Narrative Film Theory - Character Analysis of Marcus (Freedom Writers)

For this assignment, I have chosen the film Freedom Writers (2007) and focusing on Marcus's character to analyse.

Freedom Writers (2007) is a film based on the true story of Erin Gruwell and Wilson High School's Freedom Writers. Ms Gruwell is excited and ready to share her knowledge with her new class only to realise that these students were not interested. They want nothing more that to make through the day. Her class were made up of students from diverse racial groups and walks of life. There were the African Americans, Latinos, Asians, juvenile delinquents, gang members, and underprivileged students from poor neighborhoods. The common thing that these students have is the mutual hatred feeling they have for each other because of their diverse ethnic groups. However, Ms Gruwell is a determined, positive attitude educator who is willing to go beyond her job to make a difference in these kids lives. So, she have decided to ask these students to pen down anything, especially their thoughts and feelings in a journal for their English assignment.

Wants: To go back home to his mother and leave behind his gang life

Needs: To show interest in school and mix with good company to prove to his mother that he is so much better than she thinks he is

Change: He was forced to watch his own back and face the world by himself at a very young age after he was being wrongfully accused of a friend’s death. Since then, he has learnt to be independent. After leaving juvie, he joined a gang that has offered him "protection" and has been it since then. However, after attending Ms Gruwell's English class and the positive impact she has on him, he decides to leave the gang for good.

Flaws: Marcus was very defensive of his own kind(his ethnic group) and will protect them at all cost 

Conflict: He knows that there is no way out of the gang life apart from being dead. He knows that he is still young and there is a lot more that life has got to offer.