White Savior to the Rescue by Kyra Moore.

Within various types of media, there are some themes that are present frequently. As a result of their frequency, although the themes may be corrupt, they are sometimes taken as simply the status quo. The theme that is subliminally common in a number of movies is the “white savior” trope. Wikipedia defines the white savior trope as, “a white protagonist who is portrayed as a messianic figure who often learns something about himself- or herself- in the course of rescuing characters of color.” Sadly, this theme is in one of my favorite movies, Freedom Writers. Although I feel that it is a phenomenal film, the white savior trope it exhibits is detrimental to the communities involved and is a reinforcement of stereotypes that currently exist in society.

Although subliminal themes may seem to be miniscule, subtle representation may induce stereotypes even without intention. Freedom Writers is about a young woman, Ms. Erin Gruwell, who starts a new job as a teacher. Ms. Gruwell’s students represent a number of different racial groups and are from diverse walks of life. This becomes apparent throughout the movie as their lifestyle, or cultural, differences literally brings them to brawl.

Ms. Gruwell tries to mend the tension between the students and the tension that the students have with her solely because she looks like a group that has been known to oppress them and their families (also known as white.) Ms. Gruwell eventually forms an unbreakable bond with her students as she defends them, tries to create a classroom that is a safe haven for them and prepares them for secondary education. At the close of the movie, the students literally tell Ms. Gruwell that she saved their lives and they don’t know where they would be without her.

This white savior trope portrayed can create a precedent that minorities need “saving” or can’t “save” themselves. This can create expectations for both communities involved within this trope. It may prompt non-minority people to look at minorities as lazy, incompetent and create a worthless connotation that could be accompanied within the minorities. This is supported by secondary characters in the movie and their connotation about Ms. Gruwell’s class. This secondary character is the superintendent. Ms. Gruwell made an appeal to the superintendent for more books for her class so that all of her students could have one. She was faced with adversity as the superintendent said that the money would go to waste because the students in her particular would either simply lose them or damage them. The superintendent made a cognizant assumption based on her thoughts of Ms. Gruwell’s class- and knowledge that “at risk” minorities often occupy the class that Ms. Gruwell taught.

Another example is Ms. Gruwell’s husband and his attitude towards her acts towards helping her students in every way that she can- including picking up side jobs to help the classroom. He was not supportive and even questioned why she was working hard for these kids whom she might never see change in. Her husband, like the superintendent, had no faith in these students and felt they were not worthy of pouring into.

Another event that could arise is that as a result could be the concept that minority students need to cling to their “white savior” in order to succeed and that they are not capable of achieving themselves based on their own actions. In the movie, when it is time for the students to matriculate onto the next grade, the students are distraught and feel like they simply can’t do it without Ms. Gruwell being their teacher. They even grow angry at the thought of her not being their teacher and eventually make decisions to appeal to the school so that she could continue to be their teacher in the next grade (and in the end they are actually granted that appeal.) Upon their granting of Ms. Gruwell, the children are elated as if their lives were dependent upon it. While this is a touching scene, it might be portrayed as the minority students “need” the accompaniment of Ms. Gruwell to receive their high school diploma and portrays a sense of dependency on the non-minority character.

Although I firmly believe this movie had wonderful and benevolent intention in its production, the theme it portrays is detrimental for a number of groups within society. It still stands as one of my favorite movies currently but I am now more aware of how authors portray heroism as it relates to minorities.