Discussion Question:
Ms. Gruwell’s students endure a number of hardships in their personal lives. Many of the students come from broken families, in which they have endured physical and/or emotional abuse, substance abuse, poverty, homelessness, gang violence, and deaths of close relatives and friends. How do the assigned class books relate to the students’ lives? What are some common themes that run throughout the books they read (for example, The Diary of Anne Frank) and their lives?
Respond to the questions above in the comments section with at least 3-5 sentences.
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The students can relate to the book Anne Frank. Anne Frank and the students were both around gang violence. Anne Frank had to deal with the Nazis and the students have gangs all around their neighborhood and school. They both also had to experience death of close relative and friends. The students at Wilson High can really relate to Anne Frank and what she went through during the Holocaust.
ReplyDeleteThe book, The Diary of Anne Frank, relates to the students' lives because many of them come from broken families and have hard pasts. Each of them have dealt with the death of family members or close friends, which is how Anne Frank felt during the Holocaust. The students also have their own journals or diaries that they write in for Ms. Gruwell's class, much like Anne Frank, whose diary became published.
ReplyDeleteI like the connection you make between the diary Mrs. G's students are reading and the diaries the students are writing themselves. Excellent observation, Amber.
DeleteThe Diary of Anne Frank relates to their lives because Anne Frank had to deal with everyone not getting along just like the students at Wilson high school. Anne Frank had to deal with fighting for her life during the Holocaust trying to stay away from the Nazis. The kids from Wilson high are also fighting for survival because the town they live in there are lots of gangs and when they walk outside they have to pray they do not do shot at. Meaning the students can relate because Anne Frank went through the same thing with gang violence.
ReplyDeleteMs. Gruwell's students really seem to care about the books that they are reading, they can reflect on them and compare them to their own lives in a way. When Eva went to Ms. Gruwell's room upset and disappointed about Ann Frank they explained why the book still reflected on their lives. It proves that the books really do have an effect on the kids. Most of the books they have read so far have all had something to do with the kids in a way that relates to them.
ReplyDeleteI like how you picked up on Eva's emotional response to the ending of The Diary of Anne Frank! Having an emotional connection to a main character is a great way to show how meaningful they are to readers. Nice job, Elijah!
DeleteThe book about Ann Frank relates a lot to all of Ms. Gruwell's students lives. They both had to overcome a lot of different hardships in their lives. Ann Frank and Ms. Gruwell's students also had to fight just to stay alive making them a lot alike. The students can also relate to the book because it's true and what they have to go through everyday is real so they are very similar.
ReplyDeleteThe diary of Anne Frank is similar to their lives because this kind of war is like these peoples lives just a lot bigger. Some of these kids that were raised on the streets are in kinda the same situation because they have to hide at times like Anne. And the book about the gang that they read is very similar to there lives also because the book is pretty much about them because they've experienced the same stuff.
ReplyDeleteThe book, The Diary of Anne Frank, relates to the students lives because they to, have had a rough life while growing up and finding their true selves. Eva, one of the various students has a tough time while reading the book. She wanted to believe that Anne Frank would make it out alive. The hope Eva has for Anne Frank relates to her personal life along with all of the students in Ms. Gruwell's class. Each student has grown from personal traumatic situations and they are starting to realize that no matter what race you are, everyone is alike in different ways.
ReplyDeleteThe Diary of Ann Frank relates to the students' lives because many of the students have experienced the same lifestyle as Ann Frank, such as violence, and deaths of close friends. They feel that it has inspired them to keep going. The students also have a diary that Ms. G has given them, which helps them to put their feelings away and stop worrying about what could be. These diary's encourage students to share their stories and relate to Ann Frank. Even though Ann Frank died, she shared many of the same stories as the students have. Some of the themes that run throughout the literature, is their past and how it has changed their life. Ms. G has created a "toast for change" which will create a positive impact on these students' life.
ReplyDeleteThe Diary of Anne Frank relates to the kids because as Marcus said she was killed but she is not dead. Marcus asks Eva how many people she knows that were killed and she replied "too many to count", what Marcus means when he says this is that even though Anne Frank was killed her story still lives on unlike most of their dead acquaintances who did not make much of a difference in the world, she made her mark while she was alive and that mark will stay throughout history. What Marcus was also trying to say is, as long as you try to be the best you can and make an impact on the world then your story will live on and people well remember you after you're gone.
ReplyDeleteThe common theme the students can relate to from The Diary Of Anne Frank is the fact of death through there lives. This is the theme because they can relate by death through there family.
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DeleteThe Diary of Anne Frank relates to the students lives because although they were not in the same situation as Anne, they still have all being in hard situations. Anne had to deal with the nazis, but the students at Wilson High have to deal with gang violence. The students cared about Anne in the book. Eva was extremely upset at the fact that Anne had died and Mrs. G didn't tell her. Marcus got into a small argument with Eva that although Anne Frank was killed she was not dead. Anne's story lives on, unlike their friends/gang members who were killed. In the beginning someone was talking about how once they die they get their respect, but Mrs. G made a statement saying how once they die and are rotting in the ground everyone is just going to forget about them and move on, they aren't going to think about them everyday; instead they are going to move on with their lives.
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DeleteThe Diary of Anne Frank relates to the kids because Anne Frank went through many hardships too. They both experienced the feeling of being trapped, scared, and wanting to leave. All of the students in Mrs. Gruwell's class have suffered from one or more of these things and reading this book helped them to understand that they aren't the only ones who have gone through them.
ReplyDeleteThe Diary of Ann Frank relates to the students' lives and school lives because they are always hiding. They aren't hiding in a locked room in someone's house but they are hiding in fear that someone will shoot them. This book is good for them to read because in many ways they can relate. Ann Frank was around the same age as them hiding in fear that someone was going to kill her.
ReplyDeleteThe Diary of Anne Frank was very relatable to the kids in Mrs. Gruwell's class because in many ways the books they are reading are very relatable to their everyday life. Most all of the students have family members and friends to gang violence or at least been affected by it in some way. The theme that comes up over and over again seems to be hardship.
ReplyDeleteThe book relates to the kids because Anne frank was hiding from the enemy, running from them, and trying to fight them off just like what kids have to do against gangs. A theme in the book that relates to the class is hide from those that want to hurt you and trust in the ones that love you.
ReplyDeleteThe Diary of Anne Frank relates to these students because Anne Frank was in a similar situation as the student's. Anne Frank was getting her friends and family taken away and killed by a gang, much like what the student's were going through. Although it was a different time and place, it still impacted the students because of how it related to them.
ReplyDeleteThe Diary of Anne Frank relates to the students' lives because they have had to face many of the same things as Ann Frank. Such as being scared of people hurting them or their family if they went outside, or their friends or family being murdered because of their race or religion. They also relate to the book because many of them are homeless or have to hide to protect themselves.
ReplyDeleteThe Diary of Anne Frank relates to the students due to the oppression and segregation that happened in the book and in the students everyday lives. A big theme is that anyone can overcome segregation and oppression. This is shown in the movie when a student told Miep Gies
ReplyDeleteThe Diary of Anne Frank relates to the kids life because they feel as if they have to hide in their homes to stay safe where they are. The book talks about how Anne Frank had to hide out in someone else's house because jews were being discriminated against. This also relates to the kids because the school treats them differently because of the color of their skin.
ReplyDeleteThe Diary of Anne Frank connects the students to a historical event similar to what the students in Ms. Gruwell's class experience. Anne Frank dealt with violence during the Holocaust, and the students deal with it everyday of their lives. The overall theme is that anyone can over come adversity.
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