Symbolism In I Am Sam

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Retired American figure skater and Olympic gold medalist, Scott Hamilton once expressed, “The only disability in life is a bad attitude.” Hamilton perfectly asserts a mundane truth that is often not the reality with current society. The term “disability” is frequently meant with derogatory implications and discrimination. In the film, I Am Sam this forlorn reality is put into motion through the story of a father’s fight for his daughter and most important against society. Through the use of selective symbolism, the central themes are firmly assert in the film. At the inception of the movie, Sam Dawson-the main character- is met with a sticky situation. Being a single parents is hard enough, but Sam has been met with even more adversity. …show more content…
The film expounds the dual nature to the interpretation of this color in relation to the atmosphere of the situation. For instance, when Sam decides to break the status quo by changing the restaurant he normally goes to for the sake of Lucy. Subsequently, this creates a mental breakdown and collapse. The red chair emphases danger, the danger of Sam emerging out from his comfort zone. However, the meaning of red changes and morphs throughout to film to become a warming and kind symbol. After Lucy is taken by social services she is put into a foster home with foster parents. Over the course of time, those foster parents petition for full adoption. While Lucy doesn't seem to assimilate perfectly she does form slight bond with her foster mother. Through The color scheme of her paintings, Lucy’s feeling towards her foster mother are full of warm. Sam even notes “you're the red in her paintings” at this point the word danger does not render an association to the color red, but instead provide a loving connection to the color. The duality of the color red underscores one key theme: how something we fear can change into something we love. Initially, Sam was terrified of being a parent and was completely overwhelmed;i've, Sam experiences the unconditional love between a child and a parent, proving that there’s nothing to be afraid