Historico-Cultural Trauma in Zemeckis's Forrest Gump

Abstract

This research tries to analyze the historico-cultural trauma in the film Forrest Gump starred by Tom Hanks in the role of Forrest Gump. It basically shows the victimization of different characters in the historical events like Vietnam War, Civil Rights Movements and Watergate scandal. Furthermore, it shows the negative effects of American mainstream culture and failure of American dream. It also presents how the protagonist and other characters are traumatized while they involve in those events and what they do to revisit traumatic past in their life. Forrest, who witnesses all those events, is traumatized and other characters like Lieutenant Dan and Bubba are traumatized due to Vietnam War and Jenny is the victim of sexual abuse. Likewise, each of the individuals dream is shattered and they are forced to live the traumatic life which is the result of the historico-cultural events. In this regard, the film highlights the incomprehensible nature of war and other events that occurred in American society during the period from 1960s to the 1990s.The cinematography which consists of sound, camera angle, light, setting, dialogue and other justifies the hardship, trauma and pathetic condition of the characters. The depiction of horrifying and situation faced by characters highlights the traumatic incidents in the movie. Likewise, this research encompasses the idea of acting out and working through of trauma relating to life of different characters who dies and others who tries to gain the critical distance to reduce the burden of trauma.