The Freedom Writers Diary
Introduction + Context
Plot Summary
Detailed Summary & Analysis
Part I: Entry 1: Ms. Gruwell Part I: Diary 1 Part I: Diary 2 Part I: Diary 3 Part I: Diary 4 Part I: Diary 5 Part I: Diary 6 Part I: Diary 7 Part I: Diary 8 Part I: Diary 9 Part I: Diary 10 Part I: Diary 11 Part I: Diary 12 Part I: Diary 13 Part I: Diary 14 Entry 2: Ms. Gruwell Part II: Diary 15 Part II: Diary 16 Part II: Diary 17 Part II: Diary 18 Part II: Diary 19 Part II: Diary 20 Part II: Diary 21 Part II: Diary 22 Part II: Diary 23 Entry 3: Ms. Gruwell Part III: Diary 24 Part III: Diary 25 Part III: Diary 26 Part III: Diary 27 Part III: Diary 28 Part III: Diary 29 Part III: Diary 30 Part III: Diary 31 Part III: Diary 32 Part III: Diary 33 Part III: Diary 34 Part III: Diary 35 Part III: Diary 36 Part III: Diary 37 Part III: Diary 38 Part III: Diary 39 Part III: Diary 40 Letter to Zlata Entry 4: Ms. Gruwell Part IV: Diary 41 Part IV: Diary 42 Part IV: Diary 43 Part IV: Diary 44 Part IV: Diary 45 Part IV: Diary 46 Part IV: Diary 47 Part IV: Diary 48 Part IV: Diary 49 Part IV: Diary 50 Part IV: Diary 51 Zlata’s Letter Part IV: Diary 52 Part IV: Diary 53 Entry 5: Ms. Gruwell Part V: Diary 54 Part V: Diary 55 Part V: Diary 56 Part V: Diary 57 Part V: Diary 58 Part V: Diary 59 Part V: Diary 60 Part V: Diary 61 Part V: Diary 62 Part V: Diary 63 Part V: Diary 64 Part V: Diary 65 Part V: Diary 66 Entry 6: Ms. Gruwell Part VI: Diary 67 Part VI: Diary 68 Part VI: Diary 69 Part VI: Diary 70 Part VI: Diary 71 Part VI: Diary 72 Part VI: Diary 73 Part VI: Diary 74 Part VI: Diary 75 Part VI: Diary 76 Part VI: Diary 77 Part VI: Diary 78 Part VI: Diary 79 Part VI: Diary 80 Part VI: Diary 81 Part VI: Diary 82 Part VI: Diary 83 Part VI: Diary 84 Part VI: Diary 85 Part VI: Diary 86 Part VI: Diary 87 Part VI: Diary 88 Part VI: Diary 89 Part VI: Diary 91 Part VI: Diary 92 Part VI: Diary 93 Part VI: Diary 94 Part VI: Diary 95 Part VI: Diary 96 Part VI: Diary 97 Part VI: Diary 98 Entry 7: Ms. Gruwell Part VII: Diary 99 Part VII: Diary 100 Part VII: Diary 101 Part VII: Diary 102 Part VII: Diary 103 Part VII: Diary 104 Part VII: Diary 105 Part VII: Diary 106 Part VII: Diary 107 Part VII: Diary 108 Part VII: Diary 109 Part VII: Diary 110 Part VII: Diary 111 Part VII: Diary 112 Part VII: Diary 113 Entry 8: Ms. Gruwell Part VIII: Diary 114 Part VIII: Diary 115 Part VIII: Diary 116 Part VIII: Diary 117 Part VIII: Diary 118 Part VIII: Diary 119 Part VIII: Diary 120 Part VIII: Diary 121 Part VIII: Diary 122 Part VIII: Diary 123 Part VIII: Diary 124 Part VIII: Diary 125 Part VIII: Diary 126 Part VIII: Diary 127 Part VIII: Diary 128 Part VIII: Diary 129 Part VIII: Diary 130 Part VIII: Diary 131 Part VIII: Diary 132 Part VIII: Diary 133 Part VIII: Diary 134 Part VIII: Diary 135 Part VIII: Diary 136 Part VIII: Diary 137 Part VIII: Diary 138 Part VIII: Diary 139 Part VIII: Diary 140 Part VIII: Diary 141 Part VIII: Diary 142 Epilogue Afterword Afterword: Diary 1 Afterword: Diary 2 Afterword: Diary 3 Afterword: Diary 4 Afterword: Diary 5 Afterword: Diary 6 Afterword: Diary 7 Afterword: Diary 8 Afterword: Diary 9 Afterword: Diary 10
Themes
All Themes Race, Ethnicity, and Tolerance Education and Healing Family and Home Violence, War, and Death
Quotes
Characters
All Characters Erin Gruwell The Freedom Writers Anne Frank Zlata Filipović Miep Gies John Tu Sharaud Renee Firestone Peter Maass Gerda Seifer Hanneli (“Lies”) Richard Riley Tommy Jefferson Sarah Paco Tony Cheryl Best John Lewis Thomas Keneally O. J. Simpson
Symbols
All Symbols The Diary of Anne Frank
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The Freedom Writers Diary

by

Erin Gruwell
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Richard Riley Character Analysis

United States Secretary of Education Richard Riley meets the Freedom Writers in Washington, where they are able to share their stories with him. In turn, he shares his own tales of hardship with the students and makes them feel that he truly cares about them and their education. He tells them that they are the leaders of the future, a message that has a strong impact on these students’ minds, inspiring them to trust that they, too, can become important people in their society.
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Richard Riley Character Timeline in The Freedom Writers Diary

The timeline below shows where the character Richard Riley appears in The Freedom Writers Diary. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Part VI: Diary 76
Education and Healing Theme Icon
Violence, War, and Death Theme Icon
...to them. They decide to share their stories with United States Secretary of Education, Richard Riley, and want to find a way to go to meet Riley in person in Washington,... (full context)
Part VI: Diary 79
Race, Ethnicity, and Tolerance Theme Icon
Education and Healing Theme Icon
Family and Home Theme Icon
Violence, War, and Death Theme Icon
...Riders’ path and show their passion for tolerance and diversity by going to meet Richard Riley in Washington, D.C. S/he hopes that, by speaking out, they can make adults aware of... (full context)
Part VI: Diary 87
Education and Healing Theme Icon
This student describes the momentous event of their meeting with Richard Riley. While she was afraid it might be a boring evening, filled with speeches for adults,... (full context)
Part VI: Diary 88
Race, Ethnicity, and Tolerance Theme Icon
This student transcribes the poem s/he read at the dinner with Richard Riley. This poem celebrates the diversity of skin colors and activities that humans engage in, concluding... (full context)
Part VI: Diary 89
Race, Ethnicity, and Tolerance Theme Icon
Education and Healing Theme Icon
When this student sees Richard Riley at the dinner in Washington, D.C., he immediately notices their sharp differences in race, culture,... (full context)
Race, Ethnicity, and Tolerance Theme Icon
Violence, War, and Death Theme Icon
When he hears Riley talk about fighting discrimination in the South, he is reminded of the night his brother... (full context)
Race, Ethnicity, and Tolerance Theme Icon
Education and Healing Theme Icon
Violence, War, and Death Theme Icon
The student wants Riley to read his story so that he can see that the shooters merely shot his... (full context)
Part VI: Diary 91
Education and Healing Theme Icon
Violence, War, and Death Theme Icon
After giving a copy of their book to Richard Riley, the Freedom Writers hold a candlelight vigil for all the victims of violence they knew.... (full context)
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