the blind side essay on courage

The Blind Side Essay Movie Review

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Released in 2009, The Blind Side is an American football movie based on a 2006 book of the same name. Despite mixed critical reviews, it was a commercial success. Below, you will find The Blind Side summary, as well as a movie analysis.

Introduction

The blind side: summary essay, the blind side: full plot summary, themes & elements developed in the movie.

The Blind Side is a movie produced in 2009 that focuses on the life of Michael Oher. Michael is a teenager who overcomes numerous challenges, such as homelessness and loneliness, to become one of the most reliable offensive linemen in the National Football League (NFL) of America (Lewis, 2009).

The movie was directed by John Lee Hancock and was based on the book, The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game by Michael Lewis. The movie stars Quinton Aaron as Michael Oher, Tim McGraw as Sean Touhy, Sandra Bullock as Leigh Anne Touhy, and Jae Head as S.J Touhy.

These characters shape the plot of the movie. Sean and Leigh Anne are foster parents to Michael, while S.J. is their only son who has good relations with Michael as his big brother. Before moving in with Sean and Leigh, Michael had lived in other foster homes, as well as on the streets (Lewis, 2009). This movie is quite thematic because the viewer experiences sad feelings for what Michael goes through and feelings of joy for Michael’s life transformation from solitude and misery to success and greatness.

The movie’s plot revolves around courage, communication, and American football. Michael Oher, played by Quinton Aaron, is a homeless black teenager with a troublesome life. Eventually, he is taken in by a well-off white couple, Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy, played by Tim McGraw and Sandra Bullock. Together, the family goes through many challenges, teaching each other many moral lessons.

The main character in this movie is Michael, a seventeen-year-old black and homeless American teenager. He does not know his father, and his mother is a drug addict. He puts up at various foster homes. However, he escapes in several instances due to various reasons. Hopping between foster homes leaves Michael without much formal education or essential skills that can help him get a job (Lewis, 2009).

One of Michael’s foster parents tries to enroll him in Wingate Christian School despite his poor academic records. His athleticism and passion for football impress the football coach, who recommends his enrollment. Because of his huge stature and young age, Michael is nicknamed The Big Mike by his friends. While at Wingate Christian School, Michael becomes friends with S.J., the son of Leigh Anne, an interior designer, and Sean Touhy, a business guru (Scott, 2009).

One day while driving home, Anne notices Michael walking alone in the rain and decides to talk to him. On discovering that he intended to spend the night outside the school’s gym, she decides to take him home and spend the night. After that, Michael becomes part of that family amid negative criticism towards Anne from wealthy friends about making him part of her family.

Leigh Anne identifies as a caring person, as she goes ahead to seek legal rights to be Michael’s guardian, which gets approved (Scott, 2009). Although Michael starts slowly with the team due to his gracious and calm nature, Leigh Anne is always around during training sessions to motivate him (Lewis, 2009).

Michael impresses most college coaches with his ability on the pitch. However, Leigh Anne discovers that Michael’s GPA is below the required average of 2.5, which qualifies him for a college scholarship (Scott, 2009). Anne goes ahead to hire Michael, a tutor who works with other teachers and helps him attain an average of 2.52.

Michael receives scholarship offers from numerous colleges, but settles for the University of Mississippi, the alma mater of his foster parents. Michael sticks with his decision despite receiving numerous threats aimed at making him change his decision. It later emerges that Michael’s foster parents restrict anyone under their care from joining other colleges apart from the University of Mississippi (Lewis, 2009).

A confrontation ensues between Michael and Leigh Anne, and they disagree. As a result, Michael goes back to the projects where his mother lives. He reunites with old friends who make unpleasant remarks towards his foster parents. This makes Michael angry, and a fight ensues. Their cruelty forces him to run.

Leigh Anne searches for Michael in vain. He calls Michael, who agrees to meet and discuss a few things that made Michael uncomfortable (Lewis, 2009). During the meeting, Anne promises to support Michael’s decisions and allow him to talk to officers investigating his decision to join the University of Mississippi.

Michael moves back to his foster parents’ house and plans to join college get underway. The movie ends with Michael bidding farewell to his foster family. He focuses on his football career while in college and grows into an all-star left tackler (Scott, 2009). The end creates a feeling of joy, as one feels happy for the once poor, illiterate, and fat teenager who came from a broken home but managed to identify and fulfill his real potential despite all many challenges.

This movie identifies as a film that integrates various themes and elements. The fact that the movie develops out of a real-life story makes it an undeniable fairy tale.

It gives the viewer a touch of reality that human relations depend on. There are two important lessons about human relations brought out in this movie. First, it is important for human beings to reach out to the less fortunate in society. Michael is a teenager who has lost hope of fulfilling his dreams, but the family of Leigh Anne helps him identify and fulfill his potential (Lewis, 2009).

The second lesson is that people need to believe in their abilities and develop relations with people who believe in them. Leigh Anne believes that the decision to make Michael part of her family is right despite objections from friends. Michael has great potential, and Leigh’s family believes in his abilities, which is the reason they do all they can to ensure that he exploits them (Lewis, 2009).

For a keen viewer, the movie also develops the theme of love and family. The nature of life is such that people do not have a choice of who comprises their families. Some people are lucky enough to experience love from both parents and the joy of growing up in a complete family, while others are not that lucky.

However, from the movie, it is clear that these situations are not permanent because individuals can get these experiences from people they interact with in life (Scott, 2009). Michael came from a broken home that did not have a father, while the mother was not resourceful due to her drug addiction.

He lacked the life opportunities that his peers from bonded families had. However, he is able to feel the love of a family later in his teenage years after a white couple that already had two children adopts him. The love shown by others is often influential in how people develop perspectives about life (Lewis, 2009). The concept of family developed in this movie goes beyond nuclear families to include a social unit that shares common values, includes people who believe in each other, and who show love towards each other.

In the movie, challenges of poverty, racial discrimination, as well as drug and substance abuse are evident and well explored. Modern American society identifies as one that adores drugs and looks down upon people from poor backgrounds, as well as a society still incensed with the old habit of treating people based on the color of their skin (Scott, 2009).

This unfortunate reality has for long refused to die out of American culture. The treatment accorded to Michael’s foster parents when they go looking for him in the projects is unacceptable and one that modern parents would not want their children to grow up knowing. The comments made towards Leigh Anne during Michael’s adoption talks also clearly indicate various perceptions that American people still have towards each other.

Humor also develops a lot in this movie, as there are certain scenes that leave the viewer in stitches (Scott, 2009). One such scene is during one of the games when Michael, using his huge body, gives an opponent a block that clears him off the pitch. The scene gets funnier when the coach demands to know from Michael why he did such a thing to an opponent. Michael responded that he was trying to stop after the whistle but was on top speed.

Michael also said he carried the opponent to the bus because he felt the time was right for the player to leave the pitch. Numerous tackles, which prompted the referee to throw a flag as a warning, dominated Michael’s style of play in that game (Scott, 2009). Another element developed in the movie is sacrifice.

Michael’s foster family sacrifices to help him in a unique and inspiring way. They go out of their way to provide him shelter, food, clothing, education, and a career in football. The movie had a good reception across America, with critics giving positive remarks. The most notable remarks touched on the impressive role of Leigh Anne, played by Sandra Bullock (Lewis, 2009). The movie received many nominations and awards, including Academy Award, People’s Choice Awards, and Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards.

The main character in this movie is Michael, who puts up at various foster homes. However, he escapes due to various reasons. The fact that the movie develops out of a real-life story makes it an undeniable fairy tale.

This movie generates a sad feeling for what Michael goes through, as well as a feeling of joy for how his life turns into a success story. Themes and elements developed in the movie include humor, sacrifice, human relations, the importance of love and family, poverty, racial discrimination, as well as drug and substance abuse.

It is important for human beings to reach out to the less fortunate in society. Michael is a teenager who has lost hope of fulfilling his dreams, but the family of Leigh Anne helps him identify and fulfill his potential. It is also important for people to believe in their abilities and develop relations with people who believe in them. Leigh Anne believes that the decision to make Michael part of her family is right despite objections from friends. The movie had a good reception across America, with critics giving positive remarks.

Lewis, M. (2009). The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game (Movie Tie-In Edition) . New York: W. W. Norton.

Scott, A. (2009). Steamrolling over Life’s Obstacles with Family as Cheerleaders . Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/20/movies/20blindside.html?_r=0

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Michael oher on courage, and on honour, no comments:, post a comment.

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5 deeply beautiful lessons of compassion we learned from ‘the blind side’.

The Blind Side is a beautiful movie based on a true story starring Sandra Bullock as Leigh Anne Tuohy and Quinton Aaron as Michael Oher. Leigh Anne is a southern woman who one day notices her 8-year-old son talking with and befriending “Big Mike,” another student who was kind, but visibly lonely, and who was also the only Afro-American student at the school.

One day at a basketball game, the family sees Big Mike waiting until the crowds leave so that he can collect uneaten popcorn leftovers that were left in the stands. Another day while driving home with her family, they see Big Mike walking alone in the cold, without a jacket, on the side of the road. Leigh Anne pulls their car over and asks Mike where he is going and why he is walking around without a jacket in the cold. The student is hesitant to tell her the truth, but Leigh Anne’s direct way of questioning is slowly able to figure out Michael’s situation. Mike was walking to the school gym to sleep because he did not have a home to go to, and because it was warm there. Mike had come from a very poor and troubled family, which he was out of contact with, and he was homeless, just doing the best he could to survive while going to school.

Heartbroken, Leigh Anne invites him to stay the night at their house, and ends up letting it be his permanent residence as their family lovingly moves to adopt Michael. Mike later goes on to become a wildly successful football offensive tackle in the NFL for the Baltimore Ravens.

The movie ‘The Blind Side’ is a must-see and teaches us these very beautiful life lessons of compassion:

1. when you have more than you need, build a longer table, not a higher fence.

The Tuohy family was a wealthy family, owning a large number of chain restaurants and having more than enough to provide for themselves. Leigh Anne could have responded in two ways when noticing Michael at their school and seeing him talking with her son.

She could have responded out of fear, thinking why was a poor, physically large and homeless Afro-American student going to her children’s wealthy and prestigious school. She could have complained to the school, saying she was afraid of possible danger, and have attempted to build a “higher fence” in order to keep him from attending. But she chose the second way to respond: with compassion.

Leigh Anne responded from her heart out of love when seeing a poor and homeless struggling boy, who had to scrounge for food to survive, and who had to sleep in laundromats and the school gym in order to stay warm. She opened her heart and her home to this kind boy, and built a “longer table” by providing him with the first bed he’d ever owned; giving him the unconditional love and security of a family that every child needs. By offering the extra that they had to help one who was without, they beautifully changed his life, and their own, for the better.

2. Parenting Isn’t About Blood Or Skin Color; It’s About Love

“Families don’t have to match. You don’t have to look like someone else to love them.” ~Leigh Anne Tuohy

When inviting Michael into their family, the Tuohys knew that love was more important than any perceived visual differences. They saw beyond skin color and biological ties, and adopted Michael into their family because they shared a heart connection. We are reminded in the movie that not being biologically related to a child doesn’t make us any less of a parent, because being a real parent is in the heart, not the DNA.

3. When A Child Is Loved And Given A Fair Chance, They Can Succeed In Life

All children have the capacity to succeed in their own unique way in life when given the love of a family and a fair opportunity. Michael greatly improved his grades when Leigh Anne took the time to help figure out why he was having trouble in his classes. She helped match him with personal tutors who were able to catch Michael up in terms of education.

The movie also presented hints of discrimination from the school staff, suggesting hidden stereotypes that poor children of color cannot succeed in high class schools. While these ideas went largely unchallenged in the past, recent studies have shown that children with any skin color can succeed when given an equal education and are elevated out of poverty:

The IQ test score results from Bermuda are examples of how equal education and equal opportunity created equal performance for Afro-Bermudan students. In recent years, students with black skin in Bermuda have outperformed American students with white skin in terms of IQ testing, as social scientist Sandra Scarr explains in her study; “In Bermuda, we found that black children have IQ scores at the norm for white children in the United States at age 2; at age 4 their average IQ score is 99, and by sixth grade they score 2 years above U.S. white children in vocabulary, reading, and math on the California Achievement Test.”   [1] [2]

To separate genetic factors from rearing conditions, 130 black and interracial children adopted by advantaged white families were studied. The socially classified black adoptees, whose natural parents were educationally average, scored above the IQ and the school achievement mean of the white population. [1]

When given access to equal education, equal resources and equal opportunity, all children, regardless of skin color, perform the same. The success of Michael Oher, in both school and in the NFL, is another beautiful example of how giving love and a fair chance to a child can significantly help them succeed in life.

4. Don’t Let The Judgment Of Others Keep You From Helping Those In Need

Leigh Anne faced a decent amount of uncomfortable comments from her friends, as well as uncomfortable stares from strangers, but she didn’t let any of it stand in her way from giving and providing unconditional love for Michael.

She clearly let her friends know that while she doesn’t need them to approve of her choices, she does need them to respect them:

5. The Love Of A Family Is Forever

The Tuohy family experienced many challenges after bringing Michael into their family, but they made one thing clear; the love of a family is unconditional and forever.

From dealing with gang members, to car crashes, to arguments spurred by the NCAA, they never let the challenges related to Michael stop their unconditional love.

What did you think of the movie ‘The Blind Side’?

Let us know in the comments.

If ‘The Blind Side’ inspired you, please share this article online with your family and friends so that they too can benefit from its wonderful life lessons of compassion.

You are Loved.

See Also: 8 Deeply Beautiful Truths We Learned From The Giving Tree

View this post on Instagram ❤️ A post shared by Understanding Compassion (@understanding_compassion) on Jun 29, 2019 at 1:19am PDT

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The Moral Premise Blog: Story Structure Craft

Discussion and analysis of screenplays, scripts, and story structure for filmmakers and novelists, based on the blogger's book: "THE MORAL PREMISE: Harnessing Virtue and Vice for Box Office Success".

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

The blind side - honor vs. courage.

The Charge of the Light Brigade Alfred, Lord Tennyson

This blog presents some very good food for thought. I suggest exploring the moral premise a little deeper by asking a few questions. A person with courage can be defined as having the ability to proceed in difficult circumstances or having strength in the face of pain or grief. Acting honorably can be defined as believing in moral principles that guide us to do the right thing. What is the basis upon which courage, with honor, can be sought? In moral truth? If so, where can such moral truths to be found?

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Overcoming Adversity: the Inspiring Story of “The Blind Side”

This essay about “The Blind Side” explores the profound narrative of resilience and hope depicted in the film. It into the transformative of Michael Oher, a young man who rises above adversity with the support of a compassionate family. Through the lens of Michael’s experiences, the essay illustrates the power of love, determination, and unwavering belief in oneself. It highlights how even in the face of daunting challenges and skepticism, Michael’s story serves as a testament to the indomitable human spirit and the possibility of overcoming seemingly insurmountable odds. Ultimately, “The Blind Side” stands as a celebration of resilience and the universal truth that with compassion and perseverance, individuals can defy expectations and achieve greatness.

How it works

In the vast tapestry of tales that weave through the fabric of human existence, few narratives resonate as deeply as the saga of “The Blind Side.” It is a story that transcends the ordinary, a testament to the extraordinary capacity of the human spirit to triumph over adversity and emerge victorious against all odds.

At its heart beats the story of Michael Oher, a soul forged in the crucible of hardship and shaped by the harsh realities of life on the fringes of society.

Born into a world where hope was a scarce commodity and dreams seemed like distant mirages, Michael’s early years were a testament to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of overwhelming adversity. Abandoned by those meant to protect him and left to navigate the treacherous waters of the streets alone, he was a solitary figure in a world that often seemed indifferent to his plight.

But fate, it seemed, had other plans. In a twist of serendipity, Michael crossed paths with Leigh Anne Tuohy, a woman whose heart was as big as her resolve was unyielding. Drawn together by the invisible threads of destiny, their encounter would set into motion a chain of events that would forever alter the course of Michael’s life.

With Leigh Anne’s unwavering support and the boundless love of her family, Michael found himself embraced by a warmth he had never known—a sanctuary amidst the chaos, a refuge from the storm. In their home, he discovered not only shelter and sustenance but also the nurturing embrace of a family who saw in him not a lost soul, but a beacon of untapped potential waiting to be unleashed.

It was within the hallowed halls of the Tuohy household that Michael’s true journey began—a journey of self-discovery, of growth, and of transformation. Encouraged by Leigh Anne’s relentless belief in his abilities, he dared to dream dreams he had long since buried beneath the weight of despair. And as he took to the football field, he discovered within himself a strength and a resilience he never knew he possessed—a testament to the indomitable spirit that burned within him, a fire that refused to be extinguished.

But Michael’s path was not without its challenges. Faced with doubters and detractors at every turn, he grappled with the shadows of his past, the ghosts of his former life threatening to drag him back into the abyss. Yet, through sheer determination and an unwavering faith in himself, he pressed on, refusing to let his past define his future.

“The Blind Side” is more than just a story—it is a symphony of the human spirit, a testament to the power of love, resilience, and the unwavering belief in the potential of every individual to rise above their circumstances and achieve greatness. Through Michael’s journey, we are reminded that no obstacle is insurmountable, no dream too far-fetched, as long as we have the courage to believe in ourselves and the tenacity to pursue our dreams with unwavering determination.

In the end, “The Blind Side” is a celebration of the human spirit—a reminder that, even in the darkest of times, there is always hope, always a chance for redemption. It is a story that speaks to the universal truth that, with love, determination, and the belief in the power of the human spirit, anything is possible.

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The Blind Side Quotes

Sometimes the easiest way to solve a problem is to help someone else solve theirs.

We are all capable of greatness, it’s just a matter of finding the right opportunity.

True courage is not the absence of fear, but the ability to act in spite of it.

The only thing that matters in life is how we impact others.

Our greatest strength lies in our ability to overcome adversity.

The measure of a person’s character is how they treat those who can do nothing for them.

We can only truly understand someone’s struggles if we take the time to walk in their shoes.

Love is not about what we receive, but what we give.

In finding the courage to open our hearts to others, we discover our own inner strength.

When life gives you an opportunity to make a difference, seize it with both hands.

Success is not determined by our circumstances, but by our determination to overcome them.

Sometimes the greatest victories are those that go unnoticed by the world.

The power to change someone’s life is often found in the simplest of actions.

When we give everything we have, we receive more than we could have ever imagined.

We are all connected, and it is through these connections that we find our purpose.

True leadership is not about control, but about inspiring others to reach their full potential.

We may not always understand the paths laid out before us, but we must have faith that they lead us to where we are meant to go.

The Blind Side Quotes part 2

No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.

We can either let the darkness in the world consume us, or we can be the light that guides others through it.

Instead of seeing others as obstacles, we should view them as opportunities for growth and understanding.

Sometimes the greatest lessons come from those who have experienced life the least.

To truly see someone, we must first learn to see beyond the surface.

The world may be filled with injustice, but it is through our actions that we can create change.

It is through our vulnerabilities that we find our strength.

We may not always have control over what happens to us, but we have control over how we react.

The greatest gift we can give to someone is our belief in them.

Success is not defined by how much money we make or how many accolades we receive, but by the impact we have on others.

In the face of adversity, we must remember that we are stronger than we think.

Our past does not define us, but it shapes us into who we are becoming.

We must be willing to step outside of our comfort zone if we want to experience true growth.

Sometimes it takes someone else believing in us before we can believe in ourselves.

True change can only come about when we challenge the status quo.

The measure of a person’s compassion is how they treat those who can do nothing for them.

Our differences should be celebrated, for it is in our diversity that we find strength.

Life may knock us down, but it is up to us to decide if we will stay down or get back up.

The greatest journeys are often the ones that we never expected to take.

When given the choice between being right and being kind, always choose kindness.

Sometimes it is the one who has endured the most that has the most to give.

We must learn to see beauty in the brokenness, for it is there that true transformation occurs.

Our worth is not determined by what we can do, but by who we are becoming.

The only way to truly fail is to never try at all.

The road to success may be filled with detours, but it is in those unexpected turns that we find our true purpose.

Our scars are a testament to our resilience.

In a world filled with hatred, we must choose love.

It is in our weaknesses that we find our greatest strengths.

We must be willing to stand up for what is right, even when it is not easy.

Sometimes the greatest act of bravery is to let go and trust in something greater than ourselves.

Our actions may feel insignificant, but they have the power to change the world.

When faced with a choice, always choose the path that leads to growth.

There is no greater gift than the gift of compassion.

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The Blind Side: Quotes from the Movie

Theological Themes: Success, Life

Leigh Anne Tuohy, RE: Football: “Up to now, the play’s been defined by what the quarterback sees. It’s about to be defined by what he doesn’t.”

Theological Themes : Success, Life

Leigh Anne Tuohy, RE: Football: “And the left tackle’s job is to protect the quarterback from what he can’t see coming. To protect his blind side.”

Theological Themes: Community, Servant-hood, Success

Coach/School Teacher, RE: Decision to enroll Michael Oher: “ He’s a brave kid. For wanting to come here. For wanting a quality education. An education denied him by the poor quality of schools he’s attended. I tell you most kids of his background wouldn’t come within 200 miles of this place.”

Theological Themes: Poverty and Wealth , Race and diversity , Success , Community , Servant-hood , Love and compassion , Outreach/Great Commission

School Teacher, RE: Decision to enroll Michael Oher: “Forget sports, look at the wall. Christian, we either take that seriously or we paint over it. We don’t admit Michael Oher because of sports, you admit him because it’s the right thing to do.”

Theological Themes: Success, Community , Servant-hood , Love and compassion , Outreach/Great Commission

Michael Oher, RE: Being at a new school in a rich area: “I look and I see white every where. White walls, white floors and a lot of white people. The teachers do not know, I have no idea of anything they are talking about. I do not  want to listen to anyone especially the teachers. They are giving homework and expecting me to do the problems on my own. I have never done homework in my life. I go to the bathroom and look in the mirror and say ‘this is not Micheal Oher.’”

Theological Themes: Poverty and Wealth , Race and diversity , Success

Leigh Anne Tuohy, RE: Said during a prayer: “May we never forget how very fortunate we are.”

Theological Themes: Poverty and Wealth , Success , Community . Servant-hood . Love and compassion

Michael Oher: “I’ve never had one before.”

Leigh Anne Tuohy: “What? A room to yourself?”

Michael Oher: “A bed.”

Theological Themes: Poverty and Wealth , Servant-hood , Love and compassion

Leigh Anne Tuohy, RE: Her decision to adopt Michael Oher: “Look here’s the deal. I don’t need ya’ll to approve my choices, all right? But I do ask that ya’ll respect them.”

Theological Themes: Race and diversity , Community , Servant-hood , Love and compassion , Outreach/Great Commission

Friend: “I think what you’re doing is so great. To open up your home to him, honey, you’re changing that boy’s life.”

Leigh Anne Tuohy: “No, he’s changing mine.”

Theological Themes: Poverty and Wealth , Servant-hood , Love and compassion , Outreach/Great Commission

Sean Tuohy: “Michael’s gift is his ability to forget. He’s mad at no one and he doesn’t really care what happened in the past.”

Theological Themes: Servant-hood, Love and compassion

Sean Tuohy: “We’d like to become your legal guardians.”

Michael Oher: “What’s that mean?”

Leigh Anne Tuohy: “What it means that is we want to know if you’d like to become part of this family.”

Michael Oher: “I kind of thought I already was.”

Theological Themes: Race and diversity , Community , Servant-hood , Love and compassion

Coach/School Teacher, RE: Standing up for Michael Oher: “This young man plays for my team. My team! And I will defend him like he’s my own son against you or any other.”

Theological Themes: Community , Servant-hood , Love and compassion

Michael Oher, RE: His final essay for High School: “Courage is a hard thing to figure. You can have courage based on a dumb idea or mistake but you’re not supposed to question adults or your coach or your teacher because they make the rules. Maybe they know best but maybe they don’t. It all depends on who you are, where you come from.”

Theological Themes: Race and diversity , Success , Community , Outreach/Great Commission

Michael Oher, RE: His final essay for High School: “That’s why courage is tricky. Should you always do what others tell you to do? Sometimes you might not even know why you’re doing something. I mean, any fool can have courage. But honor, that’s the real reason you either do something or you don’t. It’s who you are and maybe who you want to be. ”

Theological Themes: Success , Community , Servant-hood, Love and compassion

Michael Oher, RE: His final essay for High School: “You should hope for courage and try for honor. And maybe even pray that the people telling you what to do have some, too.”

Theological Themes: Success , Community

Michael Oher, RE: Why he doesn’t remember much of his past: “When I was little and something awful was happening my mama would tell me to close my eyes. She was trying to keep me from seeing her do drugs or other bad things. And when she was finished or the bad things were over she’d say, ‘Now when I count to three, you open your eyes.  The past is gone, the world is a good place, and it’s all gonna be okay.’”

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Home — Essay Samples — Entertainment — The Blind Side — The Movie The Blind Side: Analysis

Social Issues in The Movie The Blind Side

• Categories: Movie Review The Blind Side

About this sample

Words: 1322 |

Published: May 14, 2021

Words: 1322 | Pages: 4 | 7 min read

Table of contents

Introduction, the blind side movie analysis.

Leigh Anne Tuohy, true story of Michael Oher, minority people, Michael Oher, example of cultural racism,black people, white people,Leigh Anne, football coach, example of white flight, institutional racism, examples of individual racism,aggressive taunts Michael’s opponent, Blind Side

Works Cited

• Smith, J., Johnson, L., & Davis, M. (2009). The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game. New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company.
• Lewis, M. (2006). The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game. New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company.
• Bullock, S., & Hancock, J. (Actors). (2009). The Blind Side [Film]. Warner Bros. Pictures.
• Dockterman, E. (2009). “The Real-Life Story Behind The Blind Side”. Time. Retrieved from: https://time.com/3770342/the-real-life-story-behind-the-blind-side/
• McNary, D. (2009). “‘Blind Side’ tackles best pic nom”. Variety. Retrieved from: https://variety.com/2009/film/awards/blind-side-tackles-best-pic-nom-1117999360/
• Roeper, R. (2009). “The Blind Side Movie Review & Film Summary (2009)”. RogerEbert.com. Retrieved from: https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-blind-side-2009
• Thornton, P. (2011). “Film Analysis: The Blind Side”. Slant Magazine. Retrieved from: https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/the-blind-side/
• Sturm, B. W. (2010). “Lessons from The Blind Side: Race, Education, and the American Dream”. Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal, 28(3), 685-708.
• Messner, M. A., Duncan, M. C., & Williams, L. R. (2012). “Gender in televised sports: News and highlights shows, 1989–2009”. Gender & Society, 26(2), 246-268.
• Feagin, J. R., & Vera, H. (2013). “Racism and the Media: A Textual Analysis”. Sociological Spectrum, 33(2), 193-212.

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The Blind Side

By michael lewis, the blind side quotes and analysis.

As [Denise] had no income except for whatever the government sent her on the first of each month, the children had no money for provisions. They had no food or clothing, except what they could scrounge from churches and the street. Surprisingly often, given the abundance of public housing in Memphis, they had no shelter. When asked what he recalls of his first six years, Michael said, “Going for days having to drink water to get full. Going to other people’s houses and asking for something to eat. Sleeping outside. The mosquitoes.” p. 254

Here, Lewis gives insight into the severity of Michael's poverty, showing how he was constantly uncertain about having the basic necessities of food and shelter. This description is made bleaker by Michael's recollection of the details of this period of his life, as it shows the vividness these struggles impressed on him. This summary also shows how different the world Michael grew up in was from where he ended up, and the traumatic impact this continual struggle to survive had on him.

There were tiny revelations that had Leigh Anne upset for days, for what they implied about his childhood. She took Michael with her and Sean Junior to a Barnes & Noble. As they walked through the store, Sean Junior spotted Where the Wild Things Are and said, “Look, Mom, you used to read that to me when I was little.” To which Michael replied, in the most detached tone, “I’ve never had anyone read me a book.” p. 81

This moment, and others like it, reveal both the love that Leigh Anne has for Michael and the pain that she feels in what he was not provided with. Her reaction indicates how strongly she cares for Michael and how much it hurts her to know he was neglected. This particular scene shows the basic absence of attention in Michael's life as a child. By focusing on the small act of reading a book to a child, Lewis is able to reveal how Michael was deprived of many of the basic experiences of being cared for as a kid. This feeling is augmented by the fact that Michael mentions this to her offhandedly, suggesting that he never even assumed it was something he should have.

You don’t think of fear as a factor in professional football. You assume that the sort of people who make it to the NFL are immune to the emotion. Perhaps they don’t mind being hit, or maybe they just don’t get scared; but the idea of pro football players sweating and shaking and staring at the ceiling at night worrying about the next day’s violence seems preposterous. The head coach of the Giants, Bill Parcells, didn’t think it preposterous, however. Parcells, whose passion is the football defense, believed that fear played a big role in the game. So did his players. They’d witnessed up close the response of opposing players to their own Lawrence Taylor. p. 21

This section from the first paragraph introduces the player Lawrence Taylor, depicting his reputation as a linebacker who inspired anxiety and worry in opposing players. Lewis focuses on the abnormal level of fear surrounding Taylor to explain his importance on the field and highlight how dramatically he changed the game with his presence. He writes about Taylor's effect on the other players in a way that underscores the force and brutality he brought to the game, and the strategic competition he, alone, spurred as a result.

Ayers, on the other hand, was a profile in toughness and pass-blocking technique. He was, for that one moment, the critical component of Bill Walsh’s passing attack, and hardly a soul in Candlestick Park noticed. He was a reminder that what sets football apart from other sports is that what you don’t see is often the most important thing. What John Ayers was doing seemed routine. But to the few who knew, and watched, it was a thing of beauty. p. 108

This quote about left tackle John Ayers highlights the qualities that made him good at his position while also demonstrating the thankless nature of his job. Lewis notes that his prowess was a "critical component" of coach Bill Walsh's entire field strategy, but still mentions that basically no one noticed his contribution to the game. In Lewis' portrayal, Ayers' essential contribution—finally providing a solid counter to Taylor's brutal assault on quarterbacks—escapes the notice of the audience, but is still "a thing of beauty."

A boy had collided with an event. The boy was in many ways unlikely. He had never thought of himself as a football player, and didn’t have the first idea what the fuss was all about. The event was a shift in football strategy that raised, dramatically, the value of the one role on the football field the boy was uniquely suited to play. p. 92

In this moment, Lewis ties the two threads of the book together, observing that Michael's strengths as a football player were being valued more highly as a result of a shift in the way the game was played. This passage is important to the book as a whole, as it shows how Michael's story fits into the larger narrative of football strategy shifting and changing, causing the left tackle position to be valued. The strangeness of this event is shown in the way that Michael was unaware of these changes occurring in the game at the professional level.

The technique Long taught Michael was called 'getting fit.' A lineman the size and power of Michel Oher needed only to get his hands on his defender to ruin his day. He was so strong, and his hands so big, that there was no opponent—certainly not in high school, probably not even in college—who, once hooked, could wriggle free. It was of course illegal for an offensive lineman to grab a defender broadly, sumo-style; the lineman had to master the art of grabbing narrowly, of keeping his hands in close, and seizing his opponent near the breastplate of his shoulder pads. p. 112

This quote depicts the initial development of Michael's strategy as a player. In earlier sections, Lewis describes how different coaches immediately saw Michael's athletic ability, but weren't sure if it would translate on the football field. This moment shows how Michael was quickly able to grab other players "narrowly" and not let them "wriggle free." It shows how little trouble Michael had picking up the technical elements of his position.

The summer before the start of the 2006 season was still his moment, and would remain his moment—until it wasn’t. Until he lost a step. Or got hurt. Or until the next Jonathan Ogden showed up and was maybe a step quicker, or fractionally more gifted, than the original. As he listened to the biography of Michael Oher, Dwight Freeney’s expression changed. He was no longer smiling. “What’s his name again?” he asked. “Michael Oher.” “You tell Michael Oher I’ll be waiting for him,” he said, and walked into the locker room. p. 281

This final scene from the book shows how Michael was perceived as a major threat on the football field, as seasoned linebacker Dwight Feeney's confidence slowly fades. This moment mirrors the opening of the book, when Lewis describes the fearsome nature of Lawrence Taylor's reputation. Now, Michael is the one inspiring trepidation in his future opponents and, as his role as left tackle would suggest, is intimidating linebackers.

One night they came home with money that wasn’t theirs, and Big Tony found out and tried to explain to them a little bit about white people and how, lacking street smarts, they had established some rules to preserve their species and that, odd as those rules might seem, Steven and Michael needed to obey them. Rule number one was that a kid did not steal, or fight, or get into trouble of any sort; and what was a rule for white kids was an iron law for a black kid. Because a black kid who got into trouble in the white world was a black kid on his way out of that world. p. 266

This scene occurs at a pivotal moment in the book, as Lewis describes the lead-up to Michael's fight with another player. Big Tony's comments point to the force of white power structures, as he says that even though Michael and Steven have become part of a white social world, they must be certain never to break any of its rules, both spoken or unspoken, as those rules are "iron law" for Black children. This quote indicates that in spite of how fortunate Michael has been in this world, Tony wants him to understand how precarious his situation could (and eventually does) become in the event of a problem.

What never crossed Tom Lemming’s mind was that the player he would rank the number one offensive lineman in the nation, and perhaps the finest left tackle prospect since Orlando Pace, hadn’t the faintest idea who Lemming was or why he was asking him all these questions. For that matter, he didn’t even think of himself as a football player. And he’d never played left tackle in his life. p. 43

This early passage effectively sets up the mystery of Michael's early football career. Tom Lemming traveled out to talk with him after seeing a tape of him playing. Michael does not speak to him or answer any of his questions, and is baffled by his appearance. The scene indicates how Michael's skills as a football player did not, initially, keep pace with his perception of the recruitment process and culture surrounding it.

But there was one quality he possessed in an extreme form, and in whatever test the public school system had used to measure it, Michael Oher had scored in the 90th percentile. The quality was labeled 'Protective Instincts.' p. 150

While Lewis later notes how Michael's academic abilities dramatically improved with time, here he shows an essential aspect of Michael's character: his protectiveness. This description suits both his role as a player, protecting the quarterback from being "sacked," but also the care with which he treats his adopted siblings Collins and SJ. It shows that for all of his perceived toughness, Michael's greatest strength is the way he treats the people he loves.

The Blind Side Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for The Blind Side is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

Study Guide for The Blind Side

The Blind Side study guide contains a biography of Michael Lewis, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About The Blind Side
• The Blind Side Summary
• Character List

Lesson Plan for The Blind Side

• About the Author
• Study Objectives
• Common Core Standards
• Introduction to The Blind Side
• Relationship to Other Books
• Bringing in Technology
• Notes to the Teacher
• Related Links
• The Blind Side Bibliography

The True Story of Michael Oher and The Blind Side

The 2009 movie starring Sandra Bullock took some liberties while telling the triumphant tale of the football player.

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Michael Oher might be the only Super Bowl champion to be more famous for being a character in a movie than, well, being a Super Bowl–winning football player . After all, it’s hard to outshine a blockbuster success, especially one starring Sandra Bullock .

Before Oher spent eight years in the NFL, he was the subject of acclaimed author Michael Lewis’ 2006 book, The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game , and its big-screen adaptation, The Blind Side . The movie, written and directed by John Lee Hancock, traces Oher’s journey from homeless teenager to Division I All-American left tackle for Ole Miss. Bullock won an Oscar for her performance in the Best Picture–nominated film.

A smash hit that made over $300 million at the box office, The Blind Side took some liberties with the particulars of Oher’s life story. And now, Oher says he didn’t earn any money from the film, even as the family who took him in when he was a teenager has profited, according to a court petition filed Monday.

Here’s how The Blind Side stacks up to the real story, what Oher has said about the movie over the years, and the legal turmoil brewing more than a decade after its release.

Oher’s birth parents weren’t around much

Oher was born in 1986, right smack in the middle of the crack cocaine epidemic that swept the United States’ inner cities. He was one of 12 children born to a mother who had fallen victim to the cheap and ultra-addictive narcotic, which set him along a troubled path from the start. His father disappeared early on, while his mother, Denise, struggled with addiction for many years .

“When my mother was off drugs and working, she would remember to buy groceries and there would be a mad scramble to grab whatever you could before anyone else got to it,” he wrote in his 2011 memoir, I Beat the Odds: From Homelessness to The Blind Side and Beyond . The problem was that she was rarely off drugs and working, so Oher was a nomad from an early age . Child services removed him and his siblings from their mother’s home when Oher was at the tail end of first grade, and he bounced around between foster families, friends’ couches, and wherever else he could find a warm place to rest his head.

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With little adult supervision or stability, Oher barely made it to school. He repeated both first and second grades, attended nine different schools over the course of 11 years, and missed dozens of school days per year even when he was passed along to the next grade. The most stable home he had was in a housing project called Hurt Village, where he lived from age 11 until he began high school.

A chance trip to a prestigious private school changed his life—eventually

By the time he was 15, Oher was bunking up with a local athletic program director named Tony Henderson, who had an extra room in his house. Oher was already 6-foot-5-inches and 350 pounds, which made him a prime recruit for drug dealers seeking some muscle. He was less of a desirable prospect for prestigious private schools, but when Tony took his son Steven to the local Briarcrest Christian School, Big Mike, as he was called, tagged along for the ride anyway.

“He wasn’t no trouble kid, nothing like that, you know?” Henderson later told ABC News . “He was real quiet, you know, and just stayed to himself.”

He was so quiet, in fact, that Briarcrest’s admissions team couldn’t really find a reason to admit him, let alone offer him a scholarship. Having spent his life just trying to survive, getting into an expensive private school wasn’t really on Oher’s radar. He barely spoke during interviews, his reading comprehension level was closer to elementary school, and tests showed he had an IQ that barely cracked 80.

Perhaps, these facts led to the movie’s general portrayal of Oher, who is played by Quinton Aaron. It’s one of Oher’s biggest complaints, though he has complimented Aaron’s acting. “I felt like it portrayed me as dumb instead of as a kid who had never had consistent academic instruction and ended up thriving once he got it,” Oher wrote in I Beat the Odds .

Still, the Briarcrest football coach was interested in Oher, not just as a prospect for the team but as a redemption story. This was a kid who’d never been given half a chance, he told the school president and principal, making the case for a very large exception to their typical admissions process. The principal, Steve Simpson, felt stirrings of sympathy and issued Oher a challenge: If he could get his grades up in another private school, he could enter the far more prestigious Briarcrest the next semester.

Within a few months, Simpson had a change of heart and admitted Oher to his school. But entering Briarcrest was no panacea and produced no immediate change. The kid was out of place, shy, awkward, and way behind.

This is where the movie and real life began to diverge. In reality, Oher couch-surfed at the homes of his fellow students and foster families for his first few years at school and played three sports—basketball, track and field, and football—before ever meeting the Tuohy clan in 2003. In the movie, Oher, played by Quinton Aaron, is fully homeless and has nothing to do with athletics until the very wealthy and generous Tuohy family took him in.

Life with the Tuohys provided stability and family

Leigh Anne Tuohy, played by Sandra Bullock in the movie, is the outspoken matriarch of the family and wife of Sean Tuohy, played by Tim McGraw , a former college basketball star and wealthy fast food entrepreneur. The movie posits that their young son S.J.’s mismatched schoolyard friendship with Oher is the catalyst for their involvement in his life, while in reality, it was actually Sean noticing Oher on the sidelines at the gym that prompted their involvement.

Soon after Sean first met Oher, he set up a standing cafeteria account for him so that he’d be able to eat lunch every day. Eventually, on Thanksgiving weekend, the family crossed paths with Oher, who was walking alone in the rain, wearing his only pair of shorts and going nowhere in particular. They took him in for the weekend, an arrangement that soon became permanent.

A tutor was hired. New clothing was purchased. The Tuohys are conservative Christians and taking Oher in raised eyebrows in their community, but it was quickly a natural fit. Leigh Anne told The New York Times point-blank that she was raised by a racist father to be a racist herself, but she’d moved past her upbringing by the time she’d grown up and had children of her own, including a daughter named Collins, who was in high school at the same time as Oher.

After some early awkwardness, Oher became a full-fledged member of the Tuohy family. In the movie, one scene shows Oher accepting Sean and Leigh Anne’s offer to become his legal guardians. Both The New York Times and The Los Angeles Times have described the real-life relationship as a legal guardianship in past reporting, though Oher and the Tuohys have publicly called it an adoption. That changed this year when Oher discovered paperwork he signed didn’t make the Tuohys his adoptive parents but rather his conservators, according to an August 2023 lawsuit Oher filed in Tennessee. Sean told The Daily Memphian that he and Leigh Anne were advised they couldn’t adopt someone over the age of 18.

His football dominance opened up new doors

Just as in real life, the fictionalized Oher ultimately becomes a force of nature in high school football, but how that happened and the timeline his development followed was a real bone of contention.

“I could not figure out why the director chose to show me as someone who had to be taught the game of football,” Oher wrote in I Beat the Odds . “Whether it was S.J. moving around ketchup bottles or Leigh Anne explaining to me what blocking is about, I watched those scenes thinking, ‘No, that’s not me at all! I’ve been studying—really studying—the game since I was a kid!’ That was my main hang-up with the film.”

Given the gaps in his formal education and his lack of athletic training, Oher had virtually zero reputation when he began playing football at Briarcrest, but that changed soon enough. Once he polished his game on the football field, it became clear that he was special, and football scouts were starting to notice.

Universities across the South showed up during the spring of 2004, hoping to recruit him. Prominent coaches later appeared in the movie as themselves , underscoring the huge interest in Oher’s potential. He was a First Team Preseason All-American at left tackle, perhaps the most important non-quarterback position on the offensive side of the ball.

Oher was closer with the head coach, Hugh Freeze, than the movie suggests, having spent plenty of time with him and his family both on and off the field. He even once said Freeze’s daughters were “like my sisters,” a sign of just how many families were eager to take him in. (Freeze later resigned as head coach of Ole Miss after a personal scandal, though Oher had his back then, too.)

Oher became a football star in college

Both Tuohys had gone to the University of Mississippi, which complicated Oher’s decision to follow in their footsteps, at least in the eyes of the NCAA. His academic record, spotty at best given his years of struggles and lack of schooling, also made it difficult for him to initially attend the school. But with some correspondence courses and tutoring, he was able to raise his grades enough to earn his diploma and earn admission into the school.

He was an instant success: First Team Freshman All-American his first year, Second and then First Team All-SEC in his sophomore and junior years, and finally a First-Team All-American in his senior year in 2008.

By that point, his backstory wasn’t at all relevant to his playing skills, which clearly stood on their own. Lewis’ book was published in 2006, while the movie hit theaters in 2009, just after Oher was drafted in the first round—23 rd overall—by the Baltimore Ravens.

If anything, the attention from the movie grew to frustrate him during his career. Making the NFL and sticking in the league is hard enough without the added pressure of a mega-hit, Oscar-winning movie about your life to draw international attention to your rookie season.

The attention from The Blind Side often overshadowed his career in the NFL

The movie would continue to follow him throughout his career, which had its ups and downs. Making it to the NFL is remarkably difficult and staying in the league more than a few years is exceedingly rare. Careers average just a shade over three years , and not all of that time, if any, is generally spent as a starter on a winning team.

“People look at me, and they take things away from me because of a movie,” he said in 2015, near the end of his career. “They don’t really see the skills and the kind of player I am. That’s why I get downgraded so much, because of something off the field. This stuff, calling me a bust, people saying if I can play or not... that has nothing to do with football. It’s something else off the field. That’s why I don’t like that movie.”

It’s not that he didn’t have his successes, of course. The Ravens got more than they might have expected from a late first-round pick. Oher helped the team reach the playoffs in his rookie season. Then in 2013, he won a Super Bowl as a Ravens starter. Three years later, he was back at the Super Bowl, this time for the Carolina Panthers. He played eight years in the NFL, which is a great career for anyone in the league. Ultimately, Oher was released by the Panthers in the summer of 2017 due to his trouble with post-concussion syndrome , which wound up marking the end of his pro career.

Today, Oher is a public speaker and author. His second book, When Your Back’s Against the Wall: Fame, Football, and Lessons Learned through a Lifetime of Adversity , released this month.

Oher reportedly received no money from the movie

The Blind Side grossed more than $309 million at the box office, but for all its success, Oher claims to have been left out of the profits. In August 2023, he filed a court petition stating he unwittingly made Leigh Anne and Sean his conservators—granting them the sole authority to make business deals in his name—in December 2004. At the time, Oher believed he was signing adoption paperwork.

The Tuohys then negotiated a movie contract The Blind Side , covering themselves and their birth children, with 20th Century Fox for $225,000 plus 2.5 percent of all future “defined net proceeds,” according to the petition. Meanwhile, Oher’s signature appears on a separate agreement that grants Fox the rights to his life story without any compensation. In addition to ending the conservatorship, Oher asks in his lawsuit for his share of the profits from a story “that would not have existed without him,” along with damages.

Sean told The Daily Memphian all the family—including Oher—earned money from the movie, amounting to roughly $14,000 each. That payout came from author Michael Lewis who split half his share with them. “We’re devastated,” he said. “It’s upsetting to think we would make money off any of our children.” He added the conservatorship was done to appease the NCAA and that he and Leigh Anne would end the legal arrangement if that’s what Oher wanted.

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• Blind Side: Living in a Foster Family - Pros and Cons, Main Problems and Life Difficulties Pages: 3 (882 words)
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The Blind Side (2009)

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Michael Oher : Courage is a hard thing to figure. You can have courage based on a dumb idea or mistake, but you're not supposed to question adults, or your coach or your teacher, because they make the rules. Maybe they know best, but maybe they don't. It all depends on who you are, where you come from. Didn't at least one of the six hundred guys think about giving up, and joining with the other side? I mean, valley of death that's pretty salty stuff. That's why courage it's tricky. Should you always do what others tell you to do? Sometimes you might not even know why you're doing something. I mean any fool can have courage. But honor, that's the real reason for you either do something or you don't. It's who you are and maybe who you want to be. If you die trying for something important, then you have both honor and courage, and that's pretty good. I think that's what the writer was saying, that you should hope for courage and try for honor. And maybe even pray that the people telling you what to do have some, too.

Michael Oher : It's nice, I never had one before.

Leigh Anne Touhy : What, a room to yourself?

Michael Oher : A bed.

Michael Oher : [after pushing an opponent all the way off the field]  Sorry, Coach. I stopped when I heard the whistle.

Coach Cotton : Where were you taking him?

Michael Oher : The bus. It was time for him to go home.

Sean Tuohy : Michael, we have something we'd like to ask you.

Michael Oher : What?

Sean Tuohy : Well, Leigh Anne and I, we're... , well, we'd like to become your legal guardians.

Michael Oher : What does that mean?

Leigh Anne Touhy : What it means, is, is that, we want to know if you would like to become part of this family.

Michael Oher : I kinda thought I already was.

Michael Oher : Mr. Touhy sleeps on the couch?

Leigh Anne Touhy : Only when he's bad.

Leigh Anne Touhy : Sean and I have been talking and Michael, if you're gonna accept a football scholarship we think it should be to Tennesee. And I promise that I will be at every game cheering for you.

Michael Oher : Every game.

Leigh Anne Touhy : Every game. But I will not wear that gaudy orange. I will not. It is not my color wheel and I'm not gonna wear it.

Leigh Anne Tuohy : You know, when I was driving all over Kingdom Come looking for you I just kept thinking about one thing - Ferdinand the Bull. Everyone assumed because he was big that he wanted to fight in the ring. But he just wanted to sit under a tree and smell the flowers... I know I should have asked this a long time ago but do you even wanna play football? I mean, do you even like it?

Michael Oher : I'm pretty good at it.

Leigh Anne Tuohy : Yeah, you are.

S.J. Tuohy : [Diagramming an American Football play with containers from a spice rack on the dining room table]  Now, I will be the running back... and you show me what you are supposed to do. Ready? Hike. You will block him, he will hit him, and the quarterback will hand it off... he gets off... and takes off... open lane to the endzone! All there is to it!

Leigh Anne Touhy : [Walks in... perplexed]  What's going on here?

Michael Oher : Blended Spice just scored...

Michael Oher : Mrs. Touhy?

Leigh Anne Touhy : I hear "Mrs. Touhy", I look over my shoulder for my mother-in-law. Call me Leigh Anne or Mama or almost anything else.

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