This article analyzes how Forrest Gump is more than just a character study, but a reinterpretation of key events in modern American history through Forrest’s unadulterated eyes, which inspires deep empathy and reflection in the audience.

Forrest Gump is a different perspective on the same thing

We’ve all seen things differently or thought differently about the same thing. As a movie lover, my favorite movie, Forrest Gump, means many things to me. When I was younger, I was a one-note kid who didn’t know the names of the actors in the movie, and I didn’t care much about movies. But then I stumbled upon Forrest Gump, and it was the movie that put Tom Hanks on my radar.
This movie is not just about the life of one man. It tells the story of important events in modern American history through the innocent eyes of the protagonist, Forrest, and explains the social and political situation of the time with humor and satire. This makes Forrest Gump much more than just a movie, and it’s what motivated me to continue exploring it.
The movie begins with the protagonist Forrest sitting at a bus stop waiting for a bus, casually sharing his story with a stranger sitting next to him. The flashbacks are told from Forrest’s point of view. Forrest was born with low intelligence and a crippled leg due to polio at an early age. He starts life at a disadvantage compared to others. Therefore, the world seen from Forrest’s point of view during the movie was different from what most people think, so it may have been impossible for Forrest to understand. Maybe that’s why I wanted to look at this movie from a different perspective than others.

Seeing the world through the eyes of an innocent

Forrest was less intelligent than others due to polio, but he was more innocent than others, so he did whatever others asked him to do and lived happily without greed, which may be why he was more successful and happy than others. Forrest ran because he was told to run, and he became a football star and went to a college he thought he would never get into.
Also, one of the most important events in Forrest’s life is his experience in the Vietnam War. He was simply following orders, and it was his simple and pure actions that made him a hero. Many people tried to attach meaning to his actions, but Forrest would simply say that he “did what he had to do”. This is where we are reminded of how powerful Forrest’s innocence can be.
And the fact that he started running because of the shock of his breakup with Jenny becomes a topic of conversation. Forrest says that he really just wanted to run, but many people attach meaning to it and constantly ask him why he runs. Watching this, I suddenly started to wonder if people attach too much meaning to the smallest things and worry about them. I wondered if we think too much about what we do and give up before we finish because we think it’s too hard, or if we don’t do what we really want to do because of what others think of us.

The 1960s and 1970s, Unspoken Words

The movie focuses on Forrest growing up and finding his first love, Jenny. However, the things that Forrest goes through are related to real historical events that happened in the United States, and while watching the movie, we get to experience things that happened in the 1960s and 1970s that our generation didn’t get to experience firsthand. For example, Forrest had polio as a child and wore braces on his legs to correct his crippled legs and spine. His mother took in boarders to make ends meet, and one day Forrest was dancing and playing with a young man who played guitar, and he couldn’t dance properly because of the braces, so he had to stand there and swing his legs. Years later, Forrest and his mother were walking by and saw a TV, and the boarder was on TV doing the so-called dog-leg dance, and he was Elvis Presley.
This is just for fun, but what we really wanted to do in the movie was to explore the Vietnam War, which Forrest experiences firsthand, the ping-pong diplomacy between China and the United States, and the wiretapping of President Nixon. There’s a real sense of empathy when you hear Forrest talk about these important events in world history that he experienced firsthand. He says things that most people think only in their minds and don’t dare to say out loud, but Forrest, who is pure and unadulterated, says what he thinks. It’s a story that makes us laugh out loud, but behind the scenes, it’s our own thoughts, the thoughts we really wanted to say about those events.
The beauty of these movies is not just the narrative development of the characters. It’s about understanding the context and social trends of the time, with scenes that connect to actual historical events. Forrest’s story is a vivid history lesson for those who didn’t live through that era, and a nostalgic experience for those who did.

Same beginnings, different outcomes

Forrest and his first love, Jennie, were both innocent and good kids when they were younger. However, as they grew up, they had different outcomes. When Forrest is young, he has to go to a school for special needs children because he has bad hair, but his mother shows that she wants him to have a good education, saying that just because he’s a little slow to learn doesn’t mean she can take away his right to learn like everyone else.
In contrast, Jenny grew up scarred by her father’s abuse during her childhood. Jenny’s unhappy childhood has a profound effect on her life, and she ends up living a life of wandering, constantly longing for love and freedom. This is in contrast to Forrest, who remains innocent and grows up with the help of those around him, while Jenny loses herself in her wounds and pain.
As a result, Forrest becomes an American football star and a Vietnam War hero, while Jenny is expelled from school for a photo shoot she took to pay for college and leads a degraded life as a hippie. As children, they were both born innocent, but their surroundings led them down different paths. This made me understand a little more why parents would do anything for their children. It made me realize that the circumstances I now take for granted are in some ways the result of my parents’ dedication and love.

Life is like a box of chocolates

The movie reminded me of a quote that anyone can remember, “Life is like a box of chocolates!” In life, we don’t know what the outcome will be until we try it, and our life is a series of choices. And if a choice turns out to be a bad one, don’t be disappointed, there are many more good ones waiting for you, just like there are many more sweet chocolates left in the box.
This is more than just a saying, it’s a life truth. In every moment of our lives, we never know what the outcome will be. But if we live with a pure heart and do our best, like Forrest, the chocolates in front of us will eventually taste sweet. It also reminds us to cherish every moment and not to miss the small joys of life.
You can watch this movie and simply laugh and enjoy it, but if you’re like me, you may feel differently about the life of the main character, Forrest. Maybe that’s why I felt differently the first time I watched it, and I think the movies that truly stay with you are the ones that make you think, not the ones you just watch and finish.