Social Stratification and Inequality in 'The Pursuit of Happyness'

In the film The Pursuit of Happyness, there is significant evidence of social stratification and inequality represented throughout. It is clear from the beginning that Chris and his family are part of the lower working class, eventually living in absolute poverty as they didn’t have enough money to stay in a secure place so they had to go to a shelter.

According to the Conflict Theory, social stratification benefits the rich and powerful at the expense of the poor, creating a system that is maintained by those who are on the top. The people who are on the bottom do not get a fair chance to compete and are stuck at the bottom. In the film, Chris starts his journey at the bottom as he is part of the lower class, a struggling salesman and becoming a single father. His circumstances put him at a disadvantage against his peers when he begins his unpaid internship at Dean Witter Reynolds stock brokerage. Because he is competing with people of a higher class for a job at the firm, Chris hid his lower-class identity to be considered for a position, while secretly struggling and living between shelters. This shows the power of the upper class over the lower.

The Functionalist Theory sees stratification as different aspects of society exist because they serve a needed purpose. This essentially means that the most qualified people in society fill the most important positions. This is true in the film as all the employees at the brokerage have at least a post-secondary education and degree. An example of this theory in the film is when Jay Twizzle originally didn’t want to give Chris a chance in the internship program until Chis impressed him with the Rubix Cube and then, gives him a chance. The Dean Witter Company also proves to be an example of the functionalist theory as the interns get the chance to learn a new trade, with the hopes of receiving the one available job at the end of their internship. The brokers, gain unpaid employees that are performing at their best. Then, in the end, the brokers get to choose the best individual, bringing an asset to the company. When Chris got the job at the company, it also represents an open class system because he started off as an entrepreneur selling bone density scanners and worked his way up to a higher social class. This is functional as it benefits both parties.

The Symbolic Interactionism Theory helps explain social stratification of how people’s social standing affects their everyday interactions and how an individual’s appearance reflects their perceived social standing. An important example of this in the movie is when Chris shows up to his interview with the brokerage in paint covered jeans and a tank top from the day before. Chris showed up in this outfit knowing he would stand out from the other people and would be perceived as less than because of his appearance. Despite knowing he didn’t look his best for the important interview, he still showed up because he wanted the chance to do better for his family and this was an opportunity for him to do so. After Chris gets a spot in the internship program, to keep up with the symbol of what a successful businessman looks like, Chris alternates his only two suits, pretends other cars are his own and runs from a taxi after pretending he was able to pay the bill for the brokers’ ride. Chris had offered to pay the taxi fee to represent the image of a successful businessman, even though he didn’t have the money to do so. If he had been honest that he didn’t have the extra money to spare, he might have been seen as a lower class man, destroying his chances of winning the job.

Throughout the film, there were times where there were obvious differences in classes represented. For example, the beginning of the film features clips that contrast working businessmen and people on the street who appear to be homeless or doing something for money. Another clear contrast in class was when the film showed a group of teenagers laughing in a convertible that was driving past the line for the shelter where the mood was sombre and appeared to be in a poor part of town. Finally, the film also showed how Chris and his son’s bus route, go through a nice area before reaching the poorer area in which they live which shows the contrast of classes.

In conclusion, In spite of all his troubles, Chris succeeds, landing his dream job which means a secure life for him and his son. The film The Pursuit of Happyness offers examples of the theoretical explanations of social stratification and inequality that are factors in Chris’ journey to achieve his goal of providing a better life for his family.