阿甘的执着--从《阿甘正传》美国精神的角度分析

论文总字数：30224字

摘 要

自由、个性、诚信、勇敢和勤奋就构成了美国精神的主体特征。在《阿甘正传》这部电影中，美德这一品质理念在一个只会跑的弱智少年身上得到了充分的诠释。阿甘以他独特的处理问题的方式影响了周围的所有的人。其成功的根源就在于他认定目标，心无旁骛，也许这就是我们再来思索这部电影的意义之所在。

关键词：阿甘正传；美国精神；执着；启示

Contents

1. Introduction………………..………………………………………………..1
2. Literature Review…………………………………………………..…….....1

2.1 Brief introduction to Forrest Gump……………………………….………....1

2.2 American mainstream cultural values……………………………………….2

2.2.1 Individual freedom and self-reliance………………………………….…...2

2.2.2 Equality of opportunity and competition…………………………….…….3

2.2.3 Material wealth and hard work…………………………………….………3

3. Analysis of the Perseverance in Forrest Gump…………………………….4

3.1 The root of the perseverance in Americanism…………………………….…4

3.1.1 Religious roots of the self-salvation……………………………….………4

3.1.2 Ideological root of equality……………………………………….……….4

3.2 Analysis of perseverance of figures in Forrest Gump………………….……5

3.2.1 Perseverance of Forrest Gump……………………………………….……5

3.2.2 Perseverance of Jenny……………………………………………….…….6

3.2.3 Perseverance of Lieutenant Dan…………………………………….……..6

4. Enlightenments from Forrest Gump……………………………………….7

4.1 Positive mindset’s formation………………………………………….……..7

4.2 Radicating objectives……………………………………………………..….8

4.3 Straightforward execution…………………………………………………...9

4.4 Acting like aktionismus……………………………………………………..9

4.5 Persistence and concentration…………………………………….………...10

5. Conclusion……………………………………………………...…………...11

Works Cited…………………………………………………..……………….12

1. Introduction

Film is the mirror to understand a country and a nation, and it is also a main form to reflect and spread the local culture. The movie Forrest Gump is a fusion of classical culture of America. Historical events which happened in the sixties and seventies of the 20^th century run through the film. Forrest Gump represents the serious subjects in a relaxed form, calling for the return of the traditional cultural values. It shows the spirits of love, pure and persistence, which is the best interpretation of the American dream. At the same time, it reflects the change of the history of American society and culture, and liquidity and expansionary of American culture. This article deeply expounds the realistic significance of the film through analyzing exact reading of characteristic of the characters in the film. Through studying on the film Forrest Gump, we should make a serious self- examination. What can we learn from Forrest Gump to be successful. This is the ultimate targets to study the film.

2. Literature Review

2.1 Brief introduction to Forrest Gump

To become a successful man is the human beings’ targets in their whole lives. Recently, I have seen a movie called Forrest Gump. The movie Forrest Gump tells a life story of a good-natured simpleton named Forrest Gump who lives from 1950s to 1980s in the United States. In the movie, Forrest Gump tells people his story at a bus stop, and from what he says we learn that he grows up in Greenbow, Alabama, where his mother runs a boarding house. Forrest Gump was little different from others, whose IQ was below 75 and father died when he was young. Although Forrest Gump is not as natural well-balanced as others, his limited understanding of the world around him gives Forrest Gump a uniquely positive perspective of life. The film narrates his amazing experiences with some important people and events in the United States from the late 1950s to the 1970s including the Watergate Scandal, Ping pong diplomacy，the civil Rights and Anti-Vietnam War protest movements and so on. They are presented from the perspective of Forrest’s slow-witted character as he finds himself embroiled in situations he can’t quite comprehend. He is a rugby player because of his fast speed of running when he is at university. Then he enters the war of Vietnam and soon becomes the core of ping pang diplomacy between China and the United States. Forrest Gump engages in shrimp career and becomes a millionaire after retire from the army. He is a legend with the whole colorful life.

Forrest Gump is the embodiment of an era whose innocence is losing. Armed with his nature versus the world’s cruelty only, he never allows his moral compass to waver. Through three turbulent decades of his life, Forrest rides a tide of events that whisks him from physical disability to a football player, from Vietnam hero to shrimp tycoon, from White House honors to his one true love, Jenny. The viewer is granted a peek at his life’s journey where he learns to deal with not only the love, prejudice, hate, hope, fear and adventurous life crosses paths with most of the important historical figures and events of the American post-war era and his life is like an American history fairy tale. His triumphs become an inspiration to all of us.

2.2 American mainstream cultural values

2.2.1 Individual freedom and self-reliance

By freedom, Americans mean the desire and the right of all individuals to control their own destiny without outside interference from the government, a ruling noble class, the church, or any other organized authority. (Datesman 29)The desire to be free of controls was a basic value of the new nation in 1776, and it has continued to attract immigrants to this county.

There is, however, a price to be paid for this individual freedom: self-reliance. Individuals must learn to rely on themselves or risk losing freedom. Traditionally, this means achieving both financial and emotional independence from their parents as early as possible, usually by age eighteen or twenty-one. It means threat Americans believe they should take of themselves, solve their own problems, and “stand on their own two feet”. Tocqueville observed the Americans’ belief in self-reliance in the 1830s: They owe nothing to any man, they expect nothing from any man; they acquire the habit of always considering themselves as standing alone, and they are apt to imagine that their whole destiny is in their own hands. (Alexis 194)This strong belief in self-reliance continues today as traditional basic American value. It is perhaps one of the most difficult aspects of the American character to understand, but it is profoundly important. Most Americans believe that they must be self-reliant in order to keep their freedom. If they rely too much on the support of their families or the government or any organization, they may lose some of their freedom to do what they want.

2.2.2 Equality of opportunity and competition

Equality is one of the most important American traditional values which has profound history root. “We hold this truth to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator inalienable rights…” Equal right is written by Tomas Jefferson in The Declaration of Independence by which American people create their county. “…they do mean that each individual should have an equal chance for success.” (Datesman 31) In the early years of history, the reason why American country is attractive to many immigrants is that they believe they have more equal chance to succeed. In American people do not have to live among noble families who possess great power and wealth inherited over hundreds of years.

However, the price to be paid for this equality of opportunity is competition. If much of life is seen as a race, then a person must run the race in order to succeed; a person must compete with others, even though we know not everyone will be successful, if every person has an equal chance to succeed in the United Stated, then many would say that it is every person’s duty to try. Many Americans enjoy matching their energy and intelligence against those of others in a contest for success. People who like to compete are often honored by being called winners. On the other hand, those who do not like to compete and those who are not successful when they try are sometimes dishonored by being called losers.

2.2.3 Material wealth and hard work

Placing a high value on material possessions is called materialism, but this is a word that most Americans find offensive. To say that a person is materialistic is an insult. To an American, this means that his person values material possessions above all else. American do not like to be called materialistic because they feel that unfairly accuses them of loving only material things and of having no religious values. In fact, most Americans do have other values and ideals. Nevertheless, acquiring and maintaining a large number of material possession is still of great importance to most Americans.

Americans have paid a price, however, for their material wealth: hard work. Most Americans still believe in the value of hard work. Most believe that people should hold jobs and not live off welfare payments from the government. There have been many efforts to reform the welfare system so that people would not become dependent on welfare and stop looking for jobs to support themselves. Limitations have been put on the numbers of years a family can remain on welfare, but the system still has many problems. One of the most critical problems is the cost of health care in the United States and the fact that many employers no longer offer health insurance to their employees. It is often the children who suffer most, particularly in families of the working poor. Another issue is government benefits to immigrants and immigrant children; many of these families are living in poverty.

3. Analysis of the Perseverance in Forrest Gump

3.1 The root of the persistence in Americanism

Gump’s Americanism tells us that in the United Stated, it extremely advocate individualism and personal values. In such country, everyone is endowed with equal opportunity regardless of your race, color, IQ, origin. As long as you are perseverance and live in an optimistic attitude, you can be the winner in life and realize value of life.

3.1.1 Religious roots of the self-salvation

Religion plays a very significant effect on American social life. The puritans have their own the most persistence spirit. In the later social activities, they not only have a strong sense of religious mission but also fully put this emotion into operation. It reminds people everywhere: people of Americanism can be self-salvation. He is his own savior. Even Jenny and Lieutenant Dan in Forrest Gump began to find themselves slowly when they were confused and helpless with painful experience followed one by one. Gump’s mother once said that only when people forget the past, can they go forward. Such self-salvation made Jenny come back to Forrest Gump and made Dan reach an agreement with the god. They all realized their dream after self-salvation.

3.1.2 Ideological root of equality

No matter in American political life or in social life, equality is the eternal theme. National government’s highest mission is to protect personal equality. Like at the beginning of the movie, Gump’s mother said to him that there is no difference between you and anyone. With such education, even if he is retarded and people think that he is stupid, Forrest Gump also believe that he is equal with others. And he keeps holding the belief to pursue his dream. If there is no such stupid clinging, he may give up halfway like other people.

3.2 Analysis of perseverance of figures in Forrest Gump

3.2.1 Perseverance of Forrest Gump

Perseverance of Gump can be fully embodied from his running. The first running of Forrest Gump is in primary school. At that time, he is a monster with legs hooped. Peers exclude him because he walks weird except Jenny who accepts and cares for him. Once, a few bullies call him “fool”, hitting him with rocks, riding a bicycle to pursue him. As Jenny urges anxiously “run, Forrest, run”, Gump grits his teeth, and runs forward with head high. Hoops fall of into some pieces and gone are the days when the haze winds his childhood. This running shows a powerful explosive force in dangerous situation which lets us enjoy another wonderful life after a long-time-depressed life.

The second running is in high school and college. And it becomes the turning point of Forrest Gump’ life. Since then, Forrest Gump breaks into the public view. In high school, a few provocateurs want to fool the fool. They drive truck chasing Forrest Gump, but the four-wheel truck fails to catch Gump. Forrest Gump runs across the road like wind, running to the football player, and in this way, Gump runs into the university, becoming a football player. Each game, he runs toward the opposing team’s goal like wind, and no one can catch him. He becomes a football star and is interviewed by President Kennedy.

The third running is in a battlefield in Vietnam, which shows a valuable spirit of courage to bear. In a battle, Gump’s team is in an ambush. He remembers that Jenny asked him to run in danger and after herds the evacuation order, he runs at once. But he doesn’t see his friend Bubba. He goes back to find Bubba. He saves a few peers without finding Bubba. In the situation of the US preparing to bomb the lost ground, Gump goes back again to find Bubba. Finally, he finds the injured Bubba and he picks up Bubba running back. After the war, Forrest Gump is interviewed by President Johnson as a hero. To make the good friend Bubba’s wish come true, he buys a shrimp boat. After several years, he becomes a millionaire.

Forrest Gump’s fourth is searching for true love and the home of the human spirit. Forrest Gump has been in love with Jenny but Jenny only has touching and sympathy for him. After returns from the Vietnam war, Gump’s mother soon is dead and Jenny lefts him. Losing a friend, lover and loved ones, Forrest Gump becomes lonely. He can’t forget Jenny, so he begins running out of the town, running out of the state, running from the east coast to the west coast, and running again from the west to the east. At first, Forrest Gump runs alone, and then many people add into the team. Forrest Gump’ running attracts TV station and advertising business. More and more people join it. Forrest Gump’s running makes economy developed. Millions of people find the meaning of living during running. After three years, Gump stops and shouts “I want to go home”. This running makes Forrest Gump walk out of the pain and lets us think more. Life is like a flying feather gone with the wind. How can we grasp? Where is our spiritual home?

3.2.2 Perseverance of Jenny

When Jenny was a child, she was persecuted by her father. From beginning to the end, she couldn’t get rid of the nightmare which made her rebellious character. In primary school, she didn’t go home and in high school, she didn’t study hard which shows that she is not content with things as they are. In her mind, she always had such dream which incarnated as a bird flying in her own sky, facing life bravely, pursuing her original dream. But without a clear direction, she got lost in the process of pursuit. She was like a seed in the wind wandering aimlessly in the air and could not take root. Although she pursed her dream with perseverance, she went forward in the opposite direction of social cultural. She was attracted by the so-called freedom even regardless of dissuasion by Forrest Gump, chasing every new thing in life. In a free life attitude, she lost herself for countless times. Although got rid of shackles of tyranny, she died because of free eventually. In the film, Jenny represented negative social mainstream cultural which decided that her fate was bound to end in a punishment, because she relentlessly abandoned being a good wife and mother and the traditional concept of family. At the end, she chose to come back to Forrest Gump and married him which saved herself. She woke up form a dream, repenting for dissatisfaction with the society. Seeing from Gump’s optimistic and positive attitude, these dark and painful experiences are past. In front of strong Americanism, all contents of the counterculture become small and insignificant.

3.2.3 Perseverance of Lieutenant Dan

Lieutenant Dan like Jenny always pursued dreams even cost his life. However, his clinging to die for country was changed by weak-minded Forrest Gump. And then he became hate all. Later, in the depth of contact with Forrest Gump, he was deeply attracted by the perseverance of Gump. His spiritual world turned into qualitative changes. He wasn’t cynical and self-indulgence any more and accepted shrimp boat chief officer position, enjoying a new life. At early time, they gained nothing. Forrest Gump following nature and irritable and angry, disappointed Dan was in stark contrast. Even go to church to pray, Dan didn’t reach harmonious coexistence with god and the nature. Until at last, with struggling with typhoon, Dan again vented his dissatisfaction with destiny and all emotion hidden deeply in the heart broke up. This movement marked a new page in Dan’s life. From now on, he began to take control of his own fate and started a new life. There was no doubt that if there was no Gump’s spirit leading, Dan would continue to be destruction and degradation and never found his life direction. Americans believe self-salvation. They think themselves are their own savior. Forrest Gump is a perfect incarnation of this spiritual world. Jenny and Dan found their new life and started their own salvation. Dan found personal value in the later business. Americanism plays a leading role of their inner world, making them find their own goals in life. The theme is maybe the call of the traditional culture in American society at that time.

4. Enlightenments from Forrest Gump

4.1 Positive mindset’s formation

Although Forrest Gump has a low IQ, he never leads a negative life. So we don’t have any reason to do not lead a positive life. Spend time each day to appreciate all the things you have. When you wake up, feel grateful that you have been given another day. When you’re driving to work, be grateful for the roads and the car that gets you there. When you arrive at work, be grateful for your co-workers who enlighten you day and make your job easer. When you have your lunch, be grateful for the food you have been given. Soon, these feelings of gratitude it will become a part of you and your path to success will be a bright one. Many people tend to focus on the negative things in their life and thus they are given more negatives things. When you fill yourself with positive feelings, more positive things are attached to you. A positive thinking can produce positive attitude and positive attitude leads to positive results. It will also make things become easier and even enjoyable. Here are other tips to have benefits from positive thinking because it can help us realize things that are never thought to be possible. Thinking and positive is a success habit. By having positive thinking, we will face the world and every challenge more easily and wisely, and also we are more motivated and believe that we will achieve our success ahead that has waited to be reached. So, how to build a positive mindset? Firstly, we should believe that we create our own destiny. No one can decide and create our future expect us. We are responsible for our own life. There is no end to how much we can accomplish in a lifetime. Secondly, keep our sense of humor. Laugh at and with ourselves when possible. It will entertain us and our mind will be clearer and can finally make our thought more possible. Humor is very attractive and very passionate. Thirdly, make a commitment to ourselves to think in positive ways and make a commitment not to think in negative way. Always fill our mind with positive things. Don’t pollute our precious mind with something useless. Fourthly, be grateful or have gratitude in what we have today. Learn to utilize what we have in our hands and make use of it in the most constructive way. Fifthly, avoid everything that can affect us badly. Our environment is one of biggest factors that influence our thought. If the environment is negative, we will be surrounded by it and when will be affected too. If it is positive, we will be surrounded by positive things that can support us for having positive thinking. Finally, try not to worry. If something bad happens or everything doesn’t go well, do not worry. By adopting this attitude, we are going to believe that everything will be OK and fine.

4.2 Radicating objective

Many people do the mistake of trying to set goals just to have something to go after and not because they really want to achieve something in life. That’s also the same reason those people lose motivation later on. A person might start to pursue a certain goal just because he saw his friends doing it but upon discovering that this is not what he wants in life the guy loses motivation. Contrary to common beliefs finding our life goals is a simple task. In order to find our life goals we need to ask ourselves the following questions: What do I really hate about my life or myself right now? Is there something that I am badly in need of? Am I happy? And if not then what are the reasons? Once we answer these questions we will come up with a list of things that we really want and a list of things that we want to avoid. Use both lists to create life goals that can help we get what we want and avoid what we hate. For the step one, we can set lifetime goals. The first step in setting personal goals is to consider what we want to achieve in our lifetime. Setting lifetime goals gives us the overall perspective that shapes all other aspects of our decision making. To give a board, balanced coverage of all important areas in our life, try to set goals in some of the following categories such as career, financial, education, family, artistic, attitude, physical, pleasure and public service. Spend some time brainstorming these things, and then select one or more goals in each category that best reflect what we want to do. Then consider trimming again so that we have a small number of really significant goals that we can focus on. For the step two, we can set smaller goals. Once we have set our lifetime goals, set a five-year plan of smaller goals that we need to complete if we are to reach your lifetime plan. Then create a one-year plan, six-month plan, and a one-month plan of progressively smaller goals that we should reach to achieve our lifetime goals. Each of these should be based on the previous plan. Then create a daily to-do list of things that we should do today to work towards our lifetime goals. At an early stage, our smaller goals might be to read books and gather information on the achievement of our higher level goals. This will help us to improve the quality and realism of our goal setting. Finally review our plans, and make sure that they in which we want to live our life.

4.3 Straightforward executions

We may find Forrest Gump does everything with a simple mind. He never complained about the unfairness of being born with a low IQ. He just did it with what he had. Things like power, money, and social status in his pure mind seemed meaningless or unimportant. After becoming a famous Ping-Pong player, some complains wanted him to be their brand spokesman, from which Forrest earned a certain amount of money. However, to everyone’s surprise, he gave part of his friend Bubba’s mother to make her not be servant any more; another part he used to purchase a middle-sized boat and set about to do shrimp business. After unexpectedly he became a millionaire, ignoring wealth and reputation, he returned home and donated a lot of money to the church at his hometown. Then he himself became a volunteer in weeding their neighborhood’s grassland. We all know that actions speaker louder than words. Presently, most of us may hear too much complaint but see less action. Some are grumbling about low salary, heavy task, bad working condition and unjust environment, etc. some people may hold great aims but with slow actions. Besides, some are entirely chasing fortune and fame all the time. They never feel content with what they have. Even though they owned what they want, they couldn’t find the calmness of their heart and the happiness of their lives. So we need to lead a life with a simple mind.

4.4 Acting like aktionismus

Be a man of action. There are no great men who are great solely for the thoughts they thought. Great men take action. Even the men known to be the best minds in the world went through the troubles to write down their ideas. We should be a man of action. Be a man of action, and even if we are not a man who gets things done, we can be a man who gets things started. Great men are great for their deeds, therefore, do something. It doesn’t have to be your masterpiece. It doesn’t matter if the world will remember us for this one thing we do. Chances are it will pass unnoticed, but we will be in a better position to take a swing at our masterpiece when the opportunity. Here’s how we can become a man of action. When we have an idea, take action immediately. I’ve heard that we only have about 5 seconds to act on a great idea. After that, it’s too late. Have a little faith in our mind. We are pretty smart guys. The other way to become a man of action is to hold on an idea and let ourselves become obsessed. This works better for less time sensitive ideas, like when we come up with perfect business concept while we are driving. If his happens, turn off the music and focus on that idea exclusively. Shut out everything else and focus on that one great idea until we can pull over and write it down. Hole it in our mind. Don’t put it aside once we have written it down. Hold it in our mind. Only frame it in a positive light. Don’t allow ourselves to take ourselves out of it. This is incredibly important. The process is to obsess on the good idea until we can’t help but take action.

4.5 Persistence and concentration

One of the most obvious and important characteristics of Forrest Gump is his persistent attitude towards life. No matter what he does, he does it with his beast, and never easily gives it up. Only if one person focus on one goal does he can succeed. Persistence and concentration are sometimes hard to make it. How can we be persistent when we face lots of choices and temptations? How can we be persistent when we encounter failures? How can we make a right decision when we start to doubt ourselves? These are tough things. At this moment, we need a firm belief. If you don’t know what to do, just do what to do in the general direction. It perhaps maybe inappropriate, being mocked, but you should never give up. As long as being persistence and concentration, there will always be more or less success. But to the concentration and persistence, we need do some decomposition to our goals, and broke those up into small targets can be manipulated. These small goals are the ladder to success. Every success is crucial; it proves that we make a progress. And it gives us the strength to go on with confidence.

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