The Pursuit of Happyness:

perseverance, hope, love

The constant pursuit of happiness is one common trait that all people share regardless of their backgrounds, characters, statuses, and beliefs. The continual chase of the true sense of contentment is a showcase of the persistent nature of humans. The term "happiness" is defined by many different descriptions depending on the person, from money, fame, and success to family and love. Although the term means different concepts for people, everyone aims to obtain it in their lifetimes.

About 250 years ago, the former English colonies' attempt to be free in America was granted with The Declaration of Independence. In there, the rights of "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" were stated as three unalienable entitlements that should be given to every person, as God created every man equally and endowed them with these rights.

In this brilliant movie, directed by Gabriele Muccino, a short period of Christopher Gardner's life is illustrated. Created by the real-life stories of Gardner, the movie displays the economic and emotional struggles of a man who pursued and obtained his happiness. The touching story of how Gardner, against all of the setbacks and obstacles, manages to get the position of a stockbroker in a highly competitive company truly inspires the audience. In the movie, Gardner connects his story to the larger concept of the "pursuit of happiness" portion of the Declaration of Independence.

In this article, I aim to share a summary of the movie and present three of my favorite scenes that made me think deeper about topics of perseverance, hope, and love.

Summary

Christopher Gardner, an African-American male who lives in San Francisco during the 1980s, is in a relationship with Linda and has a kid named Christopher. After a bad business deal that Gardner signs with a company that sells bone density scanners, a medical apparatus that is slightly better than X-rays with twice the cost, the financial struggles of the family begin. Gardner understands that the scanners are not desired by the hospitals, therefore it gets impossible for him to find a customer willing to purchase his products. For months, Gardner is unable to sell the bone scanners, therefore Linda shoulders all of the financial necessities of the household by herself. After four months of taking double shifts in the factory where she works at, Linda decides that there is no promising future for her in San Francisco and leaves the city to work with her sister in New York.

During this time, Gardner and his son get kicked out of their house, and the motel and start living in homeless shelters. The only hope that Gardner finds is from an internship he found in a business company. For six months, Gardner goes to this competitive internship whilst taking care of Christopher and trying to gain some money by selling the scanners. After all the struggles, losing everything from his house to the last droplets of money in his bank account, Gardner strives to get the job that might save him and his son from homelessness and poverty. In the end, Gardener manages to impress the managers and CEOs of the company and gets the job that finally grants him a feeling of happYness.

Three Favorite Scenes:

1- the time machine

In this scene, Gardner and Chris are homeless for the first night. Without knowing who to turn and where to go, Gardner waits on the subway benches with his son. Gardner begins to pretend that the bone scanner machine is a time machine, and creates an imaginary scene where they are surrounded by dinosaurs. Little Chris goes along with the game, and they find a "cave" to sleep in for the night. This scene was one of the most emotional parts of the movie, as it displayed the efforts that his father put in to turn this excruciating night into a fun game for his son.

2- "you are a good papa"

(I cried sm in this part)

During one of the nights that they were staying in the homeless shelters, Chris assures Gardner of his trust and love for him. This scene where the strong bond between father and son is one of the most touching portions of the movie. Without a partner to lean on, Gardner does his best to create a safe and loving world for his son. Chris's reassurance that he acknowledges his father's endeavors and efforts was heartwarming to see. The love and deep connection between them shine through the screen in this powerful scene.

3- "this part, this small part of my life is called happiness"

Gardner gets chosen for the job, and calls this small part of his life "happiness". This scene answered the question that he stated earlier in the movie. At first, he was skeptical of whether or not happiness is achievable, and asked if we as people constantly chase the feeling of happiness without ever obtaining it. However, this scene proved to both the audience and Gardner himself that, yes, happiness is achievable, no matter how short that period may be, it is a feeling that we can all seize.

Personal Rating of the Movie:10/10