Premium Essay

I Am Sam

In:

Submitted By tmichielin
Words 498
Pages 2
“I Am Sam” Character Analysis
Part 2: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a mental disorder. People with Autism usually have communication deficits such as inappropriate responses in conversation or difficulty interacting with people their own age. People diagnosed with ASD also tend to be over dependent on routines and are sensitive to changes around them in the environment. Sam in the movie, “I Am Sam,” is shown to have ASD. He is shown throughout the movie having trouble communication with others, especially those around his own age. When Sam hosts a birthday party for his daughter Lucy, he is seen to be dressed up as a child with a party hat and interacts well with the children. During the many conversations Sam is involved in he is seen to stutter and always get off track. Sam is also shown to not realize what personal space is. In one scene when the lawyer is having a meeting with a couple the woman starts crying. In reaction to this Sam enters the room without knocking and starts to hug the woman. In the movie it is obvious that Sam shows many signs of having Autism.
Part 3: Watching this movie has taught me a lot about intelligence. This movie has taught me that intelligence is shown in a variety of ways. While some people may have the brainpower to solve complex mathematical problems other people show a different form of intelligence that is unique to them. This is shown through the movie’s main character, Sam. Sam is intelligent in his own way, this is shown through his random facts that he blurts out about the Beatles. It has also shown me that IQ tests are not necessarily the fairest way to test one’s intelligence. If Sam were to take an IQ test that involved complex problems it would not be fair. However if he were to take a test based on John Lennon or even on kids TV shows he may do better on those. The movie also taught me about the different

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

I Am Sam

...Movie Analysis of I Am Sam The movie I found interesting and that has taught me about different forms of communication and how they were used is I AM Sam by Kristine Johnson and Jessie Nelson. I really enjoyed watching this movie and studying the different ways people communicate to each other. While watching this movie, I have learned how two people can relate to each through different forms of communication. I saw how two people can communicate using nonverbal communication and verbal communication. Also, while watching this movie, I have learned how someone’s feelings can be hurt by other’s actions. For instance, I saw how Sam and his daughter used nonverbal communication throughout the movie to communicate with each other. I also saw how Sam’s lawyer learned how to communicate with her son, which Sam showed her. Sam’s lawyer just needed to take the time to listen to her son. A particular scene from the film, I Am Sam, characterizes how characters show nonverbal and relationship element of communication. In the movie, I Am Sam, there are two key elements of communication that I found interesting. Let’s take a look at the two key elements; Relation Dialectics and Eye Contact throughout the film I Am Sam. Relation Dialectics is the first communication I am going to talk about. I found the following while watching the movie: closeness and openness, autonomy and connection, and novelty and predictability (DeVito, 2009, 2007, pp.220-221). The first scene that used relation...

Words: 918 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Green Eggs And Jam Analysis

...Seuss, and can be viewed here on youtube. In Green Eggs and Jam, Gastrow takes the original concept of Green Eggs and Ham and follows the idea that in actuality Sam is fairly pushy for trying to force his opinion onto others. This aspect is not touched on in the original book, and it brings up the important point that if someone’s opinion is contrary to another person’s it should be...

Words: 1060 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Shs120

...I Am Sam SHS 270, Fall 2012 Scott Farnan, 668300995, sfarnan2@illinois.edu A Village of Love I Am Sam is a 2001 American drama film directed by Jessie Nelson and produced by Edward Zwick. The movie is not based off of anything but the title is a quote from Dr. Seuss’ Green Eggs and Ham; the screenplay was written by Jessie Nelson and Kristie Johnson. This film is about a man with a disability who fights for custody rights of his seven-year-old daughter. The character in the film with a cognitive disability is Sam Dawson. Sam is a very good looking man who is polite, loving and has a comforting personality. Sam’s politeness is shown during the movie while he works at the local Starbucks and Pizza Hut. He always has a smile on his face and tells the customer that what they ordered was “a wonderful choice” (Zwick & Nelson, 2001). He fights for custody of his daughter because she means the world to him and he does everything he can to make her happy. In addition, he helps Rina, his lawyer, with her personal problems and comforts one of Rina’s patients in her office when she is upset (Zwick & Nelson, 2001). Sam is the protagonist and his protagonist nature is evident throughout the film. For instance, the movie title includes his name, signifying his role as the central character. In addition, Sam is shown in every scene, the plot line is centered on his life and his father-daughter relationship with Lucy progresses with significant details. Sam’s actions, due to...

Words: 1147 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

A Lovable Person—Sam

..."I am Sam" is a touched movie of the relationship of a mentally handicapped father—Sam and a very sensible daughter—Lucy. Sam is special, because he only has the seven years old children’s IQ, just so he has a good character and live a happy life. Sam is simple and pure, so that people feel easy and relaxed to associate with him. Although he is a retard, he is not self-abased but beams with smiles all day. He is like a clear spring infusing into the fierce competitive society, which can warm the cold hearts of people in the modern society.   Moreover, Sam had a positive attitude to his life and his job. In spite of his handicap, he did his best to live and work with the spirit of persistence. For instance, when Sam and Rita had lunch, he wanted to treat Rita in order to prove that he had the ability to live. Another example is that he did a good job in the coffeehouse he worked, making the owner intended to give him a promotion. When talking about his persistence, it is clearly showed in the movie that he kept his resolve to ask Rita to be his lawyer. It was this persistence that gave him the chance to have his pro bono lawyer. In addition, Sam lives a simple life. It is only a simple reason that can drive him to happiness or sadness. For example, Sam together with his friends accompanied Lucy to buy clothes, after buying they held air balloons passing the avenues with delight. Thus we can see that their worlds are such simple and joyful.   What’s more, Sam is...

Words: 582 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Persuasive Essay On I Am Sam

...I am Sam Lucy’s mother grew up in a broken home she didn’t come from anything, her parents divorced when she was young mainly because, her father used to abuse her her mother and sometimes would hit her out of frustration. After all of that her mother became an alcoholic because, the stress of the divorce and mental and physical scars from her ex husband's abuse took a tole on her. When her mother started drinking it became worse and worse by the weeks and she couldn’t take it anymore she tried to help her mother by making her happy and sometimes even try and hide most of the alcohol it would work sometimes but not always. On one occasion her mother came home from a friends house so drunk that she got so mad at Lucy’s mother she beat her and blamed her for everything that has happened to them. This is more so the reason why Lucy’s mother was absent it Lucy’s life, she was just acting on...

Words: 605 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Sleena Quotes

...“Even if I hadn’t got the acid in my eyes-on my face (by accident: Rose-Ann had meant to ht Harry to be hurt by the acid- hit me, but Harry, who was, as I said, unexpected). Even if I hadn’t got the acid in my eyes, I’d never have seen my father again” (1). In the novel Sleena was mentioning how she got blind by accident. She sees what her mother had done to be a accident. Her tone towards this isn’t too upset as to be expected . I thought her tone would be more upset that she is upset because it is pretty hard when you’re mother had caused it. I think this shows how strong she is since she is past that matter. “I was excited, so happy. For the first time in my life of eighteen years, someone had talked, laughed, helped me. I was trembling for happiness” (26). In the novel Sleena was at the park where she met a man named Gordon. They began to chat and got comfortable in each other’s company. He left to get themselves both some food and Sleena was in thinking about how happy she is. Sleena’s voice is expressing how happy she is that she got to meet Gordon. I think it was very interesting how happy she got just because he began speaking to her. “No one, not even Mr.Faber had ever, I’m sured cared whether I drank at all, let alone what I cared to drink. It was fabulous. I would stuck my nail into my hand it hurt I was not dreaming”...

Words: 1646 - Pages: 7

Free Essay

I Am Legend

...I am legend “I am Legend” is a sci-fi movie based on a brilliant military scientist, Robert Neville, whom becomes the last man on earth. He becomes the last man on earth because of a man-made untreatable virus which turns people into flesh eating zombies. He is immune to the virus and the only one who can save humanity. He spends several years trying to control the virus and also broadcasting radio signals for any other survivors. The Zombies creep around in the shadows, observing the scientist’s every move until he makes a fatal mistake. I liked this movie because the effectiveness and dialogue of it were accurate and I didn’t get lost watching all the scenes. The special effects and background coincided with what was going on throughout the movie and also appeared to be realistic. The performance of the main character, Will Smith, was phenomenal and I also felt as if I was in his shoes. Several aspects during certain scenes made the movie stand out from the thousands of movies I’ve watched. When Neville was driving around New York City with his dog Sam in a 2009 ford mustang GT500, the roar of the engine and the watchful eye of his dog following the deers symbolized modern hunting. After they got out on foot and began chasing the wild animals into the growing forest and the lions appeared out of the fields to take Neville’s priced deer gave me the idea that earth was reverting back into prehistoric times. Finally, when he sacrificed his life after he realized...

Words: 336 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

King Lear Comparative Essay

...relates to the play because comparing the themes with the characters expresses the true intentions of Shakespeare. The themes that appear in both the essay King Lear’s Folly and the actual play is power of who holds it, nature and the values of what it represents, and parallels created with how the characters are contrasted. The first theme in the novel is power who has it, how one defines it, and how it plays into King Lear. As in the opening act Lear creates a love test to justify giving Cordelia a large share of his kingdom as she is his favorite. Instead of her answer resulting in flattery and gushing confessions of love like her elder sister’s, Cordelia's reply is tempered, honest, and reasonable- “ Unhappy that I am, I cannot heave My heart into my mouth: I love your majesty According to my bond; nor more nor less”. With this he banishes her and puts his two eldest in charge and with the power Goneril and Regan begin to treat their father poorly, with this look at power should also come an investigation of age and gender into the play. Since Edmund seduces both of the eldest sisters then Lear is banished into a storm, this (as King Lear’s Folly states) threatened the stability of the social structure. There is the treatment of the elderly and placement of women in Shakespeare’s time compared to society today. Considering that Edmund, Regan, and Goneril treated their fathers with such hostility as Edmund’s father was ashamed of him as a bastard and Cordelia was Lear’s...

Words: 1160 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Marie Lu's Character Analysis: Companion Book

...Companion Book Introduction Legend by Marie Lu, is about about a boy who is trying to save his little brother from a disease. To do so he has to break into a hospital lab and steal the cure. On his way out he ran and got caught by a guard. After he got away from the guard, the guard was killed and he was framed for the murder. In this book there is a lot betrayal and lying. In this writing i will talk about The main theme of the book. I will also talk about The characters development and his relationships. Theme There were lots of themes in my book, here’s a few of them. One of the themes is courage. The main character had a lot of courage during this book. One of the times he was courageous he broke into a hospital science lab to find a cure for his brothers disease. When he couldn’t find any cures, he had to get away without getting caught.When he was trying to get out he was about to be caught by the guards, so he jumped out of a 4 story window to the cemente. He reinjured his bad knee on the fall down, but he could still limp away to safety....

Words: 752 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Myopic Society

...Chris Martinelli Dr. Cross English 100 5/9/12 Myopic Society We saw him, the man, as he entered our shrouded, isolated corridor. He is different than we are and that enraged something in us; but, we could change him by force. With a single drop of blood we could rip the man from all he believes is rational, condemning him to a sheltered life of darkness. We ran after him with devastating force, but he was fast. He was not as fast as us collectively, but something about his movements startled us. He threw down obstacles for us and maneuvered almost as if he had a mind of his own. Even more disturbing for us was the fact that he was alone, able to think and move on his own outside of a group. We smelled his fear, his struggle to escape and this dragged us further in rage. He ran out of a door into the light of day and we realized at this point, for now, he was out of reach. We got a better glimpse of him once he entered the light: he was the cause, one of the creators of what we are. We are the Dark Seekers and we are a creation of man’s greed. We are the monstrous creation of his kind and we must destroy that from which we are created. Through film, directors can show us a world in which mankind is only surviving on a thread of hope. They can show us a society that only lived to further progress today, condemning the future to the aftermath of their carelessness. They can warn us, visually, of what we as human kind are capable of producing in a way that no other media can...

Words: 1709 - Pages: 7

Free Essay

Dave Matthews Band

...The Dave Matthews Band When I think of The Dave Matthews Band, I also think of their jazzy pop rock music that has helped them become a musical sensation. The band consists of jazz and classical musicians and of course, Dave Matthews. Their music and songs are very unique and have not been heard before the band came about. They have touched millions of people’s hearts, especially mine. The fact that they sing about real situations and real issues that are going on the world today is what makes them my favorite band. Whether I am happy, sad, or mad, The Dave Matthews Band’s album “Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King” always lifts my spirits and puts me in a better mood; their songs are inspirational. One of the songs that touch me the most is called “Funny the Way It Is”. This song is about the good and bad things going on in the world. The point being made is that even though many wonderful things are happening, bad things are occurring at the exact same time. “Funny the way it is, if you think about it/ One kid walks 10 miles to school, another's dropping out/ Funny the way it is, not right or wrong/ On a soldier's last breath, his baby's being born/ Funny the way it is, not right or wrong/ Somebody's broken heart become your favorite song/ Funny the way it is, if you think about it/ One kid walks 10 miles to school, another's dropping out” Not only does it discuss the fine times and poor times in life, but also how people take the privileges they have for granted. While kids...

Words: 803 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Examples Of Cordelia In King Lear

...For example when Cordelia says “we are not the first who with best meaning have incurred the worst for the oppressed king, I am cast down myself could else out frown false fortune’s frown.” (5.3.3126) Cordelia is saying that she had gone through a lot for him. Her own father banished her and didn’t want to see her, but she still loved him to the end. She stood by him even when he was wrong. This proves Cordelia’s character was an extremely supportive...

Words: 544 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

A Rhetorical Analysis Of Richard Matheson's 'I Am Legend'

...Wei Lin Writing 39B Professor Greg McClure February 7, 2017 Rhetorical Analysis Inner Fear In Richard Matheson’s I Am Legend, as the only survivor of the calamity that has wiped out the entire civilization, Robert Neville is the only hope of human civilization and human species. For some reason, the virus that has mutated every human being doesn’t have any effect on Neville which is a bit ironic. Before the plague, he is just a normal person who lives a normal life. All of sudden, he becomes the chosen one. I Am Legend demonstrate his mental condition breaking down along with his human sanity fading away. After finish reading the book, my direct feeling is fear. The fear is not...

Words: 1122 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

I Am Legend

...The novel I Am Legend written by Richard Mathewson in 1954 is a classic book that merges horror with science fiction. Its scope and area of discussion is simple, where it involves an era when the nuclear war has ended, but a major mutation spreads across the world. It changes every human being living on the surface of the earth except one person: Robert Neville. The rest of the population is turned into vampires and thousands of others die in the process. This book turns out to be a traditional story concerning the vampires which infects a previously healthy community and poses a threat to its physical and moral survival (Rosemary, 2014). The remaining healthy person: Robert Neville, spends most of his time figuring out if there is a way of...

Words: 1108 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

What Does Money Oh Money Mean In King Lear

...George even says in act two “Ma, I don’t want to grow old. Why’s everybody pushing me so?” (Wilder Act 2). He loves being a kid and playing baseball for school, but he doesn’t realize that everyone has to grow up at one point. The people in this play and in real life do not truly understand how much they take their life for granted and do not understand that. Emily says in act three in the graveyard “Do human beings ever realize life while they live it?—every, every minute?” (Wilder Act 3) Thornton Wilder’s interpretation of the American Dream is that people need to be accepted, loved, appreciated, and valued by other people before they can achieve the American dream. This is universal because even though it is called the American dream people from different countries...

Words: 1880 - Pages: 8