The Pursuit of Happyness???

After discussing the various “self-made” people in American society, I began to look more closely at Chris Gardner, a man who lived in poverty, struggled through many challenges, but eventually became a wealthy stock broker through self-determination without the help of anyone but himself. While it seems that there is no question Chris Gardner made it on his own, and is therefore a “self-made man”, after hearing of this story, I began to question if the film inspired by Chris Gardner’s story, “The Pursuit of Happyness”, was titled appropriately. Ralph Waldo Emerson author of “Self-Reliance” states, “A political victory, a rise of rents, the recovery of your sick, or the return of your absent friend, or some other favorable event, raises your spirits, and you think good days are preparing for you. Do not believe it. Nothing can bring you peace but yourself” (Emerson 38). Emerson essentially argues that no amount of money or good event in a person’s life could ever bring them any type of happiness, and that the only way a person could become happy is through themselves. Therefore, because Chris Gardner’s story is about how he became wealthy after living in poverty, and not about his search for happiness through himself, is it possible that a title such as, “Self-made Money”, would be more fitting? While it does not sound quite as appealing as the existing title, it does seem to be a better fit to the storyline according to Emerson’s claim that money can never make a person happy.

However after watching the final scene of the film, it appears as if the emotion actor Will Smith is portraying is truly happiness. Maybe the title, “The Pursuit of Happyness”, is not referring to Chris Gardner’s fortune, but rather the happiness he found when he realized he became successful on his own without the help of anyone else. Although Emerson claims fortune can never bring someone happiness, he also emphasizes that ones self is the only thing that can. Therefore, through the pride Chris Gardner found in himself during his journey, he experienced happiness, but it was not the wealth that brought him to this emotion. If this is the true case, “The Pursuit of Happyness”, is indeed a proper title.