Films based on true stories are always captivating. Films based on true stories that also exemplify the positive aspects of society are even more captivating. The Pursuit of Happyness, a film about the story of Chris Gardner, exemplifies a feel-good story that many people aspire to and promotes ideals of American culture that can inspire and benefit many people. Chris Gardner was poor, evicted from his home, and needed a job to provide for him and his son Christopher. Despite endless adversity, Gardner never lost focus on his goal of improving his family's quality of life. With perseverance and diligence, Gardner secured an unpaid internship with Dean Witter, separated himself from the competition, and became employed by the firm as a stockbroker, from which he would later leave and create his own business. The film encompasses all the difficulties experienced by Gardner, between caring for Christopher and searching for a daily refuge, as well as the importance of his success despite endless adversities. The Pursuit of Happiness acts as a cultural text manifesting the idea of ​​the American Dream, particularly through elements of self-reliance and equal opportunity. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The American Dream is an important aspect of the national culture and is a major reason why many people believe that the United States is truly a 'free world.' The American Dream is the belief that individuals are able to “pursue their own idea of ​​happiness” with the protection of the government (Amadeo). In The Pursuit of Happiness, Chris Gardner embodies an individual who seeks fulfillment and is able to improve his quality of life through his own hard work and determination. In the film, during the part of Chris' life where he works as a salesman, he expresses to his son the basic idea of ​​the American dream: never let anyone tell you... that you can't do something. … [If] you have a dream, you have to protect it. [If] people can't do something themselves, they want to tell you that you can't do it. If you want something, go get it. Period ("Quotes from "The Pursuit of Happyness"). Chris Gardner applies this statement to his own life by refusing to listen to those who doubt him, including his wife who leaves him and Christopher to support herself financially. The two aspects of the American dream that allow Gardner to succeed are self-sufficiency and equal opportunity. Both ideals are expressed in the Declaration of Independence, the document that laid the foundation for how the United States of America would operate concerning the “pursuit of happiness” as “everyone, no matter what their origin, … has the right to live, to work, to become the person they want to be on their own terms” (Ren). with the accuracy of these ideals; however, Chris Gardner's actions purely validate this interpretation. A main aspect of Gardner's story is that he relied only on himself to improve his financial situation, without seeking help from outside sources. In the United States, people debate whether the poor should be truly self-sufficient to improve financially or whether they should receive aid from the federal government. However, self-sufficiency is a key aspect of American culture. In the film, Gardner goes to extreme measures on a daily basis to stay afloat and provide for his son. Between spending a night in a train station bathroom and constantly running forarriving at work on time, recovering stolen bone density scanners, and finding shelter, Gardner proves that he knows the value of hard work and believes he can improve his life. on his terms. By illustrating the true story of a self-reliant person like Gardner, the film's creators intended to demonstrate the thesis that individuals possess the ability to manifest their dreams into reality. In an age where America is torn between advocating government support and individualism, The Pursuit of Happiness reiterates that anyone can achieve their goals with enough dedication and belief. Another hotly debated topic in America that appears in the film is the idea of ​​equality of opportunity. Many disagree about whether or not equal opportunity exists in the United States. People who reject this idea believe that there are certain economic and social factors that prevent the country's poor and minorities from receiving the same opportunities to improve their quality of life as those who are wealthy. With as little as twenty-five dollars at any given time, Chris Gardner never lost hope of improving his situation. He truly believed he had the opportunity to escape poverty and provide Christopher and himself with the life he had always dreamed of living. Social factors that may have led Gardner to lose his faith include race, lack of education, and an unstable family. Gardner is an African American who did not receive a college education, did not have a father, and was placed in foster care after his mother was imprisoned twice (Ewing). With these conditions, many would be convinced that they have no chance of succeeding in America. However, Gardner remained confident and trusted himself to improve his situation. His hope centered on the belief that America is “a meritocracy rather than [a country] defined by racism or class struggle” (Ballor). In the film, wealthy people who work for Dean Witter (the company offering the internship), were initially skeptical of Gardner due to his appearance, in which he was dressed inappropriately and had paint on his skin and in his hair. However, once Gardner demonstrated that he was willing to work hard for the company and that he truly cared about the job, they took him seriously and treated him with respect. Despite being a minority and living in poverty, Gardner was successful and achieved his goals, mainly due to his own merits. This concept can inspire many Americans to work for what they want to achieve and is already prevalent in society, as many individuals have similar stories to Gardner, regarding success as a product of hard work and dedication to achieve a goal or dream. . The film can be seen as a social commentary on the validity of self-sufficiency and a message to those who do not believe they can succeed on their own. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Overall, The Pursuit of Happiness serves as proof that anyone can achieve their goals and aspirations if they fully commit to working hard enough. Many people come to America seeking opportunity, and Gardner's story reiterates the fact that almost anyone can take advantage of this opportunity. The idea that individuals can manifest their dreams on their own terms is a core tenet in American culture and can motivate many people to pursue their own idea of ​​happiness. Works CitedAmadeo, K. (2021). American dream. The balance. Ballor, J. J. (2007). Reconsidering the pursuit of the American dream. Acton Institute. Ewing, C. (2017). The true story of.