The mentality of the American population has steadily improved regarding racial equality since the achievements achieved during the civil rights movement of the years '60. With the support of the government, influential leaders, and peaceful protests, African Americans have been able to establish themselves in broader career paths and begin to receive the recognition and respect they deserve. Just as negative habits are difficult to break, inherent biases are not easily extinguished. As a result, acts of racism continue to plague society; although they have morphed into less distinguishable forms of discrimination. This obscurity impedes the ability to call out the perpetrator for their comments or actions and, even more difficult, to explain to them how this way of thinking reflects dogmatism. These unsympathetic instances, known as microaggressions, go beyond racism; people of lower social class often find themselves subjected to similar injustices. Addressing these two aforementioned issues, the 2009 film The Blind Side, based on the book by Michael Lewis, follows the true story of Michael Oher, an African-American teenager adopted by the wealthy Touhy family. Largely through verbal insults, manifested through racial stereotypes and social class dissociation, the existence of microaggressions in today's society is summarized; furthermore, the character of Michael serves to challenge the philosophy of meritocracy in relation to race and social class. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The thesis about racial microaggressions is conveyed in the film most prominently through comments, as opposed to nonverbal actions. Director John Lee Hancock uses the Touhy family to illuminate the presence of egalitarian values ​​within the aversive racism depicted in the film. Leigh Anne Touhy, despite her charitable act of inviting Michael to stay overnight at the Touhy family home, nervously asks her husband if their belongings are safe. This seemingly innocent investigation reflects Michael's presumption of criminality based on his race. Leigh Anne may not outright state that it is Michael's race that contributes to her concern, yet that message is still implicit. Dr. Derald Wing Sue recognizes the good intentions behind such comments; Regardless, he argues that “The invisible nature of acts of aversive racism prevents perpetrators from realizing and addressing […] their role in creating disparities in employment, health care, and education” ( 201). Aside from this initial infraction, the Touhy family primarily serves as a means of interacting with passively racist comments. An example of this occurs during Cousin Bobby's voicemail message, asking the Touhys if they were aware of the "colored boy" on their Christmas card. Equally evident of hidden anti-minority feelings, one of Leigh Anne's friends expresses her concern about Michael's presence in a household where Touhy's daughter resides. Commenting on this, Black males are negatively stereotyped as sex offenders; once again, Michael is considered dangerous because of his skin (Sue 205). Reflecting the film's respect for all social groups, other stereotypes are mentioned in good humor and jokes are aimed at each of the parties involved. In one of the film's opening scenes, when Michael and the mechanic's son, Steven, play basketball on the school court,the latter exclaims in amazement that the basketballs are not secured with a padlock. Michael counters that white people are crazy, delineating race as the basis for differences in their usual lifestyle (Park 224). Additionally, shedding light on a stereotype, Sean Touhy jokingly addresses their Republican background by rhetorically asking his wife, "Who woulda [sic] thought we'd [sic] have a black child before us?" met a Democrat?" The comedy of self-critical humor indicates the inherently non-malignant nature of the film, despite the negative comments made by other characters within the film (Belton 173-75 In addition to addressing the issue of race in this film, The Blind Side also amplifies the division of social classes in the setting of Memphis, Tennessee, the director clearly sought to amplify the void between social classes within the film's fictional demographics by exaggerating the white majority in the wealthy sector; black majority on the opposite side of town. As the film's opening credits appear on the screen, shots of lower-class areas are framed behind a suitably dark sky. In a well-used car, Michael and two other passengers, Big Tony, the mechanic, and Steven, pass a middle-aged male pushing a shopping cart full of cardboard boxes and his belongings. The setting changes significantly as they drive from one area of ​​the city to another; a grove of trees separates the lifeless and poor area from the more beautiful neighborhoods, full of children and activity. The three men's short daily commute, over a few miles, highlights the unequal distribution of wealth and the clear segregation of social classes. In a sense, this environmental transition foreshadows the classism of the film's city; portraying social prejudice as a form of genuine discrimination, often ignored as a valid experience. Sociology professors Stephen McNamee and Robert Miller Jr. promote this idea by denying the assumption that “true equality of opportunity in America [would exist] if only these forms of discrimination (race and sex) were eliminated” and explaining how this theory “overlooks the effects of other non-substantive factors identified here (particularly heredity)” (241). Through verbal exchanges within Leigh Anne's circle of pretentious friends, the film also effectively ridicules the elitist influence that wealth can have on a person's character. When discussing Park Village, the lower-class area of ​​the city, the women refer to that area as the projects and mock the negative effect visiting such an area would have on their reputations. These affected women also serve as the means through which the myth proposes meritocracy; particularly the wealthy housewife, Beth, who admits to coming from the slums of Park Village. Despite being entrenched in that lifestyle, Beth insinuates that it's easy to escape the cycle of poverty; after some hard work, he can now eat big salads, go to expensive gyms, and go on vacation to Paris (McNamee 241). By boasting of his current wealth and the means to obtain it, he falsely asserts that anyone can climb the figurative social ladder, regardless of race or gender. As a white female, Beth is unlikely to experience the same difficulties and obstacles as a black male like the teenager Michael (Sue 201). Extending the meritocracy of the past in its relationship to wealth, Michael's character also describes the narrowed outlook on life that results from the circumstantial restriction of opportunity. The initial lack of enthusiasm that Michael expresses regarding his participation on the football team and his grades is not.