In2005,Daisy,anelderlywoman,isonherdeathbedinaNewOrleanshospital.Daisyasksherdaughter,Caroline,toreadaloudfromthediaryofBenjaminButton. 　　In1918,Mr.Gateau,ablindNewOrleansclockmaker,loseshissononthebattlefieldsofFranceinWorldWarI.Asawaytodealwiththegrief,GateaubuildsalargeclockfortheNewOrleanstrainstation,butfixesitsothatthetimegoesinreverse.Whenaskedwhy,Gateaustatesthatmaybetimewillreverseandthemenlostinthewar—includinghisson—mightcomehomeagain. 　　OntheeveningofNovember11,1918,aboyisbornwiththeappearanceandphysicalmaladiesofaveryelderlyman.Thebaby'smotherdiesshortlyaftergivingbirth,andthefather,ThomasButton,abandonstheinfantontheporchofanursinghome.QueenieandMr."Tizzy"Weathers,whoworkatthenursinghome,findthebaby,andQueeniedecidestocareforhimasherown. 　　In1930,12-year-oldBenjamin,havingexchangedawheelchairforcrutches,befriendssix-year-oldDaisy,whosegrandmotherlivesinthenursinghome.AsBenjamin'sbodygrowsyounger,heacceptsworkonatugboat.BenjaminalsomeetsThomasButton,whodoesnotrevealthatheisBenjamin'sfather.In1936,BenjaminleavesNewOrleanswiththetugboatcrewforalong-termworkengagement.HeeventuallyfindshimselfinMurmansk,wherehestartsanaffairwithElizabethAbbott,wifeoftheBritishTradeMinister. 　　In1941,whilethetugboatcrewisstillinRussia,JapanattackstheU.S.atPearlHarborthrustingAmericaintoWorldWarII.Mike,thecaptain,volunteerstheboattobeashipintheU.S.Navyandthecrewisassignedtoscrapcollectionduty.Duringapatrol,thetugboatstumblesuponasunkenU.S.transportandthebodiesofhundredsofAmericantroops.Whilesurveyingthecarnage,aGermansubmarinesurfaces.KnowinghisdutyMikesteersthetugboatfullspeedtowardsthesubwhileaGermangunnerfiresonthetugboatkillingmostofthecrewincludingMike.Thetugboatramsthesubmarinecausingittoexplodesinkingbothvessels.ThenextdayBenjaminandoneothercrewmemberarepickedupbyshipsoftheU.S.Navy. 　　In1945,BenjaminreturnstoNewOrleans,andlearnsthat21-year-oldDaisyhasbecomeasuccessfulballetdancer.BenjaminagaincrossespathswithThomasButton,who,terminallyill,revealsthatheisBenjamin'sfather.ThomaswillsBenjaminhispossessionsbeforehedies. 　　Daisy'sdancecareerisendedinParisin1957,whensheishitbyataxicabandbreaksherleg.WhenBenjamingoestoseeher,Daisyisamazedathisyouthfulappearance,butfrustratedatherowninjuries;shetellshimtostayoutofherlife.In1962,DaisyreturnstoNewOrleansandreuniteswithBenjamin.Nowofcomparablephysicalage,theyfallinloveandmoveintogether. 　　Daisygivesbirthtoagirl,Carolinein1968.Benjamin,believinghecannotbeafatherfiguretohisdaughterduetohisreverseaging,sellshisbelongingsandleavestheproceedstoDaisyandCaroline.Hetravelstheworldaloneduringthe1970s. 　　Benjamin,appearingtobeinhisearlytwenties,returnstoDaisyin1980.Nowre-married,DaisyintroducesBenjamintoherhusbandanddaughterasafamilyfriend.DaisythenvisitsBenjaminathishotel,wheretheysharetheirpassionforeachother.DaisyadmitsthatBenjaminwasrighttoleave;shecouldnothavecopedotherwise.Benjamindepartsagain. 　　In1991,widowedDaisyreceivesaphonecallfromsocialwork

　　OntheeveningofNovember11,1918,aboyisbornwiththeappearanceandphysicalmaladiesofaveryelderlyman.Thebaby'smotherdiesshortlyaftergivingbirth,andthefather,abandonstheinfantontheporchofanursinghome.QueenieandMr."Tizzy"Weathers,whoworkatthenursinghome,findthebaby,andQueeniedecidestocareforhimasherown.AsBenjamin'sbodygrowsyounger,heacceptsworkonatugboat.In1936,BenjaminleavesNewOrleanswiththetugboatcrewforalong-termworkengagement.HeeventuallyfindshimselfinMurmansk,wherehestartsanaffairwithElizabethAbbott,wifeoftheBritishTradeMinister.Aftertenyears,theSecondWorldWar。Unrestsituations,BenjaminButtonlikemanyAmericans,camebyshipfromBritaintotheUnitedStatestocontributetotheanti-fascistwar.Duringthisperiod,hemetallkindsofpeople,witnessingtotherealtragedyoflife,alsotoexperiencethebrillianceofhumanity'sgreatest。Benjamin,appearingtobeinhisearlytwenties,returnstoDaisyin1980.Nowre-married,DaisyintroducesBenjamintoherhusbandanddaughter.DaisythenvisitsBenjaminathishotel,wheretheysharetheirpassionforeachother.DaisyadmitsthatBenjaminwasrighttoleave;shecouldnothavecopedotherwise.Benjamindepartsagain.In1991,widowedDaisyreceivesaphonecallfromsocialworkers.TheyhavefoundBenjamin—nowapparentlyabout12yearsold,andhavecontactedherbecausetheyfoundhernameinhisdiary.Thesocialworkerssaythathisconditionresemblesdementia.DaisymovesintothenursinghomewhereBenjamingrewupandtakescareofhimashebecomesincreasinglyyoungeruntil,physically,hebecomesaninfantoncemore.In2003,hediesinDaisy'sarmsrememberingwhoshewas.Benjamin'sstorynowtold,DaisydiesinherNewOrleanshospitalbed,asHurricaneKatrinaapproaches.