“Freedom Writers”
A Film Ethics Analysis Presented by
Vince Neil M. Nuñez
BSEd IV – ME
to
Dr. Danilo B. Solayao
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements in
ED 415 – Values, Ethics and Relevant Laws
Polytechnic University of the Philippines
1st Semester, SY 2011-2012
I. Preliminaries
A. Title of the film: Freedom Writers
B. Writer: Erin Gruwell
C. Director: Richard LaGravenese
D. Cast/Character:
Hilary Swank as Erin Gruwell; Patrick Dempsey as Scott Casey; Scott Glenn as Steve Gruwell; Imelda Staunton as Margaret Campbell; April L. Hernandez as Eva Benitez (as April Lee Hernandez); Mario as Andre Bryant; Kristin Herrera as Gloria Munez; Jaclyn Ngan as Sindy; Sergio Montalvo as Alejandro Santiago; Jason Finn as Marcus; Deance Wyatt as Jamal Hill; Vanetta Smith as Brandy Ross; Gabriel Chavarria as Tito; Hunter Parrish as Ben Daniels; Antonio García as Miguel; Giovonnie Samuels as Victoria; John Benjamin Hickey as Brian Gelford; Robert Wisdom as Dr. Carl Cohn; Pat Carroll as Miep Gies; Will Morales as Paco; Armand Jones as Grant Rice; Ricardo Molina as Eva's Father; Angela Alvarado as Eva's Mother; Anh Tuan Nguyen as Sindy's Boyfriend (as Anh Nguyen); Katie Soo as Sindy's Friend; Liisa Cohen as Brandy's Mother; Brian Bennett as Brandy's Father; Horace Hall as Himself (as Mr. Horace Hall); Tim Halligan as Principal Banning; Lisa Banes as Karin Polachek; Giselle Bonilla as Young Eva; Earl Williams as Young Marcus; Blake Hightower as Clive; Angela Sargeant as Marcus' Mother.
II. Introduction:
Another requirement was given to us by our professor Dr. Solayao. He gave us the movie “Freedom Writers” by Richard LaGravenese. Actually, that day he shows some part of the movie which gaves us a reason to watch the whole movie. That night, I was really excited to go home and download the movie in able to watch it fully.
It takes hours to download the movie. After finishing of downloading it, I force myself to watch it even it was very late by still I didn’t finish because I’m very sleepy that time. On the next day, I watched it alone at my room.
III. Sypnopsis
The movie “Freedom Writers” of Richard LaGravenese was about an english teacher named (Hilary Swank) Erin Gruwell who was taking her first teaching experience at Woodrow Wilson High School. Erin Gruwell was assigned to teach freshmen, she was really unprepared for the nature of her classroom. Erin’s students are composed of different person on different nations. The only thing they know is to defend their selves from others. Many of her students are in gangs and almost know somebody that has been killed by gang riots.
These situations gave a reason for Erin Gruwell to make a way to change all of her student’s life. She gaves activity, games and even her time. One of the activity that really stacked at my mind is when she gaves every students a big notebook wherein they will write their daily journal. They will write their daily journal not for gaining grades but to let Ms. Erin know what happen to her students every day.After sharing their stories with one another, the students see their shared experiences for the first time and open up to the idea that there are possibilities in life that they can still change their own life.
Her love to her students pushes her to find other sidelines just to earn money that will be used to buy things for her students.
Because of almost giving her whole life in teaching, Erin almost forget her responsibilities to her husband (Patrick Dempsey) Scott Casey. They decided to divorce because Erin cannot give the time needed by her husband Scott Casey.
Despite of what happen to her life, she still focuses on helping her students to change their vision in life.
As the movie ends, it was written there that many freedom writers were the first in their families to graduate on high school and can go to college.
IV. Value Analysis
1. Explain the title. How appropriate is it?
Well for me the title of the film is very appropriate on the story. “Freedom Writers” it just means that having a freedom to write what they want to write. In the movie, Erin Gruwell let her students to write a daily journal. In this journal they can expressed themselves, their feelings and even their experiences in life. Because of giving her students a freedom to write what’s inside their mind and heart it gives it a reason to have a great respect to each and everyone.
2. Characterize the protagonist/s and antagonist/s (if there’s any) of the story.
There is one protagonist for me it is (Hilary Swank) Erin Gruwell. Despite of many problems she encountered, she still there to help her students and still making a difference to her student’s lives.
I think there is one antagonist in the movie. She is (Imelda Staunton) Margaret Campbell the department head of the school. Why? It is because she did not let the students use books. Her reason is that the student will just destroy the books.
3. Who among the characters impressed you most? Expound.
The cast that really impressed me in this film is (Hilary Swank) Erin Gruwell. Why? Because helping other people who you don’t know well is a very hard thing to do. Giving your time, money and even your own life to somebody you met at first time is really, really hard. Erin Gruwell really impressed me because of her patience she put on understanding her student’s experiences. She really amazed me on how she makes way to know her student’s different stories in life and how she put an answer to all of the questions that her student’s was looking for.
4. Which part of the film do you like best? Elaborate.
The part of the film that I like best is when Erin Gruwell met and greet her whole freshmen class for the first time (00:09:44). Erin Gruwell looks like in mixed emotions, she looks happy for the reason that it is the start of her career as a real teacher and looks nervous because it was her first time of teaching. I like that part because I see myself to Erin Gruwell, I’m thinking one day I will be on her place and teach.
5. Cite at least five (5) lines or dialogue in the film that reflects the character’s ethics. Interpret the meaning of each line.
a) Andre Bryant: “Justice doesn't mean the bad guy goes to jail, it just means that someone pays for the crime.”
This line from Andre tells us that for him justice is not just giving a punishment for someone who committed crime but it is paying the crime that he/she done.
b) Eva: “White people wanting respect like they deserve it for free.”
The line here from Eva shows that the color of a person is important in giving respect. For her, white people were more deserving for having respect while those black are not.
c) Miep Gies: “You are the heroes. You are heroes every day.”
Miep Gies gaves an inspirational message to all of Erin Gruwell’s students. Miep Gies want to let each of them to realize that there were the heroes of their own life. It means there were the only one who can protect their own life to somebody who will ruin it. This message opens the mind of all the students that they still have a reason why they still here on earth.
d) Gloria: “If you look in my eyes, you'll see a lonely girl. If you like at my smile, you'll see nothing wrong. If you pull up my shirt, you'll see the bruises. What did I do to make him so mad?”
In this scene Gloria was telling to Erin Gruwell what she was and what she has. Gloria simply says that you cannot know the real story of one person on just looking into it. Sometimes, you need to make a more profound way to know what really they are.
e) Marcus: “I've never had a hero before.”
This line by Marcus simply says that he never experience having a hero. It means, there is nobody who protects him, nobody cares about him and nobody he can depend on because he lives alone by himself.
6. What were your feelings toward the conclusion of the film? If you were the writer, how would you have ended the story?
Well for me the film ended very nice because all of Erin Gruwell’s students finished high school and went college but somehow sad because her husband (Patrick Dempsey) Scott Casey left her. But if I’m going to be the writer of this movie I will add on the end of the movie the scene where all of Erin Gruwell’s students are in graduation attire and celebrating their graduation.
V. Recommendations
1. What ethics or insights have you gain from watching the film?
The film contains a lot of ethics that we can practice in real life situation. Like respecting others on what they want to do, doing things that were assigned to us and greeting others. This film possessed a lot of ethical things but these are some ethics that really affect me.
2. Would you recommend this film to a friend? If yes, Why? If no, Why not?
Yes, because the film is very nice. Especially to my classmate which were taking education. This movie will help us to understand that every student is different to each and everyone. It will help us also to have an idea to how we will overcome these kinds of situation.
