Chris Gardner’s journey from “rags to riches” is portrayed admirably in the film The Pursuit of Happyness. The film is based on the true story of Chris Gardner and the obstacles he faced to rise out of poverty and become successful. His story teaches a lesson of being truly appreciative of what you have and to not take anything for granted. Chris Gardner is the perfect example of a man working to fulfill the American Dream. Chris Gardner’s strong spirit, determination, and thoughtfulness led him to achieve the American Dream and ultimately be successful.
Chris Gardener’s strong spirit gave him the power to keep fighting through the storm. He tried his best not to let anything put him or people he loved down. For example, in the film he told his son, “Don't ever let somebody tell you... You can't do something. Not even me.” This quote emphasized that he did not want anything getting in the way of his own or his sons’ dreams. Another example portraying his strong spirit is when Chris went around to the medical offices trying to sell bone density scanners. If a doctor purchased a scanner, Chris showed that he was extremely grateful. Even if the doctor would not buy a scanner, he still thanked the doctor for their time and said goodbye with a smile. He never let anyone see that he was down.
Secondly, Chris’s determination is portrayed significantly throughout the film. No matter what obstacle got in his way, he never gave up. He also taught his son to have the same attitude. An example of this was when he told his son, “You got a dream... You gotta protect it. People can't do somethin' themselves, they wanna tell you you can't do it. If you want somethin', go get it. Period.” Chris was so committed to supporting himself and his son, that he worked his absolute hardest to reach success. He worked as much as he could for the competitive internship at Dean Witter, while still managing to care for his son. In the end, his determination and commitment led him to...