Chapter 7 The Material Self

The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)

Plot
1981, San Francisco. In what restricted scholarly freedoms, he has had in his life, Chris
Gardner has exhibited that he is a brilliant man. However, he is battling monetarily in his life. He
has put away the entirety of his cash on versatile bone thickness scanners, which he offers to
doctors. Notwithstanding being a preferable item over x-beams machines, they are likewise
undeniably more costly, implying that they are a pointless extravagance for most doctors. He
really wants to sell three scanners each month just to meet the essential necessities to help his
family, his better half, Linda, and their five-year-old child, Christopher, on who he gushes since
he didn't have the foggiest idea about his own dad when he was a kid. Yet, of late, that has been
three every month more than he has sold, bringing about an expanding disillusioned Linda
ceaselessly expecting to work twofold moves accomplishing manual work at a clothing, which
actually isn't sufficient to take care of those fundamental expenses, they being at present behind
90 days lease. Chris can't bear to pay his leaving ticket, implying that he needs to take the
transport wherever now as the clip stays on the tire of his vehicle. Feeling like the scanner isn't
the solution to their monetary issues, Chris, with or without Linda's favoring, chooses to take a
risk by exchanging professions when he sees that business and protections firm Dignitary Witter
has a multi month entry level position program, which just concedes twenty candidates,
prompting just one understudy being recruited toward the finish of the interaction. It isn't until he
is very much drenched into the interaction that he discovers that the temporary jobs are non-
paying. In view of on his chutzpah, Chris, despite everything, gets one of the twenty positions.
For certain progressions in their lives bringing about less costs, Chris figures he really wants to
sell his excess six scanners just to scratch by for those a half year. However, some unforeseen
issues emerge which prompts the Gardners perhaps not enduring this period of their lives
monetarily, something he needs to stow away from his bosses at Senior member Witter assuming
he gets any opportunity whatsoever of enduring the temporary position and landing that paying
position with them.

Controversies
After watching the Will Smith film The Pursuit of Happyness, you may first find yourself
sobbing. But after whipping away the tears, you may wonder about the man behind the story
depicted in The Pursuit of Happyness. Because, yes, the film is based on a true story. The Pursuit
of Happyness is the true story of the life of Chris Gardner, who battled homelessness while
working his way up to become a stockbroker. While the whole rags-to-riches story may be the
broad strokes of Chris Gardner’s life, there are many other interesting facets to his life that the
two-hour film simply didn’t have time to explore. For example, Gardner faced a difficult
childhood of his own, which landed him naked, wet, and freezing on one Christmas evening. And
that's just the beginning.
Through it all, the facts of Gardner’s life truly illuminate how hard work, determination, and
ambition can push you forward in this world. Yes, The Pursuit of Happyness may be one of those
movies that can make even grown men cry, but the facts about Gardner’s life are endlessly
interesting and motivating.

Characters
 Will Smith as Chris Gardner
  Jaden Smith as Christopher Gardner, Jr.
 Thandiwe Newton as Linda Gardner
 Brian Howe as Jay Twistle
 Dan Castellaneta as Alan Frakesh
 James Karen as Martin Frohm
 Kurt Fuller as Walter Ribbon
 Takayo Fischer as Mrs. Chu
 Mark Christopher Lawrence as Wayne
 Chris Gardner as Walking Man in Business Suit

Reaction
“Struggle is real.” This quotation is timely in every millennial throughout
the country. They will say this while doing their schoolwork’s or even at home and anywhere.
Well, in the situation of a single parent, Chris Gardner, it is indeed “struggle is real.”
I really enjoyed watching the movie, The Pursuit of Happyness, for real. Maybe because
there’s something inside me that relates to the character. No, I’m not a father nor a mother.
There’s something in each scene where I can see myself.
One thing that captures my heart is to be smart about what and where you spend your
money on. I do reflect myself in this kind of lesson. Also, never invest all of your money into
anything; you should always have some money saved in case of emergencies which is indeed
true, and I can use this lesson in the near future in the path to my career.
Speaking of career, this movie also taught many lessons that are relevant to
academics and careers. For example, I learned how important and crucial education is for being
successful. When Chris was filling out the application for the internship, he
mentioned that there were six lines under post high-school education, and that he had no need for
those lines. Education do not only look excellent on a resume, but it also prepares you for any
career you choose. But of course, the brain and heart should be together. Keep your feet on the
ground.
The most affecting lesson I realized is that it is not impossible to make your dreams come
true. No matter how big it is, no matter how far it is and no matter what and where you are. Chris
Gardner plays a role as a father and a dreamer, work like hard-fought. He goes to work, no food
and no drink, only make a phone call to his client. Afterwork, he must take his son in a daycare
and then go to homeless shelter in line. He must make it, because it will get them stay homeless
and no place to go, no place to get a rest. Every person has their own dream. The matter is only
how they keep their dreams come true and how long they can hold out the pressure and the way
how to make it. There is one wise word that I still rely on. If you have a dream, keep it in your
heart. Don’t let people break your dream. Reach it until you cry with tears of joy. If you want
to make it come true, then go for it. Failures, rejections, and disappointments are
stocked in our life but never stop doing what is right and good. Just endure it! Do it with a
grateful heart of love. People are not always in top that’s why we make a choice to be better and
to make the most out of it. If we achieved are dreams, we will experience a different kind of
achievement and happiness. For this reason, pursuing our own dreams is indeed pursuing
happiness not just for ourselves but also for the people around us. We must be responsible in
everything. Sometimes, taking risk is important, but you must be responsible as well. You must
know and accept all the consequences. There is no such thing as impossible if you really mean it.
It is only because you did not put a great effort in it. It also made me realize that it’s not enough
to just work but to work hard for you to be able to achieve your goals in life. Always do your best
and think that it’s the last chance to prove your worth. The main values Chris Gardner made me
realize is to be persistent, risk taker, responsible, creative, and rational. Live out of purpose and
not for pride nor recognition. Be an inspiration!
Chris Gardner’s amazing determination and persistence inspires me where he
creates himself the better life he wanted to by work hard and never giving up. Life just not tend to
revolve around money and careers, but with love, trust, peace, and happiness!
“You got a dream. You got to protect it. People can’t do something themselves; they
want to tell you; you can’t do it. If you want something’, go get it. Period.” – Chris Garder. I just
want to share this; it inspires me a lot!