Human Kindness Portrayed In The Blind Side Essay.

The Plot and Characters of The Blind Side

Questions:

1.Describe the Relationships between the Main Characters.

2.Consider and Discuss age related issues.

3.Erik Erickson’s Psychosocial Stages of Development, and relates it to the film by giving at least 4 details Specific example from the film.

4.List and explain Specific issues that affect the Developmental Miles Stones of childhood, adolescence, adulthood and late adulthood as watched in the film.

5.Jean Piaget Cognitive Developmental Stages and relates it to the film by giving at least 4 details Specific example from the film.

6.How could you as a Nurse Support the Main Characters?

7.You must be able to identify how the film relates to the concepts of Human Growth Developement?

8.Describe how these Developmental Stages are demonstrated in the film.

Human kindness is the main theme of this movie. Typical example of this is the provision of shelter to a teenage refugee, Michael Oher, by two brothers, Leigh Anne Tuohy and Sean Tuohy. The disturbed childhood of Michael generates his identity crisis. The major drive behind this is a disturbed childhood, which is reflected from the uncertainty regarding his father and drug addition of the mother (Hancock & Lewis, 2009). The new home, that Michael gets, acts as his escape from the polluted upbringing. Limited education contradicts the new avenues that are opened before him as Leigh Anne becomes his caretaker. Not only this, she plays an important role in exposing his talents in football. Newness in the life of Michael, in the form of abode, teacher, friends, contradicts the stale and suffocative existence.

This movie mainly comprises of three characters, one brother sister pair, a refugee. The bondage between the brother and the sister acts as a subplot for the movie, The Blind Side. This   bondage adversely affected the predicament of the rest of the characters. Along with this, the movie also comprises of the parents of the refugee, who do not have any fixed identity. This is owing to the uncertainty of the father and addition to drugs by mother, who hardly remains in her own senses (Hancock & Lewis, 2009). This uncertainty negates the biological relation of parents and children, which nullifies the natural development of individuals. Countering this, speculation of the relationship between the refugee and the sister, it attains a mother-son relationship as she takes care of his needs, demands and requirements.

Speculation of the relationship that Michael develops with the teachers can be equated with the mother-son relationship. Owing to the drug addiction of his mother, Michael does not receive proper care, nourishment and upbringing, which he finds in Leigh Anne and his teachers (Hancock & Lewis, 2009). Countering this, uncertainty about Michael’s father makes the familial relationships incomplete.

The film witnesses the interaction between characters of different age groups. This is applicable for SJ Collins and the brother –sister pair, Leign Anne Tuohy and Sean Tuohy. They act as parents to children, who go to school along with Michael. This situation can be considered as Michael’s rebirth, as he interacts with the other children of the school (Hancock & Lewis, 2009).

Michael's Psychological Development as Portrayed in The Blind Side

The film bears correlation with Erikson’s stages of development, which provides separate experience to the individuals from infancy to adulthood. The following is an example of the correlation.

Humans, with the advancement of their ages, feel specific issues. As an example, in the period of infancy the babies require the mothers for the fulfillment of their needs. Here, trust is developed in terms of the care provided by the mother and mistrust is developed regarding the safety and security of the surroundings in which the care and nourishment is provided (Newman & Newman, 2014). Therefore, trust and mistrust are the two main attributes of the first stage of infancy as proposed by Erikson. Speculation of Michael’s predicament makes it difficult to calculate his age. This plight of Michael attaches an interrogative tone over his upbringing (Hancock & Lewis, 2009). As a matter of specification, his mother’s drug addiction contradicts the true aspect of motherly love, care and attention, which negates the significance of the first stage. With the gradual advent of maturity, competence versus inferiority grips the developing child. Due to the societal interaction, the child becomes aware of its capabilities. According to the film depictions, Michael, in his developing stage identifies his passion for football. This is due to the inner speculation of self-capabilities as a result of mocking by the other students.

As the individuals progress towards maturity, doubts regarding their identity grips their existence. Within this, evaluation of the exposed performance intensifies the doubt upon the inability to get a proper answer (Cheung, 2013). In view of this, identity crisis is the main attribute of the third stage of development as proposed by Erikson. This proves inappropriate in case of Michael, as due to his talents, he secures fame amidst the whites. Here, the word blind in the name of the movie progresses towards brightness. From the time, Michael gets a secured home, succeeds in his mission, his age attains maturity. In view of this maturity, his development attains a different shade, which is entirely different from the usual conventions of the developmental aspect (Ateah, Cavanaugh & Kail, 2009). This maturity contradicts the threat that this world lacks safety and security of the humans. Michael’s physical appearance is one of the major issues, which compels him to encounter negative outcomes everywhere.  

Independence takes the dependence in the adolescence. Herein, lays the initiation of self-performance of the tasks by Michael under the guidance of Leigh Anne and his teachers.  In this phase, there are high tendencies of deviating from the good values, which reflects the misutilization of the attained independence. This develops shame among the individuals such as Michael, which questions the decisions taken for the attainment of personal development (Cherry, 2012). The subsequent stage acts as an address for the previous stage. The initiatives taken for the achievement of resolutions brings the deviated persons, like Michael back to their journey of life.

With the attainment of maturity, people like Michael come face to face with their neighbors, which highlight the forgotten issue of identity crisis. This generates the feeling of isolation, which aggravates the quest for a secure shelter (Forbes, 2012). The example of this is the encounter with the Leigh Anne and Sean, who reshape Michael’s life into a worthy one.

The Relationship Between Michael and Leigh Anne Tuohy

The main issue in the film is the lack of proper upbringing, which questions the individuality of Michael. This nullifies the cycle of the Erikson’s psychological developmental stages of infancy and adolescence. Moreover, it overpowers mistrust upon trust in terms of the care provided to the children. However, the period of later adolescence requires proper guidance from the parents, as deviation at this stage proves crucial in terms of the development (Cherry, 2012). This is lacking in case of Michael, due to the tragic plight of his parents. In the adolescent stage, children require a helping hand for pursuing their passions. This is true for Michael, as he finds a mother figure in Leigh Anne and the teachers, who provide him with the much needed care, love and attention. The coach can be considered as a father figure. This adds color to his fading familial relationships. In view of this type of upbringing, Michael’s adulthood is full of colors, where he relives his dreams and attains success (Hancock & Lewis, 2009). However, the broad-mindedness of Leigh Anne and Sean aligns with the giant figure of Michael. In view of the broad-mindedness the abnormality of Michael takes a backseat.  

According to Piaget, There are four stages of development, such as, sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational stage and formal operational stage. These stages bear resemblance with the depiction of scenes in the film. In the infant stage, the sensory motor nerves regulate the actions. The action of these nerves compels persons like Michael to use imagination to attain a grasp over the place called world, where mistrust is the main aspect in terms of the societal existence (Jones, Jones & Campo, 2013).

Concrete operational stage supports individuals like Michael to adjust within the land of the whites. This adoption provides concrete idea to Michael regarding his capabilities. This brings newness into Michael’s life. Within this imaginative application, the infants achieve a gradual grasp over the worldly issues, which contradict the plight of Michael. This is owing to the lack of proper upbringing. Receiving a secured and safe shelter enriches the rationality of Michael, which helps him to cope up with the harsh reality of his identity crisis and deal with it (Piaget, Inhelder & Piaget, 2013). Michael’s approach towards the newfound shelter, and his life events, project all the stages of development proposed by Piaget.

Being a nurse, my primary responsibility would be to provide an escape to Micheal from his disturbed childhood. This can be done by applying therapies and communications. These processes possess enough flexibility to provide a sound development, which adds flexibility and firmness in the existence of people like Michael (Newman & Newman, 2014). Their development and success adds value to my role as a healthcare professional in terms of providing quality care and support to the patient and ensuring their security and wellbeing.

Absence of proper care, nourishment by the parents contradicts the true essence of growth and development for Michael. This disqualifies him as an individual, which questions the tag of “human”. However, these aspects attain a positive shade as Michael receives a safe and secure shelter in the home of Leigh Anne Touhy and Sean Touhy (Hancock & Lewis, 2009). Along with this, he finds a mother and a father in the characteristics of Leigh Anne and his teachers respectively. In view of his altercation, the proposed heading seems appropriate.

The chapter and scenes of the movie bears resemblance with the stages of development, which is psychological as well as cognitive. With the advancement of the film, both the types of development go side by side. Interacting with the people in the surrounding brings Michael face to face with his disturbed childhood (Ateah, Cavanaugh & Kail, 2009). However, pursuing his passion overpowers the cognitive development on the psychological development. Success in football helps Micheal to move ahead in life.

The depiction of the film is absolutely perfect. In an age of selfishness, people hardly show kindness to people, who are homeless and have a disturbed childhood. In this perspective, the film is an address to this social issue. The provision of safe and secure shelter to Michael by complete unknown strangers is an act of kindness, which is slowly and gradually becoming obsolete (Hancock & Lewis, 2009). Along with this, the film attains a different shade in terms of personal development, which qualifies the film as recommendable to the psychologically entrapped persons. Watching the film would act as an escape from the psychological disturbances and beautify their existence, adding firmness to their individuality.

References

Ateah, C. A., Cavanaugh, J. C., & Kail, R. V. (2009). Human development: A life-span view. Nelson Education.

Cherry, K. (2012). Erikson's theory of psychosocial development psychosocial development in infancy and early childhood. The New York Times Company. https://psychology. about. com/od/psychosocialtheories/a/psychosocial. htm [26 May 2012].[Links].

Cheung, Y. B. (2013). Statistical analysis of human growth and development. CRC Press.

Forbes, G. B. (2012). Human body composition: growth, aging, nutrition, and activity. Springer Science & Business Media.

Hancock, J.L. & Lewis M. (2009). The Blind Side. USA. Retrieved from https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2igvxe

Jones, K. L., Jones, M. C., & Del Campo, M. (2013). Smith's recognizable patterns of human malformation. Elsevier Health Sciences.

Newman, B. M., & Newman, P. R. (2014). Development through life: A psychosocial approach. Cengage Learning.

Piaget, J., Inhelder, B., & Piaget, J. (2013). The growth of logical thinking from childhood to adolescence: An essay on the construction of formal operational structures (Vol. 84). Routledge.