Black American Awareness: Never Cease To Pursue Happiness In Afflicting Reality

This paper analyzes two popular black films-The Pursuit of Happyness and Coach Carter and falls into six chapters. In Chapter One, the background of The Pursuit of Happiness and the social stratification are introduced. In Chapter Two, the economic root of unhappiness in a black family is analyzed while their pursuit of happiness reflects the struggle of the common black from the bottom to a higher status. In Chapter Three, different symbols in The Pursuit of Happyness are analyzed in order to strengthen the theme. In Chapter Four, Coach Carter, the other film is in nature another American dream to pursue happiness in a different social setting among a group of black teenagers in search of their identity. In Chapter Five, the two films are compared concerning the theme, the social background, the symbols and the age disparity. In Chapter Six, it is concluded that the two films reflect the black awareness of struggling for their happiness as well as the conflict between individual desire and the external forces.The films expose some entrenched atrocious social evils and the distinct social stratification in the United States mixed with the problems of the black such as familial separation, work-related stress, the loss of traditional morality among the black teenagers and their lack of proper education by the black families and schools. The films explore the living conditions, ordinary life and the view of the world of the black in low social positions of various ages. They pursue their American dreams with self-respect and decent social values regardless of the social problems and personal frustrations in their life. The films also present how an individual struggles to accomplish his own desire in conflict with the tough elements from the irresistible social forces in a more complicated sense. Basically, the films center on the individual fulfillments, growth and maturity in pursuit of American dream and happiness.