All of the main characters in the film Forrest Gump are running to or from something. Each character seems to be running either physically or spiritually for an underlying reason. Forrest gump, Jenny Curran, and Lieutenant Dan run from danger, their past, and acceptance. The symbolism of the constant running in the film is used in order to reveal character traits among each ‘runner’.
At the beginning of the film Forrest was constantly running from his problems, but as the film progresses the audience can see that he begins to run towards something. Forrest runs to avoid bullies bullies, to dodge bombs, on the football field, and toward Jenny everytime he sees her. The most powerful instance of symbolism regarding running occurs when the young …show more content…
Due to neglect from her father, she struggled with low self esteem and could not recognize her self worth. That pressure to please others and her constant self doubt caused her to run away from all problems that phased her in life. As a young child, Jenny ran away from an annual beating from her father. She took Forrest into a field and prayed asking for God to “make [her] a bird so [she] can fly far, far far away from [there].” From then on Jenny ran away from any person and thing that caused her pain. Forrest always wanted from him and Jenny to be together, but every time that became a possibility, Jenny ran. She thought she was a toxic influence on Forest due to the poor decisions of her past and finally left him after a romantic night together. While getting into the cab leaving Forrest early in the morning, the driver asked Jenny “Where are you runnin’ off to?” and she responds “I’m not running.” This is significant because she is doing exactly what she is denying: running away. Once Forrest showed her the love and attention she deserves, she became scared and confused and ran away to avoid the possibility of happiness and stability. It isn’t until Jenny’s diagnosis where She is able to stop running and accept the fact that regardless of her past, someone can have unconditional love for
At the beginning of the film Forrest was constantly running from his problems, but as the film progresses the audience can see that he begins to run towards something. Forrest runs to avoid bullies bullies, to dodge bombs, on the football field, and toward Jenny everytime he sees her. The most powerful instance of symbolism regarding running occurs when the young …show more content…
Due to neglect from her father, she struggled with low self esteem and could not recognize her self worth. That pressure to please others and her constant self doubt caused her to run away from all problems that phased her in life. As a young child, Jenny ran away from an annual beating from her father. She took Forrest into a field and prayed asking for God to “make [her] a bird so [she] can fly far, far far away from [there].” From then on Jenny ran away from any person and thing that caused her pain. Forrest always wanted from him and Jenny to be together, but every time that became a possibility, Jenny ran. She thought she was a toxic influence on Forest due to the poor decisions of her past and finally left him after a romantic night together. While getting into the cab leaving Forrest early in the morning, the driver asked Jenny “Where are you runnin’ off to?” and she responds “I’m not running.” This is significant because she is doing exactly what she is denying: running away. Once Forrest showed her the love and attention she deserves, she became scared and confused and ran away to avoid the possibility of happiness and stability. It isn’t until Jenny’s diagnosis where She is able to stop running and accept the fact that regardless of her past, someone can have unconditional love for