Adversity In David Fincher's The Curious Case Of N

Adversity encompasses and implies a wide range of cases in which humans feel unease: from the misfortunes we face, to the distress we feel, to the hardships we endure and the tribulations we are forced to overcome. Whether on a small or large scale, everyone faces adversity; and how we react in the face of it can play a pivotal role in building our character. This relationship between adversity and character is a focal point in David Fincher’s The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, emphasized through various cinematography, dialogue and symbolism techniques depicting the adversity Benjamin is faced with throughout his life. Peculiarly, instead of being devoured by it, he is able to overcome challenges such as his reverse aging and seems to strengthen

For Benjamin, he simply takes life as he finds it and believes that “lives are defined by opportunities.” Adversity is included within these opportunities from Benjamin’s point of view, and because of this mindset, it explains why his character seems to strengthen when faced with adversity. His greatest flaw of reverse aging is not perceived by him as such, for he has only been “looking out of [his] own eyes.” Adversity only becomes adversity when it is viewed as such, and reverse aging for Benjamin only brings him opportunities. One of the most important things he learns in his illicit affair with Elizabeth in Russia is that all things run their “course” and only so many opportunities are given. David Fincher reinforces this idea through symbolism using the elevator. An elevator is a place where two unfamiliar people can be put together for a short period before heading off into their separate lives. Similarly, when facing adversity, we can choose to let this opportunity slip away or make the most of it. Benjamin again exemplifies this concept when coming face to face with the father who abandoned him as a child. Discovering the person who abandoned and caused hardships on you and others is never easy, and the news can be quite devastating. But for Benjamin, he has already come to understand the significance of facing adversity because no matter how much you “curse the fates” for

One of the key attributes overcoming adversity builds is resilience. Surmounting adversity is no easy task; it requires patience and perseverance even when failure occurs on multiple occasions. Benjamin knows this first hand from his relationship with Daisy; a relationship that is scrutinized from its onset. Despite the innocent nature of their relationship, which is established through the calm and gentle non-diegetic music and their close character proximities in many of their scenes together, others do not seem to see past Benjamin’s old appearance, and coupled with this is the many circumstantial occurrences that prevent their relationship from advancing. But sometimes, people are on a “crash course” with each other, and eventually, perseverance pays back its dues. Benjamin and Daisy are endgame because of their resiliency that is developed through overcoming adversity. Fincher maintains this through using a hummingbird to symbolize resilience in the face of adversity. The hummingbird is considered to be one of the smallest and most delicate birds in the world. What makes this extraordinary is in the two times the hummingbird appears within the film is where a hummingbird is least likely to survive, far out at sea and in the midst of a hurricane. A hummingbird seems to complement Benjamin’s character and exemplifies his resiliency