Multidirectional Learning Is That Learning Essay

Although Forest lacks the type of intelligences that allow him to succeed in school such as verbal and mathematical intelligences, he has profound goodness within his heart. This shows his interpersonal or empathetic intelligence. He selflessly helps others throughout his life and seems to intuitively know what to say to people like Jenny, when they feel sad. This also gives him emotional resiliency, as famously expressed in his comment about how 'life is like a box of chocolates.' Forest is kinesthetically gifted, as can be seen in his great speed as a runner. And he is also intrapersonally intelligent -- he understands himself. He knows that he is lacking in intelligence, but that he is a good-hearted person and believes that makes him worthy of love, even Jenny's love (Smith 2008).

Of the three deaths Forest experiences in his life, only one is to be expected: that of a death of a parent. However, in all three deaths, Forest experiences at least some of the Kubler-Ross 'stages' of grieving: shock, followed by denial, anger, bargaining, depression, testing, and acceptance (Straker 2012).The stages are more pronounced in his mother's and Jenny's deaths, as Bubba's death is very sudden. Kubler-Ross also acknowledges that not everyone goes through all of the stages, and not all stages are experienced equally. For example, in the heat of combat, after initial shock and denial Forest is forced to accept Bubba's death more quickly, as he must become motivated to save his fellow officers. With Jenny, who seems so young, Forrest finds it very difficult to believe she is going to die. The two marry and go through the motions of beginning a life together before Forest must accept the inevitable.

References

Child development. (n.d.) Conception through early childhood. Retrieved:

http://virtual.yosemite.cc.ca.us/childdevelopment/Nicole/Files/Ch1.pdf

Smith, Mark K. (2008). Howard Gardner and multiple intelligences. The encyclopedia of informal education. Retrieved: http://www.infed.org/thinkers/gardner.htm.

Straker, David. (2012). Kubler-Ross. Changing Minds. Retrieved:

http://changingminds.org/disciplines/change_management/kubler_ross/kubler_ross.htm

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