Freedom Writers, Diary Entries about Student's Lives - Movie Review Example

Freedom Inspired by the book “The Freedom Diary” by educator Erin Gruwell, the 2007 drama film “Freedom Writers” starred Hillary Swank, Scott Glenn, Imelda Staunton and Patrick Dempsey. The movie is directed by Richard LaGravenese and produced by Danny DeVito, Michael Shamberg, and Stacey Sher under Dream Works Pictures/Paramount Pictures (“Freedom Writers: Facts, Discussion Forum, and Encyclopedia Article”). Summary After the notorious Rodney King riots in Long Beach and during the peak of inter-racial gang wars, 23-year-old teacher Erin Gruwell (Hillary Swank) is assigned to Room 203 of Woodrow Wilson High School. Room 203 is packed with “unteachables”, a group of racially accused teenagers such as Latinos, Blacks, Asians, young criminals, gang members, drug abusers, and disadvantaged teenagers from a poverty-stricken neighborhood (“Freedom Writers: Inside Room 203”). Teacher Gruwell’s enthusiasm for teaching a curriculum based on impartiality quickly darkens as she finds out that Room 203 is ruled by ethnicity pressures, gang society, prejudice and optimism. Upon entering the classroom, students instantly create barriers against each other by turning their desks into each others group, isolating each race or gang. Compelled to confront the actuality and difficulty of this situation, Gruwell tries teaching these kids in a more exceptional approach. Gruwell gives them something new – respect (“Freedom Writers: Inside Room 203”). One fateful night, a tragedy happens at the time when two of Gruwell’s students, Eva (April Hernandez), a Latina gang member and Sindy (Jaclyn Ngan), a refugee from Cambodia, are in the same store. Grant Rice (Armand Jones), storms out of the store after losing an arcade game. Eva’s boyfriend accidentally shot Sindys boyfriend. Eva, being a witness, must give evidence at court. Both Sindy and Eva know the truth but Eva insists on an old family tradition of defending their race (“Freedom Writers: Facts, Discussion Forum, and Encyclopedia Article”). One turning point happens when Gruwell intercepts un ugly racial caricature drawn by a Hispanic student, showing a Black student with exaggerated thick lips and nose. This infuriates Gruwell, shouting that this manner of racial stereotype is similar to the one that lead to the Holocaust. Upon the realization that her students know nothing about the Holocaust, she sees a chance to connect with them (“Freedom Writers: Inside Room 203”). Another significant incident occurs when Gruwell asks how many have actually experienced being shot at. She is surprised as nearly everyone raise their hands. She then decides introduction of a curriculum that deviates from the principles of Woodrow’s education system. However, this curriculum is scorned by the school head, Margaret Campbell (Imelda Staunton). Gruwell gradually gains respect and trust from her students. The walls that divide the students begin to break down (“Freedom Writers: Inside Room 203”). Gruwell encourages her students to read The Diary of Anne Frank, Zlatas Diary: A Childs Life in Sarajevo by Zlata Filipovic, Night by Elie Wiesel, and other texts about prejudice and struggles of teenagers (“Freedom Writers: Inside Room 203”). Armed with the full determination to reform the students, she works as an inn caretaker and as a saleswoman in a lingerie store to finance books for her students. Meanwhile, Gruwell’s husband, Scott (Patrick Dempsey), is against his wife spending more hours at school than at home (“Freedom Writers: Inside Room 203”). Gruwell continues to teach her students for sophomore year. Some Holocaust survivors pay them a visit to share their own stories to the class. Through raised funds, they visit the Museum of Tolerance, watch Schindler’s List, and invite Miep Gies (Pat Carroll). Miep Gies was the one who kept Anne Frank and her family in the basement to save them from execution by the German soldiers. Marcus (Jason Finn) regards Miep Gies as Anne’s hero which she refuses to admit, saying that she was only doing her job. It is this denial that wakens Eva. During her testimony, she disappoints her kin and disgraced her race as she tells the truth (“Freedom Writers: Facts, Discussion Forum, and Encyclopedia Article”). Providing them with blank journals, Gruwell asked her students to write down their inner expressions in any form: sketches, verses, or a daily diary. She asked them to note down their conflicts and struggles, which eventually unlocks their closed doors and now allows everyone to see them as unique and important individuals. It is actually the first time that these “unteachables” are heard. "The kids learned to pick up a pen instead of a gun, and the act of writing saved them,” says Director LaGravenese. Gruwell gathers every student’s journal and brands it The Freedom Writers Diary (“Freedom Writers: Inside Room 203”). The students of Room 203 are transformed from a group of “problem kids” to a united family bonded by the same tormenting stories and strong acceptance of one another. With pride and courage, they dub themselves “The Freedom Writers” (“Freedom Writers: Inside Room 203”). Scott, Gruwell’s husband files a divorce. Upon the courageous fight of Gruwell to educate these kids, the school head Margaret Campbell finally allows her to handle Room 203 until they graduate from high school. In Woodrow Wilson High School where barely half of the student population go to college, every "Freedom Writer" successfully graduates (“Freedom Writers: Facts, Discussion Forum, and Encyclopedia Article”) Some Scenes Depicting Issues of Race or Gender 1. On the first day of classes, in Room 203, the students converted the room into little territories of each ethnicity or gang affiliation. They turned their desks into each other’s team, obviously separating and rejecting Gruwell. Turning their desks was a symbol of rebelliousness against Gruwell and a symbol of union within their group or race. Gruwell recalls, "When these kids came to school they imposed segregation on themselves. They created territories based on race, gang affiliation, which side of the street they lived on, or which bus they had taken. It was a daunting thing to look onto this group of students and see how they had self-imposed that separation onto themselves” (“Freedom Writers: Inside Room 203”). 2. Even in the beginning of the story, the characters packed in Room 203 are from different races: Cambodian, Vietnamese, Latino, African-American, and Caucasian. The students deal with issues of racial discrimination, aggression, gun/gang misdemeanor, and drugs. Freedom Writers reinforces strong racial stereotyping of people such as the Blacks being connected to drugs and gun offenses; the Orientals being uncontrollably brutal; and the Asians being short of the qualities of average Whites. 3. Gruwell intercepted a racial caricature of one of the African-American students, with exaggerated thick lips and over-sized nose. A strong stereotype of colored people, especially the Blacks, has been manifested. Blacks have been an object of ridicule and regarded as socially unacceptable. 4. Serene-faced Gruwell entered Room 203 wearing a cherry-red suit, black pumps, and pearl necklace, emanating the character of an elite total stranger. In this scene, the White is portrayed as rich and elite and the “Colored” (students) as the “Others”. Another stereotype represented in this scene is the belief that the female gender is weak and subordinate. It is clearly seen in the student’s faces and the indifferent treatment towards their teacher the disbelief that something so big could be changed by a woman. 5. “Fear of the black man” is dominantly manifested when Gruwell requests Ben (Hunter Parrish), the only white boy in Room 203, to transfer to the back of the classroom where all of the black students are seated. Ben immediately utters, ‘I can’t go back there.’ (qtd. in Freedom Writers). Another incident with Ben is when Gruwell asked the class how many of them have been shot at, and it was only Ben who did not raise his hand. This stereotype represents the White as being “untouchable.” 6. Thirteen–year–old Latina girl, Eva experienced her own battle when she was torn between telling the truth and protecting her own race. Her journal has helped her cope with her conflict of guilt. This is what Eva wrote in her diary: “Dear Diary, Tomorrow is my testimony in court for the Asian boy’s death. I was the only witness at the scene, but I’m aware that Sindy chick knows the truth. Papa always tell me to defend our kind, so we can be the winner at the end, but after Ms. G made us listen to Miep Gies, I’m starting to doubt myself. She risked her life defending another race, and she survived through the roughest. So what if the opposition was an Asian? He was still a person, just like me. I have the power to change those people’s fates, if I do it, maybe this whole dark ‘war’ of races could head towards the end of the tunnel. But what about the consequences I would have to face.” (qtd. in Freedom Writers). Works Cited Freedom Writers. Prod. Danny DeVito, Michael Shamberg, and Stacey Sher, Dir. Richard LaGravenese, Perf. Hillary Swank, Scott Glenn, Imelda Staunton and Patrick Dempsey. DVD. Dream Works Pictures/Paramount Pictures, 2007. “Freedom Writers: Facts, Discussion, Forum, and Encyclopedia Article.” Absolute Astronomy. 2009. 7 Feb. 2010. “Freedom Writers: Inside Room 203.” Movies Online. n. d. 7 Feb. 2010. Read More