Disability in Forrest Gump Analysis

Categories: Forrest Gump

Introduction

This paper shall analysis of the film Forrest Gump and his disabilities. Forrest is a gentle and extremely kind person. Although Forrest is considered an intellectually disabled man, he has never considered himself a disadvantage or handicap. Nothing could stop Forrest from being the best that he could be, whether it was being a star on the football field, fighting in Vietnam, captain of the shrimp boat, or an expert at ping-pong. Forrest overcame whatever was thrown at him by remaining positive and making the most of every scenario.

He shows us this when he tells his favorite quote 'My mom always said, 'Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get” (Gump, 1994).

Forrest Gump's Struggles Due to Disabilities

Mama always raised Forrest to know that he was no different from anyone else. Forrest did go through a lot of struggles as a kid because of his disabilities. First, because of his crooked spine the doctor had him wearing leg braces which made it hard for him to walk.

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Secondly, he had a low IQ score of 75 which made it difficult for him to get into a public school. The principal told his mom that he has to go to a special school because her son was different (Gump, 1994). The only way his mother was able to get him into the school was by having the principal sleep with her which led him to reconsidering. On Forrest’s first day of school he was mistreated on the bus, Jenny was the only one who let him sit with her.

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The children who would not let Forrest sit next to them chased him down after school, throwing rocks at him and telling him he is just plain stupid. Gump conditions have him misunderstood and cause him to face discrimination from his teacher and his classmates. Although Forrest continued to go through struggles because of his disability he never let it stop him from doing more.

Forrest Gump's Disability and Withstanding Social Pressure

All the awards this movie has received speaks for itself but, I do believe the story behind this movie is great. I think it is amazing that although Forrest was going through many obstacles he never let what society thinks break him. He always did what he wanted and when he wants and at the end of the day came up on top. Since Forrest did not believe in the negativity, he always succeed with a positive mindset. Forrest is able to adapted to any situation thrown at him, such as death, friendship and wealth without it taking a toll on him. I really like how the feather in the beginning of the movie flows through the wind. To me this feather symbolizes Forrest and how he just goes with the flow of things. I truly believe that if people went with the flow of things and focused on the positive, we would all be much happier and a lot more kind. When Forrest had a worry or a problem, which was rarely, he would run. I like that they added this because it showed that there is a way to cope with your problems, just find out what works best for you.

Portrayal of Disability in the Movie

I believe the description of his disability was accurate. The bullying that took place was accurate and having a harder chance of getting into a school was also accurate. People with disabilities do not have it easy when it comes to fitting in and you can see that throughout the movie. Forrest mainly stays to himself unless it has to do with his mother, Jenny, or Bubba. If anything, things have changed for the better, children and even young adults have better opportunities when it comes to education. Of course, it is not as great as it is for children without disabilities but I do believe it will continue to grow over the years.

I would definitively recommend this movie to other people. I think this movie is an eye opener, and one of the all-time best movies. I believe movies like this educate people and help people be more understanding. It is great to see that even people with disabilities are able to succeed in many different ways. That is important when showing people that there is hope and to never stop working towards your dreams.

Conclusion

For me, I look past Forrest disabilities and see how he really is and his true characteristics. I see Forrest an inspiring, humble, motivated, kind and loving person rather than someone who is considered retarded. Although Forrest Gump has setbacks due to his absence of personality, autism, and mental disability, as a national hero, millionaire, and dad, he lives a good life. His innocence makes him wise, and successful. Since Forrest is complex in his own ways he makes a great model for other people. Forrest shows that as long as you live with an open mind and open heart, good will come to you. Never give up and you can achieve anything. This movie means a lot to me because I love to see someone who has gone through struggles come up on top and that is exactly what happened to Forrest. If he can keep pushing through the blocks in the road, so can I and so can you.

Updated: Feb 02, 2024
Cite this page

Disability in Forrest Gump Analysis. (2024, Feb 11). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/disability-in-forrest-gump-analysis-essay

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