Benjamin Button's Tragic Case

As I was thinking about tragedies, no one event or story came to my mind. I looked up what defines a tragedy and found that tragedies consist of unfortunate events, the downfall of a character, and unhappy endings. After going through a few of my favorite love story movies in my head I realized that The Curious Case of Benjamin Button fits every element of the definition of a tragedy. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is the story of a man named Benjamin who is born completely aged, and grows younger as his life goes on. This is already a tragedy on its own, because Benjamin is abandoned by his father as a baby because of his elderly looks, and then he will never be able to experience life like everyone else.

When Benjamin is in the beginning of his life, but at the same time an old man, he mets a young girl named Daisy in a nursing home. Benjamin meets Daisy and immediately enjoys spending time with her. They become friends and stay up late talking together on many occasions. However, soon Daisy gets older and travels away to start a dancing career. 

After Daisy and Benjamin spend some time apart, they are finally reunited in their home town. It is perfect timing to reunite because Benjamin and Daisy have become close to the same age. They quickly fall in love and start a life together. Unfortunately they know that their love cannot last a life time because Benjamin will age into a child. Benjamin and Daisy love each other, but finally accept that they have to move on to their different stages of life. Daisy ends up having Benjamin's baby and it is tragic that Benjamin has to watch his daughter grow up with a new father. From the first time they meet Benjamin and Daisy know that they are destined not to be able to live a life together, but they make the most of the time they are given.

Comments

[Ada S]

This is actually one of my favorite movies ever. It makes me really sad because they love each other so much but yet destiny is pulling them apart. This is deffinitely a great choice. Good pick Fina :)

[Zack W.]

Sarafina, I actually saw this movie in theaters and it is definitely a tragedy. As Benjamin grows up or gets old he falls in love but the hard part in the movie is that the woman he loves knows he must die. The part that was most sad was when she must lay him to rest as a baby and watch him die.

[Emily A.]

I didn't think about this movie when we got the assignment but after I saw the title I completely agreed. I really liked The Curious Case of Benjamin Button but it does have the Romeo and Juliet tragedy of impossible happiness in love. The movie has several elements of a tragedy however Benjamin did not initiate his fate. It is a tragedy of circumstance and despite his condition he lives happily.