The Blind Side Conflict

English Assessment task CAT: Expository Essay
Encountering Conflict Essay Prompt: ‘Conflict leads to individuals to discover more about others and themselves.’
Throughout the course of mankind, conflict has contributed to a range of actions made by the human existence. Types of conflict that are commonly associated with society today include interpersonal, intrapersonal, ethnic, cultural and social aspects. These forms of conflict have not only provided people with the sense of hope, but have also guided them in the way they live their lives and inevitably change the decisions humans make. It is a common misconception that conflict only results in disaster, for conflict brings change, which allows individuals to realise positive and negative
qualities in themselves and the world around them. References in association with conflict that have had a profound impact on popular culture include literature, movies and human interest.

Daniel Beatty’s “Knock Knock” exemplifies the concept of conflict being an indicator for individuals to determine further aspects about others and themselves in the form of literature. This poem is a recollection and insightful piece on a young boy’s profound loss when his cherished father is suddenly gone out of his son’s life. It is later revealed in the piece that the young boy’s father is incarcerated, even though the reason of his incarceration is omitted, it is suggested that most cases such as these do occur to people with African American decent. This is evident by the following verse ‘We reach a room of windows and brown faces.’ By the incorporation of many personal experiences including his father and the suggestion of their decent, the piece “Knock Knock” connects with many levels and types of conflict like interpersonal, intrapersonal and ethnic conflict. This piece demonstrates that conflict does in fact lead individuals to discover more about themselves and others because towards the end of the poem Beatty says that he had to learn to father himself and give himself the words his father didn’t give to him. From the conflict he faces Beatty informs the audience that he has discovered how to become a better person in the words of his father by contemplating about solving world issues that have suffocated and deprived the world from greatness for so long such ‘knock knocking down the doors of racism and poverty’ and ‘knock knocking on doors of opportunity for the loss of brilliance of the black men who crowd these cells.’ At the end of the piece the poet also puts through the fundamental aspect of the poem in relation to accepting that each individual has the power to change the world, despite the colour of a person’s skin and to accept everyone for who they are and that colour doesn’t define an individual for the very same colour blood runs through everyone’s veins. Another evidential piece that address intrapersonal, interpersonal, ethnic and cultural conflict that illustrates that people can learn important and detrimental things about themselves and others includes the well renowned movie The Blind Side.

The representation of conflict in the Blind Side was a very core aspect in many of the decisions the main characters had made during the course of the film.
"The Blind Side" directed by John Lee Hancock depicts the life story of a homeless young African American man by the name of Michael Oher, who is taken in by a rich white family who help and encourage him to reach his full potential. While helping Michael, the Tuohy family realise while encountering conflicts with Michael they also learn and discover things about themselves that they have never known. The movie addresses many forms of conflict such as intrapersonal, interpersonal, ethnic, cultural and class conflict. These were represented over the series of many events, key ideas of symbolism and lines made in the movie. A significant event and example associated with conflict that allows Michael to learn more about himself is when he is presented with the conflict and task to increase his grade point average to represent his school in football. This is evident by the following statements made by Leigh Anne Tuohy in regards to Michael grades “Michael 's gonna need to make a 2.5 GPA?” and “His ACT is low and I don 't see him doing any better if he retakes it right there.” The conflict of trying to achieve a score higher that that seemed to be one of hardest for Michael because during a point in the film he is almost certain that he cannot increase his academic results, which was also believed among many of the staff of
the Christian high school that he goes to while being in the care of the Tuohy family due to their stereotypical views on his cultural and ethnic background. That inevitably addresses ethnic, discriminatory, cultural and interpersonal conflict. This event that occurred in the movie exemplifies that conflict is the root cause for people to find out and discover aspect about themselves and others due to Michael overcoming the conflict of achieving a relatively high GPA score by him learning that he is capable of accomplishing anything he puts his mind to even though there are many racial, class and social stereotypes that may discourage him to accomplish his goals. A main thee associated with this movie was acceptance, the acceptance of all people even with a difference to acceptance that anyone should be given the opportunity to a good education regardless of class, ethnicity or other areas of human interest. Another aspect that supports the statement of an individual’s being able to discover more about themselves and others from conflict, which is associated with the form of human interest, includes events regarding the decisions Ian Thorpe.

In times of conflict courage and honesty are always key attributes to have, Ian Thorpe one of Australia’s best athletes and Olympic medallists was a very courageous and honest young man.
On the 14th of July 2014 Ian Thorpe confirmed that he was gay, “not just to Australia but the whole world” as said by him in the interview with Michael Parkinson. Even though many were supportive of his decision, there were still some people who were completely outraged that one of Australia’s greatest athletes was gay and so other forms of conflict bombarded Ian, conflicts such as interpersonal, cultural and social conflict inevitably leading to intrapersonal conflict. All due to him trying to accept himself and asking to world to accept him. Encountering these forms of conflict allowed him to learn and accept himself not just a good athlete trying to do his nation proud but also to accept himself as a human being. He also learnt that he felt like a more honest and free person when he confirmed his sexuality and that he wants others to be as supported as he was. “I’m comfortable saying I’m a gay man and I don’t want young people to feel the same way I did. You can grow up and be comfortable and you can be gay.” He also said “I’ve made mistakes, but I’ve made good choices with my life, and I think I’ve got back to one of the core values which are most important to me: My honesty and integrity.” This shows how much he has learnt about himself and the world around him through the form of
conflict. Cases such as these help not just individuals but also others to learn and recognize many admirable attributes and also exemplify the very reason of human existence to be enlightened with happiness and leave behind a better world than before.
In conclusion conflict can be presented through many forms such as literature, movies and human interest. It is inevitable to avoid conflict because it is associated with many aspects of life and in most cases produces a positive outcome. Types of conflict that are commonly associated with society today include interpersonal, intrapersonal, ethnic, cultural and social aspects. References that present these forms of conflict include Knock Knock, Blindside and cases in human interest such as the sexuality of renowned athlete Ian Thorpe. Conflict should be seen as a positive aspect instead of the assumption of it being negative, for it is essential to achieve a fair and accepting world. In the end conflict is essential to lead individuals to discover important aspects about themselves and others.