The Freedom Writers Diary

The Freedom Writers Diary

by

Erin Gruwell

Teachers and parents! Our Teacher Edition on The Freedom Writers Diary makes teaching easy.

The Freedom Writers Diary: Part VIII: Diary 118 Summary & Analysis

Summary
Analysis
After three days in New York spent visiting famous monuments and meeting famous people, this student realizes that her/his father is in a similar position of power, but takes advantage of it. S/he describes the physical and verbal abuse that he makes his children suffer through, but explains that during his/her parents’ divorce, her/his father was able to bribe court psychologists so that he would be given custody of the children. One weekend, her/his father locked her/his brother in the backyard and didn’t give him either food or drink for an entire weekend.
This student realizes that obtaining social and economic power is not a positive objective per se, since power can be used for good and for bad purposes. S/he explains that power often comes with credibility and authority, and that it can hide cruel behavior. S/he describes a legal world in which people are happy to draw profit from situations that benefit them, without caring about the harm done to more vulnerable people.
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While psychologists have failed to see her/his father for who he is and he continues to verbally abuse his children, this student has decided that s/he will not let him spoil her/his education and her/his experience as a Freedom Writer. S/he commits to putting an end to similar abuse when s/he becomes powerful.
This depressing situation does not affect this student’s capacity to recognize violence for what it is and, more importantly, to trust optimistically in her/his own powers as an individual.
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