Chapter II, Freshman Year - Spring 1995 Summary and Analysis

Up until now, the reader is probably pretty impressed with the overall positive tone of the student diary entries concerning their education and are equally impressed with Gruwell's teaching style. When Chapter Two, begins with the words, "Ahhh, I'm so frustrated!" it's a bit of a surprise.

According to Gruwell, the previous semester was interrupted by race riots and walk outs. Although she's frustrated with their stubbornness, she states that she's even more stubborn to get them to learn. Sharaud, who is now a senior, agrees that her class is "bad" and is testing her every step of the way. Gruwell laments that she rarely receives homework from her students and when she does, it's usually wadded in a ball so the student can avoid the unacceptable stigma of being a...