The Freedom Writers Diary
The freedom writers’ diary is based upon a collection of essays about life in the inner city written by the students of room 203 at Wilson High School in long Beach, California in 1994. This story is inspired by real teenagers after the LA riots, during the worst outbreak of interracial gang warfare and experiences of what each student had to face every day in the real world. This was Erin Gruwell’s first year as a teacher, whose very passion on starting that journey, but she is soon challenged by a group of students that were not only separated by gangs but were also divided into separate sections such as; the Cambodians, the Ghetto, and the Tijuana’s. Mrs. Guwell’s freshmen students’ didn’t only came from the streets but also from a Juvenile detention center. At the classroom the students were all separated by race that was the only way they keep from fighting each other. Others would refer to these students as dumb, violent who could never learn nor had plan to graduate high school. Erin, students never had someone that really care about them, she was set to change the world. To over come all of her struggles and fought until she became not only the best teacher but also someone to look up.
In the movie Hilary Swank plays Erin Gruwell herself, who shows up for her first day of school full of enthusiasm and not a little native. When she steps in the classroom the students totally ignore her and pay no attention to what she’s sating. During the school day Erin realized that it is going to take more motivation to encourage the students to focus on her lessons. When Erin got home that night she talk to her husband Scott played by Patrick Dempsey about the group of students she had and that she want it to make a difference in their lives as well as helping them like no one has ever done. The next day she goes back to the classroom with more energy to get students to participate by using things that are in some how relate to them. First, Erin’s efforts to connect with her students are to put her self in their place, using Tupac Shakur recording to explain “internal rhymes”. When the students reject her as a poseur who doesn’t understand what their life is really like. Erin begins to listen to them in away that no adult has ever done it; she begins to understand that for these kids, getting through the day alive is enough. Then one day one of Mrs. Gruwell’s students draws a racist picture of another classroom student and passes it around. By seeing the picture Erin feels indignant and lectures the class about prejudice. At that moment she notices that almost none of them have ever heard of the Holocaust. This gives her an idea of what if she could get them to read Anne Frank’s The Diary of a Young Girl and to write their own diaries. She struggles with Ms. Campbell to help her provide materials for he students by saying “you cannot make someone want and education”. Erin’s desire was to prove everyone wrong and that her students could change that this was just a matter of time.
Erin had to provide the materials her self and work at two part-time jobs besides being a teacher. By doing this Erin puts a strain in her personal life. Mrs. Gruwell’s husband starts to resent all the time and energy she is giving to her students. Erin’s father tries to change her mind about taking a challenge like this. Unfortunally she is set to change the world and is not stepping back. Mrs. Gruwll’s husband feels left behind by his devoting wife. One night Miss. G and her husband Scott are talking when he says “I think what you are doing is noble and it is good, I am proud of you. I am. I just want to live my life and not feel bad about it and you are not their mother”. This is what is wrong today people believed in the ideals, but they don’t really want to pay for the price to pursue them.
A Latina teen named Eva played by April Lee Hernandez, who has witnessed a drive by shooting and the arrest of her father who was put in jail been innocent. Eva has taken a beating as part of her own initiation into the gang life and is also a third generation gang member. Although some of these events are depicted in chronological order, they feel like a flashback and unfold as tragedy. Mario played by Andre Bryant, is a young man with lost of potential but who also doesn’t believe on him self. Mario was raised with out a father and whose mother won’t even look at him because he looks exactly like his dad. In order to provide for his family he sells drugs. Marcus played by Jason Finn, is a tee who was kicked out of his house when his mother discover he was a gang member. Marcus later realizes that he deserve more for him self then what a gang would provide. Marcus scored Mrs. Miep Gies during her visit to Wilson high school. He tells her “Mrs. Miep I had never had a hero before, but now you are my hero”. Suddenly she replies “I did what I had to do because it was the right thing to do. That is all. We are all ordinary people, but even an ordinary people secretary or housewife or a teenager can within their own small ways turn on a small light in a dark room… You are the heroes. You are heroes’ everyday”.
In conclusion, watching this video was a pleasure I had never heard of this great movie before. This film has met its objective and its full purpose, which to me is consider very inspire and motivate. The part that I enjoy the best was when Erin decides to play the line game and starts asking different questions. At this point everyone notice that they have a lot of things in command and that the only difference is their color and gangs group. This movie really made me cry and gives me hope that every one has the opportunity to change. We are humans and we are not perfect, because of this we make errors. I love when Erin gives them something they had never had from a teacher before “Respect”. For the first time, these teens experience a hope that maybe to show the world that their lives matter and they have something to say.
