The Movie "The Pursuit of Happyness" and the Novel "Theories of Relativity"

In todays society, decisions are very important to everyone. There are times when a person has to make some hard decisions that would hurt a person or a group. Some decisions are big and small depending on the situation that the person is in. Without decision making skills,society cannot function properly. People will be stuck with their problems and be in bondage. The movie demonstrates that decisions play a key role in the movie The Pursuit of Happyness and the novel Theories of Relativity.

In the book, the main character Dylan Wallace ,who is sixteen years old living on the streets and faces challenges like poverty, gang violence, and destructive relationships. In the movie, the main character is a father named Chris Gardner who lives in San Francisco, sells bone density scanner for a living, faces challenges like poverty, broken relationship and betrayal. Both characters were given opportunities to change their lives; their lifestyles are similar but different and both facing betrayal by their families.

Although both Chris and Dylan are faced with adversity on their journey, Chris shows more conviction than Dylan when facing with decisions.

Opportunity gives people the chance to do something good with their lives. In Chris and Dylans life taking an opportunity comes with risks. In the book Glen asks Dylan if he wants to go to the youth center for the school. Dylan gets angry at Glen and grabs the paper from Glen then crumbles it into a ball and throws it to the ground.

Get quality help now

Sweet V

Verified

Proficient in: Poverty

4.9 (984)

“ Ok, let me say I’m extremely satisfy with the result while it was a last minute thing. I really enjoy the effort put in. ”

+84 relevant experts are online

Hire writer

Dylan did this because he was more concerned with staying alive than getting an education. Vulture offers Dylan a place to stay and earn cash if Dylan works for Vulture. However, Dylan tells Vulture no. Dylan tells Vulture that he is not interested because Dylan describes Vulture as a Male teenager who preys on the weak kids on the street.”

I could help you make better money he says. He wants me to join his little street army kids and do his bidding. It pisses him off to no end that I wont (Attard 17) This quote explains why Dylan rejected the offer. That’s why Dylan gave the nickname Vulture to Brenden. In the movie Chris meets a broker from the Dean Witter firm and he tells Chris that he doesn’t need to go to school to become a broker. The broker tells Chris that he should apply for the internship. Chris applies for the internship and made it in the program. Chris needs to do the internship because he has a child to take care of Also, Chris is broke and homeless and he needs to do everything in his power to get the internship. Although Dylan rejected his opportunities to get a better life, Chris was able to get into the program to obtain the broker position. Chris takes and uses opportunities more than Dylan

Chris and Dylan both face the problem of poverty. Both characters face the challenge of being homeless. Before the poverty, Chris and his wife Linda spend their life savings investing on bone density scanners. Both of them had the mentality that, if they buy the scanner and if they sell the scanner to doctors they will get rich. However, as a result, this job made Chris and Linda broke. Linda has to do overtime at the laundromat to help support her family. Similarly, Dylan comes from a broken household with two brothers and three fathers and a mother.

Dylans life is very sad. Dylan has a bad relationship with his mother, but he has a good relationship with his younger brother. In the streets, Dylan faces challenges of gang violence during his time on the streets. Lurch and the Bandana Kids steal Dylans backpack and sleeping bag and beats him up. Lurch and the bandana kids beat up Dylan because Dylan wants Jenna to go with him to Murdock. Both characters have an object that they hold dear. Chriss object is the bone density scanner,since Chris sells the bone scanners for a living.

The profit he makes by selling Bone Density Scanner he used it towards paying rent and bills. Also, Dylan has his backpack. He has his toothbrush, soap, cd player, photographs of Micha and Jordan and his grandparents’ wedding picture.They taken my entire life. They’ve taken -me (Attard 216). This when Dylan got his backpack and his sleeping bag stolen. In addition, both characters demonstrates a positive and negative lifestyle.

Both Chris and Dylan receives help from positive people in their lives. Dylan gets help from Glen in many ways. First, Glen got Dylan a job as a tutor at the computer lab. Second,Glen bought Dylan a cd player for Christmas.Glen wants Dylan to leave the streets because Glen thinks that he is going to die in the streets.Thirdly, Glen bought Micha and Jordan gifts for Christmas. Lastly, Glen bought Dylan bus fare to Murdock. Glen knows that Dylan has potential, and he is smart making theories about people. Likewise, Chris meets Jay Twistle who helps Chris to get internship. In the movie, the taxi scene when Chris enters in the taxi with Jay Twistle where Jay is trying to solve the Rubik’s cube.

But when Jay give the cube to Chris and he was able to solve the cube. This shows how Chris is an intelligent and smart person. Also, Jay Twistle helps him get the interview for the position. Chris’s son ,Christopher,trusts Chris and gives hope that he can get this job to support his child. Without the help of a positive person, both characters wouldnt be successful.Without the help of Jay Twistle Chris would be homeless with his son Christopher.

Dylan shows a lack of conviction than Chris when faces with adversity. Chris takes the opportunity to enter the internship, both Dylan and Chris lifestyles are very sad, and we get to see the challenges they faced. Without the help of a positive person, Chris and Dylan would be in poverty. Chris makes good decisions that benefit him and his child Christopher.Both characters demonstrates that making decisions always come with a sacrifice, you have put yourself before others.