The (Im)Possibility of Self-Realisation in Fitzgerald's “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” and Its Film Adaptation

Starting from the observation that the case of Benjamin Button is simultaneously peculiar and universal, both in Fitzgerald’s short story and its film adaptation, this paper offers evidence that Benjamin’s story may be interpreted as an illustration of the concept of Bildung. However, the two works adopt different positions towards whether and how the protagonist achieves self-realisation. In the short story, which reflects the modernist vision of Bildung, Benjamin’s path to maturity is doomed to failure both by his inability to create an inner free space and by the external world hostile to his personal growth. On the other hand, Fincher’s Benjamin succeeds in creating an inner space and coming to terms with his otherness.