“Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you'll get” (Hanks). Many times, when books are made into movies, they do it incorrectly. Forrest Gump is one such example. Forrest Gump, the novel, was written in 1986 by author Winston Groom. The movie Forrest Gump was created by Paramount Pictures in 1994. Tom Hanks plays the main character Forrest Gump. The film portrayed Forrest Gump in a different and sometimes more innocent way than his character in the book. This is shown in three different ways: the relationship between Jenny and Forrest, the characters' drug use, and in the book Forrest is involved in multiple activities and adventures. While there are many differences between the two, there are still some key similarities that are important to consider. mention. One of the key similarities is that many of the main or important characters are still involved. The book features characters such as Jenny, Lieutenant Dan, Mama, and Bubba. All of these characters are featured as major parts in the film. The New York Times mentioned this fact in its review of the film in the article "Tom Hanks as an Intruder into the Story." Janet Maslin, the reviewer, states that "(Forrest) was disabled as a boy but encouraged by his loving mother (Sally Fields) to make the most of his abilities" (Maslin 2). The reason the film kept these characters is because they play an important role in Forrest's life. Maslin explained this with his relationship with his mother. In both the book and the film, characters like Mama influence Forrest's growth and development. They also play an important role in the lifestyle he lives and the results he has achieved. Like the friendship Forrest has with Lieutenant Dan and what Forrest learns or experiences… middle of the paper… are the adventures he has and how they change the character he could have been. Regardless of whether or not the movie changed the plot from the book to the movie, this movie is still a favorite in my book. But I still think the other plot points would have been a great addition to what Forrest could have done. I know I've seen Tom Hanks as an astronaut before, but "The Dunce" would be awesome to watch. Works Cited Groom, Winston. Forrest Gump. Garden City, New York: Doubleday, 1986. Groom, Winston. Gump & Co. Rockland, MA: Wheeler Pub, 1995.Hanks, Tom. perfect Forrest Gump. Director Roberto Zemeckis. Paramount Pictures., 1994. VHS.Hugo, Giles. "Sometimes there aren't enough rocks." Stuff to write. Things to Write and Web. January 23, 2014Maslin, Janet. "Tom Hanks as an intruder into the story." Every time. New York Times, July 6, 1994.Web. January 23. 2014.