The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

PLOT

This story had a very interesting plot. I had heard about the story before when the movie came out but I never seen it. Due to the fact that Benjamin's life is lived backwards it kind of seems to make the plot seem a little awkward in the beginning. The plot starts out with by revealing the way that Benjamin was born. After that much of the plot deals with the obstacles and problems with growing backwards. By being born as an old man the plot causes the reader to see many connections with the old and the young, for instance when says, "And a cane, father.. I want to have a cane." Just as small children have trouble walking so do old people. Another time this happens is when Button is in kindergarden and is "fed on oatmeal and nice soft mushy foods with a spoon." Old people have similar problems eating solid foods.

Point of View

The point of view in this story is 3rd person omniscient. This point of view allows the narrator to tell the story from an unbiased perspective and "let [us] judge for [our] self." (pg 5) The omniscient side of it allows the narrator to let us know what all the characters are thinking which becomes pretty important when Benjamin is first born so that we know what Mr. Button is thinking. "A grotesque picture formed itself with dreadful clarity before the eyes of the tortured man--a picture of himself walking through the crowded streets of the city with this appalling apparition stalking by his side." This insight is only possible with an omniscient narrator, without it we would not truly know the level of disapproval that Mr. Button has for his son.

Characterization

This story starts off with one paragraph that mentions Mr. and Mrs. Button and then follows with some a information packed paragraph that uses direct characterization. It says, "The Roger Buttons held an enviable position, both social and financial, in ante-bellum Baltimore. They were related to the This Family and the That Family, which, as every Southerner knew, entitled them to membership in that enormous peerage which largely populated the Confederacy." It goes on to begin the story but strangely enough the narrator completely shifts into indirect characterization when it comes to revealing Benjamin. We only really find out how he is through his actions and I think this is due to the fact that he is the main character. It doesn't matter as much if we learn about his parents it is easier to just tell us but if the story was just them telling us about Benjamin Button in the same manner it would be extremely short and probably very boring.

Setting

The setting in this story isn't terribly crucial except for a few instances. For the most part the story takes place in Benjamin's hometown in Maryland but really it could be in almost any state and nothing would really change. The few settings that actually matter are when Button is in the Spanish American War and also when he goes to college however the college location doesn't really matter. The various settings also contribute to the main theme of comparing the old to the young. In both of these times in Benjamin's life he is confined mostly to his home due to his physical limitations.

Theme

The theme to this story seemed to mainly be the comparison between the young and old. The story has a very interesting way of doing this however in my opinion it is very effective. I think it is effective mainly because it causes the reader to draw these conclusions without specifically spelling them out point blank. In the second to last paragraph it says, "and then he remembered nothing" the loss of memory is something that is often associated with growing old and Alzheimer's. The continued comparison between the old and the young make me think that this has to be the main theme although one could also argue that it is something like live life to the fullest regardless of your circumstances.

Miss Brill

Well once again a story we read in lit has prostitutes. It seems like almost every story we have there’s that question, “do you think [CHARACTER] is a prostitute?” This time though I don’t think it’s as much of a question as it is a fact. This scene in the story where Miss Brill sees this “pretty lady” demonstrates Miss Brill’s naivety. She assumes the best in everything that is happening around her. That’s why she thinks it’s just a pretty lady talking to some guys and I think that from this the reader can infer that Miss Brill is a lonely lady. She doesn’t have many if any friends and she doesn’t get out much. I think in the end Miss Brill might notice her loneliness and see that she doesn’t really have anyone. I did notice question number 5 also asks what the significance of the lady in the “ermine toque” is and I think that further solidifies the fact that she is truly a prostitute.

Eveline

This story has a distinct theme, decisiveness. It attempts to show just how difficult some decisions can be and I think that it did a very good job in doing so. I am having a hard enough time deciding where I am going to go to college next year and although it will surely effect my life it won’t effect it as much as Eveline’s decision in this story. I’m not really sure what the fact that she never makes her decision means. Maybe it attempts to show that the worst decision is not making one at all. I also thought the way that Eveline was emotionless when she had decided she wasn’t leaving with Frank at least for now. I’m betting that is supposed to mean something too but I had a tough time reading deeper into this particular story. I think that the fact that the way she described her life at home was also striking. For anyone on the outside looking in it seems like such a simple decision, leave, but to Eveline dislike for change is enough to make her stay.

A Worn Path

This story was. . . I guess if I really think about it sad, but still inspiring. The sadness comes, of course, from the fact that throughout the story Phoenix goes through all of these perils and despite all of it, it is still unclear whether or not her grandson is alive or not. It just seems terrible to think that a lady like this could be so far gone into Alzheimer’s or whatever it is maybe just blind love, that she can’t really separate reality from her thoughts or her past. I did like how fearless Phoenix was through it all. When the hunter pulls the gun on her she isn’t even fazed in the slightest, she is willing to die for her grandson to be happy. I didn’t really like how the hunter just assumed she was going to see Santa Clause, sure this story was set in a different time but even still that kind of made me mad.

Once Upon a Time

While I was reading this I kept thinking of the books/movie "A series of Unfortunate Events." There are many parallels between the two. First off, "A series of Unfortunate Events" Satirizes all the happy stories where everything ends up working out for the better and everyone lives happily ever after. "Once Upon a Time" satirizes fairy tales and all the cliché lines in them such as how the author keeps repeating the phrase "happily ever after." I also thought it was a bit ironic that the author says she doesn’t write fairy tales but then when she gets scared she decides to think of a fairy tale (although it is a grim one.) I’m betting that she recognized this irony though and put it in to further satirize fairy tales. Perhaps the most disturbing/ hilariously ironic part is the when the little boy, driven by the wonder of the fairy tale he had heard decides to brave the “thorns” which ends up being barbed wire . . . ok maybe it’s not as funny when you think about it.

Bartleby the Scrivenor part 2

"I would prefer not to" no I'm not talking about whether I would like to watch any of the twilight movies. This phrase is repeated over and over in this story and I am struggling to see it's true significance. I mean sure it is showing defiance but what more? The fact that it is possibly the nicest way to decline someones command has got to mean something right? Maybe it is just showing that Bartleby, while representing going against the norm of wall street is not doing it out of malice or anger, he is simply different than other people in that he is not afraid to share his true feelings. I also felt like the names of the characters were a bit odd. Bartleby for one is an odd name but could have been common or at least not as weird in the time this was written. But what about Turkey and Nippers? What are these names supposed to represent? We are in the Characterization unit so I feel like they've got to have more significance.

Bartleby the Scrivenor

Well first of all I would like to say that I really thought this story was drug out and really just awful. Aside from that though it was great! I first thought it was odd the way it opened up and he said let me tell you about one of my Scrivener's then kind of almost went back and said well wait I have to tell you about the other two first. Honestly think I think telling us about the other two didn't seem very relevant at all. After a little bit of thinking though I think that especially considering the time this was written, that the story is really supposed to show someone finally standing up to the usual happenings on wall street. Wall street was, especially at this time, very heavily involved in various economic happenings concerning our country. I don't get though what Bartleby's eventual death is supposed to represent, maybe that standing up to wall street is a bad idea?