Molly -
I think the characters in true notebooks interact with different cultures when Mark starts teaching their class because his personality and back round are completely opposite of the inmates at the juvenile hall. They grew up in dangerous environments while Mark did not, and while his upbringing was more calm and sheltered the inmates where exposed to drugs and violence, and most of them had broken family's and homes. For instance, one of the boys Patrick writes a story called "distance" were he talks about his father and how he was never really there for him, but that he loves him anyway because thats his dad. In my life I think I've experienced a lot of different cultures because my two closest friends are puerto rican and mexican, so I grew up staying at their houses and was exposed to their music, food, and a lot more that is much different from my home and family traditions.
Louis -
Many of the characters in True Notebooks have doubts and insecurities besides Mark. The inmates in the writing class doubt themselves at first about their writing abilities, and about their abilities in general. Most of these kids think they are worthless because of how the world perseves them as criminals and scum. People have put them down through most of their lives, and so all that negitive energy made them feel like they couldn't rise above it.
I think everybody has doubts in one way or another. sometimes I doubt that I can truly succeed in school and it encourages me to work harder, to prove myself wrong.