Social Psychology 2017-2018 Name: Meii

Quarter Project ID: 5861067

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2004) Movie Analysis

Section 1: Nature & Nurture

Both Nature and Nurture effected Benjamin Botton in his life which prevented him from
being a feral child. Nature that makes Benjamin different from others is his physical appearance
and his ability to walk. He was born as an old baby. He had wrinkles and looked just like an old
man in a babys body. He needed to sit in a wheelchair because he could not walk like a normal
child. In contrast, nurture makes him similar to others because he is treated normally, just like a
normal people. Lastly, he did not grow up as a feral child because he was born in a normal
family. He was taken care by his mom quite well. He was taught to walk or do what other kids
do. For instant, there is a scene that his mom brought Benjamin to the pastor to teach and help
him how to walk and it worked.

Benjamins step mothers parenting style is Authoritative style. His step mother is not
that strict or spoiled with him. She taught him not to do what is wrong and guided him along the
way. She treated him well as if he was her real son. For example, there is a scene where
Benjamin was sitting in the wheelchair and he almost went down the stair because he did not
know that he should not do it. His step mother pulled him back and told him not to do it as a sign
of telling him that he could hurt himself from doing it. Moreover, when he went out of the house
alone and went back home late, his mother also told him not to do it again. The reasons might
be because he was still young for her and she worried about him. Benjamins step mothers
parenting style is one of a factor that shapes him to think or act like a normal people.

According to Jean Piagets Principles of Gradual Development, Benjamin went through

the stage of Maturation, Gaining experiences, Social transmission, and The process of
equilibrium normally just like other people. First, maturation. Even though he was born as an old
baby, he still has some capacity like other babies. He cries when a guy stepped on him as a
sign of hurt. He gained experiences through out his life by going out, meeting new people and
learning new things alone. He also earned money from being a sailor. Next, he went through
social transmission with his real dad. His dad taught him to drink alcohol and left things for him
in the future which then depends on Benjamin how will he do with it. For the last stage, the
process of equilibrium, he realized that having a person you love die is a depressing thing. The
barber told him about death but he did not feel or think about it until he faced it, then he knew
how it felt.

Section 2: Understanding about Genders and Conformity

Benjamins perception towards gender, especially towards the girl he loves, changed all
the time from his childhood to adulthood. His life was surrounded by both men and women, but
he had never really thought of any women as a kind of couple love. He did not think of girls
much during his childhood, but then he met a girl named Daisy which he fell for her since then.
He liked her, but they did not end up in a relationship at first. They live separately and met new
Social Psychology 2017-2018 Name: Meii
Quarter Project ID: 5861067

people. Benjamin met another woman that he loved but then she left her. Then Benjamin and
Daisy met each other again and got back together. They ended up having a baby together.
Moreover, when he first had sex, his thoughts toward it totally changed. He liked it at his first try
and even wanted more. After that, he views women not only as a kind of living thing on earth
that is different from him but a gender that gives him a lot of meaning in life.

The scene from a movie that showed Groupthink Benjamin experienced was when guys
were talking about the war and when he was talking to his wife about their child. The first
example of groupthink is self-censorship which is a characteristic of Benjamin in that situation.
When the leader talked about the war, he did not say anything whether he will or will not join the
war. Most of the people joined and so he did. But he might not want to join and just go with the
flow. The leader of the group is another example, which is direct pressure. He came into the
group and told people about the war and ask if they will join the war. He gave others pressure
by saying Anybody doesnt want to go to war, now is the time to say so. Once you set foot on
the boat, youre in the Navy, friend. He did not allow people to choose much whether they
wanted to or not. The last example believes in-group morality. Benjamin left his family because
he did not want to be a burden for his wife. He thought that it was not right and fair for his wife to
take care of both him and their daughter.

Section 3: Adulthood, Old Age, and Death

According to Levinsons Seasons of Life Theory, Benjamin went through his adulthood
differently in physical appearance, and similarly in actions to other adults. He did a lot of things
that normal adults do such as working to gain money, having sex, drinking alcohol, going to the
club and etc. In his early adulthood, he seeks independence by going out by himself and coming
back home late. He faced the world by himself. In the early-middle adulthood, he tried to do a
job which is being a sailor to help captain Mike. He also traveled to many places around the
world as a way of experiencing new things and lifestyle by using boat. In the middle adulthood,
he settled down by having a family with the woman he loves. For the last stage, late adulthood,
he prepared for his old age by thinking about what should he do with his daughter and his life.
Since he will grow old in a babys body and he will not be able to take care of his daughter.

According to Kubler-Rosss Stages of Grief Theory, Benjamin, and Daisy reach the
acceptance stage differently. In denial stage, Benjamin does not want to accept the truth that he
will have a daughter. Then he was angry that he would not be able to take care of his baby
when she grows. Then he bargained by trying to stay with his family for as long as possible. He
then was depressed that he could not stay with his daughter and spend a quality time with her,
but he did not say it out. Instead, he wrote it in a dairy. For the last stage, acceptance, he was
able to accept the truth that he will grow old as an incapable baby. So he did what he had been
wanting to do before he dies such as traveling to India. For Daisy, she denies that Benjamin will
leave she and their daughter. Then she was angry when Benjamin told her to find a dad for their
baby. She bargained by trying to have a happy family with Benjamin as long as possible even
though she knew he would leave someday. She was depressed when she saw Benjamin when
Social Psychology 2017-2018 Name: Meii
Quarter Project ID: 5861067

he was in a baby condition because Benjamin could not remember her. Then she was to accept
the truth at the end and she took care of Benjamin until his last day on Earth.