In his article, History Re-Membered: Forrest Gump, Postfeminist Masculinity, and the Burial of the Counterculture, Thomas Byers argues his point by presenting two conflicting views about the movie, Forrest Gump. Steve Tisch, one of the producers of the movie, states that the film is about humanity, not politics. However, Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the House, claims the movie is a conservative film that upholds the view that counterculture destroys people and their basic values. While Byers does agree with Gingrich on his interpretation of the film, he splits from Gingrich by arguing that the movie is a rewriting of history to repress people and erase their struggles in order to reinforce and reestablish white male hegemony in America.
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He discusses the process of “remasculinization” in American culture to reestablish patriarchy and male values that were seemingly destroyed by the counterculture, such as the women’s liberation movement and civil rights movement. These historical events brought about the need to recreate the male identity in order for males to become dominant again and purge the threats to masculinity. Consequently, these historical events are rewritten in the movie in order to neutralize them, so that male hegemony can be reinforced and reestablished. For example, the KKK are portrayed as silly men dressed as ghosts, which significantly deemphasizes the violent racism the group represented. This revision of history represses a major struggle in American history that works to cover up white male’s exploitation of others, so that white male hegemony will no longer be
He discusses the process of “remasculinization” in American culture to reestablish patriarchy and male values that were seemingly destroyed by the counterculture, such as the women’s liberation movement and civil rights movement. These historical events brought about the need to recreate the male identity in order for males to become dominant again and purge the threats to masculinity. Consequently, these historical events are rewritten in the movie in order to neutralize them, so that male hegemony can be reinforced and reestablished. For example, the KKK are portrayed as silly men dressed as ghosts, which significantly deemphasizes the violent racism the group represented. This revision of history represses a major struggle in American history that works to cover up white male’s exploitation of others, so that white male hegemony will no longer be