Freedom Writers Discussion Questions.

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- Each of us is surrounded by influence. How does the following statement reflect the influence Eva grew up under? “Nobody’s innocent and if you take enough of the victories, you will win!”

With this stamen it sounds like her father means to say that everyone is guilty of something so she may as well risk it all until their “kind” is superior. I can deduce that Eva grew up under the influence that she must do whatever it takes for the betterment of her kind.

- Why does Gloria decide to switch into Mrs. Gruwell’s English classroom from the Distinguished Honors classroom?

She decided to switch classes because of the diaries, in the other class she felt discriminated and she felt that it was going to be more comfortable in the other class, where their classmates could understand her.

- At what point in the movie did Mrs. Gruwell make the connection in understanding the plight of her students? How did this impact her performance as a teacher and the atmosphere created in her classroom?

I think it was when they read the diaries, and from them on the climate in her classroom was much better.

- The students learn about the Holocaust in an experiential way through Gruwell’s teaching. Does it make history more accessible/relevant?

In my opinion the “experimental way” that Gruwell used to teach history was more accessible and relevant than the traditional way for this group of students, because she put them the example of the drawing that it was close to them.