Ethical Issues In Forrest Gump

1994’s Forrest Gump was a movie that touched on the relations of blacks and whites. This film covered several time periods including the 1940s through the 1980s. Forrest grew up in Alabama in the fictional town of Greenbow. He grew up in a home with his single mother who always told him “don’t you ever let anyone tell you that they’re better than you… you’re the same as everybody else.” These values were instilled in Forrest and he acted by them accordingly. He did not treat anyone differently. Black and white were all the same to him.
In the beginning of the film, the audience sees Forrest Gump was on his way to campus. There was a protest blocking the front of the entrance way. Forrest asks a fellow student what was happening. “Coons are trying to get into the school” he replies. Forrest exclaims, “Coons? When raccoons tried getting on our back porch mama just chased them off with a broom.” The student replies, “Not raccoons you idiot. Niggers. And they want to go to school with us.” “With us? They do?” Forest continues on his way. He sees one of the black students drop her book as she was on her way inside the building. Forrest runs to hand it to her despite the crowd of angry white protesters. It was important to display this scene because it showed that Forrest had received the teachings from his mother. Everyone was the same no matter how different things seemed. In his mind, …show more content…
This was important to show because the south is notoriously known for having racist traditions. This film being released in the 90s, a few short years after the book’s release in the 80s, is trying to help continue the change of people’s mindset. The movie does this in a gentle way by throwing in comedy. Having this film made decades after these events transpired has more of an impact because it helps the audience have an understanding of each time period and what it took to be where we are