Forrest Gump 1

A sudden flash of light followed by a slow, rumbling thunder. Then the rain begins. Drop after drop after drop, all joining together in small trickles. Soon, a small stream forms and then, a river. The river takes many twists and turns. It meanders through land on its way to its only destination, the ocean. The river is free to flow and yet still has a destiny. This concept is similar to the message of Robert Zemeckis' 1994 film Forrest Gump. Explained through the techniques of motif, symbolism, and characterization, Zemeckis demonstrates how everyone has a destiny, but the journey to it is undefined.
Throughout the film, the motifs of a feather and birds are used to promote the message. The feather seen both at the beginning and the end of the film has a clear purpose. The feather simply floats about on the breeze, no direct route and no known destination. This feather represents the journey to destiny, free and random. Similarly, birds also ride upon the wind, but do so with more choice. They are still free and, though it may seem less so, just as random. Whatever choices are made leads ever on towards destiny.
Another technique used to convey Zemeckis' message is symbolism. Zemeckis places emphases on legs, shoes, and roads. The shoes bear people to their destination. Legs drive the choices they make and move them to where they wish to go. Roads give people options. The combination of all three leads to many possibilities. Numerous paths may be taken and all are part of the journey towards destiny.
Besides symbolism and motif, characterization is another technique used to express the message of Forrest Gump. The three main characters of the film, Forrest, Jenny, and Lieutenant Dan, are all different in terms of how they live their lives and travel towards destiny. Forrest is like the feather, blown around by the wind and does whatever he is told. This journey, though random and simple, leads Forrest to many good things. He never knew where he would en up, but...