The Curious Case of Benjamin Button Timeline by Olivia Wardlow

1860

wardlos — 2024-01-16 16:04:34 UTC

In Baltimore, Maryland, Benjamin Button is born as a 5'8" old man. He appears to be around 70 years old. The hospital claims their reputation is ruined and Mr. Button, his dad, even says he wishes he could sell Benjamin. "the slave market—for a dark instant Mr. Button wished passionately that his son was black." (Chapter 1)

wardlos — 2024-01-16 16:08:42 UTC

Mr. Button, in an attempt to save his reputation, continuously dyed Benjamin's hair and made him play with boys his 'own age.' Benjamin, however, preferred smoking cigars and reading the encyclopedia. Benjamin, at this time, was very close with his grandfather. He tried to make his dad happy by occasionally shaking his rattle. Because he went along with acting like a kid, his dad finally let him wear long trousers.

wardlos — 2024-01-16 16:12:18 UTC

When Benjamin Button was eighteen, he appeared to be a 50-year-old man. He passed the exams to get into Yale, but when he tried to talk to the college registrar, she didn't believe his age. He was ridiculed off campus and he swore he would get back at Yale someday.

1880

wardlos — 2024-01-16 16:18:23 UTC

Benjamin is 20 years old and takes over his father's Wholesale Hardware store. Benjamin appears around 50 years old and he is now close with his father. Benjamin and his father passed for brothers.

wardlos — 2024-01-16 16:24:27 UTC

Benjamin and Roger go to a dance together. Benjamin meets Hildegarde Moncrief. They were dancing together and Hildegarde said that she liked Benjamin's age because she liked to be taken care of. She said she didn't like men her age because of their immaturity. "'I've always said,' went on Hildegarde, 'that I'd rather marry a man of fifty and be taken care of than marry a man of thirty and take care of him.'" (Chapter 5)

wardlos — 2024-01-16 16:30:17 UTC

Six months later, Benjamin and Hildegarde Moncrief get engaged. This public engagement caused a scandal with Benjamin Button again, because of his unusual birth. The media was saying that Benjamin was Roger's father, or brother from prison, and even portrayed him as a devil. Benjamin became known as 'The Mystery Man of Maryland.' Hildegarde still went along with marrying him despite all of this media coverage.

1895

wardlos — 2024-01-16 16:36:24 UTC

Benjamin's father retired from the Wholesale Hardware Company. Benjamin was very successful and even became the first man in Maryland to own and run an automobile. Benjamin now had a son, Roger, and was getting bored with Hildegarde as she grew older and he grew younger. She didn't enjoy going out and he loved going out now that he was younger.

1898

wardlos — 2024-01-16 22:07:15 UTC

Benjamin Button got so bored with being with Hildegarde that he decided to enlist in the army and fight in the Spanish-American War. He was made a major and received a medal after his 3 years in the military. Benjamin didn't want to return home, but eventually had to. "Benjamin had become so attached to the activity and excitement of army life that he regretted to give it up, but his business required attention, so he resigned his commission and came home." (Chapter 7)

wardlos — 2024-01-16 22:21:39 UTC

Benjamin returns from the military and Hildegarde is upset and a bit insecure because of how much younger Benjamin appears. Benjamin began getting mistaken with his son. People are now beginning to judge Hildegarde for being with someone so young, the tables have turned because they used to judge Benjamin to be with someone so young.

1910

wardlos — 2024-01-16 22:38:42 UTC

The Wholesale Hardware Company had been handed over to Roscoe. Benjamin Button entered Harvard University when he appeared to be 20 years old. He got his revenge on Yale during the football games

1914

wardlos — 2024-01-16 22:41:41 UTC

Benjamin graduated from Harvard and now appeared to be 16 years old. He moved in with his son, Roscoe, who told Benjamin to call him 'uncle' because he didn't want a scandal. Benjamin also asked to go to a boy's prep school and Roscoe refused to let him go.

"'when visitors are in the house I want you to call me 'Uncle'—not 'Roscoe,' but 'Uncle,' do you understand? It looks absurd for a boy of fifteen to call me by my first name. Perhaps you'd better call me 'Uncle' all the time, so you'll get used to it.'" (Chapter 9)

wardlos — 2024-01-16 22:47:24 UTC

Benjamin received a letter from the military asking people who served in the Spanish-American War to be called back to serve under a higher rank. Benjamin got excited to serve and immediately left home to join the military once again. However, when he got there, nobody believed that he had previously served in the military even though his true age was 57. They didn't take him seriously and Roscoe had to pick him up and take him back home.

1920

wardlos — 2024-01-16 22:51:30 UTC

Roscoe's first child was born and Benjamin appeared to be around 10 years old. Benjamin was now into playing with lead soldiers, the toys that his father wanted him to play with when he was first born.

wardlos — 2024-01-16 22:52:37 UTC

When Roscoe's son had turned 5, Benjamin was also 5. They went to daycare together and were taken care of by the same nurse. Roscoe's son eventually grew out of daycare, but Benjamin had to stay because he was growing younger. It soon became too hard for Benjamin to even do the crafts in daycare

wardlos — 2024-01-16 22:52:43 UTC

Benjamin was taken out of daycare and Nana had to take care of him. He couldn't understand words anymore. He started being more forgetful and couldn't even remember whether his milk was hot or cold. He never had any dreams, and soon enough Benjamin died as a baby. "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." (Chapter 11)