Freedom Writers Research Paper

Freedom Writers Research Paper


The Freedom to Be
Just a class of rejects, often referred to as the “forgotten”, were sought to be going no where by the education system. These rejects lived a life of fear, always knowing their lives could be taken at any moment. Till one day a young woman, Erin Gruwell, stepped into their lives changing them forever. Erin Gruwell asked her students to take the time each day to write in a journal about anything they wanted to. These students, who were rejected by the educational system, journals were put together to create the New York Times best seller, The Freedom Writer’s Diary, written by Erin Gruwell and her students. Her teachings made the biggest difference in those students’ lives, just because she took the time and gave them a chance. This moving novel was transformed into a major motion picture, Freedom Writer’s, written and directed by Richard LaGravenese. The film shows the dangerous lifestyles of the gang wars the students were caught up in. It allows you to see how Erin Gruwell gave up everything she had to make a difference for those who everyone gave up on.
In 1992, the streets of Los Angeles were becoming very dangerous, racial tension was rising all around, the Rodney King Riots had just come about, and people feared leaving their homes because of gang violence constantly arising. Students found writing journals helped them cope and get through these rough times, as Anne Frank did during the Holocaust
The Los Angeles Rodney King Riots put many Americans in shock. On March 3, 1991, four police officers in Los Angeles, California, stopped a car driven by a 34-year-old African American named Rodney King (Sowell). The officers accused Mr. King of speeding and when he emerged from his vehicle he was accused of being intoxicated by his aggressive manner. Mr. King wrongly chose not to co-operate with officers which lead to his unorthodox beating. The four officers claimed it was only in self-defense, but the beating had happen to be caught on...

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