an effort he choked back the impulse," (73). -
Age 20 (Actual age 50)
Six months after meeting Hildegarde he was engaged to her. Many people had doubts about the marriage and told Hildegarde to not go through with it. "However every one agreed with General Moncrief that it was 'criminal' for a lovely girl who could have married any beau in Baltimore to throw herself into the arms of a man who was assuredly fifty. In vain Mr. Roger Button published his son's bith certificate in large type in the Baltimore Blaze. No one believed it, " (74). -
At age 38 (actual age 32)
In 1898 the Spanish- American war broke out. Benjamin decided to fight in the war because his life at home was becoming boring to him. He no longer loved the presence of his wife. "At the outbreak of the Spanish-American War in 1898 his home had little for him so little char that he decided to join the army," (75). -
At age 41 ( Actual age 29)
After coming home from the army Benjamin comes home to wife with her arms wide..closed? When Benjamin came home his wife was furious because he keeps looking younger, while his she ages. Now Benjamin has lost the women he used to love because of a fate he cannot control. "She sniifed again. 'The idea,' she said, and after a moment: ' I should think you'd have enough prise to stop it.'" (76). The it she is talking about is Benjamins facial apperance. -
At age 40 (actual age 20)
After already being kicked out of Yale years before Benjamin has now been accepted into Harvard University. Benjamin did very well at the school in his early years at Harvard. He was able to keep his words at making Yale feel bad that they did not keep him. But his success was largely due to the fact that in the football game with Yale he played so brilliantly, with so much dash and with such a cold, remorseless anger that he scored seven touchdowns and fourteen field goals for Harvard,"(78 -
At age 44 (actual age 16)
When Benjamin was in his senior year at Harvard he looked as if he was a sixteen year old teenager. He fell behind in school. "He became known as something of a prodigy--a senior who was surely no more than sixteen," (78) -
At age 44 (actusl age 16)
When Benjamin finally graduates from Harvard, his wife has left him and his son wants to disown him. It seems as if there is no one who loves him anymore. He also, now lives with his son, Roscoe. "Upon his graduation in 1914 he went home to Baltimore with his Harvard diploma in his pocket. Hildegarde was now residingin Italy, so Benjamin went to live with his son, Roscoe. But though he was welcomed in a general way, there was obviosly no heartiness in Roscoe's feeling toward him," (79). -
At age 55 (actual age 15)
Finally Benjamin hangs out with younger people, like his father wanted him to, years and years ago. However, he is now 55 years old and hang out with fifteen-year-olds. "Benjamin was no longer persona grata with the debutantes and younger college set, found himslf left much alone, except for three or four fifteen-year-old boys in the nieghborhood," (79). -
At age 57 (actual age 14)
Benjamin tries to go back to the army, but is turned down because he looks so young. "It informed him that many reserve officers who had served in the Spanish-American War were being called back into service witha higher rank.." (80). -
At age 65 (actual age 5)
Benjamin is sent to kindergarten again with his grandchild. He finds that he actually enjoys playing with paper and glueing it to paper. "Roscoe took them both to kindergsarten on the same day and Benjamin found that playing with strips of colored paper, making mats and chains and curious and beautiful designs, was the most fascinating game in the world," (82). -
At age 70 (actual age 0)
Benjamin leaves this world at age 70, while sleeping in his baby crib. " Then it was all dark and his white crib and the dim faces that moved above him, and the warm sweet aroma of the milk, faded out altogether from his mind," (83).