Week Two: Inventing Michael

Summary:
      Last week, I left off with Michael being accepted to Briarcrest Christian Academy, on the agreement that he would not play sports, and focus on improving his grades. Michael's first weeks at Briarcrest were tough, he had no friends and his teachers thought he was a lost cause. With help from his resource teacher, Michael managed to get high D's instead of low F's, and was allowed to start playing sports. At six foot five and weighing over three hundred pounds, Michael was wanted on the basketball, football and track team. It was basketball that lead Michael to Sean Tuohy, a basketball alumni who helped out the colored kids at Briarcrest. Sean saw something in Michael that reminded him of himself, and decided to help Michael out. Sean paid for Michael's lunch card, basketball supplies, and part of his tuition. Sean's wife, Leigh Anne, takes Michael clothes shopping in hurt village, Michael's hometown.Soon after,  Michael moves in with the Tuohy family and begins to finally feel at home. Michael realized his football potential during a game against an out of town team, where Michael was called names and bullied. To prove himself he played his hardest and protected his team. His team won and his coaches saw potential in Michael. Before he knew it, Michael had college coaches coming to watch him at practice. They were blown away by Michael and wanted them on his team. For once, Michael had a family who loved him and a bright future. Chapter five, was all about the evolution of football and how the left tackle came to be the highest paying job. Bill Walsh developed a strategy to protect the quarterback's blind side, which he later names his "nickel and dime" offense. Walsh proves his strategy and the left tackle position value increases dramatically.   

This is a video of a boy who was raised in Hurt Village and is telling his experiences of growing up in the projects. 

 Review:

Michael at a Young Age

      The more I read this book, the more I fall in love with it! Michael Lewis has proved to be an excellent author, portraying Michael Oher's story as if it was his own. The farther I get into the book, the more I learn about Michael's past and struggles. Reading this book ,makes me realize how fortunate I am to have a family that loves me, clothes on my back ,and something as simple as a bed. I've found that the history of football plays an important role in this book, as chapter five is all about the evolution of football and developing strategies. Though I feel these strictly football chapters take away from Michael's overall story, I'm beginning to realize their importance. Also, I've learned how hard it was for Michael to open up and let people in. Imagine being in his shoes, would you move in with an all white rich family that you just met? I know I wouldn't! I hope that the remainder of the story will be as interesting as the chapters I read this week!


Focus: Author's Point of View

Michael Lewis

        Michael Lewis has written many other novels including Moneyball, Liar's Poker, and The Art of Winning an Unfair Game. Michael Lewis and Sean Tuohy grew up together, and when Lewis heard that Michael Oher was being hounded by college football coaches who saw him as a future left tackle in the NFL, Lewis met with Sean for dinner. After hearing Michael's story, Lewis began to learn about the game, so he could do his best in portraying every aspect of Michael's life. Lewis met with people from the NY Giants, the Indianapolis Colts, and the San Francisco 49ers, to gather up as much information as he could. He interviewed the Tuohy family and Michael's teachers and teammates."When I asked Michael about 
his past, he claimed not to recall it and couldn't understand why I found it interesting"(339-Author's Note). After a year of learning every detail in Michael's life, Lewis began writing. He wrote the novel from a third person point of view, making it seem as if he was really there. Lewis brings Michael Oher's story to life through his fluid writing a excellent details.