Introduction:
-Power is a right or an authority given or delegated to a person. The notion
of power usually implies a basic division between those who have and exercise
power and those who have none or little of it. Power deals with lots of concepts
such as domination, influence, rebellion/resistance…
-For this notion, we studied different movie scenes and literary excerpts
from the true story of a young English teacher named Mrs. Gruwell and the
influence she had on students at-risk. This story is related in the book « Freedom
Writers » and has been adapted into movie.
-Transition: Mrs. Gruwell took a very different approach to try to manage
those students by making them write.
-Key question: How has Mrs. Gruwell’s project created a sense of
community through writing?
-Plan
Development
I. A complicated original context
Historical context
Mrs. Gruwell : attitude / way of teaching
The students : attitude about the teacher / relations in the class
II. The trigger; the approach of the teacher
The caricature
The line Game
III. The diaries ; the results
The students : attitude about the teacher / relations in the class
I- A complicated original context
Freedom Writers is a story written in … by… during the Rodney King Riot,
triggered mass rioting throughout Los Angeles, Koreatawn and Long Beach,
California.
Gang violence and racial tension reached all time high
Blacks killed by white officers; break between black and white community
In this story: Mr’s Gruwell, an upper class family, comes to teach in an
inner city > she is hated of her colour
Students aren’t going to give their respect because she’s called “teacher”:
a lack of confidence, respect.
She is confronted with divided class by racism: tense atmosphere
Each students have an enemy; all students knew the loss of a close
In a war; but die for your own community, it’s die with a respect, as a
warrior
So, they aren’t afraid of dying