The Pursuit of Happyness: Analysis

Introduction

Contrary to popular opinion, conflicts are an indispensable element of interpersonal relationships and a crucial tool in building better understanding among participants once appropriate strategies are used wisely. The significance of conflicts is often underrated since, in most cases, the parties involved in it either lack the necessary skills or do not deem them as necessary to be implemented when managing personal issues. By focusing on the needs of the people involved and the nature of a conflict, one will be able to locate the solution that will help to address the concerns of every participant, as the 2006 movie The Pursuit of Happyness shows.

Analysis

Conflict Development

In the movie under analysis, the scene involving a couple arguing over child custody is a classic example of an interpersonal conflict. However, with the application of participative leadership, the leading character manages to reduce the extent of aggression and approach the conflict from a rational perspective. Namely, the disagreement between the husband (Chris) and the wife (Linda) serves as the prime example of conflict mismanagement. The situational context of a conflict indicates that their efforts produce very little effect since there is practically no collaboration and, thus, the context structure is fully disrupted. In addition, the focus of their confrontations is skewed toward personal insults as opposed to careful resolution of the issue. Therefore, instead of using either a relationship-oriented style or a task-oriented style, none of the parties is willing to accept the role of a leader. Instead, they strive to push the responsibility onto each other: I have my things together, and Im taking our son& and were gonna leave now. (The Pursuit of Happyness). As a result, the leader elimination phase occurs before the leader emergence one, which contributes to no resolution and, instead, perpetuates the confrontation.

Escalation

The absence of productive conflict and, as a result, the failure to establish a clear course for goal-setting and the introduction of a productive conflict technique is also evident in the relationships between Chris and Linda. On a deeper level, the specified problem can be observed even within Chris as a manifestation of his inner struggle as he strives to grow personally, evolving from an Expeditor, who exacerbates the conflict, to an Interpreter, who is trying to make sense of it, to a Harmonizer, who learns to reconcile with himself and his family members: You got a dream& You gotta protect it (The Pursuit of Happyness). Consequently, the couple repeatedly fails to find the common language and the grounds based on which they can structure their relationships, which leads to the dissipation of the latter.

However, due to Chriss indecisiveness, he prefers escapism to the productive conflict management strategy. As Chris explains in his attempts at grappling with the situation and pondering over the existing alternatives, When I was younger& I wanna see Jimi Hendrix do that guitar on fire (The Pursuit of Happyness). Arguably, the described scene exemplifies the significance of maintenance group roles in peoples lives as the source of support when they experience psychological challenges. At the same time, the significance of task group roles as the framework allowing one to get priorities in line is shown in the specified scene since, without them, Will Smiths character is completely at a loss.

Realization

Finally, when approaching the denouement of the movie, the problem components are aligned as one will realize that Chris manages to resolve the conflict within him, which used to tear his very essence and the relationships within his family asunder, thus allowing him to reconcile with his family and himself. Remarkably, Chris no longer views mending the relationships with his wife and continuing to live together as the end goal, which means that his perception of task difficulty has been reduced. Instead, he is ready to proceed with blazing his trail and learning to leave the past behind him, while also cherishing family-related memories and caring for his son (14.1 Leadership and Small Group Communication). Specifically, Chris is now capable of outlining the problem statement in his life and asking an adequate problem question that will guide him to the eventual solution. By acknowledging and accepting his emotions, Chris develops the ability to approach his family confrontations from the position of reason, while also being understanding of the emotional factors driving the conflict. The observed change is especially evident in the following line: This part of my life& This little part, is called Happyness. (The Pursuit of Happyness). Thus, Chris demonstrates that he is capable of embracing his own emotional needs, rebuilding relationships with his son, and meeting the consensus rule, which will help him to manage confrontations directly.

Conclusion

Due to the constant focus on the nature of the conflict between the leading characters, as well as the introspect into the confrontation within the protagonist, The Pursuit of Happyness hits all the marks of an outstanding movie. The film provides an in-depth analysis of how conflicts occur, how they can be resolved, and what may cause one to lock oneself in a perpetual cycle of an internal conflict. Thus, the film offers a crucial experience of managing disagreements and mending relationships with loved ones, while also resolving personal issues and learning to embrace ones nature. Thus, one can start addressing ones flaws and learn to cooperate with others, reducing the probability of confrontations and creating a happier environment.