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A Beautiful Mind

(Drama/Biography) (2001)

© 2002 by Raymond Weschler

 

Major Characters

 

John Nash……………………………………………………………….Russell Crowe

One of  the greatest mathematical geniuses of the 20^th century, who won the Nobel Prize in 1994, studied and taught at Princeton University, and suffered from the mental disease of schizophrenia

for most of his adult life (See note on schizophrenia below).

 

Alicia…………………………………………………………….…………….Jennifer Connelly

John’s beautiful, intelligent  and loving wife who stayed with him through decades of marriage, from the 1950s to after 2000, despite the difficulties of living with a person with severe mental illness.

 

Parcher……………………………………………………………..………….Ed Harris

An agent of the US government who convinces John to help break secret Soviet codes, in order to prevent a horrible nuclear attack on the United States (Note: Parcher is not really who he appears to be).

 

Charles………………………………………………………………………….Paul Bettany

       John’s roommate at Princeton who studied English literature

       (Note: Like Parcher, John is not really who he appears to be).

 

Martin Hansen………………………………………………………………Josh Lucas

       A brilliant math student at Princeton and colleague of John’s

who later becomes head of the Princeton math department.

 

Dr. Rosen……………………………………………………………………….Christopher Plumber

A psychiatrist in Boston who identifies John’s Schizophrenia

and helps him and Alicia to live with the disease.

 

Plot Summary

 

This film is the true story of John Nash, one of the great geniuses of the 20^th century,  who was famous for both his theories in math, and for the fact that he suffered from schizophrenia. The movie follows Nash’s amazing life from the time he arrives at Princeton University as a young, brilliant and noticeably odd West Virginia math student, until his life as an old man who has won the Nobel Prize. Over the years, he becomes recognized as a unique intellect whose theories have greatly influenced not only mathematics, but various other academic areas from economics to biology. And as of this writing in 2002, Nash is still alive, and still teaches at Princeton.

 

The focus of this movie is on Nash’s struggle with the terrible illness of schizophrenia, which began to effect him while a student at Princeton in the early 1950s. Afterward, his brilliance led to a teaching and research position at the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the world famous university in Boston. There, Nash’s disease began to grow worse, but fortunately for him, it was also at MIT that he met Alicia, a brilliant math student of her own. The two fell in love, and while Alicia did not discover his illness until after they married, once she realized how sick her husband was, she did all she could to take care of him, herself, and their new son.

 

With great determination, John Nash was able to successfully fight back from the delusions that are a large part of schizophrenia, and while he never was able to get rid of the disease completely, he became an honored member of the Princeton community. In some ways, his life is a truly fascinating window on the still unclear relationship between genius and madness.

 

A Brief Note on Schizophrenia: Many people used to think that schizophrenia was a mental disease marked by “split personality,” which exists when one person seems to have two or more completely different personalities. In fact, most people who have this mental illness do not have  that condition, but they do suffer from such things as inability to think clearly, manage emotions, make decisions, or relate to others. Most seriously, schizophrenics can suffer from hallucinations (“seeing things that don’t really exist”), as well as a fundamental and unpleasant change in how they experience basic emotions, incoming sensations and even themselves. In short, this is a terrible illness that can take away a person’s ability to lead a normal life, though fortunately, it has become more and more treatable.

 

A Brief Note on the Language of Advanced Mathematics: Throughout the film, there is frequent reference to many of the abstract mathematical theories that John Nash and his colleagues were working on, including in such specific areas as “equilibrium points, manifold embedding, Brouwer’s fixed point theorem,  Riemann’s functional  equation hypothesis” and other bizarre topics that only the most sophisticated mathematicians could truly understand. In general, the glossary below chooses to ignore most of that language, since it is probably not worth your time as ESL students. Regardless, and like most people,  I don’t what most of it means!….

 

A Brief Note on Princeton and MIT: 

 

Most of the film centers around John’s life at two of the best Universities in the United States. Princeton is located in the small town of Princeton, New Jersey, about an hour from New York City. When John arrived as a young student in the late 1940’s, Albert Einstein was still a professor there (He died in 1955, having been at Princeton for nearly 20 years).

 

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, known by most as MIT, is perhaps  the most prestigious school of technology and applied sciences in the world

(In the film, John taught for a few years at a defense department center at MIT called the Wheeler Institute). MIT is located just minutes from Harvard University, in Boston, Massachusetts, which probably has more excellent universities than any city in the world.

 

 

Some Words and Expressions that You May not Know

 

 

 

Mathematicians broke the Japanese codes….and built the A-bomb.

A “code” is a secret set of symbols that only certain people can understand. The “A-bomb” is short for an atomic or nuclear bomb.

 

 The stated goal of the Soviets is global communism.

If a goal is “stated,” it is officially announced. After World War 2, many in the Western Capitalist countries feared that the Soviet Union would try to take over the world by spreading their form of communism.

 

 To triumph, we need results. Publishable, applicable results.

“To triumph” is to beat an opponent. If results are “publishable,” they are good enough to be printed in academic or scholarly journals, and if they are “applicable,” they have a practical use.

 

Who among you will be the next Morse, Einstein….

the vanguard of democracy, freedom and discovery?

Morse was famous for having invented the “Morse code,” which was a series of short sounds by which messages were sent through wire in the 19th century. The “vanguard” of a social movement are the first people who promote it, before it becomes popular.

 

 Today, we bequeath America’s future into your able hands.

To “bequeath” property is to hand it legally down

to the next generation, often in the form of a will.

 

 It’s not enough that he won the Carnegie scholarship.

A “scholarship” is a gift of money that is given to allow

people to study at a university or other educational institution.

 

 It’s the first time the Carnegie Prize has been split and Hansen is all bent.

If a prize is “split,” it is divided between two or more people    

(If a person is “bent out of shape,” they are angry or upset; “Bent” alone, which means twisted or curved, is no longer used for angry).  

 

 Nielson, symbol cryptography.

The study of codes and how to break them so they can be understood.

 

 Neil here broke a Jap code; Help rid the world of fascism.

“Jap” is now considered a racist word for Japanese, though it was common up through the 1960s. “To rid the world” of something

is to help eliminate it (“Get rid of” is more common).

 

The burden of genius…..so many supplicants and so little time.

       A “burden” is a great responsibility or problem that is carried.

       A “supplicant” is a person who has or begs with humility or respect.

 

Nice is not Hansen’s strong suit.

       A person’s “strong suit” is the skill that they are good at

(A funny way of saying that Hansen doesn’t know how to be nice).

 

I  imagine you’re getting quite used to miscalculation.

       A “miscalculation” is a mistake in solving a math or other problem.

 

I’ve read your pre-prints on nazi ciphers and non-linear equations…

A “pre-print” is a dated academic term for a paper before it has been published.  “Nazi ciphers” were German code writers during World War 2. A “non-liner equation” is a concept in advanced mathematics.

 

…and I am supremely confident that there is not a single

seminal or innovative idea in either one of them.

If an idea is “seminal,” it’s important and original. If an idea is “innovative,” it’s a new way of thinking that has not been done before.

 

Enjoy your punch.

       A popular fruit drink at parties, which often contains alcohol.

 

The prodigal roommate arrives!

       An educated word for a person who  spends and wastes

lots of money, and who was often spoiled as a child.

 

Did you know that having a hangover is not having enough

water in your body? It’s not enough to run your kreb cycles.

A “hangover” is the horrible feeling people have the morning

after they have drunk too much alcohol. A “kreb cycle” is a term

for energy storage that is used in biology.

 

I got in time for English Department cocktails.

       An iced alcoholic drink that is popular at parties.

 

The cock was mine and the tail belonged to a particularly

lovely young thing with a passion for DH Lawrence.

A “cock” is a crude word for a penis, and in this case a tail refers to a woman’s ass. “Lovely” is a British word for pretty or attractive. If you have a “passion for” somebody, you are very attracted by or interested in them (DH Lawrence is a well know British writer of the early 1900s).

 

You are not easily distracted, are you?

If a person is “distracted,” they can’t concentrate on what they want to because something else is bothering them or has gotten their attention.

 

Is my roommate a dick?

       A funny adjective for a jerk, idiot or in certain contexts, a penis.

 

You the poor kid who never got to go to Exeter  or Andover? ::

Despite my privileged upbringing, I’m actually quite well-balanced.

Exeter and Andover are two famous preparatory schools in Massachusetts that the children of the rich attend in order to get into the best universities. If a person has had a “privileged upbringing,” they’ve been raised in great wealth, often with an excellent education.

 

I have a chip on both shoulders.

       If a person has “a chip on their shoulder,” they are bitter or

angry about something that happened to them in the past.

 

Maybe you’re better with integers than you are with people.

       An “integer” is a mathematical word for a number.

 

Why? With all your obvious wit and charm.

A person’s “wit” is their ability to be funny. A person’s “charm” is the quality about them that attracts, interests and delights other people.

 

I can’t waste time….memorizing the weak assumptions of lesser mortals.

“Lesser mortals” is a funny but snobby way of referring to

people that the speaker feels are not as intelligent as they are.

 

I need to look through…to the governing dynamics.

That’s the only way I’ll ever distinguish myself.

“Governing dynamics” is John’s way of referring to the basic rules

that control a system or situation. “To distinguish” yourself is to accomplish something so important you become very well known.

 

I’ve played enough Go for one day. :: Come on, I hate this game.

“Go” is a famous board game from East Asia. “Come on” is the most versatile phrasal verb in English, here meaning please, or “be serious.”

 

I’m hoping to extract an algorithm to define their movement.

       “To extract” is to remove or pull out forcefully. An “algorithm”

is a step by step process for solving a mathematical problem.

 

Ok….psycho.

       A popular slang word for a person who is crazy.

 

I thought you dropped out. Ever going to go to class?

       “To drop out” of school is to quit, or to decide to no longer go.

 

Classes will dull your mind and destroy the potential for authentic creativity.

“To dull” a person’s mind is to make them less intelligent or creative. If something is “authentic,” it is genuine or true, and “creativity” is the ability to think, create  or make things in new and different ways.

 

Nash is going to stun us all with his genius.

       “To stun” a person is to shock or overwhelm them.

 

He doesn’t have the nerve to compete.

       If a person doesn’t have “the nerve” to do

something, they don’t have the courage to do it.

 

Terrified, mortified…stupefied, by you.

       If a person is “mortified,” they are scared to death. If they

are “stupefied,” they are so confused that they feel stupid.

 

No starch, pressed and folded.

“Starch” is a powder used with clothes to make them flat or stiff, and

if clothes are “pressed,” they are ironed to be flat without wrinkles.

 

Adequate work…without innovation. :: I’m flattered.

If work is “adequate,” it is satisfactory, but it is not that good. “Innovation” is anything that’s truly new or original. If a person

is “flattered,” they feel good after having been complimented.

 

I’ve got two weapons briefs under security 

review by the D.O.D. :: Derivative drivel.

A “weapon” is a type of arm, from a gun to a tank. A “brief” is a short paper, and if it is under “security review,” it is being read to see if it needs to be kept secret. The “D.O.D.” is the Department of Defense. If a paper is “derivative,” its ideas were taken from elsewhere and it is not original. “Drivel” refers to words that are nonsense or make no sense.

 

What if you never come up with your original idea?

       “To come up” with an idea is to think of it or create it.

 

How will it feel when I’m chosen for Wheeler and you’re not?

In this film, Wheeler is the name of a Defense Department institute

at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) where many very

smart people would love to work.

 

The hubris of the defeated. :: The game is flawed.

“Hubris” is too much self-confidence or ego. If something is

“flawed,” it is imperfect or has a built-in mistake or problem.

 

 

Hanson’s just published another paper and

I can’t even find a topic for my doctorate.

       A “topic” is a subject and a “doctorate” is a major

paper or thesis that is written for a Ph.D. degree.

 

This is a cluster of pigeons fighting over bread crumbs.

A “cluster” is a group of the same things that are close together (houses, birds, etc). A “pigeon” is a horrible type of common bird.

 

John, you watched a mugging. :: In competitive

behavior, someone always loses.

A “mugging” is the act of one person physically attacking another, often in order to steal their money. Behavior that is “competitive” is done to beat another person, usually in a game, or in the market place.

 

If I could derive an equilibrium where prevalence

is a non-singular event, where nobody loses….

       This is John’s mathematical talk. “To derive” is to take or obtain

from a specific source. “Equilibrium” is balance or equality between

two sides, and “prevalence” is frequency

 

….can you imagine the effect that would have on conflict

scenarios and arms negotiations? On currency exchange?…

A “conflict” is a war or contest between two sides, and a “scenario” is any future possibility.  “Arms negotiations” refers to the act of trying to limit the number of weapons that each side has. “Currency exchange” refers to the value of money in terms of the money of another country (dollars, pounds, francs, etc)

 

You have no respect for cognitive reverie, you know that?

       “Cognitive” refers to the mind or intellect, and “reverie” is the

act of daydreaming or thinking intently about something.

 

Fortune favors the brave! Bombs away!

The first sentence is a way of saying those with courage will get what they want. The second sentence is slangy way of saying that it’s time to take a risk and try (in this case, to try and meet a pretty girl).

 

My odds of success dramatically improve with each event.

       “Odds” is another word for chances or possibility.

 

This is going to be classic.

       If  something is “classic,” it will be remembered for a very long time.

 

I don’t know exactly what I’m required to say in order for you to

have intercourse with me, but could we assume I’ve said all that?

“To require” a person to do something is to force or oblige them to do it. “Intercourse” is a very formal word for sex (i.e.…sexual intercourse).

 

Essentially, we’re talking about fluid exchange,

right? :: Have a nice night, asshole!

“Essentially” is another word for basically. In this context, “fluid exchange” refers to the bodily fluids (semen, vaginal fluids) that come into contact during sex. “Asshole” is a very strong insult word for jerk, bastard, creep, etc.

 

It’s very clever, but I’m afraid it’s not good enough.

       An important word meaning intelligent, skillful or ingenious.

 

I’ve been working on manifold embedding….my bargaining

strategies are starting to show some promise.

If a scientific theory “shows promise,” it has been

shown to have great potential in the future.

 

If you could just arrange another meeting with Professor Einstein?

“To arrange” a meeting is to organize it or make it happen.

 

What do you see, John? :: Recognition.

       “Recognition” is the act of recognizing or acknowledging

a person for the things that they have accomplished.

 

John, you haven’t focused!

       “To focus” on a problem is to concentrate

on it, without getting distracted by other things.

 

Up to this point, your record doesn’t warrant any placement at all.

       “To warrant” is another way of saying to deserve or merit

       (In this case, a placement or assignment at  a research institution).

 

Jesus Christ, John.

       A common way to express emotion such as surprise or anger.

 

I can’t keep staring into space!

       “To stare” at something is to look at it intently, without turning away.

 

Don’t mess around!

       “To mess around” is to waste time or not take something seriously.

 

Bust that worthless head wide open!

       “To bust open” something is to violently break or

shatter it. If something is “worthless,” it has no value.

 

Goddamn it, Charles! What the hell is your problem?

“Goddamn it” is a crude way of expressing anger. “The hell” is added

to WH questions to express emotion such as anger or frustration.

      

That Isaac Newton fellow was right! He was on to something.

If a person is “on to” something, they are in the process of

discovering or realizing something of great value or importance.

 

Nash, you might want to stop shuffling your papers for 5 seconds.

       “To shuffle” papers is to continue passing them form

one hand to the other, often because of nervousness.

 

Shall we say swords, gentlemen?  Pistols at dawn?

A “sword” is a weapon with a long blade for cutting, and a “pistol” is

a type of gun. This is the way people in the 1700s would speak when proposing a duel or battle between two people.

 

Recall the lessons of Adam Smith, father of modern economics.

       “To recall” something is to remember it.

 

“In competition, individual ambition serves the common good.”

“Ambition” is the desire to achieve a goal. This was Adam’s Smith way of saying the capitalist system worked well for society as a whole even though individuals only try to help themselves.

 

And those who strike out are stuck with their friends.

       “To strike out” is to fail doing something

(To strike out in baseball is to fail to hit the ball).

 

You can lead a blond to water but you can’t make her drink.

       The original expression is “You can lead a horse to water…”

 

He may have the upper hand now, but wait until he opens his mouth.

       If a person has “the upper hand,” they have the

competitive advantage against others.

 

Adam Smith needs revision.

       A “revision” is a change or modification of a writing or idea.     

 

They will all give us the cold shoulder

because nobody likes to be second choice.

       To give a person “the cold shoulder” is to coldly reject

their social, romantic or sexual advances or proposals.

 

That’s the only way we all get laid.

       To “get laid” is a slangy and very common way of saying

to have sex, usually with a person you are not married to.

 

If this is some way for you to get the blond on your own, you can go to hell.

       “Go to hell” is a crude but softer insult than “fuck you.”

 

You do realize that this flies in the face of 150 years of economic theory?

       If a scientific theory “flies in the face” of another one,

it completely contradicts or goes against the other one.

 

That’s rather presumptuous, don’t you think?

A good word which means to presume too much, often in a arrogant or overly confident way, or to overstep appropriate boundaries

 

Mr. Nash, with a breakthrough of this magnitude,

I’m confident you will get any placement you like.

       A “breakthrough” is a major advance in science, and

“magnitude” is another word for size, strength or intensity.

 

Sol and Bender are extraordinary mathematicians.

A very useful adjective meaning exceptional, or perhaps substantially better or more distinguished than almost everyone else.

 

Has it occurred to you that Sol and Bender might have plans of their own?

       If something “occurs to you,” it means that you suddenly

think of it, without others bringing it to your attention.

 

OK, awkward moment, gentlemen.

       Another useful word meaning socially uncomfortable or embarrassing.

 

 

General, the analyst from Wheeler Labs is here.

       An “analyst” is a researcher, scientist or person who

studies or analyzes complicated data or information.

 

We’ve been intercepting radio transmissions from Moscow.

“To intercept” a message is to secretly get access to it in order to listen to it or read it. “Radio transmissions” are messages sent through the air.

 

The computer can’t detect it, but I’m sure it’s a code.

       “To detect” something is to see, recognize or understand it.

 

We’ve developed several ciphers, if you’d

like to review our preliminary data.

A “cipher” is a type of secret code. “Preliminary” means initial or first, and “data” refers to any kind of statistics or countable information.

 

These are longitudes and latitudes.

The first is the distance West or East from Greenwich, England,

and the second is the distance North or South of the equator.

 

They appear to be routing orders across the border into the US.

       “To rout” an object is to send it to a particular destination.

 

Gentlemen, we need to move on this.

       “To move on” something is to take action on it.

 

Who’s big brother?

An expression from the book “1984” that refers to a government agent that spies on people to make sure that they are following orders.

 

Captain Rogers will escort you to the unrestricted area, doctor.

“To escort” a person is to accompany them, often to provide protection or company. If an area is “unrestricted,” anybody is allowed to go there.

 

Home run at the Pentagon? :: Have they actually

taken the word “classified” out of the dictionary?

A “home run” is a term from baseball that means the hitting of a ball out of the ballpark, but it more generally means a great success. Note that “actually” often means, as here, truly. If something is “classified,” it’s kept secret from all except a very few people who need to know.

 

Our hearts go out to you, John.

       One way of expressing sympathy to someone

after something very bad has happened to them.

 

We just got our latest scintillating assignment.

If something is “scintillating,” it is extremely interesting

or intellectually stimulating or lively. An “assignment”

is a particular project, task or job.

 

The Russians have the H-bomb, the nazis are repatriating

South America, the Chinese have a standing army of 2.8 million…

The “H-bomb” is a hydrogen bomb, which is a powerful nuclear weapon. “To repatriate” an area is to fill it with people.

 

…. and I’m doing stress tests on a dam.

A “stress test” is designed to see how much pressure a building can take before it’s damaged. A “dam” is a giant structure for holding water.

 

So not only do they rob me of the Fields Medal, they put me on the

cover of Fortune Magazine with these hacks, these scholars of trivia…

       The Fields medal is a very prestigious prize awarded for work in math.

A “hack”  is a writer who claims to be doing serious work, but is

only writing for commercial success. A “scholar” is a serious researcher, and “trivia” refers to unimportant facts or details.

 

Come on, you know the drill. You get these beautiful facilities and MIT gets America’s great minds of today teaching America’s great minds of tomorrow.

In this case, “the drill” is the routine things  that a person is expected to do over and over. A “facility” is a building that is used for  a special purpose, such as a hospital or school.

 

The eager young minds of tomorrow.

       If a person is “eager,” they have impatient desire or interest.

 

You may complete your assignments at your whim.

       To do something “at your whim” is to do it whenever you want

(A person’s whim is a sudden or unplanned desire).

 

I was wondering if there was any way you could

work some place else for about 45 minutes.

This is an excellent way to gently ask a person something that might

be awkward or embarrassing (including to ask someone on a date).

 

For others among you, it will take you the term of your natural lives.

       A formal way of saying “as long as you live.”

 

Impressive work at the Pentagon. :: Yes, it was.

If something is “impressive,” it has the power to make a lasting impression, or to excite or attract. “The Pentagon” is the huge five sided building that houses the US military headquarters.

 

We incinerated 150,000 people in a heartbeat.

       “To incinerate” something is to burn it to ashes.

 

Great deeds come at great cost.

       A “deed” is a formal word for an action that is done.

 

Conviction, it turns out, is the luxury of those on the sidelines.

Here,  “conviction” is strong belief in a principle or idea. The “sidelines” refers to the side of a field where players stand and watch the game. This is Parcher’s way of saying those who are directly involved in war cannot always be true to their beliefs.

 

I like to think it’s because I’m a lone wolf.

       A person who likes to be alone.

 

There are certain endeavors where your lack of personal

connections would be considered an advantage.

An “endeavor” is a serious or determined effort to accomplish something. A “lack of” something is a shortage or absence of it.

 

We were told during our initial meeting that

these warehouses were abandoned.

       A “warehouse” is  a large building, often used for storing lots of stuff.

       If a building is “abandoned,” it is no longer occupied by people.

 

I’m increasing your security clearance to top secret. Disclosure

of secure information can result in imprisonment. Get it?

A “security clearance” is official approval to see secret documents that a government or organization wants kept secret. If something is “top secret,” it can only be seen by an extremely few people. “Disclosure”

is the act of revealing something secret or unknown to others. “Get it?” is a very common way of asking a person if they understand.

 

A faction of the Red Army….has control of the

bomb, and intends to detonate it on US soil.

       A “faction” is a small part or group from a bigger whole.

       The “Red Army” refers to the army of the old Soviet Union.

“To detonate” a bomb is to explode it, and “soil” is another

word for ground or territory.

 

The plan is to incur maximum civilian casualties.

“To incur” is a formal word meaning to cause, or bring down

on oneself. “Civilian casualties” are deaths among people who

are not part of the military.

 

Man is capable of as much atrocity as he has imagination.

       An atrocity is anything that is extremely cruel or brutal.

 

New Freedom has sleeper agents  here in the US.

“Sleeper agents” are spies or terrorists who quietly live in a country and blend in with the population, but who may eventually strike violently (“New Freedom” is the name of a Soviet spy military group).

 

McCarthy is an idiot, but unfortunately, that doesn’t make him wrong.

       Joseph McCarthy was a famous anti-Communist Senator of

the 1950s. An “idiot” is a stupid, ignorant or uneducated person.

 

New Freedom communicates to its agents through code embedded

in  newspapers and magazines…and that’s where you come in.

If a code is “embedded” in newspapers, it is hidden deep within

the articles of the paper (To embed is to place within). “That’s where you come in” is a way of saying “and this is why you are involved.”

 

What distinguishes you, is that you are, quite

simply, the best natural code breaker I’ve ever seen.

“To distinguish” a person is to set them apart from others, often because of their exceptional talents. A “code breaker” is a person

who can understand how a code works in order to understand the messages within it.

 

Commit this list of periodicals to memory, scan each

new issue, find any hidden codes, decipher them.

“Commit to memory” is a way of saying to memorize. “To scan” something is to read it or go over it very quickly in order to find the most important parts. “To decipher” a code is to find out how it works in order to understand the messages within it.

 

Pulse 88, regular.

       A person’s “pulse” is the regular beating measured in their arteries

(for example, just below their hands), which is caused by the heartbeat.

 

That’s got a little zap to it, doesn’t it? He just implanted a radio diode.

A “zap” is a sudden burst of energy. “To implant” something is to place it inside, in this case inside John’s arm. A “radio diode” is a type of device used to send messages through the air.

 

The isotope decays periodically. As a result, these numbers change over time.

An “isotope” is a type of atom, to “decay” is to fall apart or

crumble, and “periodically” means occasionally over time.

 

They’re the access codes to your drop spot.

An “access code’ is a secret series of numbers or letters for opening a locked door, box or other container. A “drop spot” is a secret place where a person is supposed to drop off or leave something.

 

 

Your solution is elegant, though on

this particular occasion, ultimately incorrect.

       “Elegant” means graceful or dignified, and

“ultimately” is a common way of saying in the end.

 

Table for one, Prometheus alone chained to the rock,

with the bird circling overhead. You know how it is.

       Prometheus is a famous character in Greek mythology who was

known for being chained to a rock, as John describes above.

 

You and the Governor.

       A “governor” is the political head of the 50 individual US states.

 

Practice human interaction and social comportment. :: That’s a plan.

Both “human interaction” and “social comportment” are fancy ways of saying to be social or friendly with other people. “That’s a plan” is a common way of saying a plan of action is responsible or a good idea.

 

I don’t believe in luck.  But I do believe in assigning value to things.

“To assign” a value to something is to state or assume that it has a specific worth, such as a number like 100, or a monetary value like $5.

 

You are exceptionally odd.

       “Exceptionally” is a strong adverb meaning very or extremely.

       “Odd” is a useful little adjective meaning strange or bizarre.

 

I find that polishing my interactions in order to

make them sociable requires a tremendous effort.

“To polish” a skill is to refine it or improve it. An “interaction” is the act of communicating with another person. “Sociable” means friendly or comfortable with others, though social is much more common. “Tremendous” means with great intensity or strength.

 

I have a tendency to expedite information flow by being direct.

       A “tendency” to do something is a general likelihood that you

will do it. “To expedite” something is to make it go faster.

 

I find you attractive. Your aggressive moves

toward me indicate you feel the same way.

“Attractive’ is a useful word for pretty, handsome or pleasant. In this case, “aggressive moves” are direct ways of suggesting to a person that you like them.

 

But still, ritual requires  us to continue with a

number of platonic activities before we have sex.

A “ritual” is any kind of ceremony or custom, which usually dates back for many generations or longer  (such as going on several dates before having sex).

 

I am proceeding with those activities, but in point of actual fact, all

I really want to do is have intercourse with you as soon as possible.

       “To proceed” with something is to continue doing it.

       “Intercourse” is a very official way of referring to sex.

 

Are you gonna slap me now?

       Note that “going to”—-> “gonna” in rapid speech.

“To slap” a person is to hit them with an open hand.

 

I’m attempting to isolate patterned reoccurrences with periodicals over time…

“To isolate” something is to separate it from other things. “Patterned reoccurrences” is John’s way of referring to patterns that repeat themselves. “Periodicals” are magazines, like Newsweek and Time.

 

I shouldn’t pay no mind if you’re mean to me.

       “To pay no mind” to another person is to not pay attention to

them (though note that this expression is a bit old-fashioned).

 

I took her in.

       If you “take in” a person, you allow them to live

with you and often you agree to take care of them.

 

I’m at Harvard, doing the great author’s workshop. DH bloody Lawrence.

A “workshop” is a class or seminar on a particular topic. “Bloody” is a British adjective which expresses emotion such as anger or excitement.

 

At first all my work here was trivial, but a new

assignment came up….I can’t really tell you any details.

       If something is “trivial,”  it is unimportant or of little value.

       An “assignment” is a particular job or task that needs to be done.

 

Top secret? Black bag? Black ops?

       Expressions for a very secret job or assignment.

 

A human girl? Homosapian? A biped?

       “Homosapian” is a very scientific term for a human

being, and a “biped” is any animal with two feet.

 

Contrary to all probabilities, she finds me

attractive on a number of different levels.

        “Although it seems impossible, she likes me in many different ways.”

 

That’s wonderful. :: There’s no accounting for taste, is there?

       An interesting expression which means that one can

never really know what people will and will not like.

 

The job is fine. I have enough money. :: It all seems to add up.

       In this case, “it all seems to add up” is a way of saying that

when everything is viewed together, it all makes sense.

 

I lost track of time at work.

       A common way saying you no longer have any idea what time it is.

 

I didn’t have time to wrap it. Happy birthday.

       “To wrap” a present is to cover it in paper or other protective material.

 

Alicia, does our relationship warrant long-term commitment?

I need some kind of proof, some kind of verifiable, empirical data.

“To warrant” something is to deserve or merit it. A “long-term commitment” between two people is the decision to stay together as a couple for a long or indefinite period. If something is “verifiable,” it can be shown to be true, and “empirical data” is data or information that can be tested or observed through scientific means.

 

Give me a moment to redefine my girlish notions of romance.

       In this context, “girlish” means young and inexperienced.

A person’s “notions” are general ideas or beliefs.

 

All the data indicate the universe is infinite.

       “To indicate” something is to suggest or reveal it. If something

is  “infinite,” it goes on forever and has no end.

 

 

The drop’s been compromised. Get down!

       If a secret plan has been “compromised,” it has been put in

danger because other people have found out about it. 

 

Every time a car backfires or a door slams….

If a car “backfires,” it makes a sudden and loud noise from the fuel tank. If you “slam” a door, you shut it with great force or violence.

 

We’re closing in on the bomb, in large part due to your work.

       “To close in on” something is to get closer to finding exactly

where it is. “Due to” is another way of saying thanks to.

 

William, my circumstance has changed.

       Another word for situation, but usually it is used in the plural

       (“My circumstances have changed since I saw you last”).

 

I told you attachments were dangerous. You chose to marry the girl.

       In this case, an “attachment” is an emotional

attraction or bonding with another person. 

 

I saw you on the slate and I thought to myself “How can I

miss seeing a great lecture by the inimitable John Nash?”

A “slate” is a list of people who are due to perform or speak. A “lecture” is a speech usually given before a class in order to teach or instruct. “Inimitable” is an excellent adjective meaning unique or beyond comparison.

 

Sometimes our expectations are betrayed by the numbers…

variables are impossible to assign any rational value.

       If your expectations are “betrayed,” they are disappointed or denied.

A “variable” is a number than can vary or change, depending on other factors. “To assign” a value to something is to officially give it a value.

 

Let’s avoid a scene, shall we?

“A scene” is usually a loud and angry argument that is

awkward or embarrassing if other people see it.

 

I’m a psychiatrist. :: Forgive me if I don’t seem persuaded.

A “psychiatrist” is a medical doctor who also treats people with mental or psychological problems. “To persuade” a person is to convince them.

 

I’d like you to come with me, just for a chat.

       A “chat” is a short, casual or informal conversation.

 

 

Thorazine takes a little while to wear off.

“Thorazine” is a drug that is used to stop pain, but it can also make you tired. When a drug “wears off,” it grows weaker in effect until it no longer is present or effects the body.

 

Sorry about the restraints. You got one hell of a right hook.

A “restraint” is a rope or strap which is placed around a person to prevent them from moving. In this context, “hell of a” is a slangy expression that means very powerful. Here, a “right hook” is the act of punching like a boxer, in this case with the right fist.

 

The prodigal roommate revealed.

       A “prodigal” person is spoiled with wealth and material

objects. If something is “revealed,” it is shown to others.

 

I’m being held against my will!

If a person is “held against their will,” they are being physically prevented from leaving even though they want to.

 

John has schizophrenia. People with this disorder are often paranoid.

A “disorder” is another word for a disease or medical condition.

If a person is “paranoid,” they are convinced other people are

trying to kill or harm them.

 

He deals with conspiracies…

       A “conspiracy” is a crime that is committed by two or

more people who are working secretly together.

 

As such, his illness may have gone untreated for longer than is typical.

       Another word for disease.

 

Possibly since graduate school.  At least that’s

when his hallucinations seem to have begun.

“Graduate school” is for older students who wish to study for advanced degrees such as a Ph.D. A “hallucination” is a fantasy in the mind that people mistakenly think is real, often caused by certain drugs.

 

Which is more likely? Your husband, a mathematician with no military training, is fleeing the Russians, or that he has lost his grip on reality?

“To flee” is to run away from someone who is chasing you. If you “lose your grip on reality,” you are no longer able to tell what is real from what is fantasy.

 

John’s always been a little weird. He said he was doing code-breaking.

       An excellent word meaning strange, odd, or bizarre.

 

Directives come down all the time that some of us aren’t cleared for.

A “directive” is an official order or instruction, and if a person is not “cleared for” it, they do not have the security clearance which allows them to receive it.

 

Lately, he became so much more agitated…

       If a person is “agitated,” they are disturbed, easily angered or upset.

 

I realize that my inability to discuss the

situation with you must have appeared insane…

       A very common word for crazy.

 

There may be microphones…

A device for sending sound through the air, or in this case, a tiny device used to spy on others by secretly listening to what is being said.

 

It’s breaking with protocol, but you need to know.

“Protocol” is a code of correct or appropriate behavior for particular situations or institutions, in this case, for government workers (To break with protocol is to act in a way that’s considered inappropriate).

 

There’s a threat that exists of catastrophic proportions.

If there is a threat “of catastrophic proportions,” it could cause a catastrophe, or a total disaster with unthinkable death and destruction.

 

I think the Russians feel that my profile is too high;

That’s why they just don’t do away with me.

In this case, a person’s “profile” is their fame or recognition in the general public. “To do away with” a person is to eliminate, get rid of,

or even kill them.

 

Dr Rosen, code red, observation room 2.

       In this case, a way of identifying an emergency situation

to workers in the hospital where John is staying.

 

Administering insulin.

       “To administer” a drug is to inject it into the patient’s

body.  “Insulin” is a hormone that controls blood sugar.

 

 

John always spoke so fondly of being here at Princeton.

       “To speak fondly” of a person or place is to

speak about them with great affection or warmth.

 

So Alicia, how are you holding up?

       If a person is “holding up” well in a difficult situation,

they are surviving or continuing to do ok.

 

The delusions have passed….with medication and a low-stress environment…

A “delusion” is a psychotic belief about something that is not true

in reality (A person may have a delusion that they are Jesus).

 

Often what I feel is obligation, or guilt over

wanting to leave. Rage against John, against God.

       “Rage” is extreme or violent anger.

 

He’s transformed into someone I love.

       “To transform” is to change from one thing or type to another.

 

There’s no point in being nuts if you can’t have a little fun.

       If a person is “nuts,” they are crazy. Colloquial and common.

 

Squeamish?

An excellent word to describe a person who is easily made nervous

or sick by the sight of such things as blood, needles, snakes, etc…

 

Alas, I’m stuck with me.

       An interesting and old word that is used to express sadness or concern.

 

I’m trying to solve the Reimann hypothesis.

       An important word in science for an educated guess or theory.

 

I figured if I dazzled them, they would have to reinstate me.

“To figure” is a common way of saying to think, and “to dazzle”

a person is to totally impress them with some amazing talent.

“To reinstate” an employee is to put them back in their job or

position after they had been fired.

 

It’s difficult with the medications because it’s hard to see the solutions.

       Another word for medicine or drugs.

 

You should go easy. There are other things besides work.

       “You should try to relax.”

 

Life, John. Activities available. Just add meaning.

       This is Charles’ way of telling John that he should go out and

have fun and experience life outside the world of advanced math.

 

 

I can get three hours of overtime.

Hours that are paid better than normal because they are more than the usual 40 hours that most people are expected to work each week.

 

The bomb is in its final position here in the US….knowing

your situation requires you keep a low profile, Mohammed.

       If a person “keeps a low profile,” they stay quiet and don’t

do anything that will bring attention to themselves.

 

We’ve narrowed the bomb’s location to somewhere  on the Eastern

Seaboard, but we haven’t been able to pinpoint its exact position.

“The Eastern Seaboard” refers to US states on the Atlantic ocean.

“To pinpoint” something is to locate it with great accuracy or precision. In this case, “position” is another word for location.

 

Rosen, that quack! Schizophrenic break from reality, right?

A “quack” is a person who pretends to be a doctor or scientist but in fact knows little and says a lot of nonsense. If a person has a “break from reality,” they temporarily can’t understand what is real and what is not.

 

Psychological bullshit!

       A crude but excellent and widely used word that means

lies, half-truths or more generally, nonsense.

 

Do you think we list our personnel?

       The people who work for a particular business or organization .

 

John, I’m sorry you had to go through all of this.

       “To go through” something is to experience it over

 time (Usually it’s something that was very difficult).

 

I can restore your status at Wheeler.     

       “To restore” something is to make it exactly like it was before.

       In this case, a person’s “status” is their official title or position.

 

I’m just gonna grab the laundry. ::  I’ll draw his bath.

“To grab” something is to quickly or forcefully take it. “To draw”

a bath  is a very old-fashioned way of saying to fill it with water.

 

He’s been injected with a cloaking serum. I can see him because of a chemical that was released into my bloodstream when my implant dissolved.

“To inject” a medicine is to place it into the body with a needle.

“To cloak” is to hide, and a “serum” is a medicine or drug, but a “cloaking serum” probably does not really exist! An “implant” is something placed or hidden in a body, and if something “dissolves,”

it disappears or crumbles into tiny parts.

 

You take care of her,  you pathetic piece of shit….or I’ll take care of you!

       “Pathetic” is a powerful adjective meaning so bad it’s pitiful.

A “piece of shit” is, of course, a very insulting way to refer to a person

(Note here that “I’ll take care of you” is a threat to hurt or kill).

 

Charles and Marcee cannot coexist with Alicia.

       If two people “coexist,” they live in the same general time and place.

 

We’ll need to start you on a higher

run of insulin shocks and new medication.

       A way of saying a stronger or more intense quantity or dose.

       “Insulin” is a hormone that is used to control blood sugar.

 

Schizophrenia is degenerative. Some days may be

symptom-free, but over time you’re getting worse.

       If a disease is “degenerative,” it get worse over time.

 

You can’t come up with a formula to

change the way you experience the world.

“To come up with” something is to create or think of it.

A “formula” is a rule or principle used in math (a = b+c).

 

You can’t reason your way out of this.

       “To reason” is to use logic, in this case to escape the problem.

 

I can work it out. All I need is time.

       “To work out” a problem is to solve it.

 

He has commitment papers for me to sign.

       In this case, a legal document that a wife signs which allows a judge

to commit or force a mentally ill person into a mental hospital.

 

Give me some time and I will try to figure this out.

       “To figure out” a problem is to solve it.

 

I need to believe something extraordinary is possible.

       A powerful adjective meaning well beyond the usual or normal

       (It often implies extremely talented, powerful or amazing).

 

 

Come.

       Today, few say this. When you hear a knock at the door, say come in.

 

My savior complex takes on a completely different form.

A psychological term for a person who is convinced that they are obligated to save the world, or at least various people in it (A savior is a person who saves others, and a complex is a psychological term for a person who has illusions of their own importance or role in society ).

 

Tell him you’re work is critical!

       A good word for extremely important.

 

Is there any chance you could ignore what I just

did? :: Of course, what are old friends for?

       A good little expression that you say when a friend

asks if you could possibly do a well appreciated favor.

 

Alicia and I think that fitting in, being part

of a community, might do me some good.

       “To fit” into a community is to live in it and be an accepted part of it.

 

Familiar places, familiar people, ….might

elbow out these certain delusions that I have.

“To elbow out” something is to force it out because it doesn’t fit. A “delusion” is a fantasy or belief in a person’s  mind, but it’s not real.

 

I was wondering if I could hang around.

       “To hang around” is a very common phrasal verb which means

 to pass time in a specific place, often doing nothing in particular.

 

This guy tries to wander into the library but he doesn’t

have I.D. :: Why can’t people read their memos?

“To wander” is to move from one place to another, without any aim

or direction. “I.D.” is short for identification (such as a driver’s license). A “memo” is a short note that is often passed to many people.

 

Is this what you are, soldier, some useless ghoul? The local madman?

       A “ghoul” is a legendary monster that feeds on dead

people in their graves. A “madman” is a crazy person.

 

You’re gonna end up in a cell. Old, useless, discarded.

       In this case, a “cell” is a prison or jail cell. If something

is “discarded,” it is thrown away and forgotten.

 

And while you rock and drool, the world will burn to ashes!

       In this case, “to rock” is to move a rocking chair back and forth.

“To drool” is to let saliva or spit run out of your mouth. “Ashes” are the material that’s left after something has been destroyed in a fire.

 

You know that stress triggers the delusions.

       “To trigger” something is to cause it to start up.

 

I was wondering if I might audit your course. :: It’s an honor Professor Nash.

“To audit” a class is to attend it for the educational value, even though you are not officially enrolled in it. If something is an “honor,” it is a privilege or a feeling that causes great pride.

 

You’re just humiliating yourself! It’s pathetic!

If you “humiliate yourself,” you do something that is completely embarrassing in front of other people. “Pathetic” is a powerful adjective meaning so bad it’s pitiful.

 

It only appears to work sporadically, so, no.

       If something works “sporadically,” it only

works on occasion or inconsistently.

 

I’ve been developing a theory…to come up with

something totally original, the way you did.

       “To come up with” something is to think of it or create it.

 

…and so on and so forth, until the two bikes

collided and the poor little fly is squashed.

“So on and so forth” is a way of saying things continued the way they were going before. “To collide” is a violent verb that is used when two things hit or run into each other, usually by accident. If a fly is “squashed,” it is completely crushed.

 

This is the important thing about actually focusing and

comprehending the area that you’re dealing with.

       “To focus” on something is to concentrate on it.

“To comprehend” something is to understand it.

 

A classroom with 50 students can be daunting for anyone.

       If a job is “daunting,” it is so difficult that it is intimidating or scary.

 

John, you’re a terrible teacher. :: I’m an acquired taste, Martin.

An excellent expression to describe wine or food or people that are difficult to like at first, but which become more enjoyable with the passing of time and experience.

 

I’ve gotten used to ignoring them and as a

result  I think they’ve kind of given up on me.

       If you “give up on” a person, you decided that they are

hopeless and no longer worth your time or effort.

 

They’re my past, Martin. Everybody is haunted by their past.

If a person is “haunted by their past,” they are deeply troubled

or disturbed by something terrible that happened to them.

 

I’ll ring her.

       “To ring” a person is to telephone them.

 

 

My name is Thomas King and I’m here to tell you

that you’re being considered for the Nobel Prize.

       The most prestigious award in the world, given yearly

for work in such areas as math, economics and literature.

 

Over the past few years, your equilibrium has

become the cornerstone of modern economics.

“Equilibrium” is a scientific term for balance and a key concept in

Nash’s work. If a theory is the “cornerstone” of a science or organization, it serves as the foundation or most important part.

 

The application of your bargaining problem to

FCC bandwidth auctions or to antitrust cases.

“To bargain” is to negotiate. The “FCC” is the Federal Communications Commission, which regulates TV and radio in the US. “Bandwidth” refers to the medium or cable in which TV, radio or data signals travel from one place to another. An “auction” is a sale of goods that is sold to the person who offers the most money. “Antitrust” is the area of law that deals with making sure there is always competition in the market.

 

Most commercially available brands of tea are not suitable to my palate.

       “Suitable” means appropriate or correct.

A person’s “palate” is their sense of taste.

 

That is generally the case, but these are special circumstances.

       If a situation has “special circumstances,” there are factors

that make it extremely unusual or different than normal.

 

The rewards are substantial. They require private funding.

       Another word for serious or important, or in this case, valuable.

 

You came here to find out if…I would screw everything up if I actually won.

“To screw up” something is to do it badly, or even destroy it,

or in this case, to cause great embarrassment for all involved.

 

Dance around the podium, strip naked and

dance like a chicken? Things of this nature?

The “podium” is a piece of furniture behind which a person giving

a speech stands. If you “strip naked,” you take off all your clothes.

“Of this nature” is a way of saying “like this.”

 

I still see things that are not here. I just choose to not acknowledge them.

       “To acknowledge” someone is to recognize them as true or valid.

 

Like a diet of the mind, I choose not to indulge certain appetites.

“To indulge” an appetite is to eat as much as one likes, even if it is not good for them. In general, to indulge in something is to do it even if it is very expensive or unhealthy.

 

Like my appetite for patterns.

In nature, a model or sample of physical traits or characteristics that occur over and over (For example, blue and red stripes on a dress).

 

It’s a privilege, Professor.

       A word for a right that is given, or more specifically here, an honor.

 

I’ve believed in numbers, in the equations and logic that lead to reason.

In math, an “equation” is formal statement, such 3+2=5. “Logic” is the  use of formal principles and reasoning (“If A is bigger than B and B is bigger than C, than A is bigger than C”). In this case, “reason” is the act of thinking in a logical way.

 

After a lifetime of such pursuits…

       A “pursuit” is a an activity that one engages

in, or more generally, a goal or endeavor.

 

My quest has taken me through the physical,

the metaphysical, the delusional and back.

A person’s “quest” is their journey, or act of searching for something important, such as the truth. If something is “metaphysical,” it is beyond the physical world and associated with the spiritual world.

      

I have a car outside; Interested in a ride?

       A key word; The act of transporting a person in a car.

 

Nash’s theories have influenced global trade negotiations, national

labor relations and even breakthroughs in evolutionary biology.

A “breakthrough” in science is a major advance or discovery. “Evolutionary biology” is the study of how animal and plant species develop over long periods of time.

 

A Beautiful Mind

 

Possible Topics for ESL Class Discussion

 

 

 

1) Do madness and genius appear often together?

 

 

 

2) Would John Nash not have been a genius without the schizophrenia?

 

 

 

 

3) Do you know anybody who has suffered from schizophrenia?

How has it compared to what John experienced?

 

 

 

 

4) In what ways were John’s life and modern history related?

 

 

 

5) Should the state have the right to force schizophrenics

into mental institutions in order to give them treatment?

 

 

 

6) How are the mentally ill treated in your culture?

 

 

 

7) Ultimately, was this film optimistic?

 

 

 

What did you like and not like about it?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

      

      

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Forrest Gump 

(Comedy/Drama)  (1994)

 

© 1999 by Raymond Weschler

 

“Life is like a box of chocolates: You never know what you’re going to get.”

 

Major Characters

 

Forrest Gump……….Tom Hanks

       A somewhat slow (not smart) person, who happens to                      be incredibly kind, decent, and over the course of his life,                quite lucky.

 

Jenny……………………..Robin Wright

       Forrest’s most important friend from early childhood,                who remains his friend for over 35 years despite the very                different lives that they will lead. 

                                                       

Mama Gump…………Sally Field

       Forrest’s loving mother who will do all she can to                            give Forrest a good life despite his lack of  intelligence.

 

Lieutenant Dan……..Gary Siniese

       An army officer that Forrest meets while serving in the                     Vietnam war, who eventually becomes a loyal friend of                 Forrest (A “Lieutenant” is a mid-level rank in the army).     

                 

Bubba…………………….Mykelti Williamson

       A poor black solider, and another friend that Forrest                        makes in Vietnam.

 

Plot Summary

 

Forrest Gump is the story of an incredibly kind and gentle person who is also what some people might call “mildly retarded.” It’s true that he is not too smart, but he is very fortunate, because he has a mother and friend who love him dearly. Forrest is born and raised in rural Alabama, in the Southern United States. He grows up with his mother, who rents out rooms in the family house to people traveling through the area.

 

Despite his lack of sophistication, and the fact that he was raised far from any major cities, Forrest manages to become personally involved in most of the critical events that take place in American History from the late 1950s until the early 1980s. This includes the Vietnam War, the Watergate Scandal, the Civil Rights and Anti-Vietnam War protest movements, and the Computer Revolution. Forrest even meets three American Presidents as well as Elvis Presley and John Lennon. In a way, this movie is a look at a period of American history through the eyes of a gentle soul who lacks cynicism,

but simply accepts things for what they are.

 

Ultimately, it is about the relationships that Forrest develops through his life. With his mother, who will do anything for him, with his two best friends from his days in the army, Bubba and Lieutenant Dan, and most of all, with Jenny, his true childhood sweetheart. Jenny experiences the changes in American culture from a totally different perspective than Forrest, eventually joining the various protest movements and subcultures of the 1960s and 70s. But in the end, she is faithful to her childhood friend, whose sincerity, kindness and loyalty she would find in no other person. 

 

A special note on language usage: Since much of the movie is narrated by Forrest, you should be careful to not internalize the ungrammatical aspects

of his personal way of speaking. Aside from the obvious use of “double-negatives,” Forrest also tends to conjugate the past tense of “to be” incorrectly, saying “we was” instead of “we were.”

 

Words  and Expressions that You may not Know

 

 

I’ll bet you can walk all day in shoes like that and never feel anything.

       A common way to say “I’m sure that…”

 

His back is as crooked as a politician.

       A good play on words: “Crooked” can mean marked by

       bends or curves, but it also means corrupt and dishonest.

 

They were in the Ku Klux Klan. They dressed up like a

bunch of ghosts or spooks or something.

       The “KKK” is an infamous group of violent racists that has

       existed in the United States since the 1860s. A “Spook” is a ghost.

 

What are you all staring at?

       In the Southern United States, “you all” operates as a form

       of “you,”  but note that it is always pronounced “ya’all.”

 

He has braces on his legs.

       A clamp or brace that hold two or more pieces together.

 

Green Bough, Alabama

       The County and State where Forrest grew up. States are divided into   counties, though most people aren’t particularly aware of them.   Alabama is in the “deep South” of the United States.

 

Mama decided to let those rooms out.

       A rather British way to say “rent out.”

 

Your boy is different: His IQ is 75.

       “Intelligence Quotient,” which is the standard test to measure a             person’s intelligence. An IQ of 100 is considered normal, which means      that Forrest has an IQ which may be close to “retarded,” or as some    people say in the 1990’s, “mentally challenged.”

 

He might be a bit on the slow side.

       “He might be a little dumb.”

 

He’s not going to a special school to retread tires!

       A “tread” is the outer covering of a tire, and thus

       to “retread a tire” is to put a new covering on the tire.

 

Your mama sure does care about your schooling.

       “Mama” is often used for mom, or mother, but outside of the South,      it is usually used only by children. “Schooling” can be an alternative        word for education.

 

Me and mama was on our own.

       “We had to be responsible for ourselves, since

       no one else would take care of us.”

 

There were always folks coming and going.

       “Folks” is a very Southern way to say people. It can also mean parents.

 

Suitcases, hot cases, sample cases.

       Different types of cases that Forrest discovers exist. A “sample case”     may be a small box for jewelry or some other product for sale, but I’m        not sure if there really is such a thing as a “hot case.”

 

He had him a guitar case.

       Ungrammatical Southern English: Note the use of the object pronoun   “him” after the verb “had.” Avoid this grammatical construction,   which is used quite a bit throughout the movie.

 

That’s not for children’s eyes.

       Mama’s poetic way of saying “children are too young to see this.”

 

It must be hard being a king.

       Elvis Presley became famous as “The King of Rock’n'Roll.”

      

 

Mama said to not to be taking rides  from strangers.

       An important noun, and the one you use when you

       want a friend to drive you somewhere: “Can I get a ride?”

       (You’re fluent now, so stop saying “Can I go in the car with you?”!)

      

It’s funny what a young man recollects.

       A somewhat fancy word for “remember.”

 

My first outdoor picnic.

       A meal prepared to eat outside, often in a park.

 

My legs are just fine and dandy.

       A curious and somewhat old-fashioned expression

       meaning good, or well.

 

“Stupid is as stupid does.”

       An expression that became famous because of this movie. I think this   is mama’s way of saying “Just because you look stupid, you’re not     stupid unless you do stupid things.” A great thing to say the next time     your boyfriend calls you an idiot. Or maybe not.

 

We was like peas and carrots.

       Forrest’s way of saying “we went together well,

       and became best friends.”

 

I showed her how to dangle.

       An interesting little verb meaning to hang loosely, or swing gently       back and forth. Children will dangle from a swing on a tree branch, but also note that a plan may dangle, until somebody  takes action.

 

 

Hey dummy!

       An insult word meaning dumb or stupid.

 

I could run like the wind blows.

       A poetic expression, usually said without the verb to blow.

 

That boy sure is a running fool.

       A “fool” can be somebody who is considered dumb, or it can be     someone who was made to look ridiculous in a particular situation.

 

Her mama had gone to heaven when I was five.

       Forrest’s only way to say that somebody has died.

 

You better get back here, girl.

       I put this here simply to tell you that “better” is the only word in    English that functions as both an adverb (“I play better than you”) and a        auxiliary verb (as in the sentence above). Shocking, but true!

 

Jenny would sneak out and come to my house.

       “To sneak out” is a useful phrasal verb meaning to 

       leave secretly. Note that the past tense is “snuck out.”

 

Let’s move it!

       A common alternative to “Let’s go!” Often said by a

       person with power or authority, such as a teacher or coach.

 

It used to be I ran to get where I was going;

I never thought it would take me anywhere.

       —Forrest’s philosophy of life

 

Who in the hell is that?

       A common addition to “Wh questions” to show added emotion

        such as  surprise or anger, but the “in” is usually not used.

 

Just a local idiot.

       A funny way to say “a moron who lives around here.”

 

He must be the stupidest son of a bitch alive!

       Usually used as a crude insult to describe a mean or unpleasant

person, but here it’s almost used as a term of pity.

 

 

 

 

 

Federal troops [are] enforcing a court order.

       Reference to the incident in 1962, when President Kennedy ordered

       the US army to force the authorities of Alabama to allow two black       students into the University of Alabama. A judge had ordered the       admission of black students, and because of resistance in the South to     such orders, the President had to use army soldiers to make sure   that

the order was obeyed.

 

Coons, Niggers.

       Very crude racist insults referring to blacks.

       (I think “coon” was short for the animal “raccoon.”)

 

The Commander of the National Guard and Governor Wallace.

       Wallace was the racist Governor of Alabama in 1962 who refused to     obey the courts because he insisted the blacks must not be allowed to go   to a State University with whites. The “National Guard” are soldiers      under the command of individual Governors of the 50 states who are   used in times of civil unrest (riots). However, in 1962, President

Kennedy “nationalized” the guard so that the troops would follow

his orders, and thus enforce the court order to allow blacks into the University.

 

The University of Alabama had been desegregated.

       “Segregation” was the act of separating blacks and white.

       “To desegregate” is to end the legal separation that exists,

       in this case concerning schools.

 

Wasn’t that Gump? :: Sure as hell was!

       Another “hell” expression, used to add emotion to a sentence.

 

It was coed.

       Short for co-educational: An important word meaning that both

       males and females are present. It usually refers to a school.

 

He didn’t know any better

       A good way to excuse a stupid action!

 

Forest, look at you! Come on!

       The most wonderful and versatile phrasal verb in the English language, signifying everything from “Be serious” to “Please.”

       Here, meaning “let’s go!”

 

I want to be a singer like Joan Baez.

       A famous American folk singer who sung songs

       about injustice, war and other social issues.

 

I want to reach people on a personal level.

       Jenny’s  way of saying that she wants her

       songs to touch people emotionally.

 

Girls? I sit next to them in home economics class all the time.

       A class in high school where students learn such practical

       things as cooking and managing personal finances.

 

I’m dizzy.

       The sensation a person gets after spinning around too fast;

       A confused feeling combined with a fear you may fall down.

 

I bet that never happened in home ec.

       A short way to refer to home economics class.

 

 

The Collegiate All-American football team.

       The team created at the end of each year that has the best football   players from every college. They often get to visit the White House.

 

I must have drunk me about 15 Dr. Peppers.

       Dr. Pepper is a famous brand of soft drink (soda pop)

       (Note again the ungrammatical addition of “me” that Forrest uses).

 

I got to pee.

       Note how “have got to”—>”gotta” in rapid speech.

       “To pee” is to urinate. It’s safer to say “go to the bathroom.”

 

Somebody shot his little brother.

       Often used as a substitute for “younger.”

 

You’re not even a scum-sucking maggot!

       A very strong insult: “Scum” is waste material such as that found

in sewer systems. A “maggot” is a type of worm-like insect, or   colloquially, a despicable or horrible person.

 

It was my induction day and I was already getting yelled at.

       The first day upon entering an organization. In this case, the US. army.

 

Have you ever been on a shrimping  boat?

       A boat used primarily for catching shrimp.

 

I was looking to buy a boat on my own and then I got drafted.

       If you are drafted, you are forced by the government

       to enter into the army or other armed forces.

 

People call me Bubba, just like one of them redneck boys.

       “Bubba” is the stereotypical name for a “redneck,” which is a common slang word for a crude and uneducated person. The stereotype often   includes a person who is racist, sexist and likes guns, trucks and beer.

 

Whatever you tell me, Drill Sergeant!

       The army officer in charge of  training new soldiers.

 

You’re god damn gifted!

       “Gifted” is a very complimentary adjective for intelligent, or born with great ability or talent. However,  note that “god damn” is a crude      but common way of expressing emotion such as anger (which suggests

       that the entire phrase is sarcastic).

 

I fit in the army like one of those round pegs.

       “I fit in the army well” (A round peg is a small pin used to plug a hole. The opposite of “fitting in” is to be “a square peg in a round hole”).

 

Jesus H. Christ…I’d recommend you to OCS.

       For some reason, the middle initial that is often used when people say       “Jesus Christ” to express various emotions. The OCS was a division of   the army.

 

You can boil, broil, sauté….They’re deep fried, stir fried…

       Bubba’s list of the various ways you can cook shrimp.

 

Shrimp kabob, Creole, gumbo, stew, salad, burgers.

       Bubba’s list of the way shrimp can be served. Creole and Gumbo

       are types of spicy soup that are popular in the South.

 

We lay there in our bunks.

       A narrow bed, used in places like army barracks,

       which are buildings used to house soldiers.

 

Get a load of the tits on her!

       “Get a load of” something is a colloquial way to say “Look at…”

       “Tits” is colloquial and somewhat crude word for breasts

       (It’s safer to say “boobs,” if  you insist on being colloquial).

 

 

 

 

 

Our very own beatnik beauty: Let’s give a round of

applause to the luscious Bobbie Dylan!

A “beatnik” was a type of writer or artist in the 1950s who rejected   traditional American society (They were a type of early hippie or     bohemian who were known to discuss philosophy in cafes, and were    often associated with Jazz and drugs). “Luscious” is an interesting        adjective for seductive, or perhaps pleasant to the senses. Bob Dylan is

       a folk singer who became very famous in the 1960s.

 

Her dream had come true.  She was a folk singer.

       A person who sings about injustice and other social issues,

       usually with just an acoustic (not electric) guitar.

 

Stupid jerk!

       A good word for idiot, moron, or imbecile,

       and in certain contexts, asshole or bastard.

 

They were trying to grab you!

       “To grab” means to hold, restrain or perhaps seize suddenly.

      

Hang on a minute.

       Another way to say “wait.”

 

Just like that, she was gone.

       A good way to say “suddenly” (Forrest says this a lot).

 

After we win the war, we can shrimp these waters.

       Note the use of “shrimp” as a verb (like “to fish”)

 

Do not salute! There’s god damn snipers all around

who would love to grease an officer.

       “To salute” is to greet with a gesture required by military regulation,   usually by placing your hand up to your forehead. “Snipers” are people who shoot at others from a hidden place. “To grease an officer” must be      slang for “to shoot an officer,” though I’ve never heard it.

 

You better tuck that in or you’ll get it caught in a trip wire.

       “To tuck in” is to fold underneath, as in to tuck in the sheets of a bed.

       (Here, Lieutenant Dan is referring to the fact that Bubba’s lips are

       so big). A “trip wire” is a hidden wire that when touched, causes a        bomb or mine to explode.

 

There is one item of GI. gear that makes the

difference between a good and dead grunt—socks.

       A “GI.” is a solider (It stands for “general infantry.”).  “Gear” refers to   equipment such as clothes, helmets, guns, etc. A “grunt” is a very   slangy term for a solider, but this word was probably only used during        the Vietnam war.

 

The V. Cong.

       The “Vietcong,” who were South Vietnamese guerrillas fighting the      US. military. (A “guerrilla” is a solider who often hides in the jungle).

 

Lieutenant Dan sure knew his stuff.

       A very general and common word for “things.”

       In this case, he knew a lot about military life.

      

God damn it! Kick some ass!

        Here, a crude way to say  “Go out and kill the enemy”

 

He had a lot to live up to.

       If you have parents or other family members that have accomplished a       lot and people expect you to do the same, then this expression applies     to you.

 

 

Two standing orders in this platoon.

       A “standing order” is an order that is always in force and therefore        doesn’t need to be repeated. A “platoon” is a group of soldiers.

      

I sure hope I won’t let him down.

       “To let someone down” is to disappoint them.

 

We were always looking for this guy named Charley.

       “Charley company” was a reference to the Vietcong

       soldiers fighting the Americans.

 

He was always getting funny feelings.

       In this case, suspicions that the enemy was near by.

 

Check out that hole.

       “To check out” something is a very useful phrasal verb

meaning to investigate.

 

Rain that flew in sideways.

       From one side (as opposed to from the top, or from the sky).

 

We’re a good partnership. We be watching out for each other.

       Note that in the grammar of Black English, the progressive tense

       (“we are watching…”) is constructed with the base of the verb

        (“We be watching”).

 

I’ll be the captain and split everything right down the middle: Fifty-fifty.

       A very common way to say that all profits

       or anything else will be equally divided.

 

And just like that, somebody turned off the rain.

       Forrest’s poetic way of saying “Suddenly, it stopped raining.”

 

Mayday! Pull back! Run, god damn it!

“Mayday” is a military and navigational expression meaning help! or emergency! “To pull back” is a good phrasal verb meaning retreat.

 

Bubba was my best good friend. I had to make sure he was OK.

       Note that the correct phrase is simply “my best friend.”

      

I grabbed him up and run him out of there.

       “To grab” is to seize suddenly, usually with your hands.

       “To run somebody out of some place” usually means to chase them      out, but in this case, it means to carry them out in order to save them.

 

We got Charley all over this area.

       “The army has lots of soldiers all around here.”

 

The whole god damn platoon is wiped out.

       “To wipe out” something is a strong phrasal verb which

means to destroy it.

 

They’re going to nape the whole area!

       “Nape” is short for “napalm,” the poison gas that the US

       army used in Vietnam to destroy the Vietnamese jungles.

 

God damn it! Get your ass out of here!

       A crude way to tell someone to leave immediately.

 

I want to go to heaven. :: That isn’t

something  you can find just around the corner.

       If something is available “just around the corner,”

       this means that it will be easy to find.

 

 

It bit me directly in the buttocks.

       This is your ass, butt or if you prefer a French word, derriere. Forrest’s

       pronunciation of “buttocks” is exaggerated to the point of ridiculous.

 

Never take your eyes off the ball.

       A good expression meaning “always pay careful attention”

 

Ping Pong made me look like a duck in water.

       To be “like a duck in water” is to look totally natural.

 

I’m nothing but a legless freak.

       A strong word meaning  a very abnormal or deformed person.

 

You cheated me! I had a destiny.

       A very important word, in this movie, and in life in general:

       A predetermined course of events, or fate, beyond human control.

 

I was supposed to die in the fields with honor. You cheated me out of it.

       “With honor” became critical words to American politicians in the 1960s: President Nixon said he wanted peace, but only “with honor.”

       Honor is another word for respect or dignity.

      

You’ve been awarded the Medal of Honor.

A “medal” is a piece of metal that serves as an award: The Congressional Medal of Honor is awarded to soldiers for great courage.

 

A candid speech on the need for escalation of the war in Vietnam.

       “Candid” is a way to say completely honest or frank. In a military context, “escalation” is another word for expansion or increase.

       This is a reference to a speech by President Johnson, who was rarely    candid about the Vietnam War.

 

God damn, son, that’s a surprise.

       Note that “god damn” can occasionally stand without “it” or a noun,    but it’s still a crude way to express emotions such as surprise or anger.

      

 

Some of these people were loud and pushy.

       A good adjective meaning aggressive, or too assertive.

 

He likes to say the F-word a lot.

       The expression that very proper people use to refer to “fuck.”

 

For some reason, they’d cheer.

       A good expression implying that it’s not clear why something was done.

      

Come on, man!

       Here, meaning “scream louder!”

 

The war in Viet-fucking-nam!

       Another colorful example of how versatile people can be

       in their use of the “F-word.” It’s rarely used as an inter-syllabic        adjective,  but there it is!

 

That’s right on, man. You said it all!

       “Right on” is a very 60s (old-fashioned!) way to say great, or more colloquially, cool. “You said it all” is a useful little expression meaning     “You said everything that needs to be said.”

 

Get your white ass away from that window!

       A crude way to simply say “get away from that window,”

       in this case spoken by a radical black nationalist.

      

He’s cool, man.

       A 60s colloquial adjective that still survives, meaning simply “good.”

 

Were here to protect our black leaders

from the racial onslaught of the pigs.

       Radical rhetoric: An “onslaught” is a violent attack, and a “pig”

       is a very insulting but not uncommon way to refer to the police.

      

Who’s the baby killer?

       In the 1960s, those opposed to the Vietnam War might use this term     to describe anyone from President Johnson to individual soldiers.

 

He’s the President of the Berkeley Chapter of SDS.

       The “Students for a Democratic Society,” a widely active political   group in the 1960s. Many groups have local “chapters,” and most       political organizations had a chapter in Berkeley, California, which

       is home to the University of California at Berkeley.

 

 

Yes, we are against any war that brutalizes our black soldiers.

       “To brutalize” is a very powerful verb meaning to treat very cruelly.

 

I should have known it was just going to be a bullshit hassle.

       A “hassle” is an extremely useful word for trouble, or a problem.

       Although “bullshit” is usually a crude noun for lies or nonsense,    note that here it functions as an adjective.

 

Sorry that we had a fight, Black Panther Party.

       This was a radical nationalist party formed by African-Americans in     the 1960s (one of several radical political groups formed at that time).

 

That uniform is a trip, Forrest.

       To say that something is “a trip” is a very slangy

       way to say that it is unusual or interesting.

 

She discovered ways to expand her mind and live in harmony.

       A 1960s way to say “she learned about the universe and

How to live in peace.”

 

Things got a little out of hand.

       Very common: If a situation gets “out of hand,”

       it is no longer easy to control.

 

It’s just this lying son of a bitch, Johnson.

       Reference to President Johnson, who generally lied

       (perhaps even to himself) about the war in Vietnam.

      

That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.

       The famous words of Neil Armstrong, who said this

       when he became the first man to step on the moon.

 

I was in special services.

       This can refer to several types of forces within the US. military,

       though it probably refers to some kind of secret spying organization.

 

 

When I got home, I was a national celebrity,

more famous than Captain Kangaroo.

       A “celebrity” is a famous person. “Captain Kangaroo” was

       a famous character on television who taught children.

 

They gave you—an imbecile, a moron who makes a fool of himself on national TV—The Congressional Medal of Honor.

       “Imbecile”is a strong and funny word for a very stupid person.

 

God damn bless America!

       An angry and sarcastic modification of “God Bless America,”

       which is how most American Presidents end their TV speeches.

 

Have you found Jesus? :: I didn’t know I was supposed to be looking for him.

       Many American Christians use the verb “to find” as a way to discuss    how one converts to Christianity. Forrest’s response is a clever and typically innocent thing for him to say.

 

That’s all these cripples down at the VA ever talk about

       “Cripple” is an insulting and dated term for a person who is physically      handicapped. The “VA” refers to the Veteran’s Administration,

       or to the hospitals that the VA runs.

 

I’ll get to walk beside him in the kingdom of heaven.

       The way fundamentalist Christians discuss their lives with Jesus.

 

What a crock of shit!

       A crude but truly interesting  and fun way to say “what nonsense!”

       (A “crock” is a type of pot or holder).

 

Ripple.

       A brand name of hard liquor.

 

He’ll be the captain and I’ll be his first mate.

       In a navy context, this is the head assistant to the captain of the ship.

 

Now hear this, Private Gump!

       A Private is the lowest rank in the army (below Sergeant, General, etc.)

 

Did you lose your pecker in the war?

       This is a silly slang word for penis.

 

Loser! You freak!

       A “freak” is a very abnormal or strange person. A monstrosity.

 

I’m sorry I ruined your New Year’s eve party.

       New Year’s eve is the evening before New Year’s day.

 

Lieutenant Dan figured there’s some things you just can’t change.

       “To figure” is a colloquial and common way to say think

       (“To figure out” is a related phrasal verb meaning to understand).

 

 

 

You might want to send a maintenance man across the way. The lights

are out but they’re using flashlights that are keeping me awake.

       The “maintenance man” in a building takes care of things like the heat,       lights, etc.  In this scene, Forrest is referring to men who are using    flashlights in the Watergate Hotel, which, of course, is a reference to      the break-in at that hotel which eventually led to the entire Watergate scandal, and the resignation of President Nixon.  Forrest was   everywhere in modern American history… 

 

 

Your discharge papers. Your service is up.

       Papers that officially terminate your service in an organization.

       In this case, Forrest’s service in the US. army.

 

Mama had all sorts of visitors.

       A good expression meaning various, or different types of.

 

For $25,000, you can use it and see if it grows on you.

       If something “grows on you,” it means that you begin to like it.

 

Are you crazy or just plain stupid?

       An interesting little adverb meaning “simply,” that can add

       a sense of disbelief and cynicism to the speaker’s voice.

 

I paid my respects to Bubba himself.

       “To pay one’s respects” to somebody is to honor their memory,

       and it is often used in the context of visiting their grave.

 

I just loved playing with my flex-o-lite.

       The name of the ping pong paddle that Forrest agreed

       to say he used in order to make $25,000 for promoting it.

 

Everyone knew it wasn’t true: It was just a little white lie.

       A cute little expression for a lie that is basically harmless.

 

Shrimping is tough.

       Any business that is “tough” means that

       It’s difficult, and hard to make money in.

 

I only caught five shrimp. Enough for a cocktail.

       A “shrimp cocktail” is a delicious glass full of

       shrimp and (usually) a tomato based sauce.

 

I thought I’d try out my sea legs.

       “To try out” something is good phrasal verb

       meaning to test, or to see if it works well.

 

I’ll be your first mate. I am a man of my word.

       A very formal way to say “I keep my promises”

 

I’ll be calling you “Sir”

       The use of “Sir” is often seen as a sign of respect.

 

He left the praying up to me.

       To leave something “up to” somebody is to let them take care of it.

 

Where the hell is this God of yours?

       An interesting sentence that expresses cynicism in two ways:

       The addition of both “the hell” and “of  yours.”

 

Right then, God showed up.

       “To show up” is a very common phrasal verb meaning to arrive.

 

You call this a storm?!

       Another grammatical construction that implies cynicism.

       In this case, it implies that the speaker is really saying

       “This is way too small to be considered a real storm.”

 

The entire shipping industry has fallen victim to Hurricane Carmen.

       A vague way to say destroyed (You could also say

       that the industry  was “victimized by…”).

 

Bubba-Gump Shrimp: It’s  a household name.

       An interesting little expression that means widely known,

       or in fact so famous that it is known in most homes.

 

I’ve heard some stories, but that tops them all.

       Here, meaning “That’s the most incredible story I’ve ever heard.”

 

I think he made his peace with God.

       A gentle and poetic observation by Forrest.

 

He is indisposed at the moment.

       If someone is “indisposed,” this means that they are not available         (Often said when a person doesn’t want to come to the phone or door).

 

 

 

We sure got you straightened out, didn’t we, boy?

       “To straighten out” somebody can mean to help them intellectually

       or emotionally, but here it might also imply physically, since Forrest   had a very crooked back as a child that needed to be straightened.

 

Don’t you be afraid, sweetheart.

       A gentle and common term of endearment. Note the use of  “you”       after “don’t” is a grammatically suspicious but common way to imply   an added sense of personal concern.

      

Death is part of life. Something we’re all destined to do.

       If a person is “destined” to do something, this means that

       it is certain that they will do it some time in the future.

 

You have to figure that out for yourself.

       “To figure out” something is to try and understand it. Very common.

 

He got me invested in some kind of fruit company.

       A classic misunderstanding by Forrest: Lieutenant Dan invested the     money that Forrest and him made with the shrimp boats in Apple   Computer Company, a legendary American corporation that helped        create the personal computer business in the late 1970s.

 

Even though Bubba was dead and Lieutenant Dan

said I was nuts, I gave his mom Bubba’s share.

       If somebody is “nuts,” they’re crazy. In this case, his “share” refers to     the share or part of the company that Bubba would have owned if he had lived.

 

 

I would jabber on like a monkey in a tree.

       An interesting little way to say talk rapidly, and in an unclear way.

 

Sometimes, I guess there just aren’t enough rocks.

       A typically insightful line by Forrest on the anger that

       Jenny feels because of all the pain from her childhood.

 

 

She gave me the best gift in the wide world.

       “The best gift in the whole wide world” is a set phrase using the

       superlative grammatical construction, often used by little kids.      

 

Where are you running off to?

       “To run off to” somewhere simply means to go.

 

I ran clear across Alabama.

       An unnecessary but stylistic adverb meaning “completely.”

 

I figured I might as well just keep on going.

       A common way to say “all things considered, I should…”

 

You know when I had to go….I just went.

       In the right context “I have to go” implies to go to the bathroom.

 

I’ll be damned!

       A curious but not uncommon little phrase to express surprise or shock.

 

It was like an alarm went off in my head:

Here’s somebody who has got his act together.

       If an “alarm goes off in your head,”  you may have just thought of       something incredibly significant. Somebody who has “got his act       together” is someone who is essentially living their life well while        making a positive contribution to either themselves, their friends

       or the community.

 

I’m in the bumper sticker  business. Can you think of any slogans?

       A bumper sticker is the little sign that people put on the back of their cars (on the “bumper”), that often has a clever slogan:  A “slogan” is a short phrase expressing a political or commercial opinion, such as       “Question authority.”

 

Shit happens.

       An interesting slogan that became very popular in the 1980s.     According to the movie, Forrest helped create it by stepping in some    dog shit. It means approximately “Bad things happen in life.”

 

Have a nice day.

       Another common cliché from the 1970s, that became so

        overused that people often grew irritated when hearing it!

       This phrase is seen on posters and T-shirts with a smiling face.

 

 

 

 

Mama said you have to put the

past behind you before you could move on

       More Gump family wisdom: You must accept

       the past before you look to the future.

 

One day out of the clear blue sky…

       If something happens “out of the blue,”

       it happens suddenly and unexpectedly.

 

 

I kept a scrapbook of your clippings.

       A “scrapbook” is a personal book of memories, photographs, articles   and so on. “Clippings” refer to newspaper clippings, which are a group    of specific articles about someone or something.

      

I was messed up for a long time.

       A common colloquial way to say  troubled, or doing poorly.

       (“To mess up” is also a common phrasal verb).

 

I have got to go. I’m double parked.

       When a car is “double parked, ” it is parked illegally,

       often in the middle of the street.

 

He’s one of the smartest in his class.

       A common way parents compare their kids to others.

 

I have some kind of virus. The doctors don’t know what it is.

       An important word in biology: A type of tiny parasite or bacteria

       that often causes disease in people. In this case, the virus is a subtle     reference to the AIDS virus (HIV), which appeared in the United States       in the early 1980s.

 

I have custom made legs made of titanium alloy.

       Anything that is “custom-made” is made specifically for one person

       (as opposed to being mass produced). “Titanium alloy” is a type of

       very strong metal, used in things like rockets and other machines.

      

It was like before the sun goes down to bed on the bayou.

       The place where a river enters into a large

       body of water, such as a lake or ocean.

 

 

I had that house of your father’s bulldozed to the ground.

       A “bulldozer” is a huge type of truck that levels (or razes) entire     buildings to the ground. This is a passive grammatical construction

       of the related verb.

 

I don’t know if we each have a destiny or if were

just floating around accidental-like, on a breeze.

       “Floating around accidental-like on a breeze” is Forrest’s way of     expressing a bit of existential philosophy: To float without a particular   direction, in a universe not of our making, for no particular reason…

 

I’m going to show that at show and tell.

       “Show and tell” is the part of class time where small children bring       things from their houses in order to discuss it with their fellow class    mates (A long standing tradition in American elementary schools).

Forrest Gump

 

Possible Topics for ESL Class Discussion

 

1) How would you describe Forrest to a friend?  What are his best features? Does he have any bad ones?

 

 

2) What were the most important historical events that

Forrest and Jenny lived through?

 

 

3) How were the lives of Forrest and Jenny different?

 

 

4) This film shows much of the social change that the United States went through between the 1950s and the 1980s: Did your country  go through similar changes?

 

 

5) How is life different in Green Bough County, Alabama, from San Francisco, California?

 

 

 

6) What did you like and not like about this movie?