Okay, I just watched the movie again and have a question. As a college graduate, wouldn't the Army had made Forrest an officer when he joined?
Forrest Gump Question...
- Thread starter BoxWhatBox
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I assume Gump didn't take the ROTC courses while in college, which serve as officer training. After passing those courses and receiving a bachelor's degree, one enters service as a second lieutenant, I believe.
I'm in the army reserve, and Gump wouldn't automatically be an officer because of a degree, as others have said.
To be an officer, Gump would've had to take ROTC in college, attend Officer Candidate School, or go to West point. He could've gotten a direct commision during his service, but this didn't happen.
I know several people personally with degrees that are NCOs. Damn good ones too.
To be an officer, Gump would've had to take ROTC in college, attend Officer Candidate School, or go to West point. He could've gotten a direct commision during his service, but this didn't happen.
I know several people personally with degrees that are NCOs. Damn good ones too.
Yes, I've always thought so. Haven't seen the movie in a whille, but I remember it being implied.
No, I believe it was AIDS/HIV. It first appeared in 1979/80 and didn't have a name until a year later. Jenny says the "doctors don't know", and they certainly knew what hepatitis was at that point.
--Ted
Also, since Little Forest was already three, she could have easily been infected afterwards.
As far as the officer thing, you don't have to take ROTC in college. There is officer training for those who already have degrees. It's sorta like boot-camp lite.
As far as the officer thing, you don't have to take ROTC in college. There is officer training for those who already have degrees. It's sorta like boot-camp lite.
Only trouble with her having HIV is that she would've gotten it in the 60s/70s while living her wild druggie/sexual life-style. Meaning she would've passed the virus on to Forrest and Little Forrest.
Which doesn't make for the happiest of endings in hindsight.
So tyhe inplication is AIDS but the "actuality" of it would seem to be some other unknown virus that isn't transmitted to offspring or sexual partners (or something Forrest's and Little Forrest's stronger immune systems could fight off (Jenny's being weakened by drug use.)
Which doesn't make for the happiest of endings in hindsight.
So tyhe inplication is AIDS but the "actuality" of it would seem to be some other unknown virus that isn't transmitted to offspring or sexual partners (or something Forrest's and Little Forrest's stronger immune systems could fight off (Jenny's being weakened by drug use.)
Since we don't her actual history from the time Forrest Jr. was conceived, there are a number of ways she could have contracted HIV -- transfusions, contaminated needle (for other than user reasons ...)
And since the story usually intertwines with major cultural events, it would make sense it was HIV, but still ... so many possibilities.
So either opinion could be right. (I love it when that happens).
--Ted
The implication I gathered from the movie was the Jenny got her life back together when she returned to Forrest sometime after his mom died.
She returned to him, lived with him for some time, Forrest's proposal was rejected on the Fourth of July, he and Jenny had sex, she left early the next morning and then a few years later the framework of the movie occurs (Forrest telling his story on the bus bench.) It's suggested that after Jenny left forrest that night she got her life back on track, likely stopped using drugs and being promiscuous and obviously had to devote her life to raising Forrest, Jr. while working as a waitress.
It's possible she contracted her "some-sort-of virus" after Forrest was born in a medical procedure (thus eliminating the possiblity of having maybe passed it on to Forrest and Forrest, Jr.) but considering *some* "credit" the proliferation of AIDS to promiscuity and drug use via needle delivery (both Jenny was involved with) the movie's suggestion (to me) is that is how she got her "some-sort-of virus" and not through any medical procedure or drug use after having Forrest, Jr.
But, again, we're also assuming that it even *was* AIDS as that's also only implied by dialouge which can easily be interpeted to be almost anything.
For all we know she just got a really resilliant strain of influenza the week before Forrest visited her.
It's also entirely possible that, if it was HIV/AIDS, it could have been the result of a blood transfusion. Hey, it happened to Isaac Asimov.
Yes, it's possible, but does it make sense in the narrative of the movie and the history of AIDS and Jenny "paying" for her lifestyle in 60s/70s?
Maybe it's just one of those "plot-hole" things?
I hear even best picture winners have them sometimes.
I hear even best picture winners have them sometimes.
Like Russian Roulette, intimacy with a partner with a STD is dangerous, but catching the STD isn't certain. Plus there's a non-communicable phase after initial infection for many diseases, and I believe the pre communicable phase for HIV might be particularly long (but difficult to tell when it ends).
Thus, there's no guaranty either Forest would catch HIV from a pre AIDS, but still HIV positive Jenny, although there certainly would be a significant risk. And the elder Forest did experience some rather remarkable luck.
Thus, there's no guaranty either Forest would catch HIV from a pre AIDS, but still HIV positive Jenny, although there certainly would be a significant risk. And the elder Forest did experience some rather remarkable luck.
No, not a plot hole. Just not pertinent enough to reveal.
The idea is that Jenny gets sick and dies, leaving Forrest alone to raise their child. Period. The actual cause isn't the point.
The fact that it gets people to talk about it (and it could be a number of causes) is an added bonus.
--Ted
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