American Spirits And Society In Forrest Gump

Student’s Name Course Instructor Date American Spirits in Forrest Gump The film Forrest Gump centers on the life of a young man who from an early age is perceived to be slow-witted because of having a very low intelligence quotient of 75. However, later in life, he chooses to join the army and his life takes a new direction. As Gump meets and interacts with the most influential people in America, he is no longer viewed as the boy with a low IQ. Through determination and hard work, he successfully manages to break free the standards society had put for him as a child with deformities and a low IQ. In the end, he becomes a representation of the true American spirit by showing great optimism, bravery, and the virtue of friendship. In general, these values and virtues are what show the American identity. Forrest Gump has been used as a social mediator for the American society during the times of division as a representation of that which can bring redemption to the nation. True to the American spirit and identity, the movie is a great depiction of optimism. This value is shown through the experiences of the lead character Forrest Gump. As stated before, Gump was seen as a slow-witted child with a low IQ and who was not expected to achieve much by most of those he interacted with. For example, the principle showed reluctance to allow him join public school like other children because he was “different” from others. Despite such challenges, Gump continues believing in his potential especially with his mother constantly reminding him that he is not different from the others. His optimism is also seen during the incident of the storm as they went about their shrimping business. All other shrimp boats remained anchored in the port because of the oncoming storm. Instead of joining them, Gump and his friend set out with their boat into the storm. Interestingly, when the storm was over only Gump’s shrimp boat survived as those that remained at the port had been destroyed by the storm. With less competition, his business picks up and his company becomes the most successful in America. Ideally, optimism is shown through his adventurous nature that made him to go out into the storm while others chose to hide from the same not knowing what was in store for them. In relation to optimism in Forrest Gump, Boyle examines this from the parallel lives of Gump and Jenny, his friend since childhood. While it is clear that both have had bitter experiences as children, Grump approaches life with a determined spirit, while Jenny chooses the path of self-destruction (Boyle N.p). Surprisingly, the supposedly slow-witted Gump goes ahead to get a college degree as well as joining the All-American football team. On the other hand, Jenny’s wayward behaviors lead to the college throwing her out. A determined Gump joins the army after graduation and later on, he becomes a millionaire of great renown. However, fate is not so kind on Jenny who struggles with drugs, prostitution, abuse, and ends up quite miserable. From the above, Boyle notes that Gump is an embodiment of the values of a nation. On her part, Jenny is viewed as a representation of the self-destructive nature of the anti-war and counterculture movement. Through her death, the movie seems to in...