Let Teen Agers Try Adulthood - 1273 Words

â€Å"Let Teen-Agers Try Adulthood† was written on May 17,1999 and published in The New York Times by Leon Botstein. The main topic of the article revolves around the Botstein’s belief that high school should be abolished and the various underlying social reasons that drive his viewpoint. The text has a clear bias for his viewpoint however those who disagree with abolishing high school can also find certain parts of the text to be agreeable. The author persuades his audience by using examples that are relevant to readers. Botstein’s writing does have great word choice for example he uses words like â€Å"adolescence, pubescent, and innocence† to describe the teen agers. Throughout the article, Botstein introduces key supporting points such as the†¦show more content†¦This audience is typically heads of household that would have children in schools and would generally relate to the high school experiences discussed throughout this article. As Bot stein pointed out, â€Å"Often the high school outsider becomes the more successful and admired adult.† These successful adults can see the viewpoint of the author through their own lenses and also realize that their success was not directly tied to the learning they gained in school but to the harsh realities they faced once they moved into adulthood. Although Botstein highlights the various problems faced by students in high school but to effect change he needs to gain the support of the parents, in addition to wealth. The only way to effect change in the American school system is to be driven by both the student’s parents and the individuals that can influence the school board. The social issue Botstein is addressing and trying to solve is ineffectiveness of high school and that it is â€Å"obsolete and should be abolished† (para. 1). He references the multiple instances where graduates have come forth to express that the â€Å"cliques and artificial intensity† inaccurately define the student roles. (para. 1). Botstein further details that these experiences do not translate to the â€Å"positions† individuals achieve in the real world. The high school environment amounts to an MTV reality showShow MoreRelatedGender Roles In Song Of Solomon2090 Words   |  9 PagesFreddie’s interaction and comments that day placed a label on the young child as the â€Å"milkman† that would follow him all the way through to adulthood and indeed a perception of him being a ‘boob man’ and also as Ruth being inappropriate in her traditional role as a mother. Macon used his own learned interpretation of what he considered to be a woman’s role in society to try and influence and demean his sister Pilate. Macon believed there was a standard feminine ‘dress code’ that was acceptable for one toRead More The Dangers of Teen Sleep Deprivation: Benefits of Adopting Later Start Times for High Schools3298 Words   |  14 Pagesschool start times is a country full of sleep deprived teens who, studies show, are more likely to suffer health problems and diminished academic performance. Teen sleep deprivation is a major problem infecting this country, and it continues to spread as high schools open their doors at earlier hours. If America wants to raise a generation of healthy, successful, and well educated young adults, then high schools must join the fight against teen sleep deprivation and open their doors at later, moreRead MoreHome Economics and Livelihood Education for College7320 Words   |  30 Pages(childhood, teen ye ars, adulthood, and aging), and living in a family (couple relationships, parenting, strengths, connections). All of these materials are intended to help you make choices that will make your family life more effective and satisfying. Fundamentals of a Strong Family Life * Routines and Rituals – Routines and rituals create a sense of normalcy, belonging, and comfort. * Open Communication – Letting every family member have a voice and creating the environment and trust to let everyRead MoreThe Impact of Sports on American Society Essay3785 Words   |  16 Pages3c).  Ã‚   These Everett Herald analysis are only a small portion of writers in the United States.   Not only are the sports analysis on paper they are on TV as well.   Every night there is something on the TV about sports.   All the major news stations try to get some kind of sports entertainment.   Why does this happen?   There is a simple answer; people just love to watch sports.   People want to hear about these athletes and how they played or what is going on it their lives.   If people didnt care

Who Was John Fitzgerald Kennedy - 1958 Words

To begin with, John Fitzgerald Kennedy was born into a politically associated and rich family of Irish-Catholics in Boston. Together with his eight siblings, Kennedy enjoyed an advantaged early years of elite summer homes, servants, sailboats, and private schools. All through his childhood and youthful stage, John Kennedy was a frequent sufferer of severe illnesses. That withstanding, he had a strong resolve and endeavored to make his own way. While striving to achieve the best out of his efforts, Kennedy wrote a record-breaking book during his college life at Harvard and then volunteered for other duties in hazardous combat during the Second World War in the Pacific. He turned out to be a hero in his wartime service. Later on, he joined†¦show more content†¦In addition, President Kennedy never signed any noticeable civil rights legislation. Nevertheless, he made a major contribution into the history of the civil rights, though with the benefit of hindsight. As stated before hand, President Kennedy hailed from a fortunate and rich Irish-American family. The family, all the same, had to leave the City of Boston prominently associated with them and carried on to the city of New York. The rich families that saw their Irish roots as discourteous and the wealth of the family as lacking class, held them at arm’s length while in Boston. Kennedy and his family had hoped that New York, being more cosmopolitan, would give them an opportunity of accessing high society. The emergence of discrimination and bigotry ought to have given Kenney some sort of imagined intellectual capacity concerning the nature of life for the Black Americans at that time. The opposite would seem to be true, nonetheless. John Kennedy placed political realism before any other kind of beliefs. The evidence of this was his decision to vote against the 1957 Eisenhower’s Civil Rights Act. In keeping with Giglio (102), the path from bill to act almost played a role of tearing apar t the Republicans. Members affiliated to the Democratic political party nearly united to a representative in their disagreement with the act/bill. In the 1960 election, Kennedy aspired to be the presidential candidate of the Democrats. If theShow MoreRelatedProfiles in Courage by John Fitzgerald Kennedy Essay1248 Words   |  5 PagesOne the most memorable presidents ever was elected in nineteen sixty one. He was the youngest president in the history of the United States. He was also the first catholic president in us history. Some people loved him and some people hated him. On November twenty second nineteen sixty three weather they hated or loved him everyone in the United States were shocked at what happened at about twelve thirty in the afternoon. John Fitzgerald Kennedy was shot while riding on his motorcade through DealeyRead MoreJohn Fitzgerald Kennedy And His Life1165 Words   |  5 PagesWhat did John Fitzgerald Kennedy explore, encounter, and exchange during his life. President John Fitzgerald  Kennedy went through a lot throughout his life. He was a mayor a Senate  and even president! On top of that he was in the military supporting our country. Let s  take a look at what he has explored. Explore, well John Fitzgerald Kennedy explored  a lot of things here are some examples of what he explored. He served in the military during WW2. He  explored  the ocean on his boat with his crewRead MoreJohn F. Kennedy Essay1302 Words   |  6 Pagesof America, John Fitzgerald Kennedy remains the youngest man ever elected to the office of Chief Executive, and the youngest man to die while still fulfilling his duties. Serving as Americas President, John F. Kennedy held his office for 1000 days, dying November 22nd, 1963, assassinated at the age of 46. John Fitzgerald Kennedy was born on May 29th, 1917 in Brookline, Massachusetts, the second son of nine children of the wealthy Roman Catholic Kennedy family. Joseph Patrick Kennedy, Kennedys fatherRead MoreLeslie Cardoso. Leslie Cardoso. Ap English 3. P.3.1082 Words   |  5 PagesCardoso Leslie Cardoso Ap English 3 p.3   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The JFK Inaugural Address On January 20, 1961, John Fitzgerald Kennedy delivered one of America s few standout inaugural addresses and one of the finest speeches in American history. By invoking the American dream and extending its promise to the rest of the world, Kennedy s speech was an inspirational call to action that resonates even today. John Fitzgerald Kennedy’s Inaugural Address, The article â€Å"Inside Kennedy’s Inauguration, 50 Years on†, and aRead MoreThe Life of John Fitzgerald Kennedy Essay948 Words   |  4 PagesJohn Fitzgerald Kennedy was the 35th President of The United States. He was more than just the Commander-in Chief to many. For those who admired him the most, he was not just their role model, he was also their hero. But, he was also the only Catholic to hold the highest office of the land. Many groups, especially the Protestants, were opposed to a Catholic president. They feared that the Vatican somehow would become involved in America’s matters, and the Constitution would be changed to make CatholicismRead MoreJohn F. Kennedy: Life and Times853 Words   |  4 PagesJohn Fitzgerald Kennedy was born in Brookline, Massachusetts on May 29, 1917. John’s mother’s name was Rose Elizabeth Fitzgerald Kennedy and his father, Joseph Patrick Kennedy. Rose and Joseph had 9 children in total. John had a very competitive childhood with his older brother Joseph Patrick Junior. Jack (JFK) was sick very often in his childhood, but nether less he was very active in sports and very social. Jack’s brother Joe Jr. was his parents’ favorite son. Joseph Patrick Kennedy was theRead MoreJFK Leadership Profile Essay1135 Words   |  5 Pagesas strong and influential. In the early 1960s the United States had a leader who was a leader among leaders and had the respect of an entire nation. John Fitzgerald Kennedy was the 35th President, who took office on January 20, 1961- but before that Kennedy was a World War II hero, a Un ited States Senator, and published a book titled Profiles of Courage which won him a Pulitzer Prize (www.famouspeople.com). John F. Kennedy possessed traits that allowed him to guide the country through three major geopoliticalRead MoreJohn F. Kennedy Inaugural Address1099 Words   |  5 Pagesthe map brighter than one of our own presidents. It was January 20, 1962 when John Fitzgerald Kennedy took stage to be the thirty-fifth president of the United States. Written by Kennedy in late November of 1960, his inauguration speech goes to explain the various changes of the world as Kennedy campaigned to â€Å"get the country moving again.† His speech begins to address the differences of the generations as he wants to â€Å"pass the torch.† Kennedy expresses various ways of getting people together whichRead MoreJohn Fitzgerald Kennedy Essay1555 Words   |  7 PagesJFK John Fitzgerald Kennedy (Jack) was born in Brooklyn Massachusetts on May 29, 1917, to Joseph Kennedy and Rose Fitzgerald, who were the children of Patrick Kennedy and John Fitzgerald (Honey Fitz), whose parents both emigrated from Ireland in 1858. Honey Fitz was governor of Boston and served on the House of Representatives. Both men were influential in politics. Joseph and Rose Kennedy had nine children: Joseph Jr., John, Rosemary, Kathleen, Eunice, Patricia, RobertRead MoreWas The Assassination of John Fitzgerald Kennedy a Conspiracy?794 Words   |  4 Pages Was The Assassination of John Fitzgerald Kennedy a Conspiracy? On November 22nd, 1963 at 12:30 p.m in Dallas, Texas, one of the most horrific events in American History took place. The assassination of John F. Kennedy. Crowds were cheering as JFK was on a ten mile route that would pass through Dallas, Texas. John Kennedy was in the back seat of a 1961 four door Lincoln Continental convertible when this tragic event occurred. The driver took a left off of Main street passing by the Texas School

Forest gump free essay sample

Forrest Gump is a film that portrays the life of a man who has borderline intellectual functioning, from when he was young, all through his adulthood. Forrest was the victim of ongoing bullying and abuse from the mean-spirited children in his area. The movie shows the challenges he faced and how he overcame them, some with luck, but others with his ability; despite the fact that he has an IQ of 75. The story plays off in a series of decades in the life of Forrest Gump, a slow-witted yet athletically prodigious man from Alabama that had an influence on the later half of the 20th century in the United States. Forrest as a child was bullied and had rough times growing up; his relationships were limited by his lower intelligence and compromised social skills. His mother Sally Field played a very big role in his life: teaching him, looking after him and furthermore helping him understand the true way of life. Gump was portrayed as a child by Michael Conner Humphreys and portrayed as an adult by Tom Hanks, who won an Academy Award for the role. The portrayal of Forrest in the novel is notably different from the portrayal in the film. He later reappears in the 1995 novel Gump and Co. In 2008, Forrest Gump was named the 20th greatest movie character of all time by Empire Magazine. Introduction The world will never be the same once youve seen it through the eyes of Forrest Gump: a film chronicling the life of a mentally challenged man present during three of the most distinctive and dynamic decades in American history. While on the surface lies a heartwarming and inspirational story, the underlying narrative tends to explore progression of American society while depoliticizing history. Throughout the film Forrest is directly involved in major events of the 60s, 70s, and 80s, yet he never shows any initiative of his own. What is the filmmaker trying to insinuate? Contents ? 1. Life 1. Early Years 2. College 3. In The Army 4. Washington, D. C. 5. Ping-Pong 6. Shrimping Boat Captain 7. Home in Alabama 8. Running 9. Back To Present ? 2. Different from the Novel ? 3. Sociological Analysis ? 4. Awards ? 5. Trivia ? 6. Quotes ? 7. Question and Answer Event ? 8. Conclusion ? 9. References [pic]Life 1. 1 Early Years Gump was born near the fictional small town of Greenbow, Alabama, on June 6, 1944 (the same day that the Allied forces began Operation Overlord). His father was absent during his life, his mother saying he was on vacation. His mother named him after Nathan Bedford Forrest, a noted Confederate general in the American Civil War and the first Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan who is supposedly related to Gump. She intended his name to be a reminder that sometimes we all do things that, well, just dont make no sense. Forrest was born with strong legs, but a crooked spine. He was forced to wear leg braces which made walking difficult and running near impossible. He also had a relatively low I. Q. of 75 which nearly prevented him from being accepted into public school (his mother managed to get the principal to reconsider by allowing him to sleep with her). Despite his physical and mental challenges, Forrests mother told him not to let anyone tell him he was different, telling him stupid is as stupid does. Forrest and his mother lived in a large house just outside the town of Greenbow. They made money by renting out rooms to travellers. One of their guests was a young Elvis Presley. Forrest liked dancing to his music and his leg braces gave him a peculiar dancing style that would supposedly inspire the young Elvis famous hip dancing after he became famous. On the bus ride to school, Forrest met Jenny Curran and was instantly taken with her. I had never seen anything so beautiful in my life, he would later say of her, She was like an angel. The two became close friends, often playing around a large nearby tree. Jenny was one of the few people besides his mother to accept Forrest as he was, helping him learn to read and standing up to bullies who harassed him. However, Jennys home life was not nearly as happy as Forrests: her mother had died when she was five and her father was an abusive alcoholic who molested his children (until Jenny was taken away to live with her grandmother), and Forrests friendship offered her an escape. One day, a group of bullies were throwing fallen fruit at Forrest and chasing him on their bikes. Jenny told Forrest to just run away. As Forrest struggled to run, his leg braces broke apart. Once he was free of them, Forrest was able to run incredibly fast. Forrest would never wear leg braces again and was able to run everywhere he wanted to after that. 1. 2 College Forrest and Jenny remained close friends all the way through high school, though he remained a target for bullies. One day, while running from some bullies, he interrupted the local high schools football practice by running across the field faster than all the players. This feat caught the attention of Alabama Crimson Tide head football coach Paul Bear Bryant, who was at the practice scouting football players. After his incredible running ability impressed the coach, Forrest received a football scholarship to the University of Alabama, where his speed helped them win several games. He was later named to the All-American team and got to meet President John F. Kennedy at the White House. When asked by the President how he felt, Forrest (having drunk about fifteen Dr Peppers) gave an honest answer of I gotta pee. Forrest was also present at the University when it was desegregated and observed Governor George Wallace denouncing the desegregation. While several citizens jeered the black students entering the campus, Forrest, not entirely understanding the situation, simply walked up to a black woman and handed her a book she dropped, saying simply Maam? You dropped your book maam? before following her and the others into school. 1. 3 In the Army At his college graduation in 1967, Forrest was approached by an army recruiter who asked if hed given any thought to his future. Soon after, Forrest would join the United States Army. On the bus Forrest met Benjamin Buford Blue, a young black man from Bayou La Batre, Alabama, who went by the nickname Bubba. Bubba told Forrest about his family history of cooking shrimp and how he had planned to buy his own shrimping boat after getting out of the army. Forrest did well in the army as he followed orders well without distraction; for example, he set a new company record for assembling his M14 rifle with his drill sergeant, who regularly singled him out as an example for the recruits, replying he would be a general. Meanwhile, Jenny had been kicked out of school for posing in Playboy and had gotten work singing in the nude at a strip club in Memphis, Tennessee. Forrest went up to visit her one night and beat up some patrons who were harassing her. Forrest tells Jenny that he loves her, but Jenny replies that he [doesnt] know what love is. Jenny is angry but later becomes concerned when he tells her he was being deployed to Vietnam. Jenny tells him not to try being brave if he was ever in trouble and to just run away instead. While in Vietnam, and assigned to company A, 2/47th Infantry, 3rd Brigade, 9th Infantry Division Forrest and Bubba meet their platoon leader Lieutenant Dan Taylor, whom Forrest would refer to as Lieutenant Dan. While on patrol, Bubba proposed that he and Forrest go into the shrimping business together after their time in the army was finished. Forrest agreed. After several uneventful months, their platoon was ambushed by the Viet Cong and several soldiers were wounded and killed. In the confusion, Forrest initially was ordered to retreat, and was separated from the rest of his platoon, but after becoming concerned for Bubba, he ran back to look for him. Instead, Forrest found Lieutenant Dan and several other wounded soldiers and carried them to safety before looking for Bubba. Forrest finally found Bubba badly wounded and managed to carry him away from the combat area before it was hit with napalm from an air strike. His last words were I wanna go home. Sadly, Bubba died of his wounds soon after. Forrest himself was shot in the buttocks during the firefight and recovered in an army hospital. Lieutenant Dan was in the bed next to his, having lost his legs because of his injuries. Lieutenant Dan was angry at Forrest for cheating him out of his destiny to die in battle with honor (as several of his ancestors had) and rendering him crippled. . 4 Washington, D. C. Forrest later receives the Medal of Honor for his bravery in Vietnam. When being awarded, President Lyndon B. Johnson asked where he was hit and when Forrest told him he whispers in his ear hed like to see it, so Forrest, despite knowing there were people watching, drops his pants right there to show him. Shortly thereafter, Forrest went out sightseeing in Washington, D. C. and accidentally found him self among a group of veterans attending an anti-war rally led by Abbie Hoffman. While at the rally, he was reunited with Jenny, who had since become a hippie. Forrest was less enamored with her new boyfriend Wesley, the president of the SDS at Berkeley, and beat up Wesley after he saw him hit Jenny during an argument at a Black Panther Party gathering. Forrest and Jenny stayed up all night while Jenny told Forrest of her travels. Before they went their separate ways again in the morning, Forrest gave Jenny the Medal of Honor he earned in Vietnam. 1. 5 Ping-Pong While in the hospital, Forrest had taken up ping-pong. Rather than returning to Vietnam, Forrest was assigned to the Special Services, entertaining wounded veterans with his ping-pong skills. He would later travel to the Peoples Republic of China during the Ping Pong Diplomacy period. When he returned in 1971, he was a national hero, famouser than even Captain Kangaroo and was invited by Dick Cavett on The Dick Cavett Show. John Lennon was also a guest on the show at the time and hearing Forrest talk about the Chinese having no possessions and no religion too, inspired him to write the song Imagine. Soon after, Forrest was briefly reunited with Lieutenant Dan, now a bitter alcoholic, confined to a wheelchair, having lost his faith in God. Lieutenant Dan was also dismayed that Forrest, whom he declared as an imbecile who embarrassed himself on television, was given the Medal of Honor. When Forrest told him of his and Bubbas plan to go into the shrimping business, Lieutenant Dan only laughed and joked that if Forrest was ever a shrimping b oat captain, he would be Forrests first mate. Upon visiting President Richard Nixon he was invited by the President to stay at the Watergate Hotel complex. He was awakened by flashlights in the offices opposite his room. Believing the tenants to be having difficulty with a fusebox, Forrest calls Frank Wills at the security office to notify the maintenance crew, inadvertently initiating the Watergate scandal, which leads to President Nixons resignation. Shortly after this, Forrest was honorably discharged from the army with the rank of Sergeant and returned home to Alabama. 1. 6 Shrimping Boat Captain Upon his return Forrest finds the house filled with memorabilia capitalizing on his fame as a ping-pong player in China. At his mothers insistence, Forrest made $25,000 endorsing a brand of ping-pong paddles and used most of the money to travel to Bubbas home town of Bayou La Batre and purchase a boat. When someone pointed out it was bad luck to have a boat without a name, Forrest names his boat after Jenny (whom, unbeknownst to him, had descended into a life of drugs and sexual promiscuity at this point and even contemplated suicide over her choices). Sometime later, Forrest was visited by Lieutenant Dan, who as a man of his word, had come to be Forrests first mate, just as he said he would do on New Years Eve. For several weeks, the two had no luck catching shrimp. Things changed, however, when the area was hit by Hurricane Carmen. Forrests boat was the only one left standing and they found themselves with a monopoly of shrimp. Under the name Bubba Gump Shrimp Company, they soon became very wealthy. Lieutenant Dan, having faced his demons during the storm, thanked Forrest for saving his life in Vietnam, and Forrest assumes that Dan (without actually saying so) made peace with God. 1. 7 Home in Alabama Forrest returned home to Greenbow when he learned his mother was dying of cancer. After her death, Forrest stays and leaves his shrimping industry in the hands of Lieutenant Dan and retired to mowing and cutting grass and lawns, as he apparently enjoys doing it. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Dan participated in a substantial investment into what Forrest says to be some kind of fruit company. In reality, the company was the fledgling Apple Computer, and it is implied that their investment largely kick-started Apples rise and success. With the money he got from the Apple Computer investment, Forrest spent them on renovating the church he frequents, establishing a medical center at Bubbas hometown and gave Bubbas family his share of the investment money that is enough for them to never work again. Jenny returns to Greenbow and moves in with Forrest. The two spend time together and Forrest later describes it as the happiest time of my life. One night, Forrest asks Jenny to marry him, but she turns him down, saying You dont want to marry me. Forrest replies with, Im not a smart man, but I know what love is. After this exchange, Jenny comes to Forrests bedroom, tells him she loves him, and the two make love. Jenny hails a cab very early the next morning and leaves, unbeknownst to him before he wakes up. 1. 8 Running Forrests newfound loneliness leads him to take a run for no particular reason. At first, he decides to run to the end of the road, then across town, then across the county, then all the way to the Missis sippi border. Eventually, he criss-crosses the country several times over a span of three years. Forrest attracts media coverage, and eventually, dozens of followers. During the run, he inspires the phrase Shit Happens to a bumper-sticker salesman after stepping in a pile of dog droppings. He also uses a yellow t-shirt provided to him by a designer to wipe off his face after being splattered by mud. In the process, he forms the iconic Smiley face logo and tells the man to Have a nice day. One day, while running in the Western United States, Forrest decides hes tired and stops. He immediately turns around and walks back to Alabama. His followers are dumbfounded at his sudden decision. Meanwhile, Jenny has taken a job as a waitress in Savannah, Georgia and sees news coverage of Forrests run on television. 1. 9 Back to the Present Back to the present (the present in the film being around 1981, as seen from a car and on a bus, and televised footage of Ronald Reagans assassination attempt), Forrest tells his latest companion on the bench, an elderly woman, hed recently received a letter from Jenny asking him to come see her. When he tells her the address and directions hed been given, she tells him its only a few blocks away, and he hurries over on foot. Forrest and Jenny are happy to see each other. Before they can do much catching up however, Forrest is introduced to Jennys young son, a bright young boy whom she named Forrest after his father. Forrest at first thinks she met another man named Forrest, until she explains Youre his daddy, Forrest. Forrests fearful inquiry as to Little Forrests intelligence leads Jenny to quickly assert that he is completely normal. Forrest learns that Jenny is sick from a virus (implied to be HIV). He invites her and Little Forrest to come home and stay with him. She asks him to marry her and he accepts. Forrest and Jennys wedding is a quiet, intimate ceremony attended only by a handful of family and friends. Among the attendees is Lieutenant Dan, who has titanium prosthetic legs, with his Vietnamese fiancee Susan. It is the only time Jenny and Dan meet. Forrest, Jenny, and Little Forrest have a few happy months together as a family before Jenny dies on Saturday March 22, 1982 (which was actually a Monday). Forrest has her buried under the tree where they played as children, and then buys her childhood home (where her ather had mistreated her) and has it bulldozed. Though he misses Jenny terribly, Forrest becomes a good father to Little Forrest. Visiting Jennys grave one day, he reflects on the idea of fate and destiny, wondering if Lt. Dan was right about people having their own destiny, or if his Mother was right about description of life as floating around accidentally like on a breeze. He eventually decides maybe its both, maybe both are happening at the same time. Forrest is last seen outside his home, seeing Little Forrest off on his bus ride to school, telling his son he loves him. . Differences from the novel The portrayal of Forrest in the original novel is notably different to how he was portrayed in the film. Largely, in the novel Forrest is shown to be somewhat cynical and abrasive, while in the film he is a more placid and naive person. He is also described as being an autistic savant and has extraordinary talent in numerical calculation. Changes from the novel to the film include: the deaths of Forrests mother; and Jenny, neither of whom died in the original book. The novel also provides additional back-story on his father. It is revealed that his father was a dockworker, who worked for United Fruit Company. He was killed when a crate of bananas being loaded off a boat fell on top of him, crushing him to death. Forrest goes on a number of different adventures including being an astronaut, playing the harmonica in a band called the Cracked Eggs, becoming a professional wrestler (The Dunce) and running for the United States Senate (with the campaign slogan I Got to Pee). 3. Sociological analysis An understanding of Forrests background in an important and characterizing element in the film. Disadvantaged by a terrible spine condition and a low IQ, Forrest struggles through childhood in small-minded Greenbow, Alabama. Due to his mental disabilities, Forrest becomes the victim of academic discrimination, which his mother fights desperately to resolve. He might be a bit on the slow side, but my boy Forrest is going to get the same opportunities as everyone else, she stated to the principal of Greenbow County Central School. Hes not going to some special school to learn to how to re-tread tires. (Gump 1995) Forrests mother was determined. Taking advantage of this, the principal coerced Forrests mother into trading a sexual favor for enrollment in school. In addition to these unsettling events, Forrest finds himself tormented and isolated by neighborhood children and townspeople who seem incapable of treating him with anything but reproach and disdain. Forrest was also an active part of many important events, including protests lead by George Wallace against desegregation, the Vietnam War, the Ping Pong Diplomacy period, anti-war activism lead by Abbie Hoffman, Black Panther Party meetings, and the Watergate scandal. It would be reasonable to say that being part of such important events and would make him vulnerable to the social forces of the times, yet his lack of critical thought as a result of low intelligence seemed to indicate the complete opposite he remained wholly oblivious and ignorant of their significance. During George Wallaces Stand in the Schoolhouse Door protest, Forrest stands curiously in the background, more interested in his surroundings rather than the actual protest. During the Vietnam War, Forrest never questions the morality or the agenda of the U. S. government, and receives the Congressional Medal of Honor for his efforts. His entire experience during the Vietnam War can be summed up into one conversation between him and the Drill Sergeant: Gump! Whats your sole purpose in this Army? To do whatever you tell me, Drill Sergeant! (Gump 1995) Still, the most dismaying portion of impassive responses glorified in this film can be contributed to Forrests careless involvement in the anti-Vietnam War rally lead by Abbie Hoffman. He was entirely clueless as to the purpose of the anti-war movements. His view of Abbie Hoffmans role? There was this man, giving a little talk And every time he said the F word, people, for some reason, well, theyd cheer. Though the focus of the film is directed towards Forrest Gump, the effects of social forces are most often expressed and implied through Jenny Curran. Forrests generally unobservant nature contrasts harshly with Jennys forthright and independent character. Without Jenny, we would have a collectively unrealistic and uncertain portrayal of many occurrences that contributed to the structure of todays society. Unlike Forrest, Jenny was consciously and intentionally involved in the counterculture movements of the 60s, as she is seen trailing the countryside with fellow hippies, participating in anti-war movements, and secretly involving herself in Black Panther Party meetings. Before Jenny sets off on what turns out to be downward spiral towards debasement, she speaks to Forrest of her motives. I want to reach people on a personal level. I want to be able to say things, just one-to-one. (Gump 1995) However, Jennys plans for a better society are brought to a staggering halt when Jenny develops a fatal disease stemming from precarious drug use. 4. Awards Academy Award for Best Picture (1994) Academy Award for Best Actor (1994): Tom Hanks Academy Award for Best Director (1994): Robert Zemeckis Academy Award for Best Screenplay—Based on Material Previously Published (1994): Eric Roth Academy Award for Best Film Editing (1994): Arthur Schmidt Academy Award for Best Visual Effects (1994): Ken Ralston, George Murphy, Stephen Rosenbaum, Allen Hall Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture—Drama (1995) Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture Actor—Drama (1995): Tom Hanks Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture Director (1995): Robert Zemeckis 5. Trivia In this movie, every still photograph of Forrest Gump shows him with his eyes closed. 6. Quotes Forrest Gump (explaining his run across the United States):â€Å"I just felt like running. † Forrest Gump: â€Å"My mama always said, life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get. † 7. Question and answer event (The delightfully sarcastic humor of film critics David Edelstein helps narrate this question ad answer about this movie. ) Here is another big one that didn’t (surprisingly) make your list: Forrest Gump. This one did make it close to the top ten, didn’t it? A: Well, I certainly agree with you about Titanic, and after my less than positive review in Slate, I had 500 pieces of hate e-mail (mostly from teenage girls and much of it unprintable here) to prove it. But while I found Titanic mostly square and dumb (not badly acted, though—DiCaprio and Winslet are marvelous romantic leads), it’s almost never pernicious. The movies I wrote about are ones I found not just overrated, but objectionably, infuriatingly overrated. Which brings us to Forrest Gump. Yes, it came close to making my top ten most hateful. I have little patience for the conceit of the radiant simpleton, and even less when the radiant simpleton is positioned as morally superior in every way to, say, anti-Vietnam War activists. But Gump was just well made (and weird) enough to keep me in my seat. Let’s put it at number eleven. 8. Conclusion Although Tom Hanks (Star in Forrest Gump) affirms that the film was non-political and thus non-judgmental, the previous examples show implications otherwise. Though the film does take a stand against disability discrimination by shedding some light on the difficulties that accompany being handicap during a callous time in American history, its motives were generally ambiguous and unclear. Based on the filmmakers unattractive outlook on counterculturalism, his lack of discretion when touching on issues like desegregation and independence, as well as his insensitive approach to the deaths of activists, we can arrive at the following conclusion: the harrowing experiences exposed in this film can be easily discarded as something warranted only by devoted individuals who attempt to foster humanity. 9. References