Diary Entry #19 - Oklahoma Bombing

Oklahoma City experienced a black day when a man named Timothy McVeigh decided to shoot and kill one-hundred and sixty-eight innocent men, women and children. Mr McVeigh stirred such a commotion due to his anger with the government. Ms Gruwell made her class write a report on the issue. The author of the dairy entry wrote how the issue made him/her 'realise how susceptible we are to violence'. The author then describes that there are many Timothy McVeigh's in the school who don't realise this problem. The author states fights still break out and it's surprising to find the person you least expect to become into a Timothy McVeigh.


Like walking time-bombs just waiting to go off, and when they do the consequences can be deadly. The ticking often begins with a derogatory comment causing a spark then an explosion. The author deeply expresses these McVeigh's as no other meaning can be explained with such an impact. Then the author states something very meaningful and profound sentence, "No matter what race we are, what ethnic background, sexual orientation, or what views we may have, we are all humans. Unfortunately, not all humans see it that way.


This last sentence has so much meaning to itself and us. Stating what characteristics we have then cross-stating we are all humans and ending with some humans don't understand it that way means so much. This is deep because it is true... we are all humans but some humans like Timothy McVeigh don't understand this concept and want to get attention. And also that it is hard for a human who doesn't understand this concept to understand, they have their own reasons to kill, live their way etc. To me this last paragraph of the Diary Entry hit me like a brick and made me realise, that not all the time is violence the solution to everything. Killing one-hundred and sixty-eight innocent people is a lot if you think about it after the enraging rampage.


Word Count: 331

Diary Entry #15 - Romeo and Juliet (Gang Rivalry)

Ms Gruwell's class had been reading 'Romeo and Juliet'. The students insipidly describe the text as being weird and funny because a guy who says "thou" this and "thee" that... and then Ms Gruwell bursts out with a metaphorical comparison of a feud between Capulets (metaphorically the Latino Gang) and the Montagues (metaphorically the Asian Gang). When the author is reading Mercutio is getting killed, Ms Gruwell sets up a pointless question such as "Do you think this family feud is stupid?"

The author replied with enthusiasm and Ms Gruwell asked more and more questions. Every time the author answered, it made him/her realise how stupid the issue is and also that why there was even the gang rivalry to begin with. The author self thinks that Ms Gruwell is trying to corner them into a reason that does not exist. Then the attitude of the author becomes pessimistic and starts to mumble negatives understandings such as why does Ms Gruwell care about all these things. She just goes home to her perfect world. But slowly again, the author starts to realise the stupidity of this gang rivalry. And then asks herself that who am I to change all of this long, unknown history?

Personally the reason to why this gang rivalry was unknown was because a member of the Latino Gang is too focused in killing a member of the Asian Gang. It has been this way since each member of each Gang can remember. None from each Gang stop to think why they have this rivalry between each other? Who started it? What reason was there? Whether it’s in school or on the streets, each Gang just wants to fight and kill the other and become the dominant. My opinion would be similar to the author’s in Diary Entry 15, to stop, think and change their views about this unnecessary rivalry.

Diary Entry #9 - Tagging

Ms Gruwell made her class write or draw a picture describing their neighbourhood. The student does not believe Ms Gruwell is making them do this task. The student hates writing. Although, the student describes her neighbourhood as being surrounded by gangsters and drug dealers twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. He/she says it is hard to ignore these events. If you do, you will only get caught in their wars and be the next victim. Dealing drugs or kicking it with gangsters is not his/her type of thing.


Instead, the student got into tagging. Tagging is when mark your name anonymously against other work. The student says that it helps him/her be free from all these unnecessary day and night fights. During school, the teachers say that they are there to help, but in a couple months even days time, they give up on you. That is the gist. So the student skips school, hiding from staff and goes to the restroom to kill time, just tagging. Tagging gives thrill to him/her. The student thinks that hearing people talk about her tags givers him/her the Ganas (strength).


My thoughts and feelings for this student is deeply empathetic, not being supported by teachers or even their own parents, being severely scared by the underworld activities twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week and can only tag for happiness and attention. This aspect of escaping from the world just to tag is ominously tragic. The student can only tag to get everyone's attention. How could a simple task about writing or drawing, Ms Gruwell asked to complete, turn into a teen's life story, threatened, lonely without a hope for goodness.


The student says in their diary entry, they have no goal, just tackle what comes to you in presently. To me, this is a quote or motto of someone who is suffering, loosely grasping the edge of their lives with their middle finger. Word Count: 324

Diary Entry #2 - Racial Segregation

Diary Entry #2 - Racial Segregation is about a white boy who has entered his English class, and to disgust, has found other students to only be black. He is outraged, feels uncomfortable amongst 'these rejects'. He described malignantly how Ms. Gruwell is although young and determined, won't last very long as a teacher. Unsurprisingly, during Lunch, everyone sits in his or her racial and ethnic groups.

The student descriptively evaluates where each race group hangs out. The rich, white kids hang out at 'Beverly Hills' and 'Disneyland'. The Asians, 'Chinatown', Hispanic (American Latinos) at 'Tijuana Town' or 'Run The Border' and finally the blacks in 'Da Ghetto'. All the students' friends are in the distinguished class cross the corridor. The student wants to get out of this class as soon as possible, to join the true, white class. To end his entry, the student wants out (out of this class) so badly, he/she wishes the bell went soon and does not want to stay a minute longer.

My feelings and thoughts towards this diary entry, disgusts me entirely about racial segregation. To me, the term 'Racial Segregation' should not exist. We are all humans; we should accept each other as one. We are not different; we all came from the same land. It is all right to hate a class of black students when you are the only white kid in your English class, but it is wrong to try to get out of this class because there are black students is wrong. To me, it is all in your mind.

Would it hurt to exclude the racial comments and issues for a minute... and realise what we are doing to ourselves, others and third-person people (the innocent) and what is becoming of our society. Instead of creating safe, peaceful societies, we are scared to even walk during broad daylight. Instead of resolving problems, we add to the already long, unnecessary list eventually leading to death or of close relatives that causes even more dispute between the gangs.                                            Word Count: 339