Sociology – The Blind Side Essay Example

the end he plays football for the NFL (Ravens) and Graduates College.

In watching the film for about the 50th time, I love this movie. I found a new perspective in relating it to this week’s assignment. I found the heartbreak of a kid that really did not fit into his own ethnic background and racially was seen more for his size than the color of his skin. The Structural-Functional Analysis of gender-role inequality works in this situation in that he finds his place within the family unit, while he is still judged on his size, it organizes his social life as well as helping him to find his place, Parsons (1942, 1951, 1954).

Birth alone does not Determine his entire life. Social Stratification works here in that as a trait of society is not simply a reflection of Individual differences, privileged position, children born into wealthy families are more likely to enjoy better health, do well in school and have a successful career and also live along life. With Michael and his circumstances and the welcoming of him in the family this enhanced his chances for his entire life, also the social mobility was his change within the social hierarchy.

Others in this story are more critical than the school, peers, teachers, coaches and some of Leigh Anne Tuohy’s friends. The racial card rears its ugly head at a football game where racial Slurs are yelled out like “Fat ass boy” “Kickin that blue gums ass”, “Boy”, “Big black bear” and by her friends he is ranked from their social standards as “A large black boy” and for his size he will “eat them out of business”

( They own like a million Taco Bells, according to S. J). Michael is just an even tempered 17 year old that just wants a family and an identity as an individual.

We are a “melting pot” of differences that should work together to create a better future for us all not just for the privileged. The N. A. A. C. P. was a shocking moment they tried pulling the racial Card because of his color and size saying the family had done this to better benefit them as well as the College they attended, as she called it in the movie “His odd predicament”. In Society pluralism is a state in which people of all races and ethnicities are distinct but have equal social standing, people who differ in appearance of social heritage all share resources equally.

Prejudices shown here are unfair generalizations about an entire category of people, race, age, social class, or political affiliations. Michael came from a very dysfunctional mother with her 13 children scattered to the wind so to speak in foster homes. He now plays for the Baltimore Ravens and has a foundation that provides coats, gloves, hats and blankets to the needy and homeless. He did how ever make a mistake all athletes do and that is he threw a punch at a player from the opposite team this last month when defending one of his team mates.

He is said to have said “You have to have your teammates back” He is intensely loyal to his family, team and his foundation. If Social Stratification is where societies rank people by power, prestige, and money over others I have no problem

with that as long as they “pay it forward” in helping someone else or a cause. The Caste system in chapter 8 is described as a social stratification based on both birth and individual achievement and Meritocracy is based on personal merit, this has surely been the case for Michael and his family.