Does The Pursuit of Happyness Show us the Real American Dream?

The American Dream is a notion in American society that within one’s lifetime he or she can move from current circumstances toward higher success and achieve wealth. The American Dream is a narrative that explains why we believe in “rags to riches” stories and the idea that we can achieve anything, as long as we believe in ourselves and work very hard. Because the American Dream is ingrained in our culture, many of us are blind to the realities of life, which are often in contrast to the idea of class mobility, individualism, and the Protestant work ethic (Wyatt-Nichol 258). Yet, despite growing evidence that the American Dream is less and less of a reality for them, many people still strive very hard and do achieve their personal goals - as depicted in F. Scott Fitzgerald's take of the American Dream in The Great Gatsby.. The American Dream is a central topic in the film, The Pursuit of Happyness. In this essay, I will summarize the film, assess its depiction of the American Dream in comparison to reality, and reflect on the personal meaning of the American Dream for me.

The Pursuit of Happyness focuses on Chris Gardner, a medical salesman who is struggling to make enough money to support his wife and young child. Gardner appears largely financially secure at the beginning of the film, but his wife reveals that they are regularly struggling without enough money. She soon abandons Gardner and her son and moves to New York. Gardner’s financial situation takes a turn for the worse when he loses a piece of medical equipment he is selling, has his pay garnished by the IRS, is struggling with debt, and is evicted from his apartment. His saving grace comes when he meets a financial investor who offers him a chance to intern as a stockbroker, unaware that he is homeless. Gardner then lives a sort of double life, working with clients by day and struggling with his son to find a place to sleep at night. He has to contend with the demands of both; he must appease his wealthy stockbroker associates and also race from work to stand in line with other homeless people for a place to sleep that night at the shelter. Eventually, disappointed with his lack of opportunities at work, he desperately breaks the rules of his profession and reaches out to high-value customers to develop other approaches to maximize his clients and profit. This, in the end, results in securing him the full-time position he had been struggling for. The movie is based on a true story, and text at the end of the movie indicates that the real Chris Gardner went on to form his own multi-million dollar firm.

This film is a heartrending version of the rags to riches story typical of the idea of the American Dream. Throughout the movie, the main character demonstrates the principle moral behind the American Dream: that “one can achieve success and prosperity through determination, hard work, and courage” (Hill and Torres 95). Gardner overcomes immense odds, makes the most of scant opportunities, and continuously pushes himself to accomplish despite often facing failure. In the end, he succeeds and is greatly rewarded for his struggles. This moving portrayal demonstrates why so many people from outside of the United States come to America to pursue their own American Dream. As long as one has a dream and willpower, any sort of obstacle can be overcome in order to achieve that dream.

While the film is indeed very touching, there are many things about the film that, when compared to research on the reality of the American Dream in contemporary America, may not be so true to reality. First, this film featured a story that takes place in the 1980s; the economic situation of America is not the same in 2014 as it was then. The 1980s was beginning of our country moving from a manufacturing industry to a service industry, which resulted in lower wages and limited opportunities (Wyatt-Nichol 261) - a reality not shown in this film. By today’s standards, there are no door-to-door salesmen anymore; that job would either have been moved overseas or be online, removing even the possibility that a protagonist would have such an occupation. In contrast, however, I felt the movie did accurately portray the social division in society. The stockbrokers and the homeless people in the film could not have been further apart in terms of their living conditions. Often homeless people are considered invisible in American society, especially during the 1980s when a housing crisis forced many people out of their homes (Dreier and Applebaum 46). This demonstrates the class division that is still a strong force in contemporary America. It is unlikely that a highly paid stockbroker would interact with a medical equipment salesman in daily life, and in the film, Gardner only catches their attention because of his sheer ingenuity and some good luck. This, at the very least, demonstrates that it’s not entirely hard work that leads one to success.

Perhaps more important than its portrayal of social class, this film largely avoids the issue of race and how it affects one’s ability to achieve the American Dream. African Americans have always had a more difficult time achieving the American Dream, even after legal racial barriers were removed following the success of the Civil Rights movement in the 1960s. Research regularly demonstrates that African Americans are more pessimistic about the American Dream than Caucasian Americans and that this is because they have a poorer socioeconomic standing in society (Stout and Le 1338-1339). Gardner mentions nothing about race or his racial struggles in the film. He is presented as if race plays no factor in his life at all. This is even stranger considering that the film is also based on the true-life story of an African American man. Gardner is always portrayed as an individual instead of part of a group, thus the realities of being African American in America seem to be in the distant background against his individual plight to rescue himself and his son from poverty.

Personally, I strongly believe in the American Dream. I come from a lower-class background and I’m working very hard to achieve an education and have a better life for myself. However, I also acknowledge the privileges that I have as an American citizen to realize that dream. The American dream is also a reason why many immigrants come to this country for a better life, but it is even harder for them to achieve an education or high-paying job (Hill and Torres 95-96). Immigrants were not mentioned in the movie at all, but they are a big part of the mythology of our culture: that you can come to America from anywhere and succeed. This is not really the case for millions of people in our country who live without legal documentation, and yet are working or studying just as hard as anyone else (Pang et al. 181-182). Given that our country will become a “minority-majority country” soon (Stoll 398), I feel it’s important that we discuss issues of race and their relation to class when talking about the American Dream. While The Pursuit of Happyness is a touching portrayal of the American Dream, it misses this important topic. It is only by ensuring that achieving our dreams is a possibility for all of us, regardless of race, class, citizenship status, or other socioeconomic indicators, that we will create an America where the American Dream will continue to be a reality.

Annotated Bibliography

Hill, Nancy and Katheryn Torres. Negotiating the American Dream: The Paradox of Aspirations and Achievement among Latino Students and Engagement between their Families and Schools. Journal of Social Issues. 66(1), 95-112. 2010. Print.

This article discusses the decreasing ability of Latino immigrants to perform well in schools and to use education as a means for upward mobility. Second and third generation Latinos perform less well than do recent immigrants. This reality is shockingly different than the hopes and aspirations many immigrant families hold for upward mobility and a better life.

The article does a good job of demonstrating the importance of education in the decision-making processes of immigrants. Many Latino immigrants come to America precisely because of the educational and economic opportunities that exist here compared to their home countries. Despite this information the academic achievement of Latinos lags behind other groups. 57% of Latino fourth graders are below basic reading levels in English and Spanish. Only 64% of Latinos complete high school. Later generations of Latinos often perform less well than the first generation. The article argues that the very high expectations placed on Latino education is incongruent with the harsh realities many immigrants face, leading them to devalue education in reality while still holding it as an ideal.

This paper is very useful for understanding the American Dream from the immigrant perspective. While many Americans may see the American Dream as an attainable goal, it is clear that for immigrants- the very group for whom the American Dream concept was created for- it may be impossible, or only a dream.

Stout, Christopher Timothy and Danvy Le. Living the Dream: Barack Obama and the Blacks’ Changing Perception of the American Dream. Social Science Quarterly, 93(5), 1338-1359. 2012. Print.

This article examines African American’s perception of the American Dream. It gives a history of black perception of the American Dream compared to whites and discusses new studies in light of the election of President Barack Obama. Their research found that blacks were much more optimistic about the American Dream after Obama election, despite being traditionally more pessimistic in previous history, regardless of good or bad economic times. They found that positive symbols of progress (such as electing the first black president) were a better predictor of the American Dream than objective economic indicators.

This article was very informative in explaining the meaning of the American Dream for African Americans. Their view of America is very different that white Americans and also very different than other immigrant groups. Their view is shaped by their history of racial discrimination which has made it much harder for them to achieve the American Dream. Also, because of that racial discrimination, they are more likely to see themselves as a group compared to whites, and thus more likely to view progress as a group instead of as individuals.

This paper is useful for explaining racial issues in understanding the American Dream, particularly for African Americans. Since the movie I chose features a black family, this will help me understand the particular way they view their hopes and dreams for upward mobility. Or, at least, I can compare the film to how African Americans feel today post-Obama election about the issue of the American Dream.

Wyatt-Nichol, Heather. The Enduring Myth of the American Dream: Mobility, Marginalization, and Hope. International Journal of Organization Theory and Behavior. 14(2), 258-279. Summer 2011. Print.

This article examines the myth of the American Dream through the categories of mobility, marginalization, and hope. It demonstrates that despite evidence of structural inequality and declining mobility, people still cling to the myth of the American Dream. This is because people have ways of defining that dream that ignore issues of social class, allowing them to define it in ways that are meaningful to them. The article also gives a history of the economy in the 20th century and discusses how the American Dream is increasingly a business run ideal.

This paper did a great job of explaining the American Dream by outlining it against historical reality. Median income from 1974 to 1994 is nearly ten thousand dollars less. Increasingly, less and less people at the bottom of the social ladder are able to move up. Many who do move up often are not able to maintain their new class position. Increasingly the wealth of America is held in fewer and fewer richer hands. Additionally, structural changes in the job market have meant fewer jobs for working class people. To adjust to this reality people often define the American Dream in terms of individual effort rather than just being rich alone.

This paper is very useful for explaining the class elements behind obtaining the American Dream. It made me starkly realize just how difficult it is to obtain the American Dream and why people would redefine it in ways that still make it an ideal for them. It also showed me how people are willing to deny reality in order to have their dreams.

Works Cited

Dreier, Peter and Richard Applebaum. American Nightmare: Homelessness. Challenge. March-April, 46-52. 1991. Print.

Hill, Nancy and Katheryn Torres. Negotiating the American Dream: The Paradox of Aspirations and Achievement among Latino Students and Engagement between their Families and Schools. Journal of Social Issues. 66(1), 95-112. 2010. Print.

Stoll, David. Which American Dream do you mean? Soc. 46, 398-402. 2009. Print.

Stout, Christopher Timothy and Danvy Le. Living the Dream: Barack Obama and the Blacks’ Changing Perception of the American Dream. Social Science Quarterly, 93(5), 1338-1359. 2012. Print.

Pang, Valerie Ooka, Tamiko Stratton, Cynthia Park, Marcelina Madueno, Miriam Atlas, Cindy Page, and Jennifer Oliger. The American DREAM and Immigrant Students. Race, Gender & Class. 17(1-2), 180-193. 2010. Print.

Wyatt-Nichol, Heather. The Enduring Myth of the American Dream: Mobility, Marginalization, and Hope. International Journal of Organization Theory and Behavior. 14(2), 258-279. Summer 2011. Print.