Kind. Good. Simple. These are three words that commonly describe Forrest Gump, a simple-minded, well-meaning, fictional man who hails from the American South. Yet, in spite of his humble upbringing and seemingly foolish demeanor, Forrest has been able to accomplish several unbelievable feats in his life that have been described as deeply heroic, greatly influential, and massively prosperous, all done with nothing but a willing heart and a clear mind.
One might think it too simple—that such unimaginable achievements are possible with such unimagined actions—but perhaps this simplicity is the one clear answer. While full of comedic scenes and tear-jerkingly heartwarming moments, the movie Forrest Gump illustrates this important yet overlooked insight.
When he was first introduced to the audience, Forrest was immediately presented as a slow and dimwitted character, the former because of his crooked spine, and the latter because of his less-than-average intellect. These disabilities led him to heavily rely on his mother for guidance and direction in every area of his life. Mrs. Gump, in turn, steadfastly instilled traditional values into her son with her memorable quotes (including the famous “Life is like a box of chocolates…” line) and fundamental life lessons. Forrest, not knowing how to know any better, accepted these without question, simply relying on the deep trust he and his mother shared.
However slightly unrealistic this unquestionable acceptance may seem, many of its resulting childhood traits and beliefs carried over to Forrest’s later years, always the never-failing guide for his life experiences. His unquestioning obedience became a tool for efficiency. His steadfast dedication translated to constant loyalty. Eventually, his mom’s sayings and teachings built his sense of right and wrong, instilling in him an unwavering moral compass. With this compass and his mother’s “guidebook,” Forrest continually achieved countless feats, the best exemplification being his time before and during the Vietnam War.
Before he went into the fray, Forrest spent much of his time in training, preparing for the consequential undertaking with little tasks such as scrubbing the floor with nothing but a toothbrush and assembling a rifle as fast as he could. While mundane and unnecessarily tiresome to the majority, Forrest found these tasks to be necessary, drills to be done because they had to be done. This repeating cycle of thoughtlessly and continually doing even the most tedious of tasks without complaint led to hyper-efficiency. With the simple traits of respect and obedience, Forrest rose to be one of the best soldiers in the unit, doing as he was told without complaint simply because it was what he was told to do.
On the battlefield, this thoughtlessness manifested when an ambush on Forrest’s unit resulted in multiple life-threatening situations. Even though he had gotten away from the imminent danger (“Run, Forrest, run!”), Forrest still chose to run back, basing his decision on the simple principle of friendship: “[Bubba] was my friend. I couldn’t leave him behind.” On his way to find Bubba, Forrest stumbled across several soldiers, all wounded and close to death; he chose to bring them to safety, again and again, because: “Who was I to leave them? They need to go home.”
Throughout the rest of the movie, Forrest’s simpler nature proves that time and time again, a simpler frame of mind can be just what is needed to accomplish a task and complete an even more impressive one. More than this, however, are Forrest’s exceptionally uncomplicated thoughts and selfless beliefs. Thoughts and beliefs that, to us overthinking in nature and quivering in values, show a profound wisdom, one that reminds us to take a step back, clear our thoughts, and appreciate the days when life was simple, much like Forrest has for all of his life.
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