The Freedom Writers Diary: Part I: Diary 1 Summary & Analysis

In this diary, the student wonders on the first day of school how Ms. Gruwell could have been chosen to teach this class. S/he doubts that this white, upper-class woman will ever succeed in teaching this difficult group of students, in whom no one believes. Despite Ms. Gruwell’s initially open and warm attitude, the student concludes that she will ultimately give up on them, just like everybody else. S/he notes that the class seems particularly undisciplined, and that many of the students come to school with guns in their pants.

When s/he notices a white student in the class, s/he sees that he seems completely lost, hoping that he has been assigned the wrong schedule. S/he notes that, for once in his life, this white student is going to have to learn what it means to be the minority. Anticipating boredom and noting that even s/he wants to leave this classroom, s/he sardonically concludes that Ms. Gruwell will last only a month in this class.