The Original Freedom Writers Diary was published in October of 1999








Plot Summary

A young teacher named Erin Scott takes an employment position at an inner-city High School in Long Beach, CA. The high school was previously known as Scholastic Academy until an integration program was implemented by the school district, combining a vast amount of students from upper, middle class, and poverty stricken areas under the same educational structure at Wilson High School. Erin challenged and inspired students to advance their education in spite of the difficult adversities they faced outside the classroom. Some school staff members remained pessimistic towards a particular group of students and had no hopes the students at Wilson High School would ever have the desire to get an education. Erin's form of teaching was quite unique as well as non-traditional. Her teaching style drove a positive connection between the students and herself. However, this did not come easy. All the students embodied diversity yet, shared common issues that would normally take place in inner city schools.


Note: The link below represents a movie clip, fast forward to the scene where the school administrator is prepping Erin and provides her with a class list. This scene identifies Margaret's role as a biased and judgmental administrator at Wilson High School.




This movie is a great representation of diversity and acceptance among people of all ages. Intertwined in the plot is the underlining message that while there are differences among all age groups, races, and social classes, there are also similarities and common ground. The focus is on the teenagers and how they have been taught to handle these differences. Each young person in the movie is going through a personal crisis brought on by their environment and upbringing. Erin Gruwell, eventually endures her own personal struggle with a failed marriage. Her husband ends up leaving her due to the lack of attention she gives him because she is so involved with the kids in her class. Erin educates these kids on how people in history have faced far larger struggles during the Holocaust. The students begin to relate to the fear of dying and trying to survive. During the Holocaust, Jews suffered some of the same racial predjudices of these particular young students. The teacher begins to capture their hunger for learning and willingness to feel accepted and become part of a family. She also gains their respect when she gives them the journals which become an outlet for their feelings. Their journals is their way of telling their their story and being heard. Once these students, whom fight against each other everyday because of their differences, realize the amount of similarities they have, they start to let their guard down and see that they are essentially on the same side. In an unselfish act, the teacher gives up her own personal happiness to ensure that the students get what they need to survive in a school where everyone else has given up on them.

Character 1Erin Gruwell



Erin Gruwell, (played by two-time Oscar Winner Actress Hilary Swank) was a young attractive teacher,that was newly married. She had planned on becoming a defense lawyer but rather decided she would have more success in reaching out to the younger generation and steering them in the right direction with education. She was quite reserved in style, studious and appeared to be educated through her appearance and tone. Erin was full of joy,and determination, but seem timid at times. At the same time she was quite observant, mindful and determined to teach the under performing students. She did not pass judgment nor did she alienate this class. Erin's home life suffered due to her extreme and well needed involvement in her educational career. Her married life was more of a friendship with her husband Scott, there was no form of intimacy on her part, although her husband attempted many times. There marriage suffered in many areas, there was no social involvement as a couple nor was there time set aside for dinner as husband and wife. Erin would arrive home late from school and took on additional employment position to assist in financing activities and curriculum for her students, which was not provided by the school.

There was one scene where Erin was being prepped by the head of the administrations department and given her class list. Students on the list were on probation, foster kids and had 6th grade reading levels. The administrator shared with Erin the fact that two years ago the school was a Scholastic Academy and since the integration went into effect, they have lost over seventy five percent of their strongest students. The voluntary integration program was put in placed bringing the schools standards down, Erin replied smiling and full of excitement making it known to the administrator she was very well aware of the schools background and that is why she chose Wilson High School for employment, the administrator looked at Erin as if she was naive, complimented her on the pearls she was wearing and suggested to her she may not want to wear the pearls to class. Erin's reaction was full of amazement and in spite of the recommendation from the administrator Erin wore the pearls to class.

Character 2

Eva Benitez

Eva is a teenager who is misguided, complicated and filled with anger displaying several different emotions throughout the movie. Emotions ranging from sorrowful to upbeat at times. Her parents had an significant influence on her negative behavior in addition to her neighborhood environment. Eva was full of hatred towards teens of different races, especially whites. She was witness to the shooting death of a close friend and the incarceration of her fathere when she was a young girl. In her upbringing she was taught to fight to defend herself and that violence was the only way to get respect. Her gang was her family. This type of behavior was encouraged and tolerated in her household also the idea of remaining loyal to your race and gang by any means necessary.

Once opportunities were presented to Eva, mainly through the influence by her high school teacher, her character began to improve, although there was a few obstacles that she eventually overcame.

Note: There was a scene in the movie where Eva's Allegiance to the street gang and her family was tested. A crime was committed by an individual in the vehicle with Eva, she was witness to this and implicated intentionally the wrong person as a suspect. Although she knew the truth about what occurred, such dishonesty caused an innocent person to become incarcerated.

Character 3
Margaret Campbell

A character who plays an important role in this movie is Margaret. She is the school administrator who hires Erin Gruwell in the beginning of the movie. She displays all the naive prejudices that contributes to the attitudes these students have and their desire to remain segregated amongst their own kind. Although Margaret doesn't have direct interaction with these particular students in the film, you can sense she is fearful and inconvenienced by their presence in the school. Her attitude towards Erin then and in a later meeting with the school board shows the distain she has for the integration program at the school. She views the program as a personal threat to her and her lifestyle when she comments that the students in Erin's class cause her to be unsafe outside of school. Her anger may seem over the top at some points, but the intensity of the anger is a culmination of many people in society with the same opinion of troubled teenagers. Margaret wants to get them in and out of the school as fast as she can so she doesn't have to deal with them. Her belief is that you can't make these students want an education. Therefore no resources were to be wasted on these students. She uses a lot of energy to remain part of the problem in this situation instead of taking that energy and giving just a little bit to help out, which in turn would help out society as a whole. Her racial prejudice against the students was overcome after Erins persistance.

Character 4
Erin's husband, Scott, was played by Golden Globe winner Patrick Dempsey of Grey's Anatomy. Although he did not have a major role in the movie he fully supported Erin decision to become a teacher and encouraged her in the beginning of the movie. He stood by her side at the beginning of the movie and gave Erin the courage to stand up to her father for not supporting her decision for a career change and a paycut. He began to feel neglected after Erin became fully absorbed with her students and dedicated less and less time to him and their home. He did not want to make Erin choose between him and her students,so decided the best thing for him was to leave.



Character 5
Ben Daniels-

Ben Daniels is the only white student in this class of racially diverse students. The only thing the class had in common was that they all hated Whites. He felt afraid to be in the class and i'm sure he even feared for his life. He started to see his fears were in no way comparable to the tragic lives of the rest of his classmates. Through Erin he learned to bond to the rest of the students and them to him. Race was not a factor to them anymore.





Character 6
Andre,a character played by an R&B recording star named Mario. At the beginning of the movie Andre has issues with Erin just like the rest of the classroom. He tells Erin why asks Erin why should he respect her? Just because she's a teacher? Andre was never given a chance previously to learn. Due to his upbringing, Andre believed the only thing out there for him was to deal drugs or to be a pimp. He has no support or encouragement from his mother. Through Erin teaching methods, Andre was able to see the world outside of Long Beach. Erin never gave up on Andre and made him realize he had alot more to offer thatn he believed of himself.

Theme

Inspired journal writings; peer pressure; tragedy; academic failures; social issues; courage; a dedicated teacher; teachable moments, historical events;
humours times; the ability to be challenged and overcome.

What makes this a great?





This movie inspires people to take action to help those who need it. It shows how one teacher’s dedication and devotion to the students with violent lives can make a difference. It is interesting to see how a troubled group of students is discriminated by the school, like school authority’s has the opinion that educating these kids would be pointless. This film shows clearly that the school’s system in 1992 was not working because nobody wants to be involved with gang members. It shows that many challenges can be overcome by people if they only want to try. We learned how honesty can change lives, how feelings are needed by every human being.

The Story Behind the Story




This video demonstrates the time period and current events that played a role in this story.

written and edited by: [Heather Gruber, Barbara Garay. Tiffanie Toney-Davis, Katarzyna Derlacka]