Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Freedom Writers Diary, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Race, Ethnicity, and Tolerance
Education and Healing
Family and Home
Violence, War, and Death
Summary
Analysis
This student describes the joys of the end of the year, as she enjoys high grades, a positive relationship with her mother, and the prospect of a good summer job, before realizing that she is pregnant. She does not understand what could have happened, since after her previous abortion she took great care to not have unprotected sex, but then remembers that the condom broke one night. She also remembers the depression she endured after her first abortion and decides that she wants to keep this baby. While her boyfriend understands her choice, he fears that they are not yet ready to raise a child.
Faced with a difficult choice, this student decides to put her education in jeopardy in order to prioritize her mental health and keep her baby. The fact that this pregnancy is unwanted highlights not only life’s constant fluctuations, but also the fact that this young girl could perhaps have benefited from greater sexual education about preventing unwanted pregnancy.
Themes
When she tells her mother about it, her mother warns her that her life will change completely, and that many of the things she had planned to do will no longer be possible. Yet, despite her fears, this student nevertheless decides that she is strong enough to have her baby, start college, and find another job. Overall, she feels blessed at graduating with excellent grades and having such supportive friends and family.
This student’s trust in herself is impressive, given the tremendous life changes that await her. She does not believe that she is condemned to an unhappy future but, rather, that she is strong enough to shape her future and lead the life she wants.
Themes
