The Blind Side is an inspiring film based on Michael Lewis’s novel of the same title. It centers on Michael Oher, an African American adolescent who struggles due to poverty but is later welcomed into the family by a wealthy family of the Touhys. With the help of Leigh Anne, a compassionate and goodhearted woman, the young man overcomes all challenges to become a talented football player. The film demonstrates how a person may go from a poor upbringing to a life full of opportunities and a great career. Michael’s story brings hope to others whose existence has been marred by bad events that make their fate appear dismal. Yet, while illuminating the same storyline and sharing similarities, both the book and the movie differ in attention to some events and details.
Several moments in the film are slightly different from the original incidents that unfolded in the book. For instance, in the film, Michael’s coach wished to enroll him in educational classes immediately, but the truth is, the principal insisted that Michael “enrolled in a home study program <…>, and performed at a high level for a semester” (Lewis 54). The film delivers the narrative so that it becomes evident that the director softens away several of the challenges of Oher’s storyline. The young man required a 2.5 GPA to be allowed to play varsity sports. Meanwhile, according to the book, his current GPA was around 2.04. Oher put a lot of effort into a tutor on his normal subjects and participated in various shorter courses online to boost his grades. The film fails to mention the online lessons, giving the impression that Oher only progressed with the assistance of his teacher. It does not distort the narrative or the character’s personality. However, it simplifies the storyline and does not allow the viewer to get deeper insights into the boy’s struggles.
Furthermore, in the film, the adopted family discovers Michael wandering through the street at nighttime. At the same time, it was rainy and freezing, and Michael did not have appropriate clothing for the conditions. The Tuohys consider taking the boy in that night, so he can rest and sleep. In reality, Leigh Anne meets Michael by the roadside in similar circumstances but does not immediately offer him to stay with them, but rather takes him clothing shopping. Later, “the young boy was finally taken in by Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy” (Lewis 82). As a result, it took time for the boy to be invited and have his room.
Lastly, the book and the novel illuminate the relationships with family members differently. For example, the book shows that the person Michael feels most comfortable with is Sean. Sean understands the young man’s challenges because he, too, was an underprivileged child at a private school. Having this in common, Sean was eager to help. In the book, the man also advises Michael to contact him immediately if something horrible happens. When Michael was in trouble after fighting a teammate, he called Sean: “Pops, you’re my first call. Just like I promised” (Lewis 100). This demonstrates how important the adoptive father has become in Michael’s life since the latter seeks Sean’s support when he is in danger.
On the other hand, Leigh Ann is a secondary character in this story. She is the woman Michael can confide in and rely on. The young man seeks her assistance on occasion as well. Leigh Anne also assists him in finding outfits to wear once they go shopping. The roles of Leigh Anne and her husband Sean are reversed in the movie. The woman becomes a more visible figure since she always helps Michael. The woman offers him to sleep on their couch and, later, a room he could stay in her home.
As for the similarities, the first striking similarity is that Oher’s abilities and his dedication would be insufficient without the help of his adoptive family. As exceptional as the young man is, his initial mistakes and tumultuous history could have driven him to the brink of depression, where his athletic prowess would be useless. The book and film demonstrated unequivocally that the squalor and gang-related brutality seen in Memphis constituted a trap that no orphan could ever escape. The book mentioned that Leigh Anne had been “taking care of his material needs for a good year and a half” (Lewis 146). Consequently, the young man did not have to worry about other issues. Another similarity is the depiction of racism and discrimination against the boy. For example, it was narrated that the white privileged society and children “called him names” (Lewis 85). Meanwhile, one of the teammates called Michael a “fat black piece of crap” in the movie (Hancock 01:18:20). Thus, both the book and the film illuminate such themes as discrimination and opportunities similarly.
Hence, The Blind Side is a brilliant story of a young man who had to endure hardships and became a prominent football player. Both the original novel and film adaptation share similarities while showing the racist moments and how tragic the main character’s fate could be without the adoptive family’s financial help and moral support. Nevertheless, there are differences between the versions that involve illustrations of such details as online lessons to boost GPA, the boy’s acceptance into the family, and his relationships with the family members.
Works Cited
Hancock, John Lee. The Blind Side. Warner Bros., 2009.
Lewis, Michael. The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game. W. W. Norton, 2007.