“Forrest Gump” is an enchanting and creative parable about a contemporary holy fool.
The film tells us the story of a simple man through life, meeting historical figures, influencing first-hand events while largely unaware of their significance, due to his low IQ of 75.
Much of Forrest’s philosophy comes from his mother. Forrest often recalls her favouritesayings, “Mama always says ‘Life is like a box of chocolates... You never know what you’re gonna get.’” and “Stupid is as stupid does”.
Mama always had a way of explaining things so Forrest could understand them. “Don’t ever let anybody tell you they’re better than you, Forrest. If God intended everybody to be the same, he’d have given us all braces on our legs.”
On his first day of school, Forrest is befriended on the school bus by a girl named Jenny. “I had never seen anything so beautiful in my life.” “She was like an angel.” From that day on, Forrest and Jenny was always together, just like peas and carrots.
“I’d never named a boat before,” but there was only one Forrest could think of. The name is “Jenny”. The most beautiful name in the wide world.
Jenny’s death cause Forrest to question the nature of life. “I don’t know if Mama was right or whether it was Lieutenant Dan. 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 miss you, Jenny.”
Kleenex moment: Forrest Gump visits Jenny’s grave under neath their tree in Greenbow, Ala. ‘I miss you, Jenny,” He says. “If there’s anything you need, i won’t be far away”.
There is a long and fascinating tradition of the holy fool in spirit literature.Those people follow the dictates of the heart and are often able to affect great works of mercy and compassion. Their brand of selflessness is free of reason’s madness and the ego’s frivolous grandeur. Holy fools play no heed to the wordly pursuit of power, status, or financial success. That is why they are usually deemed crazy and forced to live as lonely outsiders.
The world will never be the same once you've seen it through the eyes of Forrest Gump.
Hopefully, Forrest Gump will encourage many of us to express aspects of the holy fool inside ourselves.
伟伦 - Believer of Pure Land (Sukhavati) Buddhist Sect
服膺三民主義的中華民國國民黨精神黨員
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