Social Role Valorization in Blind Side Film.

Social Role Valorization in Blind Side Film.

 

Introduction

The concept of Social Role Valorization by Wolfensberger was proposed to enhance the normalization theory that people had misunderstood and failed to apply it appropriately in social contexts. As a result, normalization, as people interpreted it, marginalized out those who needed normalization. According to Wolfensberger, social role valorization is the enhancement of valued social roles for people whose value is at risk by using culturally valued means.Social Role Valorization in Blind Side Film.

ORDER A CUSTOM-WRITTEN PAPER

Culturally valued means are important in normalization because it determines whether those whose value is at risk will access the good or bad things in life(Wolfensberger, 2013). According to this concept, those who hold devalued social roles are often likely to receive devalued settings and what are considered bad things in life. In the 2009 film The Blind Side, the concept of social role valorization is evident through motifs such as the unconscious process of devaluation, imitation and modeling, and interpersonal identification between the valued and devalued.Social Role Valorization in Blind Side Film.

Discussion

            The film is about Michael Oher, a foster child with limited academic abilities and from a poor background, whose athletic abilities secure him a position in the prestigious Wingate Christian School. As an African American, he takes a while to adjust to the school. Eventually, a wealthy family takes him in and helps him through his education, and to hone his athletic skills in football, until he is drafted.Social Role Valorization in Blind Side Film.

Among the motifs in the concept of social role, valorization is how the unconsciousness of the process of devaluation prevails in society(Wolfensberger, 2013). For instance, when Oher approaches two young girls swinging during break time and greets them, they shrug him off and abandon the swings, ignoring him. In another instance, on his first day at the school, the teacher gives the students a test and asks them to pass the papers around. One of the white girls in the class notices his old shoes and gives him a disdainful look. In an almost all-white school, Oher stands out as a devalued character who is black, larger than most students, and comes from a poor background. The examples provided by the white students who look down upon him exemplify the motif of the unconscious devaluation of the devalued in society.Social Role Valorization in Blind Side Film.

Another way through which social role valorization is prevalent in the film is through the motif of imitation and modeling, which affects people’s competencies. Wolfensberger contends that for social role valorization to occur effectively, people should consider the fact that the devalued in society need to imitate the valued positions in society, for normalization to occur(Wolfensberger, 2013; Stirling, 2010). In this case, when the Tuoy’s family takes him in and adopts him as their son, they practice the concept of imitation and modeling. Oher becomes part of a valued family, and can, therefore, access the valued things and settings, for his normalization.Social Role Valorization in Blind Side Film. Another way the imitation and modeling occur is the tutoring his new family provides for him to boost his grades and for college admission, where he can play football. These processes allow Oher to access the valued things in society, through imitation. White people, who are the valued people in the film’s context, have access to home tutors to improve their grades, live in good neighborhoods, and access quality education. Oher is exposed to such settings, further exemplifying the concept of social role valorization.Social Role Valorization in Blind Side Film.

Lastly, the concept of social role valorization has the motif of interpersonal identification among the valued and devalued(Quarter et al., 2015). This motif means that the valued and devalued people in the society should have interpersonal identification and relationships among themselves, for normalization to occur. In the film, this process occurs when the Tuoy’s family adopts Oher.Social Role Valorization in Blind Side Film. Despite the neighbor’s questioning their decision, this white, wealthy family proceeds with their decision to adopt Oher and help him access the best facilities, often reserved for the wealthy, and white people. Additionally, being admitted into the school allows him access to sports facilities that other black folk in the poorer neighborhoods could not access. For instance, when Oher and his guardian go to the school to seek admission, he goes to try play and notices that the basketballs in the trolley are plenty, and the trolley is not locked for security reasons. This scene shows that concepts such as security are mostly accessible to the rich and white people. The fact that he is admitted to the school and is adopted by a wealthy white family exemplifies social role valorization, through the motif of interpersonal identification between the valued and the devalued because he becomes part of that valued society.Social Role Valorization in Blind Side Film.

Conclusion

The Blind Side Film exemplifies the concept of social role valorization by the unconscious process of devaluation, imitation and modeling, and interpersonal identification between the valued and devalued. The fact that students give him disdainful looks for how he is dressed shows the unconscious process of devaluation.Social Role Valorization in Blind Side Film. Coaching Oher to improve his grades to get accepted into college shows the motif of imitation and modeling. Lastly, the interpersonal identification between the valued and devalued is exemplified through his adoption by a white family. His admission exemplifies admission to an almost all unconscious process of devaluation, imitation, and modeling, and interpersonal identification between the valued and devalued to an almost all-white school, and adoption by a white family, with whom he develops a close bond.Social Role Valorization in Blind Side Film.