ipl-logo

Forrest Gump Intellectual Disability

997 Words4 Pages

The movie I decided to go with is Forrest Gump. This movie is one out of the many movies that portrays an individual with a disability. Forrest Gump had an intellectual disability which stems from a mental disorder. His disability is highly noticeable throughout the movie. According to, American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, “Intellectual disability is a disability characterized by significant limitations in both intellectual functioning and in adaptive behavior, which covers many everyday social and practical skills.” Throughout the movie it is very evident that Forrest does not behave like a normal person. All in all, the overall message of the movie was such a positive one. The movie starts off by showing …show more content…

As the individuals who sat next to him came and went, he continued to speak to them. Forrest’s disability is definitely portrayed correctly. Forrest didn’t understand sarcasm and didn’t pick up certain things that a normal person would pick up on. There were many clips that portrayed this, in one particu-lar clip, Forrest imitated the principals’ noises after he was asked, “you don’t speak much, do you?” Forrest didn’t realized that that embarrassed his principal; he simply didn’t know how to reply. His communication skills were definitely low. Another scene in the movie which portrayed Forrest character perfectly would be when Forrest took off running for three years. People continuously wondered why chose to run, many had assumptions that he was running to fund raise for an event, and others had different assumptions but none were accurate. Forrest ran because he felt like it. He doesn’t act …show more content…

The movie was surely based on luck and destiny. Luck and destiny fell into Forrests lap on numerous occasions. Typically an individual with a low IQ doesn’t get too far in life or doesn’t become as “known” the way Forrest did. The feather at the beginning and ending of the movie was so significant. A feather just flies and lands whenever the wind stops blowing it. It doesn’t have a specific destination which was similar to Forrests life, he was a simple guy; going wherever life took him he encountered many random experiences but none were ever planned. This wouldn’t occur to a person with a normal IQ, they would know exactly where they wanted to be at each point in life, and they would also have goals and dreams. A stereotyped disability is when someone puts an individual in a certain category because they are incapable of doing what someone without a disability can do. According to US Department of Education, “The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) gives civil rights protections to individuals with disabilities that are like those provided to individuals on the basis of race, sex, national origin, and religion. It guarantees equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities in employment, public accommodations, transportation, State and local government services, and telecommunications.” Forrest had many experiences with being looked down upon. Many people underestimated his abilities and him as a

Show More
Related
514 Words | 3 Pages

Terry Fox showed the world what a disabled person could do, and that was anything he put his mind to. As can be seen, his disability did not define who he was; instead, it made him

Read More
807 Words | 4 Pages

A disability can make someone look at a "disabled" person in a specific way, even though they are just as capable as others of doing things. Some people don't realize the impact someone with a disability can have on the world because they are limited and criticized for their issues. People without disabilities can show what they have, and those with disabilities will never even get past the starting line because of people's biased views on disabilities. After listening to the Ted Talk by Keith Nolan, a private cadet, he established ethos, logos, and pathos through his educational speech on the deaf in the military. In the Ted Talk, Keith Nolan backs up his story with emotion, statistics, credible information, and real-life experience.

Read More
1326 Words | 6 Pages

and “I am the only person to blame.” There was also a great deal of sorrow that was spilled. When talking about the effect the situation had on his wife, Woods mentioned, “Ellie and I have begun discussing the damage caused by my behavior.” It is very hard for someone to damage a relationship and then recover and make things right again. The praise that Woods was giving out was not praise that you dish out after an accomplishment.

Read More
825 Words | 4 Pages

Forrest, even though his back was crooked, turned out to be a great runner. He ran for speed, as well as distance. This was his attribute of power. Epics have many elements.

Read More
1161 Words | 5 Pages

Who knows how he’ll react. If he freaks like Maddie, then I’d be down to no one” (144). When Samantha decides that “[She] can’t tell Stuart about NPC”, she bases it off of the bad reaction from Maddie. This demonstrates how other people don’t try understand her disease, and instead decide to “freak”, as she describes Maddie’s reaction. The author makes no note of Maddie understanding Samantha’s situation, suggesting that disabilities are strange or outlandish.

Read More
1355 Words | 6 Pages

“Only 50 years ago persons with intellectual disabilities were scorned, isolated and neglected. Today, they are able to attend school, become employed and assimilate into their local community” (Nelson Mandela). Prior to the later part of the 20th century people with intellectual disabilities were often ridiculed, treated unfairly, feared, and locked away in institutions. According to Rhonda Nauhaus and Cindy Smith in their article Disability Rights through the Mid-20th Century, The laws of any nation reflect its societal values. The real life issue of discrimination towards people with intellectual disabilities in the United States and Australia is demonstrated in the novel, Of Mice and Men by showing how this issue affects one of the main characters, Lennie Smalls.

Read More
1591 Words | 7 Pages

Forrest Gump takes place in modern history of the United States, emphasizing race relations between blacks and whites, disability and southern culture. Beginning in the south during the 1950’s, the movie highlights segregation, and ends with the way African-Americans are portrayed today. Forrest Gump begins with the main character sitting at a bus stop, and it isn’t until Forrest speaks that the audience realizes he has a disability. Throughout the movie Forrest is portrayed as a simple, white southern male from Alabama who has a below average intelligence. The movie takes places during a significant era between the 1950 's and 1980’s, and recalls different events of Forrest’s life, underlining how he surpasses the expectations society had for him.

Read More
768 Words | 4 Pages

Shows like "Speechless" have disabled actors playing lead roles and showcasing the diverse experiences of disabled individuals. While in the Tv-Show “Speechless" refers to the fact that the son, JJ, is nonverbal, but it also highlights the struggles and challenges that the family faces in navigating a world that is not always accommodating to those with disabilities. One commonality among the different types of disabilities and their portrayal in media is the perpetuation of stereotypes. Often, individuals with disabilities are portrayed as helpless, dependent, and burdensome, reinforcing negative attitudes towards them.

Read More
774 Words | 4 Pages

“Deconstructing Disability: Three Episodes of South Park: Disability Studies Quarterly.” Deconstructing Disability: Three Episodes of South Park | Disability Studies Quarterly, 2005, dsq-sds.org/article/view/628/805. Anonymous. I Do Not Exist To Inspire You, www.xojane.com/issues/living-life-at-crotch-level-an-unapologetic-point-of- view. Accessed 5 June 2023.

Read More
807 Words | 4 Pages

In the essay, “On Being a Cripple,” Nancy Mairs uses humorous diction and a positive tone to educate people about life as a cripple and struggles of people with disabilities. She does this to show how hard it is to be disabled and how it differs from the life of someone without a disability. She talks about the struggles and the fears that disabled people must deal with on a daily basis. Mairs use of rhetoric creates a strong sense of connection and understanding for the reader. Nancy Mairs is successful in using detailed imagery, diction, and tone to educate her readers about the difficulties of living with a disability.

Read More
1415 Words | 6 Pages

Furthermore, public acknowledgment of people with a disability is either ignored or spotlighted so significantly that the person feels like they stand out in the crowd unnecessarily. DiCaprio’s character, Arnie who has autism portrays stereotypical behavioural traits of a person with the disability. Throughout the film, it can be analysed that Arnie constantly fidgets with his hands, cannot sit still and has difficulty following basic instructions which can all be examined as stereotypical characteristics of a person with autism. Obviously Hallstrom had a bias and stereotypically view on the behaviour of those with autism as Arnie behaved like a child, no clear independence as his brother, Gilbert had to wash him and put him to bed every night. Socially, Arnie was in need of constant supervision as he had a tendency to perform acts that were previously recognised as inappropriate.

Read More
445 Words | 2 Pages

There are people who die accidentally, and this is a tragic. However, there are times when the death could have been prevented. When this happens, it can be considered a wrongful death, and surviving loved ones may be entitled to compensation. The following are three examples of this that you may not be aware of.

Read More
683 Words | 3 Pages

In the film, Forrest is a character who overcomes the limitations posed against him at a young age due to his disabilities and still finds a way to achieve great success and fulfillment in his life. Throughout the film, he demonstrates great resilience and determination in the face of adversity, and his achievements serve as an inspiration to others facing similar challenges. Forrest's unique perspective and experiences, as well as his innocence and lack of experience, provide the audience a different perspective through which they can see the world in a different and more positive light. Forrest's experiences serve to challenge and portray the narratives of disability and help to bring awareness of the experiences of people with

Read More
853 Words | 4 Pages

Forrest disadvantage leaves him clueless and unable to quickly put reasoning behind emotions. Erikson's Theory can be applied to this film of Forrest Gump. Many events take place in Forrest life. As a child Forrest is shown unconditional love from his mother and supported in making his decisions in school and in life Erikson's theory of industry vs. inferiority can be applied to Forrest during this time in his life wheres as Jenny would have inferiority aspect of Erikson's theory applied to her life because she did not receive that same unconditional love and care from her

Read More
795 Words | 4 Pages

A Psychological Analysis of Forrest Gump. The movie Forrest Gump (played by Tom Hanks) tells a story of a simple man and his journey through life. Forrest Gump’s story takes place during a time of historical significance in our country, The United States of America. His story began in the 1950’s, and ran through the 1970’s.

Read More

More about Forrest Gump Intellectual Disability

Related Topics

Open Document