Sociology I am Sam Movie
Sociology: I am Sam Movie
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Introduction
Regardless of the social, economic and physiological challenges, wise parents need to perform their primary roles with utmost effectiveness. Parenting is a very noble cause that seeks to ensure that children are given intellectual, physical, social and emotional support and security from their childhood to adulthood. In essence, it comprises of all kinds of activities that are employed when raising children. Usually, biological parents assume the central role of providing these important services although in some instances, relatives and foster institutions can pursue the role. It is certain that parenting is socially constructed and the government as well as the entire society also plays instrumental roles in ensuring that the child is provided with the required care. This can be done both directly and indirectly but the level of influence of these two institutions is significant. It is against this background that his paper provides an explicit analysis of the movie “I am Sam” in light of socialization, parenting and disabilities. In order to enhance coherence, it begins by providing a brief summary of the plot of the movie.
In I am Sam; the audience is exposed to a man called Sam who has a developmental disability. He has the capacity of a seven year old and also exhibits autistic tendencies. Sam has a daughter named Lucy, whom he fathered with a woman who was reportedly searching for shelter. However, she abandoned the two on the very day that Lucy was born. Sam takes good care of his daughter but when she reaches the age of seven years, she starts facing challenges. In particular, she finds it difficult to pursue further intellectual growth because she would eventually be smarter than her father. Her peers at school make fun of her when they interact with her father and parents at her birthday clearly understand that Sam lacks the capacity to care for his daughter. A social worker prescribes that Lucy be taken for foster care and Sam battles for her custody using a famous attorney.
From the movie, it is certain that the role of parenting and the institution of a family are socially constructed. The society and government play an important role in determining the type of care that Lucy needs to be accorded. Regardless of the fact that the social worker and parents did not have a close relationship with Sam, their perceptions with regard to the welfare of Lucy are very influential. The government’s also has a direct effect on the welfare of Sam’s daughter through its relative policies and rules. Notably, Sam and her daughter interact with the society on different occasions.
To begin with, Sam had established friendship with several other persons who had different forms of disabilities. These were helpful and played a significant role in caring for Lucy. Not only did they provide important services, but they also advised him accordingly. At this point, it can be posited that the society in which Sam lives is socially stratified. This is because of the fact that in most instances, he only socializes with persons of his caliber. In his review, Collins ascertains that irrespective of the fact that such stratifications lines may not be pronounced, they are still critical in determining the type and nature of the population that an individual interacts with. In general, it can be argued that the society is comprised of a web of institutions that are intricately connected to each other. The family in this regard is one of the basic units and besides impacting on the society; it is also impacted upon by the society.
Then, it is certain that parenting is a complex responsibility that requires a high degree of dedication and sufficient resources. As indicated earlier, children require physical, social, intellectual and emotional support and security. According to Riedmann, Lamanna and Nelson, this enables them to grow up in a holistic manner and to be able to fit accordingly in the society. Despite being a sole responsibility of a parent in ensuring that all these are provided to the children, the social institutions such as schools and the government also play leading roles in availing the required services to the children. The parent’s role in this regard can therefore be defined as facilitation.
Despite being faced with various challenges, Sam can be considered to have played a perfect role as a parent. Besides being abandoned by Lucy’s mother, he took up the sole responsibility of caring for his daughter. To begin with, he secured a job from which he earned sufficient resources to provide for the material needs of his daughter. In this regard, he ensured that Lucy had food on the table, shelter, and clothing and grew up as a normal child. In addition, he ensured that his daughter went to school at a correct age and had sufficient resources for her education. Thus he made sure that her daughter was safe and enjoyed the type of life that other children with normal parents had.
Notably, he also ensured that Lucy was emotionally secure. In this regard, he played with her, made jokes and laughed with her and read stories to her. In addition, he established a social network for her and as such, Lucy was able to interact with other children normally. Of great reference however was the love that he provided for his child. In his research, Collins points out that love is vitally important in parenting because of its centrality in enhancing emotional security. Apparently, Sam loved his daughter and seemingly, she also reciprocated this love. This is exhibited when she was placed under the care of the foster parents that had plans to adopt her in future. She used to escape at midnight to go and see her father who lived nearby. This is a clear indication that regardless of the disability, she had strong feelings of affection for her father.
In addition, Lucy feels hesitant about pursuing further education on the premise that she would end up being smarter than her father. This also implies that she did not only love him but also respected his role as a father. When the judge asked Sam the role model that he would wish for his daughter, he fails to cite any in the neighborhood who would be as good as him. Ultimately, he settles for himself as the best father for Lucy. This shows that he did not wish his daughter to be exposed to unsupportive living conditions that were provided by fathers such as Rita’s husband, Annie’s father or his father. In this respect, Lee and Lee ascertain that it is typical of parents to ensure that their children only have the best in life. This shows that they are not only loving, but also caring about the security needs of their children.
Despite exhibiting tendencies of autism Sam did not allow these to undermine his ability as a father. The activities that he engaged in were a clear indication that he had autism. To begin with, he was obsessive and compulsive with regard to neatness. He consistently cleaned all spills immediately and always ensured that he was well dressed. With regard to behavior, he was not only ritualistic but also repetitive. He read the same story to Lucy at bedtime and watched a video or movie with his friends every Wednesday. He also experiences difficulties in communication and in some instances; the words he mutters cannot be comprehended. This occurred in instances where he was emotionally disturbed or had something on his mind that required deep thought. A classic illustration of how Sam found difficulty with expression can be exemplified when the court expected him to defend Lucy’s custody. The employment of complex word by the Social worker’s lawyer leaves him confused and upset. Notably, the lack of clear expression of his wish to retain Lucy’s custody led to his defeat.
Conclusion
Parenting is a complex task that requires not only dedication but also persistent and love. Families tend to be socially constructed and external parties like the society and the government play critical roles in ensuring that children are accorded social, emotional and intellectual securities. At this point, it can be ascertained that the society is an intricate entity that is characterized by a web of relationships. Despite facing different disability constraints and challenges that were further perpetuated by societal perceptions, Sam succeeds in providing emotional, social and intellectual securities for Lucy.
