February 19, 2004
By: Diana Thai
“I Am Sam” Essay
A developing child should be cared for and nurtured well in the early stages of life. The movie “I Am Sam” depicts a typical case of whether a mentally disabled parent should have custody of a child. Like any other child, Lucy needs to be in a loving environment that tends to her every need, and it is up to her guardians to understand what those needs are. Sam’s mental capacity does not exceed that of an eight year old, where once Lucy surpasses that age, she will essentially take on the role of the “parent”. Although Sam may have won custody of Lucy in the movie, one cannot say the movie accurately portrays the constant parental actions Sam performed by himself or during emergencies. Lucy’s future can be jeopardized if her development is held back by her father. In a reality setting, Sam should not have custody of Lucy, because he is too dependant on outside sources; not capable of providing the proper care a non-disabled parent would; and will be putting her future at risk of its full potential.
Sam is too dependant outside sources. When parents need help, they often turn to people who are wiser and understand the situation. Sam’s circle of friends is mostly mentally disabled as well, and cannot provide efficient care for Lucy. They make things worse rather than better, because they too do not understand the proper needs of Lucy. Not only is Sam reliant on outside sources, he may not always choose the best source for advice. However, better sources for advice may not always be there to help. Lucy’s godmother will not be around to constantly help Sam whenever he needs it. He is very dependant on her for information about parenthood, although, if something were to happen to her, Sam would be alone with many questions but very little answers. Although a child needs the care of more than one person, Sam relies too heavily on his neighbors, friends and social workers. With the mental abilities of a seven year old, Sam needs the help of social workers to dictate what Lucy should do. This shows how he lacks in parental instincts, which is one of the most important aspects of being a parent. As a single parent, Lucy is dependant on Sam for everything from food to exercise; however he must learn and remember how to provide proper amounts of for his daughter. Sam must learn how to provide for Lucy on his own, and not rely on others to determine how Lucy lives.