Writing 421 In-Class Activity (Analyze and Interpret) – Freedom Writers
You have been asked to make note of some interesting occurrences from our viewing of Freedom Writers. Using your
notes, craft responses to the writing tasks that follow. All ideas need to be explained – what is the evidence that proves
your thinking? Use the actions/quotes from the characters to support your ideas. Maybe you can even remember some
quotes! Your well-crafted responses should be submitted in proper MLA format on MONDAY, NOVEMBER 10.
Part One – General Questions from the Film
Read each question carefully and respond neatly and in full sentences.
1. Why did Erin choose to teach in this school? What happens on her first day?
2. How does Erin attempt to engage the students in poetry?
3. A sketch of Jamal is passed around the classroom until it finally reaches him. What major event is discussed as a
result?
4. What is administration’s attitude toward Erin’s class?
5. What do you think the standing on the line exercise teaches the students?
6. After Erin reads the class journals, how does her perspective change?
7. How does Erin get permission to take her students on a class trip? What do you think the trip teaches the students?
8. What are some examples of how the student’s behaviour has changed?
9. Why does Eva get upset when she finishes “The Diary of Anne Frank?”
10. How would you reduce or eliminate race in a school such as this one?
Part Two – Questions to Make You Think and Write
Below are three groups of questions (Virtues, Relationships, and Big Ideas). Read each question and write intelligent and
thoughtful responses for them. You do have some choice.
Group One: Virtues (COMPLETE TWO OF THEM)
1. Respect and Trust
Why do the students initially only trust peers from their own ethnic/racial groups? How does Ms. Gruwell earn the
respect of her students? How do the students finally come to respect one another?
How does respect work, anyway? How can you tell when someone does or does not respect you? Why is trust
such an important component of a teacher-student relationship?
2. Tolerance
How does Ms. Gruwell manage to get the students to show tolerance for one another? Her father was a civil rights
worker when Erin was growing up; how might that have affected her feelings on tolerance? Make sure your
response includes discussion of the racial caricature that Ms. Gruwell confiscated, and the impact that it had on the
outcome of the story.
3. Courage and Perseverance
Ms. Gruwell's students endure many hardships in their personal lives: physical violence and/or emotional abuse,
substance abuse, poverty, homelessness, gang violence, and deaths of family and friends. Ms. Gruwell herself must
endure a lack of support from her colleagues and supervisors. What were some other roadblocks to Ms. Gruwell's
success at first? How does courage and perseverance apply to these situations?
Group Two: Relationships (COMPLETE BOTH OF THEM)
1. Family Relations
Many of the students have difficult issues to deal with in their families. Eva's father was in prison because of loyalty
to the gang, and she had to testify in court on a case similar to the one that sent her dad away. Marcus was kicked
out of his house when he joined a gang. One boy tells the class that he has no other family, just them. Comment
on all these situations and how they are resolved.
2. Erin Gruwell and Her Husband
What caused the break-up of their marriage? What might they have done in order to save their relationship?
What would you have tried to do if you were in this situation?
Group Three: Big Ideas (COMPLETE FOUR OF THEM)
1. Stereotypes
How do you see stereotypes in this film?
2. Journal Writing
Describe how writing in journals helps transform the lives of the students. How does writing "free" the students
from their pain? Do you or have you ever kept a journal or diary? If so, do (did) you write about events,
emotions, or both? Was it a good experience, helpful for you?
3. Anger
Why are the students filled with such anger at the beginning of the story? Do you think their anger is justified?
4. Inequality
What are some of the inequalities among students and classrooms at Wilson High School? How about this school?
5. Change
How do some of the major characters change from the beginning to the end of the story? Why did they change?
What was one important event that made a difference? Consider these characters: Erin Gruwell, Scott Gruwell,
Eva, Marcus (the boy who went back to his mother's home), Ben (the white boy), and any others.
6. Climax
What part do you think is the most important part of the story? What makes it important? What would the movie
be like if that part didn't happen?
7. Anne Frank
What did you learn about Anne Frank from watching this movie? Why did the students make such an important
connection to the diary of Anne Frank?