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1.2 Introduction to the Psychological Theories
In the early 19th century, Martin Seligman Sheldon, the father of the positive psychology, has committed himself to this growing psychology. This theory finds out that psychology should not only focus on defects and damage, but also on strength and good qualities; treatment is not only applied to the repair of defects and damage, but also to potential people; psychology is not merely about diseases or health science, it is also about work, education, love, growth and entertainment science. In recent years, this psychology has gradually been used in our daily life and to bring joy and happiness to ordinary people.
Erich Fromm, the writer of The Art of Loving, holds the view that “the process of learning an art can be pided conveniently into two parts: one, the mastery of the theory; the other, the mastery of the practice.” “Closely related to the development of the capacity of love is the development of the object of love.” (Fromm, 1956:17-18) Although the theory cannot offer us easy instruction to love, it makes us know that the satisfaction in inpidual love cannot be attained without the capacity to love our neighbor, without true humility, courage, faith and discipline.
2 Types of Love
It is easy to list some types of love: brotherly love, motherly love, self-love and so on. The former two kinds of love occupy a very significant position in human’s psychological activities, which are also shown clearly in this film.
As to “brotherly love”, it is a little confusing to understand the concept as people would immediately relate this kind of love to the love between brothers. However, it is more than that. Just as it is described by Eric Fromm in his famous book The Art of Loving. The most fundamental kind of love, which underlies all types of love, is brotherly love.this is the kind of love the bible speaks of when it says: love thy neighbors as thyself. Brotherly love is love for all human beings; it is characterized by its very lack of exclusiveness. In brotherly love there is the experience of union with all men, of human solidarity, of human at-onement. Brotherly love is based on the experience that we all are one. (Fromm, 1956:37)
So according to Fromm, “brotherly love” is the most generous love between strangers. It is sort of fraternal love. In The Blind Side, Mike and Leigh are totally strangers and share nothing in common in life, talents, intelligence or knowledge. However, those differences do not prevent Leigh from giving her hand and love to this poor boy. Love of the helpless one, love of the poor and the stranger, are the beginning of brotherly love. She takes Mike from Cold Street, makes bed for him, and gives him a big and great Thanksgiving Day feast. Apart from Leigh, the whole family including father, litter brother SJ and the beautiful sister are also generous in showing their love and care for Mike. The father finds out his potential talents in football; the lovely and considerate little brother plays and shares jokes with him; and the sister studies with him regardless of the pressure from her classmates. In this family, love begins to unfold and love begins to reap.
It is known to all that motherly love is unconditional affirmation of the child and his needs. It is the attitude which instills in the child a love for living, which gives him the feeling: it is good to be alive, it is good to be a little boy or girl, and it is good to be on the earth. Motherly love, in this second step, makes the child feel: it is good to have been born; it instills in the child the love for life and not only the wish to remain alive. Mother’s love for life is as infectious as her anxiety is. Both attitudes have a deep effect on the child’s whole personality. (Fromm, 1956: 38-39)
Leigh, who has become a mother of two children, shows her love and sympathy to this boy without asking for anything in return. We can sense her love in every little thing she does for the child, from making bed to deal with the trouble in Mike’s school, from searching the background together with him to give him a car as a present which he has dreamt for a long time. It is the patience and motherly love that causes the change in Mike’s awareness and brings him into this family.