Forrest Gump, starring Tom Hanks, is widely considered to be among the best movies of all time. Based on Winston Groom’s 1986 novel,into the various life events that Forrest Gump went throughas he pined for his childhood sweetheart. The movie follows his struggles as a child toForrest Gump’s role in the Vietnam War. By taking this direction, Forrest Gump is able to offer a mix of upbeat and gloomy moments, which reflect the ups and downs of the character’s life. Interestingly, this dark aspect of the film is in line with the origin of his name.
Forrest Gump’s likability overshadows his connection to a real-life figure in history. Sadly, his name is related to a piece of American history from the 1800s that is both abhorrent and shameful. However, the movie doesn’t ignore the link between them, and in fact builds off of it as it tells Forrest Gump’s story.
It’s Easy To Forget That Forrest Gump Is Explicitly Named After A Ku Klux Klan Leader
Forrest Gump Was Named After Nathan Bedford Forrest
Forrest Gump’s name has an incredibly dark origin, ashe was named after a Ku Klux Klan leadernamed Nathan Bedford Forrest. However, it is easy to forget this shocking detail given the nature of the film and the character itself.Forrest Gump,which does not display racist ideologies, is an optimistic movie, andForrest as a character is easy to root forwith his hopeful and kind nature. Therefore,ForrestGump’sbleak background is not only forgettable but also untethered from the character.
Tom Hanks Briefly Plays A Second Character In Forrest Gump (& He’s The Exact Opposite Of Forrest)
Tom Hanks briefly portrays the real-life figure Nathan Bedford Forrest in Forrest Gump, and the General is far apart from Hanks' title character.
Nathan Bedford Forrest was in the Civil Warbefore 1867, when he became the first grand wizard of the original Ku Klux Klan. However, the extent of his influence on the KKK has been disputeddue to the lack of sources and his contradictory testimony about denying his membership in 1871, but his involvement in the white supremacy group helped to expand and gain more members. As they share a name, Forrest is another keyhistorical figure inForrest Gump.
The Reason Forrest’s Mother Named Him “Forrest” Gets Worse The More You Think About It
Forrest Gump’s Mother’s Reasoning Is Dreadful
Forrest Gump’s mother named him after Nathan Bedford Forrest due to him being theirancestor. According to the movie, her intention of naming him after a racist historical figure is to be a reminder that “Sometimes we all do things that, well, just don’t make no sense.” Forrest’s mother’s reason for naming him does not only make sense, but it is a deplorable reason. For one, she named her son after a Ku Klux Klan wizard who was also a Confederate, sohis history is being honored throughForrest Gump.
The reason for namingForrest Gumpafter Forrest is horrific, as the logic itself seems to attempt to rewrite Forrest’s racist attitudes.
The reason for naming the character after Forrest is misleading, as the logic itself seems to attempt to rewrite Forrest’s racist attitudes and actions. Her “don’t make no sense” argument indicates thathis mother’s main motivation is to use Forrestto correct his ancestor’s wrongs and rewrite his history. However, this cannot be done due to the lamentable beliefs and actions that cannot be overlooked. With her reasoning and motivation,Forrest’s role is now confusing, as his real goal inForrest Gump,now that he shares a name with a hateful ancestor, is to relive Forrest’s life.
