The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - May 2017

[Shauna]

Yes! Siriusedward, that is exactly how it felt. Thank you!

[Hilary]

I like the book better than the film, even though the story is so darned depressing. I remember watching the movie with half an eye open. It was all a bit grotesque. The book was sadder for me and had less of the grotesque. In the movie somehow the voyeuristic element made we want to surround his bed with wildflowers as life progressed or didn't. These are for Benjamin:🌻🌻🌼🌼🌼🌼😍

[Hilary]

Thanks for encouraging me to read it, Pink, or something from the group! I hope to get to Lolita ...

[Pink]

I'm glad you have the book a try, i agree it's a sad short story, but in a different way to the film.

[Ana]

Pink, unfortunately I only watched the film. Usually they end differently (movies and books). Needless to say, I usually prefer book versions.

[Pink]

I usually prefer books too, as they pack so much more into the story than a film can achieve in its limited time span. Strangely this was the other way around, as the story is so short and was completely overhauled to make a long film. I liked them both though.

[Loretta]

I most definitely enjoy the books more than the movies! 😊

[Ana]

I understand you, Pink and agree. Books are good, but sometimes they can become great movie productions too.
I often feel disappointed with the movie versions, because they turn out differently from what i've imagined while reading the story. For instance, the main character looks different from what I've imagined, or the whole surroundings are different too. So it's all very personal for each reader, i think. We all imagine the story our own personal ways.

[Ana]

Loretta, so do I! ;)

[Loretta]

Ana wrote: "Loretta, so do I! ;)"

🤗

[siriusedward]

Shauna wrote: "Yes! Siriusedward, that is exactly how it felt. Thank you!"

You are welcome Shauna :)

[Joy]

Finally got around to reading it, even though it's been sitting on my shelf forever. I also have the illustrated version.
1. I agree with those who are bothered by the complete lack of mention of Ben's mother, even at the hospital. How did she get there if the father is just showing up? So he sees the baby and then just takes off to the store, not bothering to check on her at all.
2. The terrible treatment of Ben portrayed in a direct, almost comical way (people telling him to just knock it off!) both bothers me and reminds me of some other works of world literature at the time, like things by Anton Chekhov and Bohumil Hrabal. Dark humor was a way to create a lot of meaning in simple, realistic stories, I think.

[Sara, New School Classics]

An interesting tale and one that I'm not sure what to think of. Life lived backward is somewhat like life lived forward. He confronted all the same problems people do confront, just out of sync with everyone else.

Once you get beyond the ludicrous and impossible idea of a woman giving birth to a MAN, it begins to seem rational that a man is living his life from old age to birth instead of the other way round.

[Laurie]

This story challenges the old saying that youth is wasted on the young. Benjamin had the opportunity as an old man to consider all the things he would do if he was young and able. Since he didn't know that he would grow younger, those thoughts wouldn't actually be plans, really just a "if only" kind of idea. Then he could do them later when he was at the appropriate physical age. And he did some of that when he went to college.

[Kathleen]

Sara wrote: "Once you get beyond the ludicrous and impossible idea of a woman giving birth to a MAN, it begins to seem rational that a man is living his life from old age to birth instead of the other way round. ..."

Great point, Sara. You can't put your head around this idea, so to me, it was like suspending disbelief when you read a fantasy story. You just go there--get beyond it as you say--and don't question it, and just see what the story has to say. That doesn't always work though, and I can see why this story doesn't work for everyone!

[Joy]

I just told myself that maybe he was born little and then magically grew to old-man status in a few seconds. It worked for me.

[Sara, New School Classics]

Joy wrote: "I just told myself that maybe he was born little and then magically grew to old-man status in a few seconds. It worked for me."

LOL. Makes perfect sense in the context of the story.

[Nente]

Just read this one and liked it very much! Thanks to the group =) I've read three novels by Fitzgerald and just about decided I can never enjoy anything written by him, but it seems that his short stories might work better for me.

Interesting that I know at least two other books which have a character living backwards - do they draw on this story or is the idea so strong in itself that other writers reinvented it naturally?

[Tonia]

Nente wrote: "Interesting that I know at least two other books which have a character living backwards .."

What are those, Nente? It would be interesting to compare their approach to the theme.

[Francisca]

I vaguely remember a version of the King Arthur legend where Merlin grows backwards, though I don't remember which one (TH White's perhaps?)

[Nente]

Yes Francisca, that's one of the books I meant! Here's the book link: The Once and Future King
Another one is Monday Starts on Saturday, where it's not one of the premises but is revealed near the end, so I won't spoil at least which characters do that.

[Tonia]

Nente wrote: "Yes Francisca, that's one of the books I meant! Here's the book link: The Once and Future King
Another one is Monday Starts on Saturday, where it's not one of the prem..."

Thanks, both. I'll look out for those. :)

[Kathleen]

Nente wrote: "Yes Francisca, that's one of the books I meant! Here's the book link: The Once and Future King
Another one is Monday Starts on Saturday, where it's not one of the prem..."

Ah, Merlin! I had no problem believing in him either. :-)

[[deleted user]]

of course the story isn't completely realistic. I liked what siriusedward says that Benjamin is constantly obsessed with societal opinion and honestly, that is sad. I explained away the mother's absence as death as well-even though as somebody pointed out, it was incorrect. Made more sense I guess.
"See here," the old man announced suddenly, "if you think I'm going to walk home in this blanket, you're entirely mistaken."

"Babies always have blankets."

With a malicious crackle the old man held up a small white swaddling garment. "Look!" he quavered. "This is what they had ready for me."

"Babies always wear those," said the nurse primly.
That scene was hilarious and also left me wondering at the levels of ridiculousness to which "appearances" must be maintained. I mean yeah, the child is born old, nothing about him is normal, behaving as though everything is, is not making the situation any different. In the face of an extraordinary occurrence, all that any of these socialites can do is worry about its impact on their social positions. The fear of what is different is strong – reputation is kept in tact primarily through conformity.
I felt Roscoe's reaction to his father was a tad cruel. But he too is just like everyone in that Baltimore Southern society. All the people who Benjamin truly cared for were fleeting and supercilious-they never saw him for what he truly was. I think the fact that he was perpetually alone hit me particularly hard.

I have always loved Fitzgerald's writing(including The Great Gatsby, yes). It has that ethereal, melancholic, bittersweet and at times satirical tone which captivates me. But I think his Babylon Revisited was the short story I loved the most.

[Kathleen]

Kt wrote: "of course the story isn't completely realistic. I liked what siriusedward says that Benjamin is constantly obsessed with societal opinion and honestly, that is sad. I explained away the mother's ab..."

I love your comments, Kt, and I also found that blanket scene hilarious, and felt it set the tone for the story.

What a great description you give of Fitzgerald's writing! Beautifully said. You've helped me see what it is I like so much about him, and I'll be sure not to miss Babylon Revisited.

[Lynn]

I am late to this discussion, but I am trying to read a few of the selections that were read before I joined the group. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a wonderful story. It is witty and fun, with a touch of sadness. Throughout his life poor Benjamin is out of place and misunderstood. How hard it is to go through life with every institution of society set up in a way that does not fit! I thought the "amnesia" that the people around Benjamin seemed to experience was funny.

[Suki]

Lynn wrote: "I am late to this discussion, but I am trying to read a few of the selections that were read before I joined the group. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a wonderful story. It is..."

I enjoyed this story a lot, too. I just finished rereading it with another group. The only odd note for me, as someone mentioned above, was the total absence of Benjamin's mother in the story (perhaps also in his life?).