Simplicity Synopsis of Forrest Gump

The movie Forrest Gump was made in the year 1994. Robert Zemeckis was the director of the movie, and he made great decisions about the camera techniques to be used in each scene. In 1996, a restaurant with the name Bubba Gump was opened in honor of the movie, and surprisingly, there is one in the Peak Galleria in Hong Kong! The opening scene of the movie is filmed very beautifully, especially with the feather floating in the air, because it creates the mood of the whole piece. Also, the music and sounds chosen to accompany the opening scene, contributes to the tone of the entire movie. Forrest Gump isn't the smartest guy on the earth. He is on the slow side when it comes to understanding academic things and figuring things out, and that is not very strange when he is on the borderline of mental retardation. He is a loving and kind person, who tries to protect those he cares about, especially Jenny, the main female character in the movie. Forrest is quite fond of his mother, who has a big influence on him as a kid, and shows this by recollecting what she used to say to him, throughout the movie. Forrest is physically handicapped as a kid, with his crooked back, because of his disabilities he is bullied at school. Forrest's main conflict is with Jenny, who is his only friend during his childhood. He is in perpetual conflict throughout the movie, as he doesn't know whether to be in love with Jenny or be her friend. Death is another aspect of life Forrest learns to cope with, as everybody he cares for dies, one after the other. First Bubba dies, then his mother, and in the end, Jenny. However, Forrest accepts death as a part of life, and therefore this does not become a conflict for him. His problem with Jenny is resolved in the end, when she accepts him and marries him. While serving his duty in the U.S. Army, Forrest is sent to the war in Vietnam. Here he makes a good friend, Bubba Blue, who knows everything there is to know about shrimps. Forrest and Bubba maked a deal, that they will start their own shrimp business one day. However, Bubba never makes it back to America alive, since their squad is ambushed, but many other people survive because of Forrest and his noble act of running through the forest and carrying people out. One of these is Forrest's Lieutenant, Dan Taylor, who does not want to be saved, and gets his legs amputated later. Forrest gets the Medal of Honor for his deeds. After some time, Forrest goes to Bayou La Batre, where Bubba's family lives, and buys a shrimping boat, to start the Bubba Gump Shrimping Company. lieutenant Dan joins him. After the hurricane, Carmen, their business becomes a big success, since their boat is the only one left. As a sign of kindness, Forrest sends the money to Bubba's family. Shortly after this, Forrest's mother passes away, and Forrest goes back home. The key theme in Forrest Gump is life and not to give up on it; it is about managing the obstacles on one's path. Forrest faces all these challenges, but he pulls himself through them. It is like the phrase his mother told him: Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get. Forrest handles things, as they come. Another theme is accepting yourself for who you are, and for what you do. The Phrase: Stupid is as stupid does is important here. It means that you are stupid as the things you do. Forrest Gump is not really stupid in this case. He was mentally handicapped, but he didn't do stupid things. The movie also deals a lot with death, so accepting death as a part of life is another message. Some symbolism mentioned, but the feather in the beginning and the end of the movie is important. It symbolizes destiny and luck. Forrest came across Jenny many times, after she left him. It was plain luck and/or destiny. Forrest says it himself: I don't know if we each have a destiny, or if we're all just floating around accidental-like on a breeze, I think maybe it's both. Maybe it is happening at the same time. - Forrest Gump. Forrest Gump makes a big emphasis on how life holds something in the future and nobody knows what lies ahead. By contrasting Forrest's life with the lives of those around him, and by showing how the passage of time brings solace to even the most embittered hearts, the movie underlines this theme. The feather that is present in the beginning and in the end of the movie shows that there is more to come and that life goes on. The director's use of this element makes the viewer wonder and hope. It also creates a feeling of fulfillment after finishing viewing the movie.

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