Yet, in his simplicity, sums up the whole of our frustration. You never know what you’re gonna get.’” – Forrest Gump. When he was done with that story, he would simply move on and leave the past behind him as Mama always said to do. FORREST: It's funny Lt. Dan said that 'cause right then God showed up. Back in Washington, D.C., after finishing his military service, Forrest gets caught up in an antiwar rally that goes way, way over his head. He's got plenty of money to hire tutors and more than enough love to give this kid the best kind of childhood a boy could want. She's nice to him, so it makes sense that he would develop a deep attachment to her. FORREST: I don't know much about anything, but I think some of America's best young men served in this war. When Forrest describes all of the beautiful things he saw while running across America, Jenny says she wishes she could have been there with him. Sometimes we over complicate things when really, all we need to do is what comes naturally. Here, we see his heart and his willingness to offer help. JENNY: You can't keep doing this all the time. There's literally no way to disagree with this statement without looking like a meanie since you can hate on a war all you want, but it's just cruel to hate on the kids who have to fight in it.
The Black Panther leader who speaks to Forrest lays out the principles of his group as if he's reciting something from a piece of paper. When we look at these two incidents together, we get the sense that Forrest Gump is coming down a little hard on the hypocrisy of education in mid-century America. Forrest might not be helping Junior with his homework; that's fine. Lt. Dan wanted just one thing from God: to let him die honorably on the battlefield. Is this love? I sure wish it wasn’t.” – Forrest Gump. She was a folk singer. Instead, she seems to be suggesting that, if God won't turn her into a bird, she'll take matters into her own hands—through suicide. This could be analyzed on every level. Just as he approaches the mic, some Army dude pulls out all of the electric cables and cuts the sound feed. With this quote, we all find inspiration in knowing that love doesn’t have to be complicated, it just has to be pure. FORREST: I'd always let her know that I was OK. Then I'd sign each letter, "Love, Forrest Gump.". Our simple protagonist is filled with so much wisdom. Any God who would help cripples (he thinks) isn't worth the breath it would take to pray to him. Right when Lt. Dan rejects God, God shows up … in the form of a massive hurricane that wipes out the region's shrimping industry, leaving a sea full of crustaceans for Lt. Dan and Forrest to rake in. When Forrest Gump’s mouth writes a check, he can always cash it. “I don't know if mama was right, that we each have a destiny, or if if was Lt Dan, that we are …
Or, maybe—like some critics of the movie—you just see this as more evidence that Forrest Gump never takes a stand on any hard issues. You're a god damn genius! Does Forrest deserve an education less than someone born with an IQ of 85? No one could ever say that Forrest Gump was “normal.” In fact, he was less than normal, but lived a life of greatness. FORREST: I promised Bubba in Vietnam that as soon as the war was over, we'd be partners. “My Mama always said you’ve got to put the past behind you before you can move on.” – Forrest Gump. "Friend" almost seems like too small a word for what they are to each other. After spending a lot of time in veterans' hospitals, he's had it up to here with people advising him to find Jesus when he just thinks it's a big lie to make him feel better about having no legs. Ha ha, Lt. Dan, the joke's on you—you're going to end up with millions of dollars and a sweet pair of prosthetic legs. (Answer: nothing.)