Film and Television and Culture

Film And Television and Culture

One of the principal concepts that Robert Zemekis' 1994 motion picture Forrest Gump is meant to put across regards the problems that society has to deal with. Consequent to watching this film, most viewers are likely to look back and think about all of the issues in Forrest Gump's life. The fact that Tom Hanks soundly plays the character contributes to making the audience relate to him, especially considering that his emotional nature increases the overall feeling that one has while viewing the film.

Forrest Gump is a rather ordinary individual who somewhat accidentally becomes a part of a series of historic events. Having been challenged by life's hardships, he continuously strives to achieve his goals, regardless of the fact that he often comes across tough situations. His below-the-average IQ and his failure to connect with the love of his life in his early years do not prevent him from eventually marrying her and from becoming a wealthy individual.

3. Although Forrest Gump appears to be focused on the character of Forrest Gump more than it is meant to discuss historic events, one might be inclined to consider that the film is actually intended to satirize American efforts in the Vietnam War, the counterculture of the 1960s and 1970s, and the Watergate Scandal. The principal character is most probably meant to represent an individual who puts morality before everything. The fact that he is not very intelligent supports this belief, as his naive personality prevents him from ever wanting to perform unethical activities.

4. Forrest loves everyone and everything but keeps realizing that it is almost impossible for him to save the world. He gradually enters a desperate situation as Jenny leaves him, the Vietnam War requires his help, and several other matters come to affect his life negatively. In spite of his life's hardships, however, his determination assists him in overcoming every unfortunate event that he comes across. His dumbness is, in point of fact, one of the things that prevents him from becoming disillusioned and from being put down by the challenges in his life. By employing purpose, bravery, and love in his attempt to make it through life, Forrest ultimately proved that one does not necessarily have to have extraordinary abilities in order to have success.

5. Although he experienced some of the most important events in the second half of the twentieth century first hand, Forrest managed to refrain from being influenced by pressure groups. With politicians and mainstream communities influencing from one side and counterculture supporters from the other, he experienced great difficulty in trying to remain unaffected by what went on around him. One should look up to Forrest for his ability to keep his personal convictions in this overall complicated situation.

6. The concept of a victimized man trying to come at peace with himself while life keeps on defying him is commonly found in motion pictures. Lasse Hallstrom's 1993 What's Eating Gilbert Grape is to a certain degree similar to Forrest Gump, considering that they both deliberate on the lives of men as they struggle to thrive in spite of the fact that fate provided them with little chances of doing so.

7. Jenny's character is a stereotype for the counterculture that lived through the sixties and seventies. She is constantly portrayed as being negatively affected by the choices that she makes, even with the fact that she is simply interested in expressing herself freely in times when war efforts are considered to be one of the country's main priorities. Jenny is most probably meant to contrast Forrest, given that his lack of interest in joining a particular community prevents him from getting into trouble. The immoral behavior employed by certain individuals that were part of the counterculture apparently backfires on themselves, especially given as Jenny's deadly virus stands as a reference to AIDS.

8. With Forrest Gump being concentrated on elements and historic events characteristic to American culture, most of the music in it is sung by American icons of the sixties and seventies. This increases the feeling that viewers get and makes it possible for them to go deeper into the American setting of the sixties and seventies as the Vietnam War affected the public and numerous singers joined the counterculture in an attempt to remedy matters.

9. One of the most intriguing ethical dilemmas present in the movie relates to Forrest deciding to help others in spite of the fact that he has no obligation to do so. The fact that he saves Lt. Dan and many other wounded individuals on the battlefields of Vietnam proves that he prefers to risk his life in order to save others. Similarly, his love for Jenny stays strong even at times when she shows that she is not necessarily worthy of his support.