Gump and Co. Tom Hanks' "warmhearted dope." The text purposely contains frequent grammar and spelling mistakes in order to indicate the character's deficient education and cognitive difficulties. The story suggests that the real-life events surrounding the film have affected Forrest's life. In 1980, the shrimp market has exploded, and Forrest cannot keep up with the demand. Adding to Forrest's troubles, Lt. Dan sells off his share of the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company in order to fund a swanky retirement, and the company endures labor disagreements. Forrest comes to the docks one morning to find unoccupied trawlers and is met by no one save
Forrest Gump film was well-established did conservatives embrace the film as an affirmation of traditional values. Burton implies the liberal-left could have prevented the conservatives from claiming rights to the film, had it chosen to vocalize elements of the film such as its criticism of military values. Instead, the liberal-left focused on what the film omitted, such as the feminist and civil rights movements. Some commentators see the conservative readings of "Forrest Gump" as indicants of the death of irony in American culture. Vivian Sobchack notes that the film's humor and irony rely on the assumption of the audience's historical (self-) consciousness.