this short story was written in the 1920's by f. scott fitzgerald, and consequently is full of quaint phrases and words.. my personal favorites are "phaeton" and "picaresque" :) the story is a quick read, beautifully written, and simple but with a plot that's meant to inspire more complicated reflections on the progression of life. according to the foreword, the story was inspired by a mark twain quote, that it was a shame that the best part of life comes at the beginning and the worst part at the end.. fitzgerald tries to show what might happen if this was reversed, and the tale he conjures up is a mix of sad humor, irony and (to me) a sense of futility.. futility, because, towards the end of his life, benjamin button has no recollection of the rich experiences in his past..by the end of his life, benjamin is an innocent young child, with no laurels from his past accomplishments, no stories to pass on to his children.. yet, he passes away in the same fashion as any other person, with no baggage..
