The Freedom Writers Diary by Erin Gruwell

Within this true story you will find the power and passion of one person, who erased the invisible hate lines by daring to cross them and showing love to students that were starving for it.Īn amazing and powerful read that if you have not read – I highly recommend you do. What Erin does costs her much, but the outcome…. I am getting off course, but this book brings out a lot of emotion as I felt again within the pages, the hate, the labels, the teachers who looked at these students as a waste of their time and the schools money. What I wouldn’t give to have one more conversation with my mom. Having lost all of my immediate family members to tragedies, it breaks my heart to see families choose not to speak to one another over whatever differences they feel they have. I can not handle families torn apart and people judging each other for anything. Reading this book, was just as wonderful as the movie.

I had purchased the books years back after realizing it was a book and as many of my books do… it sat on the shelf until recently. The movie was phenomenal and even as I write this review and I think of this powerful story it brings tears to my eyes. When I seen this movie years ago I did not even know it was a book. I always try to read a book before I watch a movie although, such as in this case, it does not happen that way. Using her own money, as the school would not provide books for such social outcasts, Erin teaches the students through reads like Anne Frank, and slowly builds the trust not only in her, but in each other. Mentioning the Holocaust she is shocked to find that most of the students in her room had never heard of this. When a picture is passed through the room making fun of a student, Erin brings up how hateful things like this start wars. Going optimistically head long into the class it did not take Erin long to see the invisible lines drawn between race, color, and social status. Erin was filled with energy and ideas and was not deterred when she was given the students referred to as the “unteachables”. Twenty three year old Erin Gruwell was a new teacher in Long Beach, California.

The Freedom Writers Diary by Erin Gruwell