The Freedom Writers Diary: Entry 6: Ms. Gruwell Summary & Analysis

Inspired by Zlata, Ms. Gruwell decides to compile a selection of her students’ diary entries into a book. Zlata had suggested that writing might be a good outlet for these students to escape the violence and horror of their everyday lives. The students tell Ms. Gruwell that classroom 203 is the only place they feel safe. They often stay late at night at school to do their homework, and Ms. Gruwell then drops them off, horrified at seeing the violent environments they live in, and guilty about living in a secure neighborhood.

Ms. Gruwell decides to compile the entries anonymously, since many students could be punished for writing the truth. She feels the same kind of moral responsibility that Miep Gies described when talking about her involvement with Anne Frank. John Tu donates thirty-five computers to the class so that the entries can be completely anonymous, and Ms. Gruwell decides that the thirty-five students with the best academic performance will receive one at graduation. With the help of a lawyer, she designs an honor code that students will have to sign, ensuring that their entries are their own, unembellished stories. Ms. Gruwell organizes a meeting between her students and Anne Frank’s best friends, who survived the war, hoping that this will make the students excited about their new project.