In this blog post, we explore what meaning Forrest Gump’s innocent perspective holds for us through the film Forrest Gump, and the life lessons he demonstrates.
Forrest Gump’s Unique Perspective
Everyone has probably experienced seeing the same thing through a different lens or having a different thought about it. This is especially common in art, and for me, a film lover, my favorite movie, ‘Forrest Gump,’ resonated deeply in many ways. As a child, I was a kid who didn’t know actors’ names well—in short, I wasn’t very interested in movies. Yet, I happened to encounter ‘Forrest Gump,’ and it was the film that imprinted the name Tom Hanks on my mind.
This film isn’t merely a biographical account of one person. It presents pivotal events in modern American history through the innocent eyes of its protagonist, Forrest Gump, unpacking the social and political climate of the time with humor and satire. This elevated ‘Forrest Gump’ beyond a simple movie, becoming the driving force that led me to continually explore this work.
The film begins with protagonist Forrest Gump sitting at a bus stop, waiting for a bus. He casually starts telling his story to a stranger sitting beside him. The flashback scenes unfold from Forrest Gump’s perspective. Forrest Gump was born with low intelligence and a disability in his legs due to polio contracted in childhood. He started life at a disadvantage compared to others. Therefore, the world seen through Forrest Gump’s eyes, as the viewer experiences it throughout the film, differed from what ordinary people might perceive. Perhaps this is why Forrest Gump himself couldn’t understand it. That’s likely why I felt compelled to view this film through a slightly different lens than others.
The world seen through the eyes of a pure soul
Forrest Gump, though less intelligent than others due to polio, was actually purer than most. He granted any request made of him, finding happiness in doing so, and lived without greed. Perhaps that’s why he ended up living a more successful and happier life than many others. Forrest Gump simply ran when told to run, becoming a football star and gaining admission to a university he was told he’d never get into.
One of the most pivotal events in Forrest Gump’s life was his experience in the Vietnam War. He merely followed orders, yet his simple, pure actions made him a hero. Many people tried to assign meaning to his actions, but Forrest Gump simply says, “I just did what I had to do.” This part makes you feel once again how powerful Forrest Gump’s innocence can be.
And the fact that he just started running due to the shock of his breakup with Jenny becomes a talking point. Forrest Gump insists he just wanted to run, yet many people assign meaning to it and constantly question why he runs. Watching this, I suddenly wondered if people live their lives assigning too much meaning to trivial matters and overthinking them. Do we overthink things while doing them, deciding they’re too hard before even finishing, and then give up? Or are we unable to do what we truly want because of the gaze of those around us?
The 1960s and 1970s: Words Left Unspoken
The film primarily follows Forrest Gump’s life experiences as he grows up and his quest to find his first love, Jenny. However, the events Forrest Gump experiences are tied to actual historical facts that occurred in America. Watching the movie, our generation gets to experience, alongside Forrest Gump, the stories of the 60s and 70s that we didn’t directly live through. For instance, as a child, Forrest Gump wore leg braces to correct his polio-affected legs and spine. His mother ran a boarding house to make ends meet. One day, Forrest danced with a young man playing guitar, but his braces prevented him from dancing properly. He could only sway awkwardly while standing still, shaking his legs. Years later, Forrest and his mother happened to see a TV show featuring that young man from the boarding house performing what was called the “dog-leg dance.” That man was none other than Elvis Presley.
This was included for humor, but the events the film truly wanted to address were those Forrest Gump directly experienced: the Vietnam War, the Ping Pong Diplomacy between China and the US, and President Nixon’s wiretapping scandal. Hearing Forrest Gump say he personally experienced these pivotal events in world history that absolutely cannot be overlooked, we feel a cathartic sense of empathy. While ordinary people might only think certain thoughts privately, unable to voice them, the pure-hearted Forrest Gump, finding them incomprehensible, simply states his own thoughts aloud. Listening to Forrest Gump’s thoughts often makes us laugh spontaneously, yet behind those words lie the very thoughts we ourselves truly wanted to express about those events.
The film’s charm doesn’t stop at the simple narrative development of its characters. Scenes linked to actual historical events help us understand the era’s context and social currents. Forrest Gump’s story becomes a vivid history lesson for those who didn’t live through that time, while evoking nostalgia for those who did.
Same Start, Different Outcomes
Forrest Gump and his first love Jenny were both pure and kind children in their youth. Yet the outcomes they faced as adults diverged. As a child, Forrest Gump was deemed slow-witted and required to attend a special needs school. However, his mother insisted that just because he learned a little slower didn’t mean he should be denied the right to learn alongside others. She showed her desire for her son to receive the best education possible.
In contrast, Jenny grew up scarred by her father’s abuse during her childhood. Her unhappy childhood profoundly impacted her life, ultimately leading her to live a wandering existence, constantly craving love and freedom. This stands in stark contrast to Forrest Gump, who retained his innocence and achieved growth with the help of those around him. Jenny, however, shows herself losing her way amidst her wounds and pain.
As a result, while Forrest Gump became an American football star and a hero of the Vietnam War, Jenny was expelled from school due to a photo shoot she did to earn tuition money and ended up living a degenerate life, including a hippie lifestyle. Though both were born pure as children, their surroundings led them down different paths. Seeing this made me understand, at least a little, why parents are willing to do anything for their children. It made me realize that the environment I now take for granted is, in a way, the result of my parents’ devotion and love.
Life is like a box of chocolates
Watching this film, the line that sticks with everyone came to mind: “Life is like a box of chocolates!” In life, no one knows what outcome will come until you see it through to the end, and our lives are a series of choices. And even if a choice leads to a bad outcome, don’t be disappointed; just like there are more sweet chocolates left in the box, many better outcomes are waiting ahead.
This line goes beyond a simple proverb; it holds a truth about life. In every moment we live, no one can know what outcome will come. But if we live with a pure heart, doing our best like Forrest Gump, the chocolates laid out before us will ultimately offer a sweet taste. It also reminds us to cherish every moment and not miss life’s small joys.
While watching this film, you might simply laugh and enjoy it, but like me, seeing the protagonist Forrest Gump’s life might make you feel things a bit differently than others. Perhaps the reason I feel differently stems from the unique circumstances under which I first saw it. A film that makes you ponder deeply, rather than one you simply watch and forget, is truly the kind that stays with you.
