The Freedom Writers Diary: Part IV: Diary 51 Summary & Analysis

After Ms. Gruwell and her students organized “Basketball for Bosnia,” a basketball tournament meant to raise money to give supplies to children in Bosnia, this student feels that s/he wants to join Ms. Gruwell’s class, because they act like a real family. S/he is impressed by the fact that no one cares about each other’s appearances, but is merely concerned about the cause they are fighting for.

This makes this student think about her/his own life, as s/he never felt that s/he belonged in her/his honors class. S/he has also always felt rejected by other people, who have made fun of her/his weight. These experiences left this student feeling alone and ashamed. S/he found success at school, where s/he became an excellent student and gained stronger self-esteem. At Basketball for Bosnia, all these insecurities disappeared when s/he joined the crowd of people dancing on the basketball court, cheered on in the center of the line by warm, friendly people who did not care about her/his appearance.