Using the Symbolic Interaction and the Cybernetics Theory

ST. PAULS UNIVERSITY-NAIROBI CAMPUS NAME: SAKWA M. JAMES ADM NO. : 0915/11 UNIT NAME: THEORIES OF HUMAN COMMUNICATION ASSIGNMENT: REACTION PAPER BASED ON THE MOVIE THE BLINDSIDE USING THE SYMBOLIC INTERACTION AND THE CYBERNETICS THEORY PRESENTED TO: MR. J. NDAVULA Use of Symbolic-Interaction Approach â€Å"Symbolic Interactionism† is a concept developed by, George Hebert Mead (Griffin, 2009). Symbolic Interactionism has three core premises which lead â€Å"to the creation of a person’s self and socialization into a larger community† (Griffin, 2009).It is a framework for building theory that sees society as the product of the everyday interactions of individuals. When we use symbolic-interaction theory with this movie we see how Michael is a homeless teenager trying to fit in. We see when he goes to school he struggles to fit in and how he stays quiet throughout the day. You can also use the S. I. theory on how Micheal when he was homeless he had ratty clothes and not many personal belongings. A S. I. theorist would look at Michael and see how he doesn't have a bed and is staying in the Tuohy house on a couch as a symbol of homelessness and poverty.Lastly when using this theory you see how the movie portrays and gives the homeless symbols of run down houses and having drugs and illegal activity going on in the movie. For instance having no bed or personal home for Michael Oher is a symbol of poverty. Perceptions â€Å"Humans act toward people based on the meanings they assign to those people†. Most people within the context of the Blindside seemed to write off Michael Oher. There were some who saw him as a young, African American male who was slow in the head, poorly educated and unkempt.Those would include, at least in the beginning of his time at the private school, most of his teachers and most of the others students. Because they ascribed to Michael their own beliefs, they never gave him a chance to reveal himself. There was an in teresting piece that Michael wrote one day in class where he stated, I look and I see white everywhere. 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 â€Å"this is not Michael Oher. † There was also the group who wondered why Mrs. Touhy would take in Michael. This group mostly consisted of her tea-time compatriots in the ritzy area of town. They were convinced that what Mrs. Touhy was doing â€Å"was so nice† and asked her if it was another one of those â€Å"charities† of hers. They saw Michael as a one-way recipient of charitable donations.They saw Michael as a tax write-off. Because of their viewpoints, they never could quite understand that Michael was changin g Mrs. Tuohy’s life, and that she loved him. It tells how the Tuohy’s came to reach out to Michael Oher and his life was changed, as was theirs. The movie was filled with excellent acting from all members of the cast with Sandra Bullock leading the way. This is a movie you leave impacted emotionally. The movie does show that it was not just the Tuohy’s involved in changing Michael’s life but many choices along the way.There was â€Å"Big Tony† Henderson, Mrs. Beasly, and Miss Sue all who made choices that helped Michael. Now the reality is that the movie is powerful but the story alters from the facts to fit the director’s vision. The full details of the story can be read in detail in Michael Lewis’s book: The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game. A sampling of the story can be found in a . REFERENCES: Netter,G,Kosove,A. & Johnson,. B(Producers) & Hancock,(Director). (2009) Blind Side: United States:Warner Bro Pictures.