The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, 2

Plot

There are many differences between the short story version of this story and the movie. The general concept of Benjamin Button growing younger, falling in love, going to war, and having a child seem to remain constant. In the movie, he was always accepted even though of his differences, but in the story people had trouble accepting someone who was so different and they tried to make him as normal as possible. When he was born in the story, he was physically and mentally an old man. In the movie, he was mentally a new born but had the characteristics of an elderly man. In the movie, he had a longer life of 85 years. However, the short story diagnosed him as a 70 year old when he was born. He was curious just as any other small child as when he almost fell of the front porch of the retirement home. Benjamin was given up and raised by his foster mother Queenie and then but Daisy, where as in the story, the Button family cared for him and raised him through out his entire life. Once he was older, the woman he fell in love with was named Daisy, not Hildegarde. He held an interest for her for many years even though obstacles tended to keep them apart. Benjamin and Daisy always accepted each other, for example when Benjamin becomes a child, she returns to him to care for him. Benjamin's marriage with Daisy resulted in a a daughter named Caroline who never had the opportunity to know her father, where as in the story he had a boy named Roscoe who he grew up with and later took care of him. In the story, Hildegarde and Benjamin part ways when she become too elderly. When he went to war in the movie, he became a part of the navy. Benjamin's death in the movie was caused by dementia, where as in the movie, Benjamin simply dies and no reason is fully given to the reader.

Point of View

The story that Caroline reads from Benjamin's journal is in third person limited point of view. The rest of the movie, however is told in first person. The hospital scenes are in Benjamin Button's point of view but are read by Caroline. Therefore, we do not get to know anything about what the other people were thinking. He is the author of there journal and every word in it is his own thoughts. The rest of the story where Benjamin is alive is him telling us about his life. We are able to see his actions and various times he does a voice over to explain to us his personal thoughts and feelings. This helps us have a better understand of his true feelings. We do not have to assume what he feels by using his actions because there are multiple times when he acts differently from what he feels. A good example of this is when Thomas Button tells him the true story about his birth and that he is Benjamin's father. He shows no emotion to this new knowledge, and simply leaves. Later he tells Queenie about this. He soon has an understanding for what his father did and forgives him.

Characterization

This movie has a great amount both direct and indirect characterization. The characters have very detailed physical qualities. Benjamin's wrinkles that he is born with are the first sort of proof given to people that he is different. From then on we are able to see how his disease progresses and do not need to be told about it. Occasionally, he explains to us that he is feeling stronger and stronger every day and more full of life. When Daisy is first introduced, Benjamin describes her as “all knees and elbows.” With that description we can already picture that she is an extremely skinny little girl before we get to actually see what she looks like. When Caroline is reading from Benjamin's journal, he describes Daisy as “the most beautiful woman he's ever seen,” which gives us another image of what she looks like. The Captain of the tugboat, which Benjamin works on, has many tattoos that he ultimately describes to other people throughout the movie, including Benjamin. For the reason that this is a movie we can see exactly how people react to the circumstances they are put in. We can see when people cry, laugh, or smile.

Setting

The setting of the movie has been changed from the short story. It now takes place in New Orleans rather than Baltimore. It opens with Daisy and Caroline talking in a hospital with Daisy almost at death. It takes place during hurricane Katrina. When they begin to read from Benjamin's journal, it also begins in the same city but on the day the World War I ended in 1918. In the story, it began in 1860, during the middle of the Civil War. As Benjamin begins to grow the next location we are taken to is upon a tugboat in the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. From there, he goes to multiple other places along Florida and up the Atlantic which we learn about from Daisy talking to Caroline. Later Benjamin is in Russia, where he meets Elizabeth, his new love interest. From then on he goes to war in the Pacific, then back home to New Orleans in 1945. Later he goes to meet Daisy in Paris when she is dancing, which was quite a surprise. He returns there once more when she gets into the accident.Once back in New Orleans with Daisy they go sailing into the Gulf then move in together. After Caroline's birth he journeys to India before coming back home before his death.

Theme

The themes of the movie is still very much similar to that of the short story. Benjamin still teaches us that we should make the most of our life while we have the time to do so. Benjamin says that he was “thinking how nothing lasts, and what a shame that is.” Him and Daisy didn't have that much time together but the time they did share, they made it meaningful and memorable and she was certain that “things happen when they are supposed to.” His condition also caused him to be rejected in his life, except in the movie it was by his father rather than a college. Benjamin is still able to live an enjoyable life and was touched by many of the people he met including a couple of the elderly women that lived at the retirement home. Two of those women were Queenie and the woman who taught him how to play the piano. Right before his death, while he was in India, his advice to Caroline was written in a letter saying, “For what it's worth, it's never to late, or in my case to early, to be whoever you want to be. There's no time limit. Start whenever you want. You can change, or stay the same. There are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. I hope you see things that scare you. I hope you feels things that you've never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life that you're proud of and if you find that you're not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again.” This is good advice for anyone to take opportunities when they come to us and not wait. His love for his family lasted all the way until his death. Queenie was everything a mother should be to him, Thomas was remorseful for what he did, and him and Daisy loved each other with all their hearts. These three people are the perfect example of what a family is.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Plot

In the story The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, the reader soon discovers that this “whether this anachronism had any bearing on the astonish history [the narrator is] about to set down will never be known” (page 5). The story begins when the reader discovers Mr. Buttons first born child is anything but a normal baby boy. Born as an elderly old man presented many conflicts for the Button family. Mr. Button's shame of his son forced him to hide and disguise Benjamin as a way to keep some normality in his child. Benjamin grew up with this idea to pretend to be a person he was not meant to be. Once he is old enough and comfortable in his own skin, he starts to live a relatively normal life by marrying Hildegarde. After this event the plot of this story seems to be going in reverse, as Benjamin begins to grow younger. This suspenseful portion of the story provokes many questions as to his future. The connection that Benjamin and his wife once shared is diminishing both because of the reason Benjamin is growing younger as she is growing older. His life ultimately ends in such a way as every other persons life begins: “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” page 62. .

Point of View

This story is told in first person by a narrator who only speaks to the audience in the first paragraph. The narrator opens up the story in a way as to advise the readers of how this story was seen back in 1860. This unnamed narrator “shall tell you what occurred, and let you judge for yourself” (page 5). Throughout the rest of the story, it seems to be told in third person omniscient. The story is being described to the reader and we can learn about every characters actions and feeling, while also learning about the time period. This allows the readers to attain more knowledge of these facts that otherwise we would not be able to know, thus forcing the story to loose a valuable aspect. Once Rodger Button passes away, Benjamin turns to rely on his own child for his well being as he begins to lose the ability to care for himself. With Rodger gone at this point and if he was the narrator, the story would simply end there of vice versa, if the narrator was Rosco.

Characterization

In this story, Fitzgerald uses an abundance amount of characterization. From the instant Benjamin was born, he is described to the reader. He had “sparse hair was almost white, and from his chin dripped a long smoke-colored beard, which waved absurdly back and forth, fanned by the breeze coming in at the window” (page 9). As a young child, Benjamin was then forced to shave off the beard and to dye his hair in an attempt to disguise him as a young boy. His marriage with Hildegarde, after the years had passed between them, she is then described as her appearance began to change. “Her honey-colored hair became an unexciting brown, the blue enamel of her eyes assumed the aspect of cheap crockery--moreover, and, most of all, she had become too settled in her ways, too placid, too content, too anemic in her excitements, and too sober in her taste” (page 40).

Setting

The setting of this story takes place in Baltimore, Maryland. During this time, when Benjamin is born, the Civil War is taking place. The Roger Buttons held an enviable position, both social and financial, in ante-bellum Baltimore” (page 5). Due to their Wholesale Hardware Factory, the Button family was of extremely important during the years of 1860 to the early nineteen hundreds. The factory was also of importance to the Button family as it was passed down from generation to generation. Throughout a majority or Benjamin's life he remain there in Maryland. As a child he lives with his father and mother up until he attempts to enroll at Yale University. “At the outbreak of the Spanish-American War in 1898 his home had for him so little charm that he decided to join the army” (page 40). After his term in the Army he returns home once more, yet leaves once more to go to college at Harvard University where he was only accepted for the first year. He then lives out the rest of his years with Rosco and his family in Maryland as well.

Theme

There are many themes through out the course of this story. Make the most of life because life is ever changing is one of them. Even though Benjamin's condition causes many difficult times in his life including an initial rejection from his father, a rejection from Yale, and also losing his wife. As he grows, he has the ability to experience new things as others around him lose this ability and become elderly. Benjamin is still able to make the most of the life he was given and is able to enjoy it. This condition he has makes it impossible for anyone to relate to him for the reason that his condition is extremely rare. Yet, he also has a relatable aspect to him. This is seen through how he lives his life to the fullest and is a strong person makes him seem like a normal born person. There is no person who has the ability to know what to expect from him as the years go by. It is a new experience for every person around him. When he is born, the Button's plan to take him home like every other newborn, in a blanket. Benjamin then responds by saying that “if you think I'm going to walk home in this blanket, you're entirely mistaken” (page 13). His family must make assumptions of how to raise an elderly man as a new born child. This is as similar as to any new family with their new child only they have others to turn to. The Button's had no one, yet they love him just the same. Family will always be there for each other.

Sonnet 116

The message that William Shakespeare is trying to get across in this sonnet is what love truly is. In lines 2-4, Shakespeare tells the reader: “love is not love which alters when it alteration finds, or bends with the remover to remove.” In these lines he is saying that a love is true only when it is unchanging, and does not waver. There may be people who try to destroy it or the people can change yet love will always remain the same. Every person has their faults, but those are unimportant to love. Love is everlasting until death. He compares love's strength to a storm and also to the stars because like the north star, specifically, it can guide people to the places they want to be. As said in line 8, “whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken,” tells us that we will not know what love can bring us therefor, we must take the challenge to find out while we have the time to.

The message of this sonnet is true. Throughout life there will be many challenges and events that will test your love. There will be parts of your life and personality that change as well as for the other person. True love is will always remain the same and not waver but only if it is true. Love is a powerful thing that can help us though these hard times in life, whether it be the love for a friend, a relationship, or family. It can also help people become who they are meant to be. In the movie The Notebook, Noah allowed Ally to be herself and he did not hold her to the high standard that her parents did. The house the Noah built acted as the North Star and guided Ally back to the city where they met and fell in love. They went through the challenges of Ally moving, Noah going to war, the disapproval of Ally's parents, and Ally getting engaged to another man; yet, despite these challenges Noah and Ally ultimately ended up together. Their love had the strength and was able to last the long time they were apart from each other.

Let me not to the marriage of true minds

Admit impediments. Love is not love

Which alters when it alteration finds,

Or bends with the remover to remove:

O no! it is an ever-fixed mark

That looks on tempests and is never shaken;

It is the star to every wandering bark,

Whose worth’s unknown, although his height be taken

Love’s not Time’s fool, though rosy lips and cheeks

Within his bending sickle’s compass come:

Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,

But bears it out even to the edge of doom.

If this be error and upon me proved,

I never writ, nor no man ever loved.

A Video about Sonnet 116 by William Shakespeare  

Ballad Blog -- Vindicated by Dashboard Confessional

       I chose the song "Vindicated" by Dashboard Confessional as a ballad. The theme of this song can be considered as acting with heroic deeds and quests for honor. The singer desires to do what is right and still be accepted. There are many characteristics of a ballad present in this song. some of these characteristics include: dramatization of a single incident, a strong simple beat, use of refrain repeated regularly, use of a burden, suggesting events, and based on actual events. 

      There is little description throughout the song as to what the singer is talking about. Each person may assume that the meaning of the song varies. As the song begins, it does so abruptly and immediately enters into the chorus. The chorus and verses are organized in a simple manner. After every verse the chorus is directly following. Through the lyrics in this song, it suggests event and actions rather than directly stating them. For example, the line "slipping against the current" suggests being different or choosing something that most people would not choose, and to be an individual. Toward the end of the song, the lines "so let me slip away" are repeated multiple times which is another characteristic of a ballad. Lastly, this song is based on actual events. The song itself could be viewed as no person is perfect but we can reinvent ourselves to make our self better. Another way to view this song is that we are sometimes forced to make decisions and ultimately regret them later even though we know in our hearts that it was the right choice. Both of theses greatly differing view points of this song are realistic circumstances that people must deal with every day.

Vindicated -- Dashboard Confessional

Dashboard Confessional

"Vindicated"

Hope dangles on a string

Like slow spinning redemption

Winding in and winding out

The shine of it has caught my eye

And roped me in

So mesmerizing, so hypnotizing 

I am captivated

[Chorus]

I am Vindicated

I am selfish

I am wrong

I am right

I swear I'm right

I swear I knew it all along

And I am flawed 

But I am cleaning up so well

I am seeing in me now the things you swore you saw yourself

So clear

Like the diamond in your ring

Cut to mirror your intentions

Oversized and overwhelmed

The shine of which has caught my eye

And rendered me so isolated, so motivated

I am certain now that

[Chorus]

So turn

Up the corners of your lips

Part them and feel my finger tips

Trace the moment, fall forever

Defense is paper thin

Just one touch and I'd be in

Too deep now to ever swim against the current

So let me slip away [3x]

So let me slip against the current 

So let me slip away [4x]

[Chorus]

Slight hope

It dangles on a string

Like slow spinning redemption... 

What makes a hero?

A Popular Hero:
I have always admired Andrew McMahon from the band Jack's Mannequin. He persevered through an intense battle with cancer all while devoting as much time as he could to his band. Even though he was on chemo therapy  which drained his energy, he would be devoted by writing songs and tried to inspire other people to fight their own battles with cancer. He was incredibly strong and hoped others would be just as strong with their own battles. Andrew has now long recovered. He sponsors a Leukemia walk that travels all around the country called Light the Night. Every year I join his team and walk with the fifty plus other teams. 

Interview with Andrew McMahon

A Literary Hero:
Batman is another hero that I admire. When he is fighting the Joker in Gotham, his strategies are very cunning and he is always determined to defeat the Joker. Although he does not have any super human powers, Batman is still capable of similar tasks such as those of Superman or Spiderman. No matter what, his first priority is always to the people in his city. These people can always count on this Hometown Hero to be there for them when the Joker is terrorizing their city. In my opinion, and if Batman was a real person of course, he would be one of the top contenders of people that can be called an average day hero. 

A Personal Hero:
My cousin Lauren has always been a role model of mine. She has gone through many difficult situations in her life. When she was a Senior in High School, due to other family matters, she had to drop out. Yet she got a job immediately and saved enough money up to get her GED. Then, she continued saving as much as she could so she could at least go to the college nearest to her. Now it is almost five years later and she is getting married in two months and also has an adorable baby boy. Her life may not have gone according to plan, or how others expect it to, but she stuck with it and was always positive. Everyday, Lauren reminds me that there are many ways to happiness and to obtain my goals and I should do my best to reach them.