Run Billy, RUN! – Reading Blog Chapter 2

Run Billy, RUN!

Forrest Gump

 “Billy was a chaplain’s assistant in the war…. A figure of fun in the American Army….He was powerless to harm the enemy or to help his friends.”  He was unmistakably forced to war, with no reason or need because he wasn’t doing anything rather than risking his life.  One time, when Billy was wandering along with the two scouts and Roland Weary an antitank gunner they were attacked. “Billy stood there (middle of the road in the attack) politely, giving the marksman another chance. It was his addled understanding of the rules of warfare that the marksman should be given another chance. The next shot missed Billy`s kneecaps by inches….” (pg 33).

It was after this moment that I captured Billy`s pure innocence. Only once in my life had I known a case like this which is the case of Forrest Gump. They actually share a lot of similar characteristics, but the focal one is again innocence. They are attending war with no actual purpose rather that following orders. Neither one of them would want to harm anybody and wouldn’t even know how. It`s like dropping an infant in the middle of the war and leave him there uncovered and with no guidance.

However, Forrest Gump proves to be a little more down to earth and has a better destiny. While both of them get over war by chaste luck, Billy seems to be more unlucky. Forest gets to accomplish things in war obtaining recognition for it. He becomes rich at the end with his own shrimp business. Perhaps the most important difference is that Forest wants to keep on fighting because he has hopes of returning to Jenny. Billy has no hopes or luck, he is harmed physically losing a heel, married a fat woman for employment convenience, and is basically depressed. He constantly underwent surrendering and almost suicidal thoughts “You guys go on without me. I’m alright.” (pg 47).  This is just proving the unfair and negative impact that war had on weak and naïve Billy.