Forrest Gump is a movie that narrates many moral values through a story wrapped in inspiration, excitement, and comedy.
The character was penned by Winston Francis Groom, filmed by Robert Zemeckis, and refined by the acting of Tom Hanks, which turned out to be one of the iconic characters in Hollywood.
The story revolves around the growth and life events of Forrest Gump, a slow-witted and kind-hearted Alabama boy.
The life of Sammy Lee Lewis, a Vietnam War Veteran, partially inspired Forrest Gump’s story, and many events in the film coincide with the history.
Neither the writer nor the filmmakers have mentioned Gump possessing any disorders, but his behavior pattern reveals the presence of an autistic spectrum, along with the physical disabilities in childhood.
Was Forrest Gump Autistic?
Yes, Forrest Gump shows some behavioral disorders which meet the autistic pattern. There is no direct mention of his autism in the book and movie, but a close look at the character reveals Gump is autistic, although it is a mild case.
Forrest Gump’s interaction with people and his responses to the outside world coincide with the characteristics of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Considering the movie’s impact, many professionals have conducted studies on Forrest Gump’s character and indicated the presence of autism.
The following incidents reveal the truth behind Gump’s character. Once given a task, Gump is single-minded and focuses all his attention on completing it. The extreme attention Gump gives to shrimping, running, and ping-pong hits the patterns of ASD.
There are many occasions when Gump cannot understand the nature of the situation and finds trouble communicating with people.
What Disability Did Forrest Gump Have?
Forrest Gump had an intellectual disability, which was a case of autism, and he also had physical disabilities. His leg had braces in his childhood due to neural problems or polio.
Gump was forced to wear leg braces in his childhood, preventing him from running or walking quickly.
Later in his life, he learned he didn’t need leg braces anymore and could run or walk to where he wanted.
Forrest Gump scored a low score of 75 on the IQ test, proving his intellectual disability. Gump’s intellectual disability had prevented him from attending public schools until his mother convinced a school principal to let him attend ordinary school education.
Forrest Gump’s Triumph: Despite His Disabilities
Despite being autistic with braced legs, Forrest Gump succeeds in all his activities. Knowing that her son has disabilities, Forrest’s mother helped him to channel his energy into positive actions.
Forrest’s mother taught him don’t let anyone tell him he was different, telling him “stupid is as stupid does.”
Forrest has never been stupid, although people have misguided his actions as foolish. He was precise, accurate, dedicated, and, most importantly, obsessive with the tasks given.
His autistic pattern in his nature helped him succeed in ping pong, where the instruction was to ‘always keep an eye on the ball.’, which he obeyed every time.
The same disability helped him carry out his orders precisely in the army and also helped in saving the lives of many fellow fighters in the Vietnam War in a close encounter with the enemies.
Although it was unknown to many of his followers, his single-mindedness helped him complete the cross-country run several times. His autistic nature helped him stay in the shrimp business and become successful.
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Tailpiece
There is no story as inspiring and optimistic as the Forrest Gump story. Autistic, he may be, but Gump’s life is an excellent example that with persistence and patience, anything can be achieved.
Forrest Gump is shown as a helping and kind character who knows the true meaning of love.
Forrest Gump movie discusses many historical incidents and looks authentic. The story’s content is a fictional illustration of a true story, but it unrolls in such a way that it became a milestone in historic Hollywood.
People have tried to discuss the politics of Forrest Gump, but fortunately, it reveals the positive aspects of history and politics.