Book Response
Genre:
There were many types of genres for this book and they are non-fiction, drama and crime fiction.
Main Characters:
The main characters are Erin Gruwell (protagonist), and all of the students in her english literature class at Wilson High School. We (readers) don't know the names of the students because their personal stories are confidential.
Likes and Dislikes:
I absolutely loved how reading the book made me feel. The students in the class were called "unteachable" by all the other teachers, and all it took was a lot of courage from an idealistic 23 year old english teacher who had no idea what teaching was even about. It makes you feel like there is always going to be someone there looking out for you even though you don't realise it. I also liked how Erin kept linking the students personal stories to books about the holocaust such as Anne Frank.
Synopsis:
The book takes place in 1994 in Long beach, California. ERin GRuwell is just starting her first teaching job and becomes the new English teacher at Woodrow Wilson High. The school is filled with students who would be lucky to graduate because of the voluntary integration program. Despite choosing the school on purpose because of its integration program, Erin is not prepared for how her new students are going to act in the classroom. Many are in gangs and almost all know somebody that has been killed by gang violence. The Latinos hate the Cambodians who hate the blacks and so on. The only person the students hate more is Ms. Gruwell. She doesn't understand what she's up against until a near-by recent drive-by shooting death occurs. She provides an assignment of writing a daily journal - which will be not graded, and will remain unread by her unless they so choose - that the students begin to open up to her. As Erin tries harder and harder to have resources provided to teach properly (which often results in her needing to pay for them herself through working second and third jobs), she seems to face greater resistance, especially from her co workers. The book is filled with all of the different students different stories about their backgrounds and how they each grew up.
Most Memorable Scene:
The most memorable scene for me would definitely have to be when the Latina girl (Eva in the movie) finally opens up to Erin. I remember reading about the Latina grew up without a father and a mother who was a drug addict. One of the people from her gang was the boy who was shot at the start of the movie. After her gang friend was shot the Latina girl realised that being in a gang wasn't all life had to offer and if she wanted to get anywhere in life she would have to ask for help from someone who truly believed in her, Ms. Gruwell. The Latina girl poured her heart out to her new journal and instead of giving Erin the journal to read she read it to Erin in a quite place where no one else could hear.
How did the author keep you interested?
The author (Erin Gruwell-main protagonist) kept me interested by writing every students individual story and then linking those stories to the Holocaust and making all the students realise that their all the same, they're all in gangs, there parents don't care for them and they are all underprivileged. However, if they all tried their hardest for once and put in 100% then they could all graduate with honours. All of the students are connected somehow which made the book also seem like a mystery so you were always guessing what you think would happen next.
There were many types of genres for this book and they are non-fiction, drama and crime fiction.
Main Characters:
The main characters are Erin Gruwell (protagonist), and all of the students in her english literature class at Wilson High School. We (readers) don't know the names of the students because their personal stories are confidential.
Likes and Dislikes:
I absolutely loved how reading the book made me feel. The students in the class were called "unteachable" by all the other teachers, and all it took was a lot of courage from an idealistic 23 year old english teacher who had no idea what teaching was even about. It makes you feel like there is always going to be someone there looking out for you even though you don't realise it. I also liked how Erin kept linking the students personal stories to books about the holocaust such as Anne Frank.
Synopsis:
The book takes place in 1994 in Long beach, California. ERin GRuwell is just starting her first teaching job and becomes the new English teacher at Woodrow Wilson High. The school is filled with students who would be lucky to graduate because of the voluntary integration program. Despite choosing the school on purpose because of its integration program, Erin is not prepared for how her new students are going to act in the classroom. Many are in gangs and almost all know somebody that has been killed by gang violence. The Latinos hate the Cambodians who hate the blacks and so on. The only person the students hate more is Ms. Gruwell. She doesn't understand what she's up against until a near-by recent drive-by shooting death occurs. She provides an assignment of writing a daily journal - which will be not graded, and will remain unread by her unless they so choose - that the students begin to open up to her. As Erin tries harder and harder to have resources provided to teach properly (which often results in her needing to pay for them herself through working second and third jobs), she seems to face greater resistance, especially from her co workers. The book is filled with all of the different students different stories about their backgrounds and how they each grew up.
Most Memorable Scene:
The most memorable scene for me would definitely have to be when the Latina girl (Eva in the movie) finally opens up to Erin. I remember reading about the Latina grew up without a father and a mother who was a drug addict. One of the people from her gang was the boy who was shot at the start of the movie. After her gang friend was shot the Latina girl realised that being in a gang wasn't all life had to offer and if she wanted to get anywhere in life she would have to ask for help from someone who truly believed in her, Ms. Gruwell. The Latina girl poured her heart out to her new journal and instead of giving Erin the journal to read she read it to Erin in a quite place where no one else could hear.
How did the author keep you interested?
The author (Erin Gruwell-main protagonist) kept me interested by writing every students individual story and then linking those stories to the Holocaust and making all the students realise that their all the same, they're all in gangs, there parents don't care for them and they are all underprivileged. However, if they all tried their hardest for once and put in 100% then they could all graduate with honours. All of the students are connected somehow which made the book also seem like a mystery so you were always guessing what you think would happen next.