> "Don't ever let someone tell you you can't do something. Not even me." This powerful quote from *The Pursuit of Happyness* captures the essence of societal biases while celebrating perseverance and resilience. The film, based on the true story of Chris Gardner, illustrates the profound challenges individuals face in striving to overcome systemic obstacles and achieve their dreams. Gardner's journey from homelessness to becoming a successful stockbroker is a testament to the power of determination and dedication. Similarly, Tara Westover's memoir *Educated* reflects her struggle against familial and educational barriers to achieve personal success. Raised in a strict and isolated environment without formal schooling, Westover faced immense challenges in her quest for knowledge. Her story is a remarkable account of her efforts to educate herself, ultimately earning a PhD from the University of Cambridge. *Educated* highlights the transformative power of education and the resilience required to break free from limiting circumstances. Both *The Pursuit of Happyness* and *Educated* underscore the pervasive impact of societal and systemic biases. They celebrate the extraordinary perseverance required to overcome these barriers, reminding us that personal success is attainable despite the odds with determination and resilience. The film *The Pursuit of Happyness* vividly portrays the harsh realities of economic inequality and homelessness. Chris Gardner's financial struggles begin with his wrong investment decision in portable bone density scanners, which buried him in enormous debt. His financial trouble leads him to divorce and eviction from his apartment, forcing him and his young son to live in shelters and, at times, sleep in a subway bathroom. Every day, they line up at shelters, often not knowing if they will secure a bed for the night. These scenes highlight the vulnerability and desperation of homelessness, showing how economic hardship strips an individual's dignity and stability. The film establishes the difficulty of breaking out of poverty once entrenched. Although Chris Gardner is African-American, the film does not focus on the racial bias he might have faced throughout his financial struggles, possibly due to the story being set in progressive San Francisco, where the white population is a minority. Throughout the movie, Chris's experiences in the job market and during his internship at Dean Witter are highlighted by the implicit economic disparity many overlook. One pivotal scene is when Chris impresses a potential employer by quickly solving a Rubik's Cube in the back of a taxi. The potential boss gets out of the cab, leaving Chris to pay a mere \$18 fare. Chris, totally broke at this moment, flees from the cab. This scene depicts the ignorance of the rich, who innocently believe that \$18 is a chunk of change for everybody. On the other hand, Chris, who defaults on traffic tickets, gets arrested and detained the night before the long-awaited internship interview. After being released, he rushes straight to the interview without having time to change his clothes and appears shirtless in front of the Dean Witter executives. Relieved that Chris's charge is not a felony, the executives dismiss his wrong attire and are even sympathetic toward him. However, those affluent executives also dismiss the reality that some people struggle to pay for traffic tickets and potentially risk job opportunities. Moreover, the scene where Chris visits the residence of Walter Ribbon, a prestigious pension fund manager, highlights the stark economic disparity and implicit bias permeating their interaction. Chris pretends to be in the neighborhood to visit a friend and apologizes for missing a previous meeting, using these clever tactics to seem less like a stranger. He also mentions "possibly" going to the game later that evening to blend in, attempting to navigate the social expectations of wealth. Walter, totally clueless about Chris's situation, generously offers to take Chris and his son to watch the game together in his suite. For Walter, attending such events is a routine pastime. His unconscious bias, rooted in his own privileged socioeconomic experience, blinds him to the realities of the high cost of attending such events for everyday people. This scene underscores the implicit economic biases that assume everyone has similar financial capacities, revealing how privilege can distort one's perception of others' realities. The film subtly yet powerfully brings attention to the daily struggles of those living in poverty, contrasting them with the obliviousness of the rich. Despite setbacks, Chris Gardner's perseverance exemplifies the pursuit of the American Dream. Key moments of Chris's resilience include his relentless job search, dedication to his unpaid internship, and unwavering commitment to his son's well-being. His final interview and the moment he is offered a job at Dean Witter are the climax of his journey. The message conveyed is one of hope and resilience, suggesting that while biases exist, they can be overcome with perseverance. Coincidentally, in *Educated*, Tara Westover faces economic hardships and isolation due to her family's distrust of formal education and modern healthcare. Tara's family lives in rural Idaho, eschewing formal education and medical care, which keeps them in a vicious circle of poverty and limits their opportunities to improve their lives. Tara's decision to educate herself and eventually attend college proves the profound benefits of education. She encounters biases within the academic world due to her unconventional background. In Chapter 28, when Tara arrives at King's College in England, she feels out of place and unprepared, struggling to adjust to the expectations of higher education. Professors and peers often dismiss her due to her lack of formal education and unfamiliarity with basic concepts, which illustrates the prejudices faced by those from unconventional or disadvantaged backgrounds. However, Tara's relentless pursuit of knowledge and self-improvement, despite her family's opposition and societal barriers, reflects a similar theme of resilience and determination to Chris to achieve one's dreams against all odds. For her, "The wind is just wind. You could withstand these gusts on the ground, so you can withstand them in the air. There is no difference. Except the difference you make in your head" (Westover 296). Tara's journey from a small, isolated community to earning a PhD from the University of Cambridge demonstrates the power of education and perseverance in overcoming systemic barriers, opening a new door for her to a different world from where she started. For those profoundly accustomed to being entrenched in today's social norms, seeing things from different perspectives can be challenging. *The Pursuit of Happyness* and *Educated* raises critical questions about the fairness of a system that demands extraordinary effort from marginalized individuals to bridge the gap and integrate into our society. They are often judged instead of supported, and we unconsciously expect them to conform to our social standards. Recognizing these implicit biases in economic disparity and marginalized individuals can increase awareness and empathy, encouraging support for systemic changes that foster equity and fairness. --- ## Works Cited * *The Pursuit of Happyness*. Directed by Gabriele Muccino, performances by Will Smith, Thandiwe Newton, and Jaden Smith, Columbia Pictures, 2006. * Westover, Tara. *Educated: A Memoir*. E-Book, Random House, 2018.