The movie, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button was a very interesting movie in relation to human growth and development. The gist of the movie is a man was born, obviously in baby form, however had the physical appearances and ailments of an elderly man. In this research paper I will discuss two main aspects of aspects of human growth and development that relates to the movie: cognitive development and various aspects of late adulthood. We first see Benjamin Button when his father rushes in to see his wife had given birth. To his horror his wife dies from childbirth and his son looks like a 70-year-old man, but the size of a baby. The baby is soon abandoned by his biological father on the doorstep of a retirement home owned by Queenie and
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Unfortunately Benjamin experiences these things at the time of his birth, since he is aging backwards. According to Berger, “10 percent of people…over the age of 65 see well without glasses,” (2014). We see Benjamin when he appears to be an elderly man wearing glasses. During the scene described above, the doctor says he appears to have cataracts, which according to Berger people from the age of 50 to 70 have a 20 percent chance of having this eye disease where their sight becomes hazy or unclear (2014.) Hearing is also mentioned as an ailment of the newly born Benjamin. Berger says that after the age of 65 roughly 29 percent of elderly people have difficulties with hearing (2014). During his early years of life, he confined to a wheelchair due to his arthritis. In reading Berger’s textbook he discusses osteoporosis, “low bone mass and deterioration of bone tissue,” which is what Benjamin could have had, however I do not believe such ailments in 1918, when Benjamin was born, were classified as such other than arthritis (2014). Sensory deprivation is also another issue Benjamin dealt with. Many times during the movie even though he was surrounded by people in the retirement home, he was alone with his thoughts, and no one to play with because in reality he was very young. According to Berger ailments that Benjamin had, hearing and vison loss can create …show more content…
When he was working with Captain Mike, they frequently stay at a hotel where he develops a relationship with a lady named Elizabeth, due to his sleeping problems. Berger describes in his textbook that “the day-night circadian rhythm diminishes with age,” (2014). In the beginning of this relationship with Elizabeth it simply starts with this sleep problem, he was simply getting up to get something to drink, and found Elizabeth there in the lobby. We never know exactly why she is not sleeping either, however as Berger suggests that older people, which Elizabeth is, wake about 10 times a night (2014.) Their relationship which starts innocently enough as acquaintances, then to friends then moves on to a sexual relationship, all began over sleeping problems due to their age. Berger also warns that sometimes aging people with sleep problems will try to resolve their problems with alcohol, which does not help the situation (2014). We see Benjamin and Elizabeth slowly increase their friendship with more late night discussion, food, alcohol then sex, could this be what Berger was warning
Unfortunately Benjamin experiences these things at the time of his birth, since he is aging backwards. According to Berger, “10 percent of people…over the age of 65 see well without glasses,” (2014). We see Benjamin when he appears to be an elderly man wearing glasses. During the scene described above, the doctor says he appears to have cataracts, which according to Berger people from the age of 50 to 70 have a 20 percent chance of having this eye disease where their sight becomes hazy or unclear (2014.) Hearing is also mentioned as an ailment of the newly born Benjamin. Berger says that after the age of 65 roughly 29 percent of elderly people have difficulties with hearing (2014). During his early years of life, he confined to a wheelchair due to his arthritis. In reading Berger’s textbook he discusses osteoporosis, “low bone mass and deterioration of bone tissue,” which is what Benjamin could have had, however I do not believe such ailments in 1918, when Benjamin was born, were classified as such other than arthritis (2014). Sensory deprivation is also another issue Benjamin dealt with. Many times during the movie even though he was surrounded by people in the retirement home, he was alone with his thoughts, and no one to play with because in reality he was very young. According to Berger ailments that Benjamin had, hearing and vison loss can create …show more content…
When he was working with Captain Mike, they frequently stay at a hotel where he develops a relationship with a lady named Elizabeth, due to his sleeping problems. Berger describes in his textbook that “the day-night circadian rhythm diminishes with age,” (2014). In the beginning of this relationship with Elizabeth it simply starts with this sleep problem, he was simply getting up to get something to drink, and found Elizabeth there in the lobby. We never know exactly why she is not sleeping either, however as Berger suggests that older people, which Elizabeth is, wake about 10 times a night (2014.) Their relationship which starts innocently enough as acquaintances, then to friends then moves on to a sexual relationship, all began over sleeping problems due to their age. Berger also warns that sometimes aging people with sleep problems will try to resolve their problems with alcohol, which does not help the situation (2014). We see Benjamin and Elizabeth slowly increase their friendship with more late night discussion, food, alcohol then sex, could this be what Berger was warning