“Freedom Writers”
A Film Value Analysis Presented by
Jholancob, Edilene I.
BSED IV-E
to
Dr. Danilo B. Solayao
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
In ED 415 – Values, Ethics and Relevant Laws
Polytechnic University of the Philippines
1st Semester School Year 2011-2012
I. Preliminaries
A. Title of the Film:
“Freedom Writers”
B. Writer:
Richard LaGravenese
C. Director:
Richard LaGravenese
D. Cast/Character:
E.
Hilary swank as Erin Gruwell
Patrick Dempsey as Steve Gruwell
Scott Glenn as Steve Gruwell
Imelda Staunton as Margaret Campbell
April Hernanadez asEva Benitez
Ricardo Molina as Eva’s Father
Mario as Andre Bryant
Kustin Herrera as Gloria Munez
Jaclyn Ngan as Marcus
Sergio Montalvo as Alejandro Santiago
Jasem Finn as Marcus
Angela Alvarado as Eva’s Mother.
II. Introduction
As I watched the trailer of the film “freedom writers” I felt the excitement ran in my mind to work on for the value analysis right away. What happened was that I searched for the opportunity to watch the whole film. I tried watching it on you tube but I just got some parts from it. I want to watch the whole film so, that same day, my other classmates who haven’t seen the movie yet and I went to video city to rent a copy of the film but we failed to do so because they had only one copy of it and so we thought of being doomed that night. I had second thought that maybe I could do the analysis by just reading the synopsis but fortunately a Good Samaritan, a friend of mine lend her flash drive so I could watched the whole film. So to end the story of my experience, I was able to start doing this analysis and thankful that I finished it though not on time. I hope my dearest professor would accept my work.
III. Synopsis
The storyline of the movie takes place between 1994-1996, beginning with scenes from the1992 Los Angeles riots. Swank plays the role of Erin Gruwell, a new, excited schoolteacher who leaves the safety of her hometown, Newport Beach, to teach at Woodrow Wilson High School in Long Beach, a formerly high achieving school which has recently put an integration plan in place. Her enthusiasm is rapidly challenged when she realizes that her class are all "at-risk" high school students, also known as "unteachables", and not the eager college students she was expecting. The high school students assimilate into racial groups in the classroom, fights break out, and eventually most of the high school students stop attending class. Not only does Gruwell meet opposition from her high school students, but she also has a difficult time with her department head, who refuses to let her teach her high school students with books in case they get damaged and lost, and instead tells her to focus on training them discipline and obedience.
One night, two high school students, Eva (April Lee Hernández), a Hispanic girl and narrator for much of the film, and a Cambodian refugee, Sindy (Jaclyn Ngan), frequent the same convenience store. An additional student, Grant Rice (Armand Jones) is frustrated at losing an arcade game and demands a refund from the owner. When he storms out, Eva's boyfriend attempts a drive-by shooting, intending to kill Grant but misses, accidentally killing Sindy's boyfriend. As a witness, Eva must testify at court; she intends to guard "her own" in her testimony.
At school, Gruwell intercepts a racist drawing by one of her high school students and utilizes it to teach them about the Holocaust. She gradually begins to earn their trust and buys them composition books to record their diaries, in which they talk about their experiences of being abused, seeing their friends die, and being evicted. Determined to reform her high school students, Gruwell takes on two part-time jobs to pay for more books and spends a lot more time at school, to the disappointment of her husband (Patrick Dempsey). Her students start to behave with respect and discover a lot more. A transformation is specifically visible in one student, Marcus (Jason Finn). Gruwell invites various Jewish Holocaust survivors to talk with her class about their experiences and requires the students to attend a field trip to the Museum of Tolerance. Meanwhile, her unorthodox training methods are scorned by her colleagues and department chair Margaret Campbell (Imelda Staunton).
The following year comes, and Gruwell teaches her class again for its sophomore (second) year. In class, when reading The Diary of Anne Frank, they invite Miep Gies (Pat Carroll), the woman who sheltered Anne Frank from the German soldiers to talk to them. After they raise the money to bring her over, Miep shares her experiences hiding Anne Frank. When Marcus tells her that she is his hero, she denies it, claiming she was merely doing the right thing. Her denial leads to Eva to rethink her plan to lie during her testimony. When she testifies, she finally breaks down and tells the truth, much to some of her family members' dismay and to her own risk.
Meanwhile, Gruwell asks her students to write their diaries in book form. She compiles the entries and names it The Freedom Writers Diary. Her husband divorces her and Margaret tells her she cannot teach her kids for their junior year. Gruwell fights this decision, eventually convincing the superintendent to permit her to teach her kids' junior and senior year. The film ends with a note that Gruwell successfully prepared numerous high school students to graduate high school and attend university.
IV. Value Analysis
1. Explain the title. How appropriate is it?
Since the story revolves around the students who had their different experiences in life which are mostly traumatic be written on their diaries and had it published, I think the title “freedom writers” is just appropriate.
2. Characterize the protagonist /s and antagonist/s (if there’s any) of the story.
Erin Gruwell was unquestionably a dedicated, committed and loving teacher to her students. She’s an optimistic person that she never let the hindrances blocked her way just to make a difference in her student’s lives.
Margaret Campbell who played the role of the department chair was the antagonist of the story. She always contradicts with Ms. Gruwell’s way of teaching for she just didn’t like the idea of using books to students for some unacceptable reasons instead she just advised her to teach the students only about discipline and obedience.
3. Who among the characters impressed you most? Expound.
The character of Erin Gruwell impressed me most because she just simply showed in the film what a teacher should be. She took risks just to change the lives of her students for the better. I was greatly impressed because she was a hero for me after transforming the lives of her students coming from different races.
4. Which part of the film do you like best? Elaborate.
The part I like best was when Ms. Gruwell explained her students about respect that before you gain it you have to give it first and that fighting in a gang war doesn’t guarantee a seat of respect for someone.
5. Cite at least five (5) lines or dialogue in the film that reflects the character’s ethics. Interpret the meaning of each line.
"We are all ordinary people. But even an ordinary secretary, or a housewife, or a teenager can within their own small ways turn on a small light in a dark room." –
It simply means that it doesn’t matter what kind of people we are in order to do such simple acts of goodness in us or even for other brothers.
“Before you gain respect you have to give it first.”
· "Justice doesn’t mean the bad guy goes to jail, it just means that someone pays for the crime.”- it means that sometimes, not all suspects are really the criminals.
"I've never had a hero before. But you are my hero." – It means that because of the speaker something changed in his life..
"If you look into my eyes, you'll see a loving girl. If you look at my smile you'll see nothing wrong. If you pull up my shirt you'll see the bruises. What did I do to make him so mad?" – She’s pertaining to her ex boyfriend, for her, she’s perfect but then, she don’t know what is the reason why her boyfriend left her.
6. What were your feelings toward the conclusion of the film? If you were the writer, how would you have ended the story?
I think the ending of the story was great and I felt happy that Ms.Gruwell still was given the chance to teach her students in their senior years. I would have ended it the way the writer had ended the story,
V. Recommendations/ Conclusion
1. What ethics or insights have you gained from watching the film.
· In order to survive one must fight
· Dedication
· Commitment
· Passion
· Honesty
· Do not discriminate others
· Make a good decision
· The value of education and the powerful influence a single dedicated teacher can make in the lives of students.
2. Would you recommend this film to a friend? If yes, why? If no, why not?
I will definitely recommend this film to my family and friends especially to those people who are planning to take up education because the film showed the importance of education and the great role of a teacher to her students.
