The American dream, one of the best examples in pop culture today would have to be the movie Forrest Gump. Like most rags to Riches stories, Forrest lives in a small town in Alabama with his mother. Forrest had a disability where he was unable to walk or run like all other kids his age and had to wear braces on both of his legs, to add to this Forrest also has a mental disability and talks in very simple words and sentences. Throughout the course of the film, Forrest meets and Falls in love with Jenny, a girl from the same small town. They always seem to run into each and reconnect. Forrest gets over this leg disability and ends up going to college to play football, and after joins the U.S. Army to fight in the Vietnam war. He meets a man named Bubba and they become great friends through basic training and overseas. They come up with the goal to start a shrimpin’ business in the Gulf, unfortunately, Bubba never makes it back from the war and Forrest carries out their dream by himself. And like all classic movies like these Forrest eventually marries Jenny, but with a twist. Jenny has a terminal illness and passes away a short time later. But not all is lost Forrest finds out he had a child with Jenny that is a few years old and he sets out to meet him for the first time at his foster parent’s house.
Now you may be saying how on earth is this a rag to riches story? It’s filled with everyone close to Forrest eventually dying at one time or another. Well, this is where I’d personally say it is a rags to riches story but it’s not so much about the “riches” at the end. Its a story about the journey, Forrest goes through so much in his life, some positive and some negative. But if you look at him at the end of the movie he’s the world’s happiest man. He’s not rolling around in crazy piles of money and blowing it all on expensive things. He richer in his personal life and happiness, without a care about material things. I feel that most movies today that follow this sort of storyline always focus on the things you can buy in the end, the huge multi-million dollar house with the expensive sports car sitting in the garage. Now I guess this may make sense for a movie but in real life, it has been proven over and over again that money does not buy happiness.
For more information about the movie here a convenient link to the trailer:
Forest Gump is a great example he goes from football star at Alabama to war to running around America completely broke. Although he may have never gotten completely "rich" he was rich in life experience all the way to get the love of his life, as well as fulfilling every goal in life he ever wanted to accomplished, as well as having a child with his best friend.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Forest is a great example. His fame comes more in accidental moments, not necessarily through hard work, though he does do his fair share of that. He is also a great example of the idea it's not what you do, but who you know that matters.
ReplyDeleteThis is another movie that has the rags to riches theme in my opinion in the background. In Gumps eyes, riches are not as important to him as being loved and understood. His love for Jenny throughout the movie is remarkable although misplaced. It definitely teaches us that money is great but Love conquers all! Nice Pick!
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