The Freedom Writers and their readings

1. Why did Ms Gruwell have the Freedom Writers study the Holocaust and meet Holocaust survivors ?

In diary 21, we learn Renee Firestone is a Holocaust survivor. She lost everything in the Holocaust (including her family). Later she came to America and became a successful clothing designer. Ms Gruwell wants to show to her students, that their life can be better. If they want, they can change their future, like this Holocaust survivor.
First the Freedom Writers didn't know what was the Holocaust. After Ms Gruwell's course, they were interested in the life of other people. They learned in Europe there were racist wars too.


2. How did the Freedom Writers relate to Anne Frank ? Give examples.

In diary 36, the student wasn't happy to read Anne Frank's diary, because he/she hated reading. In the movie, at the end, the Latino Girl was interested about Anne Frank's diary, because Anne Frank was like these students today, she saw her friends die and she had the same age and teenage tears.


3. In what way Zlata Filipovic impacted the students’ lives? Give examples from several writers. What really surprised the Freedom writers?

Zlata Filipovic gave hope to the students. After they read her diary, they had hope for their future and they had new perspectives. They learned Tolerance. They met Zlata Filipovic and they learned : like them, she saw her friends die. She was a courageous lady.
Anne Frank and Zlata Filipovic impacted the student's lives. The Freedom writers were surprised because they had a lot of similarities with Anne Frank and Zlata Filipovic : same age, alienation and teenage tears. They were in similar situation. In diary 37, the student says "I'm beginning to realize that Anne Frank, Zlata Filipovic, and I have a lot in common".


4.In diary 47, the writer says: ”Now if you ask me what race I am, like Zlata, I’ll simply say, “I’m a human being.””How could you explain that quote? Do you relate to it?

If we ask to Zlata "What race are you ?", she answers "I'm a human being". It means that, for her, race doesn't exist. And now this student understood that. Racism is stupid. Everyone is a human being, our colour isn't important.

The Freedom Writers Diary

After reading Anne Frank's diary the Freedom Writers wrote letters and raised money to invite Miep Gies to visit their school. I would like to invite Ms Gruwell, because I admire her. I think she's a generous person and she wants to help people. My classmates read her book and I think they changed. We learned a person can change the world.

The question of the writer of Diary 36 : "Why should I read books about people that don't look like me ?"
My answer : We can't always read books we like. We should read different books, because we should learn different things (not always the same things), different opinions. From reading Anne Frank's diary, the Freedom Writers learnt to help other people. Anne Frank was a role model for them.

Stereotypes give you your place in the society and you can't do what you want to do. People are going to be identical. There is no originality. The danger is people think "I must be in a gang".

The freedom writers are Asians, Latinos, whites, blacks, ...

The "hood" is described by the freedom writers like a dangerous place. It dubbed Long Beach (gangsta-rap capital). There are two or three buses to get to school.

The students' parents play an important role in their lives. In diary 13, the student never knew his/her father so it's difficult for him/her, because the parents are very important. An another student was sad, because her mother doesn't like him/her.

Experience of a student has been to juvenile homes : In diary 12, a student arrives at juvenile hall, she/he says "it was scary" and on his/her first night she/he cried. It's an horrible experience.

Before students didn't want to read books. Now when they see a book, they want to open it.
In French "we began to understand the true meaning of not judging a book by its cover" means "nous avons commencé à comprendre la vraie signification de juger un livre par sa couverture".

The main issues of the freedom writers : They have problems with alcohol, drugs. They often belong to a gang. There are wars between the different gangs. They don't respect the law.

In diary 6, the writer talks about his experience about death. I learn his/her friend died and unfortunately it often happens in the US. I felt sad, because it's horrible to die so young.

In diary 15, the student talks about her/his teacher Mrs Gruwell. We learn her/his teacher wants to understand why this girl/boy think that way. The teacher wants to change the student, to help him/her to be a good person.

Movies

Mississippi Burning

Two FBI agents (a young man and an older) must find three men who disappeared in Mississippi. It’s horrible in this place, because there is the Ku Klux Klan and they hate Negroes. White people destroy black churches and burn houses. The sheriff is a member of Ku Klux Klan and he beats young blacks, but his wife gives him an alibi.
At the end, she tells the true, but the judge is so tolerant with his husband and the other members of KKK.

The film was interesting, but so shocking. I didn’t think it was so horrible in Mississippi, people are so racist and violent.
In reality, I don’t think that FBI agents are nicer than the police of Mississippi. They often see inequitable things and they do anything.

American History X

This story is about white supremacy : Derek and Daniel, two brothers, are two white skinheads. Derek is a neo-Nazi. He's violent, particularly when he has a confrontation with his sister.

Derek was with his girlfriend (she's strange), when a black man was breaking his car. Derek took a pistol and he killed him. He killed a second black too, but the third left with his car. This scene was horrible, because when the police came, Derek was smiling and Daniel was crying. Derek was arrested and he must stay 3 years in prison for these 3 murders.
In prison, Derek made a friend, a black, he’s funny, he must stay 6 years in prison because he put (accidentally !) a TV on a policeman.
Derek was attacked by 6 black men, they hit him.

Daniel is in the bathroom of his school when a black appears and kills him with a pistol. It's incomprehensible ! An another day, Daniel had the black provoked, but it was normal (his black gang was hitting a white). The black killed Daniel and said anything.Derek runs, sits next to the body of his young brother and cries a lot, because he has the responsibility of his dead.

I didn't like this movie, it's so cruel, Daniel was so young to die. The neo-Nazi was Derek, not Daniel.

Hate is a baggage.

The beginning of the school

I was sad to go to school, because the sun was shining. It was warm and I wanted to go to the swimming-pool and play outside with my friends. I was in Italy and I went back home because school began again.

Italy, Senigallia
(picture by me)

When I went to school, I was happy to see my friends. At first I saw a girl I knew from last year. We spoke about our vacation. She was so excited, because she went to London. She spent two weeks in London with her family. She said it is a very beautiful place and now I want to go to England too.

London, Big Ben

Later I saw an another friend, she was sad because she had stayed in Geneva during the holidays. She comes from the Dominican Republic and her family lives in America. I hope she can see them next year.

the Dominican Republic

I didn’t know a lot of people in my class, so it was stressful for me. I was sitting alone when I saw an old friend, her name is Visare. I have known her for five years. I was so happy to speak to her. We spoke about school, she was sad too, because many of her friends didn’t have sufficient grades and now they are in an other school.


My first English lesson was interesting. We spoke about ourselves and I met new people. The students are funny in my class. When the teacher was talking about San Francisco, it was so exciting. I dream to go to the U.S.A. I think that San Francisco is a beautiful city, with beaches and wonderful houses. I didn’t think that there were a lot of homeless people. I was shocked !
Now we have penfriends and it’s very interesting to speak with people who live in an another continent.

San Francisco

I learn English, because it’s a very important language. A lot of people speak English around the world. I learn German and Italian too. Italian is easy for me, because I come from Italy. But German is hard and the grammar is difficult. I didn’t want to learn German, but my family thinks it’s important for a person who lives in Switzerland.


I don't like mathematics and physics, because there are a lot of formulas. I have to work hard to have good grades.

I'm happy to have this class and these teachers. I lost friends, but now I have new friends and they are funnier ! =)

Dear Kentekia,

19th October 2007

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I was so happy to get your letter ! Thank you so much ! =)

Today the sun is shining, but it's cold.

It often rains in Geneva.

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Your story is so sad, I hope that you can see your mother soon.

I live with my father as well. My mother lives ten minutes away from my appartment, but I don't see her a lot. In fact, I don't want to see her. She has a strange behaviour, because she has a tumour in her brain.

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I

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Today we watched " Freedom Writers " at school, it is a great movie ! Have you watched it ? Is your class similar to the one depicted in the movie ? In my class, there isn't any racial discrimination ! I think people are more tolerant in Geneva than in the U.S.A.

Today I'm on vacation, but after the vacation we are going to read " The Freedom Writers Diary ". Have you read it ?

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I sent you an e-mail. Do you have MSN ?

See you later,

Cindie