A critique of the movie, Freedom Writers

Introduction
The movie was based on real life events. The movie came from the journals of the
students of Room 203 of Woodrow Wilson High School in Long Beach, California. The
movie shows different problems that has been manifested in the American history up until
now like, riots, gang violence that is common among the high school students as seen in the
movie. Lastly, the racial discrimination and inequality that as we know, tainted the American
society.
Summary and Critical Evaluation
Ms. Erin Gruwell, one of the main characters that plays a major role in the movie. As
she first seen in the movie, she was applying for a high school English teacher at Woodrow
Wilson High. She was given to teach the freshman and the sophomore years of Room 203
that was assigned to her. She was being interviewed by the coordinator on what is her
purpose and why do she wants to teach on that school even though, it is known as an
infamous school that is full of students who only knew the word “violence.” She told that, her
father gives her the inspiration to teach the students because, her father was involved in civil
rights movement and she wants to disseminate that, everyone has the right to have education
to support themselves. The coordinator agreed and she noticed Gruwell’s pearl necklace that
she always wear, it has sentiment because, her father gave it to her but, coordinator told that
if she was her, she would not wear it in class. As noticed, the pearl necklace symbolizes the
purity of Gruwell. As we all know, pearls have a great value, as she values her principle and
her eagerness to teach. The part when the coordinator told her that she would not wear it in
her class because, her class makes up almost half of Black Americans, as we know that they
hate white, it may offend her students.
She enters the classroom and checks attendance. She calls them by their names until her
student, Eva Benitez, corrects her from the mispronunciation of her name. “e-vah” not “ey-
vah” corrects Ms. Gruwell. It is noticed that, Eva was offended by just pronouncing her
name, it was pronounced in Latino accent but Gruwell pronounced it in American. Eva does
not want to be called by an American by the way they talk but, she wants to be called in
Latino accent because, she values and proud about what she are or what they are. The next
day, her students bullied Jamal by the use of drawing that was passed in the entire room.
When Ms. Gruwell caught the attention of the students and find out what is going on, she
grabbed the paper and became furious. The paper symbolizes discrimination. She does not
want anyone to be bullied, discriminated or be treated unequal. As her father as one of the
movement, it gave her anger because, she knows what is the situation that America is facing
now, they must grow up and help each other to spread the values that America taught them,
teamwork and cooperation. Known in the history that America helped many countries during
the World War II, until now, they do not stop supporting other countries by giving the food,
loaning budgets to other countries but, in their own country, teamwork and cooperation is not
seen but only discrimination and mediocrity. After that class, she thinks on how she will help
her students, she thought about making an activity that will help each and every one to build
themselves as an individual.
 First thing that she made was the line game. She will ask a certain question and if they
relate to the question they will forward to the line and step backward for the next. The line
symbolizes the boundaries or walls that are built by her students. She wants to break it and
seek them out to help them by asking questions to know them well. After that, she gives them
journal notebooks wherein they will write all what they want to express. She will not read it
unless she got a permission from her students. During the parent’s meeting, no one attend the
meeting and eventually, she remember the journals that is in the cabinet in the back of the
room, when she opened it, she saw all of her students’ journal. She read it and knew and
understand their situation. The next activity that gives her idea is by reading them a book. She
finds another job to buy them books. The next day, she provided them and give them the
books, a gang violence themed book that is not included in their syllabus but they can relate
to it. It gives her an idea to use the library books. She went to the library and talked to her
coordinator to give her students the Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl book but she
refused. She told that it was not included to the curriculum and just the Romeo and Juliet
instead. The two books have different symbolism. Romeo and Juliet symbolizes love and
Anne Frank symbolizes discrimination. As seen in the movie, the books of Romeo and Juliet
was torn apart and students wrote different things on the book, it means that they do not have
the interest to read it and they cannot relate to it. They read the Diary of Anne Frank and
Gruwell knew that they will like the story because they will relate to it. Anne Frank
elaborated in her diary the cruelness of Adolf Hitler to the Jews. He even made concentration
camps to annihilate the Jewish/Semitic race because he knew that, Jews are the lowest
creature that ever existed and Germans are the superior. Then, Holocaust happened. The most
gruesome event that happened in the history. As in modern America, racial discrimination or
social segregation is present. Gruwell wanted her students to what what discrimination and
violence will affect everyone.
After reading the book, Gruwell wanted her students to write a letter to the person
who hid Anne Frank. She told that she was alive and living in Europe. When her students
knew that the person is alive, the students told that they want to see her and give their regards
personally, she did not even have a choice when her students insists. They made a fund
raising project to help Miep Gies make fly to America. After all the hardships, they met Miep
Gies personally. She made an inspirational talk to the students and that was the day that they
will not forget. When the last sophomore semester came by, students ask if Gruwell will
teach them in their junior year, she told that, she only teaches freshman and sophomore and
she could not teach junior and senior because she don’t have the seniority. Her students
insisted that they want Gruwell to be their teacher in the next year. First she was sad because,
it was her last year with her students and they were like family. United as one. As her final
project to her students, she wanted that every student’s journal will be published into books.
Her acquaintance donated 35 computers to make the journals of every students into a book.
She compiled everything and came up with the title, The Freedom Writers Diary. The
diary/books symbolizes experience. Every chapter in a book, we will learn many information
and different things. Gruwell wanted to publish it to spread what her students wanted to
express and to see the world.
Conclusion
 The movie wanted its audience to know that everyone can change. Even if you are
delinquent or a bad person, you can change who you are or improve yourself. Changes starts
with you. Take action. Make a move to become a better person.