Forrest Gump, directed by Robert Zemeckis, tells the story of Forrest Gump, an unintelligent but sincere man, as he journeys through life during the late 1900s. With his mother’s explanation that “life is like a box of chocolates—you never know what you’re gonna get” in mind, Forrest is able to surmount obstacles and live a remarkably successful life despite his low IQ and the resultant discrimination (Forrest Gump). Guided by his gentle nature and optimistic outlook on life, he witnesses and influences some of the most memorable events of the century. Forrest inspires Elvis Presley, joins the all-American football team, meets President Kennedy, wins the Congressional Medal of Honor for his heroism in the Vietnam war, defeats the Chinese national ping pong team, meets President Johnson, speaks at an anti-war rally at the Washington Monument, influences John Lennon, meets Richard Nixon, divulges the break-in at Watergate, starts and maintains the renowned Bubba-Gump Shrimp Company, becomes a preliminary investor in Apple technology, obtains fame and reverence by running across America for over three years, and marries his life-long love, Jenny. Forrest’s success does not come without struggle, however, and his story advocates that although obstacles are an inevitable part of life, there is undoubtedly something to be learned from all of them, but having a plan and a clear vision of the future is not necessarily the best way to overcome them.
Although the film offers no obvious dramatic plotline, one of the most compelling aspects is the emotional honesty of the characters throughout, especially Forrest. As the storyline progresses to reveal themes of friendship, loyalty, courage, and luck, the audience grows to genuin...
... middle of paper ...
...ccess and the best way to achieve it. Society puts too much weight on those who have a solid plan and the mental potential to flourish. While the film is humorous in its essence, its final message that success can come from the most unexpected of places is truly inspirational. Forrest Gump is a boy raised from a poor background in an average town who is both mentally and physically disabled, and yet his life story is one of overcoming all of the obstacles and ultimately having a positive effect on the world. His story, which reflects the cycle of life and the path of human history, clearly advocates the beautiful and true idea that courage, determination, integrity, and love can be far more powerful than intelligence or social standing.
Works Cited
Forrest Gump. Dir. Robert Zemeckis. Perf. Tom Hanks, Robin Wright. 1994. Paramount Pictures,
2006. DVD.
Fitzgerald portrays Jay as a loveable millionaire during the roaring 20s who’s claim to fortune is the topic of controversy in Long Island, New York. Jay portrays himself to be a war hero and a kind host for party goers as he hosts elaborate parties each weekend at his mansion, with lavish spectacles to which people are desperate to be invited to. However under this facade is a deeply scarred man who pursued and embraced wealth to impress the women he once loved. Lack of love is the main component which breeds a traumatic experience. Will is the product of physical and emotional abuse and is motivated by the need for survival. The negative events which have lingered in the back of his mind, limited his potential. An orphan and low key genius, Will grew up in Boston and made friends with a group who had no future. There is no doubt Will is a genius with a lot of fear and in the film, Sant unravels how he escapes these fears. The fear of never fulfilling of their potential dangles over the minds of Jay and Will. Fitzgerald and Sant both use a character to help Jay and Will overcome their past. Jay has the support of his neighbour, Nick Carraway, who’s well suited to narrating the story of “The Great Gatsby” as he tells the reader “he is tolerant, open-minded, quiet and a good listener. As a result of this, Jay and many others find confidence in telling their stories and secrets to him. Similarly,
It reminds us of a time not so different from where we live now, a world filled with lies, hatred, and moral ambiguity. It’s a story that largely reminds us as humans who we are, prone to mistakes and preconceptions that can lead to disastrous results, but also capable of growth and redemption. This story really allows you to understand different philosophies, perceptions, and differing opinions of morality and
Forrest Gump. We saw him in Big go from a boy to a man in a
There were not many major characters in this movie, but all played an important roll to the subject matter. Jimmy Morris was the main character, a young man, about 30 years old with a wife, three children, and a career as a chemistry high school teacher and baseball coach. His high school baseball team was the inspiration to him helping to achieve his goal of wanting to be a major league baseball player. Lori Morris, Jimmy’s wife, Hunter was his only young son who adored his father, and two young daughters Jessica, and Jamie. Jimmy’s father who was a military man played a minor part in the movie but, was the reason for a major controversy in the main character’s life.
The movie revolves around the sometimes love hate relationship between Rhett Butler and Scarlett O’Hara and how she will do whatever it takes to survive. It over romanticizes the old south and how the plantations were run and deals with topics such as slavery, reconstruction of the south and has a strong feminist survival theme to it.
The film chronicles the histories of three fathers, and manages to relates and link their events and situations. First is Mitchell Stephens and his relationship with his drug-addict daughter. Second is Sam, and the secret affair he is having with his young daughter Nicole. He is somewhat of a narcissistic character because of his preoccupation with himself and pleasing himself, and his lack of empathy throughout the film for the others in the town. Third is Billy, who loves his two children so much that he follows behind the school bus every day waving at them. Billy is also having an affair with a married woman who owns the town’s only motel. On the exterior the town is an average place with good people just living their lives. But, beneath all the small town simplicity is a web of lies and secrets, some which must be dealt with in the face of this tragedy.
Forrest Gump and the Blind Side both have strong characters, inspirational moments, and incredible hardships. The movies show two very smart people who are misunderstood by many.
This movie is a wonderful production starting from 1960 and ending in 1969 covering all the different things that occurred during this unbelievable decade. The movie takes place in many different areas starring two main families; a very suburban, white family who were excepting of blacks, and a very positive black family trying to push black rights in Mississippi. The movie portrayed many historical events while also including the families and how the two were intertwined. These families were very different, yet so much alike, they both portrayed what to me the whole ‘message’ of the movie was. Although everyone was so different they all faced such drastic decisions and issues that affected everyone in so many different ways. It wasn’t like one person’s pain was easier to handle than another is that’s like saying Vietnam was harder on those men than on the men that stood for black rights or vice versa, everyone faced these equally hard issues. So it seemed everyone was very emotionally involved. In fact our whole country was very involved in president elections and campaigns against the war, it seemed everyone really cared.
Although there were many concepts that were present within the movie, I choose to focus on two that I thought to be most important. The first is the realistic conflict theory. Our textbook defines this as, “the view that prejudice...
One event in the movie that really stands out to me as a good example of sociological imagination is Forrest’s stay at the Watergate Hotel. While recovering from a wound received in the Vietnam War, Forrest discovered and developed an outstanding talent for playing table tennis. Due to his exceptional table tennis skills, Forrest was called to Washington, D.C., and recognized as the “Player of the Year.” He went to the White House to receive this award. As President Nixon presented the award to him, he asked where Forrest was staying. Forrest commented, in his very innocent way, that the hotel was not very nice or well kept. Nixon apparently thought Forrest deserved much better accommodations and told Forrest he would arrange for a better place. In the next scene of the movie, Forrest is on the phone with hotel security and is looking across the way into another wing of the hotel. Forrest suggests to the man on the phone that the hotel needs to send a maintenance person “to the room across the way.” He explains that there are some men with flashlights in that room, and he (Forrest) thinks that they are trying to locate a fuse box. In actuality, instead of locating a fuse box, the scene he described was the infamous break-in at the Watergate Hotel. Had Forrest never been shot in the Vietnam War, a major occurrence in society during Forrest’s lifetime, Forrest would never have started playing table tennis nor received the prestigious award from President Nixon. The War was the event in society that shaped Forrest’s pe...
It is a great example of how persevering through life’s obstacles can make life even better than before. Being different creates many challenges for Forrest, however, he shows inner strength as he fights through these challenges. Along with this, Forrest Gump shows how having support while trying to escape a dark path will make success easier. Therefore, the movie reveals that life will not always be perfect, but it is important to persevere through the adversity that it is filled with. Ultimately, no matter the circumstances, any obstacle can be
In the beginning of the movie the audience knows that there is something wrong with Forrest Gump. He talks to strangers as if they were a friend, and had braces as a child. The audience also learns that he has an IQ
An Analysis of the Movie ?Good Will Hunting? and the Main Characters Will Hunting and Sean Mcguire
On June 6, 1943, in Greenbow, Alabama, an unexpected hero was born with a crooked spine and strong legs. Forrest Gump is not an expected conventional hero, however his accolades and accomplishments suggest otherwise. A hero is someone who inspires and instills good morals upon others by their courageous and outstanding acts. Forrest demonstrates these characteristics multiple times during his heroic journey. Whether it be diplomatic pingpong, fighting in the Vietnam War, becoming a local football legend at the University of Alabama or donating money to a deceased friend’s family, Forrest influenced many people with his unselfish and charitable acts. Joseph Campbell’s monomyth consists of the following stages: taking place in an ordinary world, a call to adventure, refusal of said call, meeting with a mentor, crossing the threshold, trials and tribulations, an approach to the final challenge, an ordeal, a reward, the journey back, a purification or resurrection into the normal world and a return home with the capabilities to alter the world in which he lives. Many heroes follow this journey and Forrest Gump is no exception.
Forrest Gump is a 1994 American epic romantic comedy-drama film based on the 1986 novel of the same name by Winston Groom. In the film, Gump is a man with a low IQ but interestingly has appeared i (The Script Lab, 2011)n many historic moments.