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3.4 Data Analysis
In writing this thesis, I have combined the important data from many sources, which have been collected and analyzed very well. I use some steps in doing this
analysis. First, I watch whole movie to get deep understanding about the story. Second, I choose the important information about anti-racism from the script. Third,
I quote the text and make the quotation as the data to support the analysis. Fourth, I make interpretation based on the data that have been already taken before. The last, I
will make analysis about anti-racism that found in character in “The Blind Side” movie.
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CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS AND FINDING
4.1 Anti-Racism Actions
In America, social differences are still exists among each group of society, especially in Southern America. Racism is one of the most disturbing phenomena of
the great revolution of the modern world. In 1967 Statement on Race and Racial Prejudice states that all men are born free and equal both in dignity and in rights.
This universally proclaimed democratic principle stands in jeopardy wherever political, economic, social and cultural inequalities affect human group relations. A
particularly striking obstacle to the recognition of equal dignity for all is racism Kuper, 1975:183. All people have right to reason that they are born equal because
there is no hierarchy of superior and inferior race. This analysis uses the Hollywood movie “The Blind Side” 2009 to explore
of race, class, and gender in an anti-racism actions. It talks about the “inspiring” story of Michael Oher, an impoverished young African American man who was
adopted by a wealthy white family and rose to success in the National Football League in the United States. The movie tells a story of how private charity can
overcome social problems that the state cannot do. Ultimately, charity operates as a signifying act of whiteness that obscures the social relations of domination that not
only make charity possible but also creates an urban underclass in need of charity. De Oca, 2012:131
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The Blind Side movie appears to promote anti-racism and offer solutions to persistent social problems. From the words on the archway at the entrance to the
Christian school says:
Picture 1
“With Men This Is Possible, With God All Things Are Possible.”
From the picture and quotation above, from Matthew 19:26, With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible
. “The Blind Side” demonstrate that simple sacrifices, like opening our homes and caring for an orphan can result in
unexpected rewards and blessings, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin,
property, bird or other status Kuper, 1975:176. In this chapter, the writer analyze anti-racism actions which is presented by
Leigh Anne to Michael Oher character. Leigh Anne and Michael Oher come from different social background. Michael Oher represents black people. Michael Oher is
described as a quite child. He has large posture that make people call him “Big Mike”. Michael Oher is a young African-American who comes from lower class,
homeless and broken family. His mother “Denise Oher” is a drug addict. In conditions of poverty people have little opportunity to develop their mental faculties
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or indulge in refined emotions. Such conditions can continue to influence generations of people. Genealogical research indicates that criminal tendencies, prostitution,
alcoholism, and so on, can continue from generation to generation Kuper, 1975:85- 86. Because of this phenomenon, the government takes over raising of Michael
Oher. Leigh Anne represents white people in America. She comes from high class,
living in luxurious life. She is a career woman who works as designer. She is married to Sean Tuohy, someone who once a basketball player All-Star. She has a
harmonious family with two children Collins and SJ and good husband who always supports her. Tuohy’s family share the same hobby: sport. Leigh Anne and Sean
were graduate from Ole Miss University. Anne was a cheerleader, her husband, Sean was a basketball star. Collins, their daughter is a volleyball player at school. Leigh
Anne’s family comes from white upper class living in Wingate, a southern town of America, an area with black people as the majority in the suburb and white majority
in the downtown. In this movie, each character represents black and white people in America.
Michael Oher is a representation of black America. Michael has the same life as most other black people. He lives in poverty without loving parents, he does not get proper
education and adequate living. In addition, Michael was born of a broken family that does not help in the development of intelligence level. His life changes when he
meets Leigh Anne. He receives a scholarship because of his ability to play football. The achievement he gets because of his ability in field of sport, such as many black
people have it. Michael is adopted by Leigh Anne, and he lives at Tuohy family
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house. In the film Leigh Anne will be a helper and official foster parents for Michael Oher.
As noted previously, “The Blind Side” shows something different about the relationship between black and white people. In the US South, where the community
is divided into Negroes and whites, the two type of system are likely to display very different patterns of social conflict Kuper, 1975:222.
In this movie, the writer finds some anti-racism actions presented by Leigh Anne to Michael Oher character.
The anti-racism actions is show when Leigh Anne treats Michael Oher, a stranger well. When Leigh Anne sees Michael Oher walks alone in the evening in
winter, she invites him to stay in her house.
Picture 2 Picture 3 Leigh Anne
: What is he wearing? It’s below freezing. What’s his name again?
Sean and SJ : Big Mike.
Leigh Anne : Where’s he going?
Sean : Hey, Big Mike Where you headin’?
Michael : Gym....
Leigh Anne : Big Mike, my name is Leigh Anne Tuohy. My
kids go to Wingate. You school gym’s closed. Why were you going to the gym? again no
answer Big Mike? Why were you going to the gym?
Michael
: Because... it’s warm. Leigh Anne
: Do you have anywhere to stay to night? Don’t you dare lie to me.
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From the picture and dialogue above, it is the first time Leigh Anne invites Michael. She founds him in alongside of road and asks him right away to stay at her
house. Leigh Anne has sympathy to Michael Oher that was freezing without any cloth or sweater. For the NAACPs Mr.Bond, this is a legacy of slavery, where black
skin still acts as a mark of difference - for many white Americans, a negative difference. However, In contrast to Leigh Anne, she does not know about Michael
Oher before but she keeps in her decision to invite Michael to stay at her home without considering the risk of inviting black stranger to stay in one roof.
Another way of Leigh Anne treats Michael Oher as a stranger well when she invites Michael to have Thanksgiving breakfast together with the Tuohy family.
Picture 4 Leigh Anne
: Big Mike Where are you going? Michael Oher
: I don’t know. Leigh Anne
: Are you spending Thanksgiving with your family?
The picture and dialogue above, Leigh Anne invites Michael Oher to have Thanksgiving breakfast with Tuohy family. Leigh Anne asks Michael Oher about
how he used to spend Thanksgiving days with his family. Michael Oher tell her that he never celebrated Thanksgiving days with his family due to separation that the
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government did in his childhood. Michael tell that he lives nomadic life. He lives from one family to other family.
A Center for Study of Social Policy study found that African American families do not receive the necessary support, the system does not fairly assess or
appreciate their unique strengths and weaknesses, African American families and youth are negatively characterized or labeled by workers, there is insufficient
advocacy for families and children and there are no mechanisms to hold agencies accountable. Finally, the center concluded, people think that African American
children are better off away from their families and communities. In 1997, as U.S. Department of Health and Human Services study has noted:
Even when families have the same characteristics and problems, African American children are more likely to be taken out of the home, and Hispanics, to a lesser
extent, are more likely than whites to be placed in foster care. This situation similar to that experienced by Michael because of his family circumstances the government
takes over raising Michael Oher. He lives from one family to other family. That is why Michael never celebrates Thanksgiving days. After that, Michael Oher fulfills
Leigh Anne invitation and celebrates the Thanksgiving days with Tuohy family.
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Picture 5 Leigh Anne
: Heavenly Father. We thank you for all your many blessings on this family. We thank you
for bringing us a new friend. And we ask that you look after us in this holiday season and
never let us forget just how very fortunate we are. Amin.
From the picture and dialogue above, Leigh Anne is described joyfully for the arrival of a new family member, Michael Oher, in her house. Leigh Anne gives
thanks when they have breakfast in thanksgiving days. Tuohy family set together in dining room, holding hands each other to pray and there are no boundaries between
black and white people. As Ashley Montagu has noted: ‘In America, where white and black populations frequently live side by side, it is an indisputable fact that white
children do not learn to consider themselves superior to Negro children until they are told that they are so. What is important in social life is the sense of solidarity which
people feel when they belong to the same community and the feeling of distance which separates members who belong to different communities Kuper, 1975:222.
Tuohy family do not feel reluctant or afraid to hold hands with Michael Oher. Leigh Anne believes that not all black people are rude, and she also believes that Michael is
a good boy.
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The next way of Leigh Anne treats Michael Oher as a well when she decides to invite Michael Oher to stay in her house forever.
Picture 6 Picture 7
Leigh Anne : Do you want to stay here, Michael? Because
if you want to... stay... for a while... longer... I’ll try and find some time to figure out a
bedroom for you. I mean, look at this, you’ve practically ruined a ten thousand dollar
couch. Do you want to stay here, Michael? Michael Oher
: I don’t want to go anyplace else. Leigh Anne
: Well,... alright then. From the picture and dialogue above, Leigh Anne tries to invite Michael Oher
to stay in her house forever, and Michael accepts for Anne’s offering. Leigh Anne feels happy that Michael Oher decides to stay. Leigh Anne gives without being asked
and without any expectation of getting something in return. He does not ask for it, but Leigh Anne wants to help him.
Leigh Anne does not care about Michael’s skin color and his family background. Leigh Anne and the rest of the family have already figured the reason to
show how much they care for Michael. Leigh Anne meets Michael’s mother to ask for her permission to adopt Michael. Michael’s mother surprised that Leigh Anne is
not a foster parent paid to care for Michael, and then she concludes that Leigh Anne is a “fine Christian lady.” Michael’s mom tells Leigh Anne about how deeply
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Michael feels for others and protects them. At the end, Sean and Leigh Anne decide to adopt Michael Oher to become their child.
Picture 8 Sean
: Michael, we have something to ask you. Michael
: What? Sean
: Leigh Anne and I would like to become your legal guardian.
Michael : What’s that mean?
Leigh Anne : Well, what it means is, we want to know if
you’d like to be a part of this family? Michael
: I kinda though I already was. From the picture and dialogue above, Sean and Leigh Anne tries to offer
Michael to be part of the Tuohys family, they want to become an official foster parent. Leigh Anne also asks Michael to call ‘Mama’ I look Mrs. Touhy I look over
my shoulder for my mother in law call Leigh Anne or Mama or almost anything else
. Michael receives a good facility in Tuohys family, for example he has private teacher to increase his school grades in order to receive scholarship at Ole Miss.
Relationship between black and white people does not always run smoothly. In this film, black people are described as lower class, whereas white people are
considreed of high class. Dreger and Miller 1960
, t
hey add that even those blacks whose economic status is higher than that of most white persons will stillin the
majority of cases be prevented from living the same kind of life in all respects
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Kuper, 1975:183. Although, racial discrimination is not consciously significant with society, it is still appeared unconsciously throught their interaction.
In this movie, the writer finds some conflict in Leigh Anne anti-racism actions which come from Leigh Anne’s friend-knowing that she raised a black child,
they were shocked by her behavior and confused about her reason on raising a black man, not the same color as they have. They do not agree of Leigh Anne decision to
invite Michael as black people to stay at her house and adopt him.
Picture 9 Picture 10 Leigh Anne
: He’ll be eighteen in a few months. So, I mean it wouldn’t make much sense to legally
adopthim, right? Woman 1
: Is this some kind of white guilt thing, Leigh Anne? I mean charity’s the Lord’s work
but... Woman 2
: What will your daddy say? Woman 1
: I mean he is a boy, a large, black boy, Sleeping under the same roof.
Leigh Anne : I’ve got this. Shame on you.
From the picture and dialogue above, Leigh Anne’s friends does not agree of her decision. Leigh Anne’s friends still have a bad assumption about black people.
They give bad expectation that will happen if Leigh Anne brings black people in her house and become her official foster child, but Leigh Anne does not care of her
friend things. Leigh Anne is angry for her friend things, she stops them cold and says
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to them, “Shame on you”, she struggles to cope with their racist comments and then she leaves her friend.
Another conflict come form the NCAA National Collegiate Athletic Association. NCAA determine if the Tuohys are in violation of NCAA recruitment
rules due to their relationship with Michael and their status as Ole Miss boosters. “I’m not saying I believe it and I’m not saying I don’t, but there
are many people involved with this case who would argue that the Touhys took you in, feed you, clothed you, paid for your private
education, bought you car and paid for a tutor all as part of a plan to insure that you played football for the University of
Mississippi.”
From the quotation above, NCAA worries that the Tuohys might be unethically pushing Michael toward attending their alma mater. Michael understands
what they mean by saying it. He also wonder if all of the rich white people helping him, it would be so helpful if he were not such a promising athlete. The movie does
not make the conflicts become complicated, Michael goes back to the NCAA investigator, and explains that he wants to go to Ole Miss because that is where his
family goes to school. Michael believes that not all white people will like that and he believes in Touhy family. What is done by Touhy family was the best for him
because Michael had considered them as his own family. The racial discrimination problem makes white people have a bad assumption
about black people. The history of race relations in the United States has been one in which white people have maintained a position of dominance over black people,
relegating them to a lower caste like position in the society. Life in a racist society for more than 350 years has led to the formation of a vast underclass of citizens in
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the United States Pinkney,1975. When Leigh Anne did not discriminate Michael Oher as black people, some of white people still dispute about racial discrimination.
Another way of the anti-racism actions when Tuohy family watch Michael Oher at his first football game.
Picture 11 Picture 12
Man : Damn, that ain’t fair They got a big
ole’black bear playing for ‘em What is this, a circus? There’s the lions and her come the
Christians. Leigh Anne
: SJ, eyes forward Stick and stones. Man
: That’s my boy Jimmy, number 66. He is kicking that blue gum’s ass
Leigh Anne : Hey crotch mouth Yeah, you Zip it or I’ll
come zip it for ya See number seventy four? Well, that’s My son
From the picture and dialogue above, at the first football game at Wingate, Leigh Anne stands up for Michael when a father from the other team bullies him.
Leigh Anne turns to the boy’s father and says, “Hey, Deliverance, that’s my son”. The white in America have control in every aspect of life, both in political,
economical and even in social life. It so happens that the rich and powerful nations generally speaking coincide with the white nations, and the poor and weak with the
darker nations Kuper, 1975:235. As the superior race, the whites often treat other race with disrespect for they are not considered as human being such as reflected in
movie.
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4.3 Impacts Of Anti-Racism Actions
Kategori