淺析阿甘正傳反映的美國精神（英語專業(yè)）

ChapterFourCausesofAmericanSpiritThischaptercombinesAmericanhistory,religion,andAmericaneventstoanalyzethecausesoftheAmericanspirit.4.1ChristianityChristianityinfluencesindividualismbeyonditsorigins.Intoday'ssociety,Christianthoughtsconstantlyinjectnewcontentandgraduallymeettheneedsofsocialdevelopmentanditsowndevelopment.Atthesametime,thesamegoes.Individualismwasincorporatedintothespiritofthetime,inkeepingwiththesocialdevelopmentoftheUnitedStatesandthespiritoftheAmericanpeople.So,theinfluenceofChristianityontheAmericanspiritwillalwaysexist.ReligiousbeliefinGodconstantlyencouragespeopletorecognizetheirvaluesandbegratefultoGodandsociety.Inthisprocess,theAmericanspiritplaysapositiverole.ThecoreofcontemporaryAmericanspiritualtheoryistoemphasizethespiritofhumansubject,emphasizeindividualfreedomandindividualrights,andgivefullplaytoindividualcreativityandinitiativespirit.ThepioneeringspiritofindependentstruggleandindividualismhasbecomethekeynoteofAmericanlife,individualismhasbecomethekeynoteofAmericanlife,theinternaldrivingforceforthedevelopmentofAmericansociety,andthegreatdrivingforceforthematerialandspiritualcivilizationoftheUnitedStates,drivingforceforthematerialandspiritualcivilizationoftheUnitedStates.WiththerapiddevelopmentofAmericansociety,thevalueorientationandsubjectspiritofindividualismplayanimportantroleinpromotingthedevelopmentofindividualism.First,theinfluenceofindividualismonAmericansocietyisreflectedintheeconomicprogressofmodernAmericandemocracy,whichpromotestheeconomicprosperityofAmericansociety;culturally,itencouragestheinnovationanddevelopmentofculturalundertakings.TheinfluenceofChristianityonAmericanideologyandcultureiscomparabletothatofConfuciancultureonChineseideologyandculture.IthasindeedbecomethemostimportantfactorinAmericanfaith,attitudes,andbehavior,deeplydominatingAmericanpolitical,cultural,andfamilylife.ItisinevitabletostudytheinfluenceofChristianityontheAmericantraditionalspiritualcultureonlyfromtheperspectiveoffilm.However,theauthor'snewunderstandingofthefilmintheresearchprocess,theunderstandingofthetraditionalAmericanspirit,thisattemptisworthwhile.4.2WaveofImmigrationTheinfluenceofimmigrationonAmericansocietyandculturecanbedividedintoseveralaspects.Thisisaveryabstractconcept.Whentalkingaboutsocietyandculture,weinevitablyneedtofindvariousexternalizedformsofsocietyandculture.Asfarasacountrygoesforward,especiallyacountrywithlargeethnicgroups,largepopulationandvastregion,itscultureoftenhasastrongconstructioncolor.AsfortheUnitedStates,theUnitedStates,becauseitalsohasanimportantfactor:theUnitedStatesisacountrywithdiversesourcesofimmigrants.AstheimmigrantsaroundtheworldmigratetotheUnitedStates,itismoredifficultforustofindouttheoverallformofAmericanculture.Perhaps,thelackofunified,diverseculturalformsisthemostprominentfeatureofAmericanculture.Ofcourse,althoughitisdifficultforAmericanculturetofindastrictlyunifiedformoftheexpressionoftheculture,itcanstillfindsomemorecommonthingsfromitsnumerousculturalforms.Respectingdiversityisanimportantcommonculturalconcept.ThisisinseparablefromthespiritoffreedomthatAmericansadvocate.ThereisnodenyingthefactthatthedevelopmentoffreedomintheUnitedStatesisalsoaprocess,intheearlydays,whentheUnitedStatesismainlyEuropeanimmigrantsasthemainbody,itsfreespiritisnotsoprominent,evenifitismorefreethanthecontinent,alsomainlyforthesameculturalgroup,forotherculturalgroupssuchasIndian,hereticislessrespectdiversity,culturalintoleranceeventsalsohappen.TherearemanyexamplesofthisinAmericanhistory,especiallythereligiouscontinuationofthecontinent'snegativeapproachtowitchcraftandotherreligions.However,theincreasingnumberofimmigrants,especiallythosefromotherculturalgroups,hasplayedasignificantroleinpromotingthedevelopmentofAmericanfreedom.Alongwiththeemergenceofmoreandmoreimmigrantsfromothercultures,theUnitedStateshascometorecognizetheimportanceofrespectingculturaldiversity.Comparedtoadiverseandvariedsociety,thehomogeneoussocietyhasarelativelylowtoleranceandfreedom.Theemergenceofmanyotherculturalgroupsmakesitdifficultforaunifiedculturalidentitytoreappear.Perhapsforthefirstfewgenerations,theimpactofthisculturalcollisionisunbearable,butwiththecontinuationofthelifetogether,ontheonehand,differentculturesbegantomergetoacertainextent,ontheotherhand,thedifferencesofsuchculturesgraduallybecomeanormalandacceptedbypeople.Therefore,theincreaseofimmigrantsfromdifferentculturalbackgroundsisoneoftheimportantfactorspromotingthefreedevelopmentoftheUnitedStatesandtheformationofculturalconceptsrespectingdiversity.4.3AmericanFeminismIn1966,theNationalWomen'sOrganizationwasfounded,knownasthe"motherofwomen",aspresident.Theystressedthatwomenshoulddevotethemselvestothebeliefthatwomenarefirstandforemosthuman,liketherestofoursociety,andthatwomenmusthavetheopportunitytodeveloptheirhumanpotential;actimmediatelytofullyengagewomeninthemainstreamofAmericansocietyandenjoy(Partoftheinformationislosthere)In1965,Americanlawallowedwomentohaveanabortion;in1977,36statesand180delegatesinHoustonattended,markingtheupsurgeofthefeministmovement.Inthishistoricalcontext,Jennycouldnotbeunaffected,andherrebellionhadtheterriblefoundationofchildhood.ThedirectoralonereflectsaverycomplexbutprogressivehistoryofthefeministmovementintheUnitedStates.DoesJaninereallyloveForrestGump?Thisisthemostvaluablequestionofthefilm.Theanswershouldbeyes.Shehasherownpursuit--toflylikeabirdinapatriarchalsociety.ForrestGump'sdulllifewassomethingshecouldnotadaptto.SoafterexpressingherloveforForrestGump,sheleftagain.Thistimeshewentfurther,foralongtime,andshewasamother,raisingForrestGumpandhischildrenalone,whichshouldhavebeenverydifficult.Butsheisverynaturaltobearup,andissoindifferentIfForrestGump'smotheristhegreatfemalematernalimagemodel,thenJennieinthelastfewyearsoflifeisundoubtedlyfromthefemalerebelliontothegreatmaternalreturn!ForrestGump'snarrativeandlightanddarkcluesdeeplyreflectsanAmericanhistoryfulloffemalelifetwistsandturns,andfullyshowsthegreatpowerofwomen'scontinuousprogressontheroadoffreedomandequality.Itisreallyworththinkingdeeplyaboutthesignificanceofwomen'shistoryandfuture!ChapterFiveInspirationoftheAmericanSpiritintheFilmThischapterwillsummarizetheenlightenmentoftheAmericanspiritembodiedinthefilmontheindividualandsocialangle.5.1InspirationforSocialDevelopmentTheuniquenessofForrestGumpliesinthatitreaffirmstheoldmoralandsocialsubjectculture,promotedtheUnitedStates'mainideologyinthe1960's,andrejectedotheravant-gardenewcultures.Ithinkitisbasedonthisthatitcanwintheheartsofthepeople."Inourunderstanding,wemayfeelthatAmericanshaveafastpaceoflifeandmaylackthespiritofpersistence,butForrestGump'spopularitytellsusthatthisisnotthecase.Infact,Americansalsoadvocatethespiritofperseverance.Itcanbesaidthat"ForrestGump"isthereappearanceofThetimes.Modernsocietyissummedupinawordtouse,impulsive.Lookatthemodernsociety,peoplerelyonfastwaystoprofit,stockspeculation,talentshow,fewpeoplewillworkfirmly.Thefastpaceoflifemakespeoplehavenotimetostop,donotwantthepast,donotwantthefuture,justsimplylookatthereality,eagerforquicksuccessandimmediatebenefitstopursuesomekindoflife.Impulsivesickpsychology,blackhole,silenceintheswallowofthepeopleoriginallyquietandsinceresoul.Peoplecannotsatisfythesociety'sinnerpursuitofpeace,andcanonlyfindalivelihoodfromthefictionalcharacters,soForrestGumpappeared.Hissimpleinsistencesincerelymovedus,andopenedagoodmedicinefortheimpulsivepeople.Theyjustdosimplethingsbuthaveanextraordinarylifeexperienceandletuslookuptoit.Rodinsaidthatlifeisnotalackofbeauty,butalackofeyes.Weareusedtolookingforwardtothefutureoflife,butignorethebeautifulsceneryoftheroad.Wealwaysdeliberatelypursueextraordinary,butforgetthatsometimesordinaryisextraordinary.5.2InspirationforPersonalDevelopmentForrestGumptorevisitthegenerationafterthesecondworldwarAmericanyears,totheoutlookonlifeandvaluesofadisplay,tounderstandtheAmericanspirit,AmericansocietyandAmericancultureisofgreatsignificance,asaclassicfilm,ForrestGumpreflectstheAmerican"Americandream"understandingandunderstanding,expressedthepeopleforAmericantraditionalculture,ForrestGumpisatypicalrepresentativeoftheAmericanspirit,hewithuniquehonesty,kindnessandpersistenttorebuildtheAmericanvalues.AndIwanttofindtheelementswithpracticalguidingsignificancethroughthegoodqualitiesreflectedbyForrestGumpinthemagnificenthistoricalbackground.Inthefilm,althoughForrestGumpisaretardedman,hehasasenseofsurpassingrealitythatordinarypeopledonothave.Hismentallyretardedmindretainshissimplicityandinnocence.Hefirmlybelievesthateveryoneisequal,getsridofmanyphysicalobstacles,andfinallysuccessfullybreaksthroughhimselfandobtainstheconfidenceinlife.Thestorytellsusthatthetruthisnotprofound,donotcomplainabouttheinjusticeofthefate,throughtheunremittingstrugglewilleventuallyachievesuccess.Inthissense,whatForrestGumpbringsmeisnotaspirit,butarealattitudetowardslife.NomatterwhatdifficultiesortemptationsIencounter,Iwillnotshakemyoriginalintentionandmakepersistentefforts,maybetheresultwillnolongerbeimportantintheend,becausetheprocessofeffortsisthegreatestrewardformyself.ThisisthebiggestrealisticannotationofthecomicandinspirationalfilmofForrestGump.Justiceandevil,successandfailurearealltheresultofbeingimposedbyothers,butinfact,thereisnomeaning.Theimportantthingiswhetheryouarefollowingtheguidanceoftheheart.ChapterSixConclusionThewholeofthefilm,bothfromtheplotandthelines,embodiesthetraditionalspiritualculturerecognizedbytheAmericanpublic.Inthefilm,ForrestGumptravelsalonethroughthepost-warAmericanhistory,experiencingalmostallimportanthistoricalmomentsintheUnitedStates.Aswecansee,inthewholefilm,ForrestGumpembodiestheriftofAmericanpost-warhistory,mainstreamspiritualcultureandmainstreamsociety.Inessence,ForrestGumpisananti-intelligencefilm.WithanIQofonly75points,ForrestGumpcanneversucceedinreality,butthefilmisintendedtoportrayForrestGumpasasagefool.Hisoptimism,courageandkindnessaretheAmericanspiritinthedirector'smind.ThispaperanalyzestheAmericanspiritreflectedinForrestGump,andbeginstogiveabriefoverviewoftheresearchbackgroundandhistoricalstatusofForrestGump.Secondly,itbrieflyintroducestheconnotationoftheAmericanspiritandthefilmcontentofthefilmForrestGump.Fromaplotpointofview,ForrestGump'spersistenceinrunningandForrestGump'scourageinfacingtheopportunityallreflectForrestGump'sfightingspirit,ThroughtheanalysisofJenny'spursuitofpowerandForrestGump'soppositiontotheracereflectsthespiritoftheAmericanpursuitofequality;Fromtheaspectofthecharacterization,Mrs.GumpTheunyieldingspiritandForrestGump'sloveoflifebothreflecttheoptimisticspiritoftheAmericanspirit.Byanalyzingthespiritofstruggle,optimismandthepursuitofequalityreflectedinForrestGump,readerscangainabetterunderstandingoftheenduringAmericanethos,inspiringthemtocultivateaconstructiveoutlookonlifeandmakemeaningfulcontributionstowardsbuildingasocietythatvaluesfreedom,equality,positivity,andenterprise.Moreimportantly,theAmericanspiritreflectedinthefilmcanhelptheimpetuoussocietytorecoversomereason,slowdownthefastpaceandonlypursuetheresultsofthecurrentera,slowdownandlookattheroadwithanoptimisticandpositivevision,whichcanhelpthesocietytoformanoptimistic,positive,freeandequalsocialcultu