Forrest Gump Lessons – Success and Happiness
For me, the primary purpose of this film is to influence the attitudes and behavior of the viewers. The movie shows audiences that people shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. For example, although Forrest Gump was perceived as having very low intellectual abilities, that did not stop him from being an excellent friend to those who knew and understood him. A good example of this can be seen in his friendship with Bubba, a man he met while enlisting in the Vietnam War. While most people bullied Forrest Gump for his low IQ levels, Bubba treated him with the respect and trust he deserved, regardless of Gump’s intellectual failings. This mutual trust and respect led Bubba to convince Forrest to go into the shrimp business with him after the war ended. Unfortunately, the war ended up killing Bubba, but that didn’t stop Forrest Gump from keeping his promise to Bubba, thus the start of Bubba Gump’s shrimp business. With this in mind, people should treat others ethically, morally, and with the respect they deserve, regardless of their perceived downfalls. As was evident with this movie, even the lowest caliber people could end up accomplishing some of the most amazing feats that would amaze even the most hypocritical person. Therefore, people must learn not to judge others and to value diversity because everyone has a gift to offer the world. In their own special way, these individuals could end up having a positive impact on those around them, much like the case of Forrest Gump.
The superficial theme of this film is to show audiences the adventures of an enchanted simpleton with a below-average IQ named Forrest Gump, who defies all odds by accomplishing some of the most astonishing feats during a moment of crisis in the history of USA. For example, while Forrest Gump had intellectual abilities that had mental problems, he was able to become a national champion in ping-pong and soccer; he served honorably in the Vietnam War; he taught Elvis Presley to dance; he successfully invested in Apple Computers; and he even got Jenny, his dream girl and they had a baby together. The deeper underlying theme of the film was to show audiences that anything is possible if you believe in yourself and work hard to achieve those goals. The movie highlights that anyone can achieve the American Dream as we live in the land of opportunity. All that is required is to hope and believe in the infinite possibilities of the human spirit. That no matter how bleak things may seem, it is still possible to achieve those goals. In addition, the film also highlights the importance of relationships, valuing diversity, and how supportive relationships can help to have a positive impact not only on a person’s life, but on society as well.
Considering how the movie ended, I think the moral of the story is to cherish the moments you have with your loved ones because life is short. That success and happiness is acquired through the process of accepting and experiencing life’s challenges, and with a little luck, you can become the person you were meant to be. Everyone knows that life is short. Sometimes people take others for granted, and by not appreciating the relationships you currently have with others, there may be a time in the near future when it is too late to let them know how you really feel. Although Forrest Gump always highlighted his love for Jenny, Jenny didn’t reciprocate the same level of love for Forrest until it was too late. Because of this, Forrest and Jenny were unable to spend much time together as a married couple before she passed away. Also, I also believe that happiness is a state of mind. To be truly happy, people must accept who they are and work to improve themselves as they face the challenges that life throws at them. Although luck plays a minor role in achieving success, people must position themselves through actions, to be there when opportunities present themselves. Through these traits, people would be one step closer to the person they are meant to be, thus achieving success and happiness in parallel.
So if you haven’t had a chance to see this movie, I would recommend watching it when possible. Even if you have seen the movie, I recommend you watch it again because people can learn a lot about success and happiness from Forrest Gump. Let me know your thoughts on the movie after you’ve seen it, as I’m curious if you’ve seen the same hidden messages as me. Personally, I enjoyed the movie more the second time around!
