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.