Exploring the Complexity of Forrest Gump's Life

What can be said about Forrest Gump? He is not the sharpest tool in the shed by any means,but he sure has an interesting life. As a decorated war veteran, owner and operator of a shrimping business, a hell of a runner, ping pong and football player, his story is one of complete shenanigans while all the while chasing a woman that really doesn't deserve him.

The book and movie of Forrest Gump have basic similarities, and many differences. The key elements to the story that stay consistent in the book, as well as the film, begin with Forrest's home. Forrest grows up in a big house in the country with only his mother taking care of him. Forrest meets Jenny Curran on the bus in first grade and immediately becomes infatuated with her. They end up getting married after Jenny realizes that Forrest truely loves her and won't hurt her like every other man she has been with. Forrest gets drafted into the army and becomes inseparable with a man named Bubba, and they develop dreams of buying a shrimping boat when their enlistment ends. Bubba never realizes that dream and dies in Forrest's hands in battle, but Forrrest

I watched the film first (many times throughout my lifetime) and understandably pictured Forrest to look like Tom Hanks. In the book, Forrest is six feet six and two hundred and fourty two lbs. This was the first big difference to me, and they continued to pile up. In the film, Forrest had to wear leg braces because of a birth defect. On a routine walk home with Jenny, a few kids began chasing Forrest and throwing things at him. Jenny famously yells "run Forrest run!" and he tries to, but his braces restrict him, making him run with a wide waddle. Forrest runs so fast that he breaks the braces and from there begins to love running, and runs everywhere. In the book, Forrest never wears braces. The film has a similar scene, but Forrest is in high school and is running from a truck, not