Benjamin Button isn’t just born with the body of an old man – he’s born with the mind and tastes of an old man. As he gets younger, it’s not just his body that’s more active, but also his social interests and passion for life. According to Fitzgerald age plays a big part in identity. You are going to change as you get older, Fitzgerald tells us, and that’s just the way it goes.

Which isn’t to say that life is downhill after 40. What makes Benjamin unhappy in this story is having to pretend he’s an age that he isn’t. When he’s old, he really just wants to sit around and chat with other old men. When he’s young, he’s satisfied to play with strips of brightly colored paper. In this story of a man growing younger, there may be a lesson or two about aging gracefully.

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