Forrest Gump is a 1986 novel by Winston Groom. The novel tells the story of Forrest Gump, a man with an IQ of 75, and his epic journey through life, meeting historical figures, influencing popular culture and experiencing first-hand historic events while largely unaware of their significance, due to his lower than average intelligence. The movie adaptation differs substantially from the book on which it was based.
Film adaptation
Forrest Gump was made into a movie starring Tom Hanks. The movie, however, covers a slightly different version of the later chapters, which deal with Gump's shrimp business and his meeting of his son Forrest, Jr. Also, Gump marries Jenny in the movie. Gump and Forrest Jr. do not have the loving relationship that the end of the movie features - in the movie, they actively tell each other that they love one another in their last conversation.
In addition, the movie invented one of its most famous scenes, in which Forrest chooses to run across America repeatedly over a three year period, before his meeting of Forrest, Jr.