Laguna State Polytechnic University

San Pablo City Campus

Brgy. Del Remedio, San Pablo City

Submitted by:
Bagasbas, Julie Ann P.
BSEd 2S
Submitted to:
Ms. Aimee Angeles

Introduction:

Freedom Writers is all about the students who couldnt express their
feelings and emotions thats why they have this deserted feeling. There are lots of
stories behind their personalities. Their environment also affected them much thats
why they behave not so well in the society.
A good teacher can implement change to the lives of the students and make a
difference to them. Teaching will be a big sacrifice because even your personal things
and family will really be affective because its a broad thing. Also, its a never ending
responsibility of the educators. If a teacher is really dedicated, you will not just teach
for the sake of salary and youre not just a teacher inside the classroom because you
should be a second parent to them. Let the students feel that their school is their
second home because this is where they spend most of their time just like what the
student said in the movie, wherein he called it home. A good teacher can lead the
students in the right path they should go because discipline is also been taught for the
students.
This movie is an example for the youths who want to free their selves. They
can be out on their shell. They want to be free, and through that diary they had the
courage to fight those fears.
Plot Summary:
Freedom Writers was written and directed by Richard LaGravenese, based on
the book, The Freedom Writers Diary, by The Freedom Writers with Erin Gruwell.
The storyline of the movie takes place between 1992-1995, beginning with scenes
from the 1992 Los Angeles Riots. Hilary Swank plays the role of Erin Gruwell, a new,
excited schoolteacher who leaves the safety of her hometown, Newport Beach, to
teach at Woodrow Wilson High School in Long Beach, a formerly high achieving
school which has recently had an integration program put in place. Her enthusiasm is
quickly challenged when she realizes that her class are all "at-risk" students, also
known as "unteachables", and not the eager students she was expecting. The students
segregate themselves into racial groups in the classroom, fights break out, and
eventually most of the students stop turning up to class. Not only does Gruwell meet
opposition from her students, but she also has a hard time with her department head,
which refuses to let her teach her students with books in case they get damaged and
lost, and instead tells her to focus on teaching them discipline and obedience.
One night, two students, Eva (April Lee Hernndez), a Hispanic girl and
narrator for much of the film, and a Cambodian refugee, Sindy (Jaclyn Ngan), find
themselves in the same convenience store. Another student, Grant Rice (Armand
Jones) is frustrated at losing an arcade game and demands a refund from the owner.
When he storms out, Eva's boyfriend attempts a drive-by shooting, wanting to kill
Grant but misses, accidentally killing Sindy's boyfriend. As Eva is a witness, she must
testify at court; she intends to protect her own kind in her testimony.
At school, Gruwell intercepts a racist drawing of one of her students and uses
it to teach them about the Holocaust. She gradually begins to earn their trust and buys
them composition books to record their diaries, in which they talk about their
experiences of being abused, seeing their friends die, and being evicted. Determined

to reform her students, she takes two part-time jobs to pay for more books and spends
more time at school, to the disappointment of her husband (Patrick Dempsey). Her
students start to behave with respect and learn more. A transformation is especially
visible in one of her students, Marcus (Jason Finn). She invites several Holocaust
survivors to talk with her class about their experiences and takes them on a field trip
to the Museum of Tolerance. Meanwhile, her unorthodox teaching methods are
scorned by her colleagues and department chair Margaret Campbell (Imelda
Staunton).
The next year comes, and Gruwell teaches her class again for sophomore
(second) year. In class, when reading The Diary of Anne Frank, they invite Miep Gies
(Pat Carroll), the woman who sheltered Anne Frank from the German soldiers to talk
to them. After they raise the money to bring her over, she tells them her experiences
hiding Anne Frank. When Marcus tells her that she is his hero, she denies it, claiming
she was merely doing the right thing. Her denial causes Eva to rethink lying during
her testimony. When she testifies, she finally breaks down and tells the truth, much to
some of her family members' dismay. Meanwhile, Gruwell asks her students to write
their diaries in book form. She compiles the entries and names it The Freedom
WritersDiary.
Her husband divorces her and Margaret tells her she cannot teach her kids for
their junior year. She fights this decision, eventually convincing the superintendent to
allow her to teach her kids' junior and senior year. The film ends with a note that
Gruwell successfully brought many of her students to graduation and college.
Movie Analysis:
This one is a must watch movie that shouldnt be missed by everyone
especially to the teachers as a tribute for their goodness and hardship they exerted for
us. Everything in the movie is well done because its symbolic, inspirational and full
of lessons in every scene.
The title Freedom Writers was really shown in the movie because at first, the
stories of the different students were not able to speak up but when Ms. Gruwell came
into their lives, everything was revealed and she supported the students to change for
the betterment of their lives.
Different emotions can be drawn from it just like from its background music
which is hip-hop and rap can be a representation of excitement, anger, togetherness
and happiness.
Every character in the movie played well their roles because each of them
showed how much pain and struggles that the real life people behind them suffered.
Each of them is given the spotlight or the opportunity to share their own heartbreaking story behind.

Characters:
Hilary Swank as Erin Gruwell
Patrick Dempsey as Scott Casey
Scott Glenn as Steve Gruwell
Imelda Staunton as Margaret Campbell
April L. Hernandez as Eva Benitez (as April Lee Hernandez)
Mario as Andre Bryant
Kristin Herrera as Gloria Munez
Jaclyn Ngan as Sindy
Sergio Montalvo as Alejandro Santiago
Jason Finn as Marcus
Deance Wyatt as Jamal Hill
Vanetta Smith as Brandy Ross
Gabriel Chavarria as Tito
Hunter Parrish as Ben Daniels
Antonio Garca as Miguel
Giovonnie Samuels as Victoria
In my opinion, the protagonists in this movie are the students and Ms.
Gruwell. Then, the antoginist is the department head, Ms. Margaret Campbell who
always contradict the ideas of Ms. Gruwell in handling her students.
They have used various settings that are appropriate in the scenes like school,
house, museum and park.
There are many symbolisms that were presented in the movie like:
Conflict is shown between teacher and students, and gangs and tribes.
Betrayal is shown when Eva confessed that one of her own committed the crime.
Change is shown though the progress of Ms. Gruwells class.
Violence is shown through the gang hatred towards each other.
Hope is shown through the children never giving up.
Racism is shown through this film with examples if gang fights, teasing and
offensive, vulgar comments.
Courage is shown when Eva admits that one of her own killed someone.
Conclusion:
This is a representation of the realities in the youth nowadays because of how
they are much influenced by their environment. This is an eye-opener to everyone that
people have an opportunity to make themselves better person they can be as long as
they help themselves to achieve it. The kind of teaching-parenting done by Ms.
Gruwell was exceptional because we cant always have that kind of sacrifice from our
teachers. Teachers can do different heroic deeds for their students even in just simple
ways that their students really appreciate. As long as they see you as a good example
in their lives, youll really earn their precious trust and respect.

The movie really carried the good message of it. Everything was there, the ups
and down of a simple teacher when she really showed her dedication to her job. Ms.
Gruwell is a living hope and inspiration for the students because she was able to make
her students the better person they should be the educated individuals for their own
good. Weve seen the differences when they met Ms. Gruwell little by little. The
chaotic students turned out to be the students liking to go to school and eagerness to
learn from their hardworking teacher. Ms. Gruwell really worked to build the trust and
oneness of the students and she really succeeded. We are the witnesses on how much
hardship she has exerted for them just like having extra job for her to supply the
resources that the students need for the learning process. She broke the barrier in their
education because others classified them as unteachable for the reasons theyre
engaged with crimes, riots, drugs and bad habits but Ms. Gruwell really stand still and
proved them wrong because she molded the students who are supposed to learn just
like with the regular students and able to graduate. One of the best things that make
me admire her so much is that she professionally handled her personal matters and her
job because she didnt bring it in school for her job not to be affected. She didnt
blame her students from the divorce that broke her the most. We cant even see that
shes suffering from a big problem. Shes really amazing.
As a future teacher, I had many realizations when it comes to the teaching
profession after watching the movie. When you hit the dedication to your job, youll
really serve those people who need you. Next, once you enter the world of teaching,
you should ready yourselves from the upcoming challenges that will test you
especially with your family and co-workers. Time will also be a problem because
when youre too attached with your job, therell be people who will be left behind,
and therefore there must be a good time management. When you hear the words from
the people who witnessed your hardship, you feel relief because everything is paid off
from the reason that they appreciate on how much you care for them. This inspiring
movie is also a tribute for our teachers because there are lots of things that we should
be thankful for them. One of those is by feeding us with the wisdom that they have
shared for us and preparing us with the things that we need to do for our lives after
studies. Also, for enlightenment they gave for us to go with the right path because
theyre not just a subject teacher but a disciplining parent for their own students. If
they really build a good rapport with her students, everyone will be treated as part of
the family. Everyone wont treat the school as a big pressure for them but looking to it
as a good place to be in.
Lastly, the movie is realistic because it brings us in world of reality that in a
classroom, teachers have those kinds of students due to the society that influenced
them to do so. Some teachers are struggling to handle some kind of those issues
because its really hard for them to change them if the students are really exposed
much from bad habits. Just like from the school that I came from when I was high
school. It was a big school so there are lots of students and we are aware that students
in the lower sections are using marijuana that the teachers cant prevent them to use it.

Also, we are aware from the news that some students are risking their lives in joining
to some fraternities that they think are good for them and unfortunately, there are
some students who have lost their lives because of hazing. We can always see how
violence interferes in the lives of the youth.