English 631: Forrest Gump
Name
Mr. Kelly
May 10, 2012
(60 Total Marks)
This film follows the life of low-I.Q. Forrest Gump and his meeting with the love of
his life, Jenny. The film chronicles his accidental experiences with some of the most
important people and events in America from the late 1950's through the 1970's. He meets with Elvis Presley,
John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, fights in Vietnam, and takes part in a peace rally, among
other things. The problem is that he's too stupid to realize the significance of his actions. Forrest becomes
representative of the baby boomer generation having walked through life blindly.
Your task is to complete the following sections of this assignment with thoughtful responses. There is some
choice in what questions you can answer, so choose wisely. Please remember to answer in complete sentences
to the best of your ability. Good Luck!
Part I: Quotable Quotes
(4 marks each x 6 = 24 marks)
For this section, choose SIX of the following TWELVE quotes. Who said the following to whom, and in what
context? Explain the meaning and/or significance of the sentence in the movie.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
“Your Mama sure does care about your schooling.”
“Mama always said life was like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get.”
“You have to do the best with what God gave you.”
“It used to be I ran to get where I was going; I never thought it would take me anywhere.”
“His back is as crooked as a politician.”
“I’ve heard some stories, but that tops them all. Imagine, we were sitting next to a millionaire!”
“It bit me directly in the buttocks.”
“I was messed up for a long time”
“You cheated me! I had a destiny.”
“He had him a guitar case.”
“I’m not a smart man…but I know what love is.”
You may also choose a quote on your own and explain it.
Part II: Analyzing Forrest
(10 marks)
Most people agree that Forrest Gump is a very simple minded person. Nevertheless, he often sees things in their
correct perspective trotting out words of wisdom. (1)Make a list of words that best describe Forrest’s character.
Try to come up with at least TEN words. (2) How would you describe Forrest to a friend? Point out at least
FIVE good qualities and FIVE bad qualities.
Part III: History through Film
(10 marks)
The movie “Forrest Gump” focuses on many events from American History. Choose one of these events and
explain what happened, when it happened, why it was significant. I also want you to find a picture of this
event and include it in your answer. You will have to do some independent research for this question.
Part IV: A Picture’s Worth 1000 Words
(4 marks each x 3 = 12 marks)
Go online and search for images from the movie “Forrest Gump”. Choose three different pictures that capture
different scenes from the movie. Insert them into this document and after each picture, write a summary of
what is going on in the picture/scene. Each summary should be approximately 100-200 words.
Part V: Choice Versus Destiny
(4 marks)
Near the end of the film Forrest shares this memorable quote:
“I don’t know if we each have a destiny or if we’re all just floating around accidental-like
on a breeze. But I think maybe it’s both. Maybe both are happening at the same time.”
Where do you stand on this issue? Do you believe we all have a pre-determined destiny in life? Or do you
think we are all just “floating around” and the choices we make impact the outcomes in our life? Explain your
thoughts in an approximately 200 word response.