Original artwork, not a still
My mama always said life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get.
— Forrest Gump ‧ 1994
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
It is a folk saying in a country accent: life holds sweets and surprises, and you cannot read the centres from the wrappers. The film makes it Mama's comfort for a boy who is told he is different, and that gentle fatalism is why it spread so widely. It is the line most often borrowed for gift boxes, birthday cards and bad-luck jokes.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for Forrest GumpShow the scene
Robert Zemeckis's 1994 film frames Forrest Gump's life story as something he tells strangers on a bus bench in Savannah, Georgia, after a feather lands at his feet. Forrest passes on the wisdom of his mother, Mrs. Gump, who raised the slow but good-hearted boy in Greenbow, Alabama, and she offers the chocolate comparison when he asks what his destiny is, telling him he will have to figure it out. He repeats her saying in narration, as one of many things Momma explained so that he could understand. The film was added to the US National Film Registry in 2011.
Sources (2)
- Wikiquote: Forrest GumpForrest Gump section; DialogueReference checked
- Wikipedia: Forrest GumpPlot; infobox; leadReference checked
Context reviewed
