Overview
Section 1 of "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" introduces the unusual birth of Benjamin Button in 1860 Baltimore and explores the confusion, fear, and social anxiety experienced by his father and the hospital staff upon discovering Benjamin appears to be an old man rather than a baby.
Setting and Context
- The story is set in antebellum Baltimore, 1860.
- The Button family is socially and financially prominent.
- Choosing a hospital birth was unconventional at the time for the upper class.
The Birth Event
- Roger Button anxiously awaits the birth of his first child at the Maryland Private Hospital.
- Dr. Keene, the family physician, is agitated and refuses to continue serving the Buttons after witnessing the birth.
- Mr. Button is instructed to see his child for himself, as the circumstances are extraordinary.
Reactions to Benjamin’s Appearance
- Nurses at the hospital react with terror and contempt when interacting with Mr. Button.
- Mr. Button discovers his “newborn” is physically an old man, around seventy years of age, with white hair and a long beard.
- Benjamin, despite his appearance, claims to only have been born hours before.
Immediate Aftermath and Social Concern
- Mr. Button is horrified by the prospect of introducing his elderly-appearing son to society.
- The hospital insists Mr. Button take Benjamin home immediately.
- Benjamin expresses discomfort with being treated as an infant and asks for proper adult clothing and a cane.
- Mr. Button is left overwhelmed by the absurdity and social implications of the situation.