The film shows a glimpse
of how the discrimination was
portrayed in the reality. During that
time where African American were
only allowed to become janitors
did not stop Thomas at all. The way
people around him gave him that
certain look of “How is he here?
Why he is wearing a white coat?”
somehow shows how racism against
other race.
Despite the differences in
ethnicity between Thomas and the
rest of the doctors, there should not
be any contradiction between how
Thomas is treated and how the rest
treated each other. However, that
is exactly what happened to Vivian
Thomas. One thing that would leave
people intrigued in the storyline, is
that it manages to place the emphasis
on what a black man could achieve
by trying while simultaneously
showing what racism was like in
the 30’s. What is meant by showing
what racism was like in the 30’s is
the segregation of black men and
women from white men and women,
thus showing the dynamic of the
relationship or partnership between
Blalock and Thomas considering
the environment, the people and the
socio-cultural interactions between
the races.
Through
34-years
of
partnership complication and
contradiction
between
those
two, Thomas never get the same
treatment same as others though
his skills prevailed. He get paid
and treated just like other janitors
who work at Hopkins. Though
Blalock defended Thomas in front
of his colleagues and seniors, he
never seems to be appreciated and
acknowledged Thomas. Especially
when it comes to pay, academic
acknowledgement and also social
interaction outside of work. This can
be seen in the film where Blalock
failed to recognize the contributions
that have been made by Thomas in
the most famous world procedure,
Baby Blue Syndrome. Thomas was
absent in most of the official articles
including in a team pictures with all
the doctors who were involved in
the surgery.
T heir motives were
mutual as they
both sought to
make a change
for “human race”,
which erase the
idea of differences
between races
which goes against
the mentality that
those around them
expressed.
However, it is interesting to note
that the amity shown between
Blalock and Thomas when they are
in their “element” (medical field)
gave us a new perspective on the
movie’s message. In spite of their
different race which is considered as
important during that period of
time, the motives of both Blalock
and Thomas in the aspect of medical
advancement is the same which is
ironic if it is placed against the
backdrop of the racial segregation
at that time. Their motives were
mutual as they both sought to make
a change for “human race”, which
erase the idea of differences between
races which goes against the
mentality that those around them
expressed. Thomas manages to earn
Blalock’s respect; Blalock praised
the results of Thomas’ surgical skill
as being “like something the Lord
made”, and insisting that Thomas
coaches him through the first Blue
Baby surgery over the protests of
Hopkins
administrators.
The picture potrayed of the real action at Room 706 taken
on February 3 during the second Blalock-Tausing shunt.
SASARAN JURNAL KRITIKAN MEDIA . 113