The wars of Benjamin’s era are a recurring motif in the story and shape his experience of time, place in society, and sense of identity. As he ages backward, history moves forward, and it is only when he is in the prime of life that age and history are brought into alignment. First, the outbreak of the Civil War when Benjamin is four years old distracts the Baltimore elite from the sensation created by the Buttons’ unusual toddler. The Civil War helps Benjamin save face later in life as well when he publishes his father-in-law’s 20-volume “History of the Civil War,” thereby earning his favor.

The next major event is the Spanish-American War in which he participates in the Battle of San Juan Hill, ascends the military hierarchy, and returns home a decorated war hero. At this stage of life, his age and appearance correspond, and as a result, he can be a full participant in his historical moment at the very peak of his powers. Unlike the old man he was and the teenager he’ll become, Benjamin in middle age knows who he is and is accepted by the world.

Finally, his frustrated desire to fight in World War I is a major turning point in his life, a humiliating experience of reverse aging that alters his sense of self and his family relationships.