Anne

A n n e
F r a n k ’ s D i a r y : D a i r y o f A Y o u n g G i r l P a g e | 1

Anne’s diary begins on her thirteenth birthday, feel close to her and does not write much about
June 12, 1942, and ends shortly after her her. Anne eventually develops a close friendship
fifteenth. At the start of her diary, Anne with Peter van Daan, the teenage boy in the
describes fairly typical girlhood experiences, annex. Mr. Frank does not approve, however,
writing about her friendships with other girls, her and the intensity of Anne’s infatuation begins to
crushes on boys, and her academic performance lessen.
at school. Because anti‐Semitic laws forced Jews
Anne matures considerably throughout the
into separate schools, Anne and her older sister,
course of her diary entries, moving from detailed
Margot, attended the Jewish Lyceum in
accounts of basic activities to deeper, more
Amsterdam.
profound thoughts about humanity and her own
The Franks had moved to the Netherlands in the personal nature. She finds it difficult to
years leading up to World War II to escape understand why the Jews are being singled out
persecution in Germany. After the Germans and persecuted. Anne also confronts her own
invaded the Netherlands in 1940, the Franks identity. Though she considers herself to be
were forced into hiding. With another family, the German, her German citizenship has been
van Daans, and an acquaintance, Mr. Dussel, revoked, and though she calls Holland her home,
they moved into a small secret annex above Otto many of the Dutch have turned against the Jews.
Frank’s office where they had stockpiled food Anne feels a tremendous solidarity with her
and supplies. The employees from Otto’s firm aggrieved people, and yet at the same time she
helped hide the Franks and kept them supplied wants to be seen as an individual rather than a
with food, medicine, and information about the member of a persecuted group.
outside world.
During the two years recorded in her diary, Anne
The residents of the annex pay close attention to deals with confinement and deprivation, as well
every development of the war by listening to the as the complicated and difficult issues of growing
radio. Some bits of news catch Anne’s attention up in the brutal circumstances of the Holocaust.
and make their way into her diary, providing a Her diary describes a struggle to define herself
vivid historical context for her personal within this climate of oppression. Anne’s diary
thoughts. The adults make optimistic bets about ends without comment on August 1, 1944, the
when the war will end, and their mood is end of a seemingly normal day that leaves us
severely affected by Allied setbacks or German with the expectation of seeing another entry on
advances. Amsterdam is devastated by the war the next page. However, the Frank family is
during the two years the Franks are in hiding. All betrayed to the Nazis and arrested on
of the city’s residents suffer, since food becomes August 4, 1944. Anne’s diary, the observations of
scarce and robberies more frequent. an imaginative, friendly, sometimes petty, and
rather normal teenage girl, comes to an abrupt
Anne often writes about her feelings of isolation
and silent end.
and loneliness. She has a tumultuous
relationship with the adults in the annex, Otto Frank is the family’s sole survivor, and he
particularly her mother, whom she considers recovers Anne’s diary from Miep. He decides to
lacking in love and affection. She adores her fulfill Anne’s wishes by publishing the diary.
father, but she is frequently scolded and Anne’s diary becomes a condemnation of the
criticized by Mr. and Mrs. van Daan and Mr. unimaginable horror of the Holocaust, and one
Dussel. Anne thinks that her sister, Margot, is of the few accounts that describe it from a young
smart, pretty, and agreeable, but she does not person’s perspective.
A n n e F r a n k ’ s D i a r y : D a i r y o f A Y o u n g G i r l P a g e | 2

Since Anne’s diary is a true personal account of a Setting (Place)Amsterdam, the Netherlands
life in hiding, it is inappropriate to analyze it as a
Protagonist Anne Frank
novel or other work of fiction. Parts of the diary
were intended for public view, but others clearly Major Conflict The perils of living in hiding to
were not. To appreciate and interpret the diary, escape Nazi persecution of Jewish people; this
it is necessary to consider its horrible context, immediate struggle in Anne’s life occurs within
World War II and the Holocaust, before any the context of the sweeping conflict of World
discussion of plot development or thematic War II
content.
Themes The loneliness of adolescence; the
At a Glance: inward versus the outward self; generosity and
greed in wartime
Full Title Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl
Motifs Becoming a woman; fear
Author Anne Frank
Symbols Hanneli; Anne’s grandmother
Type Of Work Diary
Foreshadowing There is no foreshadowing, since
Genre Diary; historical nonfiction
the diary is written in the present tense and
Language Dutch Anne had no ability to discern the future.
However, constant break‐ins, the imprisonment
Time And Place Written Amsterdam, 1942–1945
of people who have been providing rations,
Date Of First Publication1947 growing Dutch anti‐Semitism, and the probable
capture of Anne’s friends, including Hanneli, all
Publisher Doubleday demonstrate the impending danger that
In‐depth Facts: threatens the inhabitants of the annex.
Narrator Anne Frank, a teenage Jewish girl
Point Of View Anne speaks in the first person Summary
and addresses her diary as a friend. Although she June 12, 1942–June 24, 1942
begins writing the diary without any intention of
it being read or published, she later writes with June 12, 1942–June 24, 1942
the idea that the record of her experiences might
Summary
be read by others to learn more about the war.
I hope I will be able to confide everything to you,
Tone Anne writes from the perspective of a
as I have never been able to confide in anyone,
young girl, so her tone is often emotional and
and I hope you will be a great source of comfort
insecure, and she is both critical of herself and
and support.
others. Her accounts are highly personal and
philosophical. She expresses her deep struggle Anne Frank begins her diary with the hope that
to understand her evolving self, both in relation she will be able to reveal everything to it, since
to her family and to the tumultuous world she feels that she has never truly been able to
outside the annex. confide in anyone. She tells the story of how she
acquired the diary on Friday, June 12, her
Tense Present
thirteenth birthday. Anne wakes up at six in the
Setting (Time)June 12, 1942–August 1, 1944 morning and waits until seven to open her

presents. One of the presents is the new diary. Jews, and they let admirers buy them ice cream.
Afterward, Anne’s friend Hanneli picks her up for Anne complains that she knows boys will
school. Anne goes to gym with the other become enamored with her right away when she
students, although she is not able to participate lets them bicycle home with her, so she tries to
because her shoulders and hips dislocate too ignore them. Anne tells Kitty that her entire class
easily. She returns home at five in the afternoon. is “quaking in their boots” and waiting to hear
She describes several of her friends—Hanneli, who will be promoted to the next grade. She is
Sanne, and Jacqueline—whom she has met at not worried about any subject except math,
the Jewish Lyceum, the local school for Jewish because in math class she was punished for
children. talking too much. Anne adds that after she wrote
a few funny essays on her punishment, the
Anne writes about her birthday party on Sunday
teacher began joking along with her.
and continues to describe her classmates. She
believes that “paper is more patient than Anne notes that it is hot and realizes what a
people” and feels that she does not have any luxury it is to ride in a streetcar, since Jews
true friends and confidants. She has a loving cannot use them anymore. The ferryman lets
family and many people she could call friends or them ride the ferry, and Anne says that it is not
admirers, but she cannot confide in any of them. the fault of the Dutch that the Jews are being
persecuted. She tells her diary that a boy, Hello
Anne then provides a brief overview of her
Silberberg, approached her and that they have
childhood. She was born in Frankfurt, Germany,
started to see each other more often.
in 1929. Her family moved to Holland
in 1933 because they were Jewish and her father
found a job at a Dutch chemical company. Anne
Anne starts addressing her diary as “Kitty” and
went to a Montessori nursery school and then
writes that she and her friends have started a
went on to the Jewish Lyceum.
Ping‐Pong club. After playing Ping‐Pong, the girls
Anne says that her family’s lives are somewhat go to the nearest ice cream shop that permits
anxious, especially since they have relatives still Jews, and they let admirers buy them ice cream.
living in Germany. Her two uncles fled to North Anne complains that she knows boys will
America, and her grandmother came to Holland become enamored with her right away when she
to live with Anne’s family. After 1940, the Nazis lets them bicycle home with her, so she tries to
occupied Holland and instituted restrictive laws ignore them. Anne tells Kitty that her entire class
forcing Jews to wear yellow stars to identify is “quaking in their boots” and waiting to hear
themselves. The Germans forced the Jews to who will be promoted to the next grade. She is
turn in their bicycles and shop only during not worried about any subject except math,
certain hours. Jews were also restricted from because in math class she was punished for
riding streetcars, going outside at night, visiting talking too much. Anne adds that after she wrote
Christian homes, and attending most schools. a few funny essays on her punishment, the
Anne’s grandmother died in 1942, in the midst of teacher began joking along with her.
this difficult time.
Anne notes that it is hot and realizes what a
Anne starts addressing her diary as “Kitty” and luxury it is to ride in a streetcar, since Jews
writes that she and her friends have started a cannot use them anymore. The ferryman lets
Ping‐Pong club. After playing Ping‐Pong, the girls them ride the ferry, and Anne says that it is not
go to the nearest ice cream shop that permits the fault of the Dutch that the Jews are being

persecuted. She tells her diary that a boy, Hello prefers Anne to his old girlfriend Ursul. Hello tells
Silberberg, approached her and that they have Anne that he will be free Wednesday evenings as
started to see each other more often. well as parts of Saturdays and Sundays, since he
used to go to meetings for a Zionist organization
Quote 1
but decided not to attend them anymore. On
I hope I will be able to confide everything to you, Monday, he meets Anne’s parents, then he and
as I have never been able to confide in anyone, Anne go for a walk and do not return until after
and I hope you will be a great source of comfort eight in the evening. Anne’s father is furious, and
and support. she promises to return before eight in the future.
Anne confesses that she is really in love with a
Anne writes this on the inside cover of her diary boy named Peter, even though he is dating other
just after she receives it for her thirteenth girls, and that Hello is just a friend or a beau.
birthday. At the time, she feels that she does not
have any true confidants, which makes her feel Anne receives decent grades on her report card
lonely and misunderstood. Anne does, however, but adds that her parents do not care about
have many friends and admirers, and she is a grades as much as some of her friends’ parents
playful, amusing, and social young girl. Thus, her do. Anne’s father explains that they will likely
sentiments in this passage may seem odd and a have to go into hiding soon, which is why they
bit exaggerated, but she later explains that even have been asking friends to store their
though she has friends, she is never fully able to belongings. He tells her that they will “leave of
open up to them. Anne finds that she and her [their] own accord” instead of waiting for the
friends talk only about trivial things, even when Germans to take them and that Anne does not
she has deeper things on her mind that she have to worry about it right away. She is greatly
wishes to share. For example, she never dismayed by her father’s plans. Three days later,
broaches the subjects of her developing body or on Sunday afternoon, Anne’s sister, Margot, tells
Germany’s occupation of Holland. Having a her that their father had received a call‐up notice
diary—which she addresses as “Kitty,” like a from the SS, the elite Nazi guard. Later, alone in
friend—enables her to express her thoughts their room, Margot tells Anne that it was really
without fear of being criticized by others. Anne’s herself, not Mr. Frank, who had been called up.
relationship with her diary helps comfort her The girls quickly start packing their things. The
through her insecure, lonely, and fearful time in next day, they pile on as many layers of clothes
hiding. as they can, since they cannot risk carrying
suitcases. Margot leaves the house first, carrying
July 1, 1942–July 10, 1942 a schoolbag full of books, and Anne follows later
July 1, 1942–July 10, 1942 that evening.
Summary Eventually, the entire family arrives at their

hiding place in Otto Frank’s office building
Anne tells her diary that she has been seeing at 263 Prinsengracht. A secret annex was hidden
more of Hello. Hello’s parents are in Belgium, but upstairs from the office, behind a big gray door.
there is no way for him to travel there, so he is Four people who work in the office are informed
living in Amsterdam with his grandparents. On of the Franks’ arrival. Margot is waiting for the
Sunday afternoon, Hello tells Anne that his rest of the family in the annex, which is stocked
grandmother did not approve of his association with dozens of cardboard boxes that had been
with such a young girl. He also says that he sent over time. Anne and her father start

unpacking the boxes as her mother and sister does not panic or cry to her drained parents.
sleep. Anne writes that she did not have time Anne instead relies on her journal to support her
until Wednesday to consider the “enormous and drowns out her fears with numerous
change in [her] life,” and that she finally had time peripheral details, such as the intricate layout of
to tell her diary about it and think about “what the annex and the family’s moment‐by‐moment
had happened to [her] and what was yet to actions. She likewise seems to take comfort in
happen.” busying herself with practical tasks, as she and
Mr. Frank unpack the family’s boxes while the
Analysis
others sleep.
This section illustrates the poignant contrast
Anne has always been aware of prejudice against
between Anne’s innocence and the gravity of her
Jews and of the dangers created by the war. At
family’s situation. Having lived a fairly sheltered
the same time, she has not felt a sense of
life thus far in Amsterdam, Anne is naturally
immediate danger, so her concerns are focused
focused on normal concerns such as grades and
on mundane issues of daily life. When her family
her relationships with boys. Anne writes in detail
is forced to hide, Anne is confronted with a new
about her experiences with Hello, which appear
reality and finds that she must reconsider the
to be the most important aspect of her life. Like
world and her relationship with it. She is
a typical teenager, Anne focuses on the little
particularly horrified that it is Margot, not Mr.
nuances of her relationships, experiencing
Frank, who is called up by the SS. She realizes
emotional ups and downs based on the type of
that the Nazi police do not give any special
attention she receives from boys and her friends.
treatment to children or adults and that all Jews
However, the events that force the Franks into
are equally at risk. Anne begins to learn that she
hiding trivialize every subject that Anne has
can no longer live in the innocent social world of
written about so far. The new gravity of her
a young teenager and must suddenly confront
situation forces Anne to grow up quickly and
the adult world and the harshness and dangers
understand issues that are much bigger than her
of the war.
small social world.
Summary
Anne’s writing style changes with the transition
to her new life in the annex. When the family is July 11, 1942–October 9, 1942
forced into hiding, Anne’s writing becomes more
July 11, 1942–October 9, 1942
terse. As the family makes preparations to leave
their home, Anne writes, “After that it was quiet Summary
in our apartment; none of us felt like eating. It
was still hot, and everything was very strange.” Margot and Mr. and Mrs. Frank cannot get used
Anne seems to find comfort in making such to the chiming of the clock in the annex, but
concise observations. She makes sure to Anne feels reassured by it. She tells her diary that
document each moment of the frightening night living in the annex is similar to being on vacation
when the Franks realize they must hide. When in a strange boarding house, and she thinks that
her family is feeling tense and fearful, Anne turns the annex is probably the most comfortable
to her diary for comfort so that she does not hiding place in all of Holland. Anne’s father had
have to depend on the already worried adults. brought her movie posters to the attic in
This shows Anne’s considerable independence advance, so she plasters her bedroom walls with
for her young age. She knows that a serious them. Anne looks forward to the arrival of the
upheaval is occurring in her family’s life, but she van Daans, the other family who will live with

them in the annex. In a comment added to this hears only bad news about the fates of the
section several months later, however, Anne Franks’ many Jewish friends and begins to tackle
expresses how upset she is about not being able the issue of her identity, since she is both a
to go outside and that she is terrified that they German and a Jew.
will be discovered and shot.
Analysis
Anne begins to argue with her mother more
At first, Anne sees her new life in hiding as an
frequently. She feels that she does not fit in with
adventure of sorts. Though the two families live
her mother or sister, who are both very
in constant fear of capture, they spend their time
sentimental. Anne thinks that her father is the
thinking about simpler, more immediate
only one who understands her. She knows that
problems. They often try to think of ways to
she will not be able to leave the annex until after
escape boredom. Because they are in such close
the war and that only a few people will be able
quarters, the residents begin to get annoyed
to visit them. However, she is still hopeful and
with one another’s quirks. Peter is a
dreams of many things.
hypochondriac, Mrs. van Daan is critical, and
The van Daan family arrives on July 13, 1942. Anne’s mother and Peter’s mother fight a lot and
They come one day ahead of schedule because speak improper Dutch. At first Anne focuses on
German call‐up notices are being sent out with figuring out ways to avoid getting frustrated with
increasing frequency and causing unrest. Mr. van the others or ways to stay quiet while the
Daan explains what happened after the Franks’ plumber is visiting. Anne’s initial pleasure with
disappearance. The Franks had deliberately the novelty of the annex quickly fades, as she
spread false rumors to throw the Gestapo off becomes restless and frustrated at her inability
their trail, so most of their friends think they to go outside or even open the curtains during
went to Switzerland. daylight hours. Even Anne’s pervasive optimism
cannot keep her from feeling dread each time
Mr. Voskuijl, the father of one of Mr. Frank’s
the doorbell rings. The mundane routines of
coworkers, builds a bookcase in front of the door
daily life are not quite able to mask the constant
to the annex to conceal it. Anne’s mother and
ring of terror and fear in the annex.
Mrs. van Daan argue a lot, and Peter van Daan
annoys the Franks with his hypochondria. Anne The war causes Anne to struggle with her
adds that Mrs. van Daan and her mother both identity as both a German and a Jew. She initially
speak abominable Dutch but that she will identifies herself with the Germans, writing,
properly transcribe it in her diary. Anne is also “Fine specimens of humanity . . . and to think I’m
studying French and memorizes five irregular actually one of them!” However, she
verbs each day. She complains that Mrs. van immediately refutes her own statement, writing
Daan criticizes her even though Anne is not her “No, that’s not true, Hitler took away our
daughter. nationality long ago. And besides, there are no
greater enemies on earth than the Germans and
Anne and the others in the annex must take
the Jews.” Anne’s words demonstrate her
turns using the hot water to take baths, and
contempt for the Nazis and her confusion at the
when the plumber visits the building, they must
fact that they are in fact fellow Germans. Anne
sit completely still. Every time the doorbell rings,
feels a stronger connection to the Dutch, but her
Anne is terrified because she thinks it is the
first instinct is to identify herself as German. She
Gestapo. Later, Anne imagines that she is in
quickly rethinks this notion, realizing that the
Switzerland and has 150 guilders to spend. She
Nazis no longer consider Jews to be Germans.

The adults in the annex likely share Anne’s wants to be when she grows up, but Margot is
confusion about their national and ethnic mysterious about it.
identity. Having lived in Germany for most of
Anne and the others in the annex have a scare
their lives, the Frank and the Van Daan adults
when a carpenter comes to fill the fire
have significant roots there. Thirty years earlier,
extinguishers without advanced warning. They
Anne’s father and other German Jews had fought
hear someone banging on the bookcase and they
for the German army in World War I. Likewise, in
think the carpenter is going to discover them,
the Netherlands, Dutch Jews and non‐Jews lived
but then they realize it is Mr. Kleiman, a man
side by side, considering themselves members of
who helped them hide, trying to move the door
a unified and integrated community. However,
since it is stuck. Miep Gies, a worker in Mr.
the Nazi regime’s rise to power brought the
Frank’s office, spends a night in the annex along
painful realization that both Nazis and many
with her husband, Jan. Anne enjoys having the
other German people considered Jews foreign or
visitors around.
different. As we see in Anne’s identity crisis, the
Nazi regime killed not only Jewish people but Later in the week, Mr. Frank becomes ill, but the
also the Jewish community’s collective family cannot call a doctor. That weekend, Bep
connection to its past. While the Nazis forced Voskuijl, another worker in Mr. Frank’s office,
Jews to wear stars to mark their identity, they stays in the annex. Anne writes that she is very
simultaneous stripped the Jews of their identity excited because she thinks she is about to get
as members of society. her period. In a note she adds to this section
in 1944, Anne writes that she cannot believe her
Anne’s diary demonstrates the impact the
“childish innocence” from that time, and she
Holocaust has on a single girl, which personalizes
calls her descriptions “indelicate.” She also
this sprawling historical horror. Anne becomes
mentions how the whole time she has been in
preoccupied with questions about who she is
hiding she has longed for “trust, love and
and whom she wants to become, and her once
physical affection.”
innocent perspective changes considerably. The
Holocaust forces Anne to grow up and come to Anne reports on some of the British successes in
terms with her own identity—her role as a Africa and puzzles over Churchill’s famous
member of her family, as a Jew, and as a young quotation about the war being at “the end of the
woman in a dangerous, threatening world. beginning.” Mr. Frank recovers from his illness,
and Peter turns sixteen. The residents of the

annex also agree to take in an eighth person, and
Summary Anne is very excited at the prospect of a new
addition.
October 14, 1942–November 20, 1942
The newcomer is Albert Dussel, a dentist who is
October 14, 1942–November 20, 1942
married to a Christian woman. Mr. Dussel is
Summary excited when Miep tells him of the hiding place,
but he asks for a few extra days to put his
Anne continues to keep busy by studying French, accounts in order and treat some patients. Mr.
math, history, and shorthand. She writes that Dussel meets Mr. Kleiman at an appointed time,
she is getting along with her mother and Margot and Miep then leads him to the annex. Mr.
better. The two sisters agree to let each other Dussel is surprised to see the Frank family
read their diaries. Anne asks Margot what she because he had heard they were in Belgium.

The van Daans give Mr. Dussel a tongue‐in‐cheek close quarters with the van Daans and her own
list of rules upon his arrival. He shares a room family. Mr. Dussel’s arrival is initially exciting for
with Anne and tells her about the atrocities Anne because it brings a change in a life that has
committed outside, including the murders of little variety. However, this sense of excitement
women and children. Anne thinks that they are is soured when Mr. Dussel tells Anne about the
lucky to be in hiding, and she thinks of the persecution of Jews in the outside world. Anne
suffering her friends must endure merely begins to express her inability to understand the
because they are Jewish. Anne writes that she is injustice of persecution and genocide. For Anne,
very upset by the news, but she resolves that she the probable deaths of her friends and
cannot spend all her time crying. The loneliness acquaintances are still abstract in her mind and
of the attic makes her unhappy. have not yet become real. She knows rationally
what is happening outside of the annex, but the
Analysis
relative security of the hiding place allows her to
In this section we see Anne’s strength in the face escape the harsh realities of the war and retain
of mounting fears. Anne begins to worry more some of her childhood innocence.
about an intrusion into the annex, but

nonetheless continues to detail the day‐to‐day
Summary
changes in her emotions and passes the time
with her studies. For the first time, Anne writes November 28, 1942–June 13, 1943
about feeling closer to Margot, but we do not get
November 28, 1942–June 13, 1943
a good idea of Margot’s character. Margot does
not share Anne’s plans for the future, which Summary
suggests that she is afraid she will not have a
future at all. The residents of the annex use too much
electricity and exceed their ration. Anne begins
Anne does not make any overt attempt to get to to feel that Mr. Dussel is a strict disciplinarian
know the other members of the annex, except and has too many opinions about etiquette. She
for Peter. This may seem odd considering the writes that it is very difficult being “the badly
confined nature of the annex. However, social brought‐up center of attention in a family of
and familial structures of the 1940s were often nitpickers.” Hanukkah and St. Nicholas Day come
formal and inhibited personal intimacy between on almost the same day, so the annex holds two
generations or with people outside the family. In celebrations. They light the Hanukkah candles
addition, since Anne is going through puberty, for only ten minutes, since candles are in short
she is understandably more focused on what is supply. For St. Nicholas Day, Father hides a
going on in her own life and does not necessarily basket filled with presents and a mask of Black
have a strong enough sense of self to engage Peter in a cabinet.
deeply with the adults. Furthermore, the group’s
stressful living conditions put everyone on edge, Mr. van Daan makes sausages to preserve the
making them less inclined to open up in a meat they have bought. Mr. Dussel opens a
meaningful way. Many of the residents seem to pretend dental practice in the annex and
guard their inner thoughts from even their close comically attempts to fix Mrs. van Daan’s
family members. cavities. Anne tires of Mrs. van Daan’s incessant
complaints and is annoyed that Mr. Dussel
For Anne, the early excitement of being in hiding constantly tells her to be quiet at night but then
gives way to frustration at being trapped in such wakes her up when he does his exercises at

dawn. Anne marvels at how diplomatic she has father writes her a poem, and Margot translates
become while living in the annex. Mr. Kugler it from German into Dutch.
brings the residents gravy packets to fill because
Analysis
he can find no one else to do the job. According
to Anne, however, it is a prisoner’s job. In this section Anne vents her frustrations at
living in the annex and dealing with the adults.
Anne writes more about the terrible events that
Anne realizes that the general unpleasantness of
are happening outside. Jews are being taken
the annex and the van Daans’ and Mr. Dussel’s
from their homes and separated from their
stinginess pale in comparison to the horrors
families, and non‐Jewish children are wandering
others are enduring outside the annex.
the streets in hunger. Anne writes that both
Nonetheless, Anne is frustrated at the adults and
Christians and Jews want the war to end, and she
does not think their behavior is warranted. She
believes that her family is better off than people
does not seem to make much effort to
outside the annex.
understand why the adults are acting the way
Anne seethes that everyone is always yelling at they are. This oversight reminds us that although
her and calling her “exasperating,” and she Anne has grown up considerably since moving
wishes she had a personality that did not into the annex, she is a young girl and still
antagonize everyone. Mr. Frank thinks the war emotionally immature in certain ways. She never
will end soon, but the level of anxiety in the takes a step back to try to understand the
annex increases. Anne is frightened by the sound different pressures facing the adults. At her age,
of gunfire one night, so she crawls into her she is still struggling to understand her own
father’s bed for comfort. Another night, Peter nature and motivations, and she is not yet able
climbs up into the loft and a rat bites his arm. Mr. to expand her focus to include the adults and
Dussel often writes letters to his wife and to their behavior. Reading her diary, we realize that
others outside, and Mr. Frank demands that he Anne does not bear the burden of trying to
stop. The residents have another scare when protect an entire family from the inexplicable
they think they hear burglars in the building. evils of the war. On the one hand, Anne has the
After that incident, the clock suddenly stops perspective to realize that her situation within
chiming, which also upsets Anne. Later, the the annex is not as dire as the situation outside;
residents hear a radio announcement that all however, she does not yet have the empathy to
Jews must be deported from Utrecht and the understand the cause of the adults’ tensions.
other provinces of the Netherlands by the
The Franks’ holiday observances suggest that
beginning of July.
even during terrible times, they still want to
Mr. Dussel’s wife sends him a package for his celebrate life. Hanukkah brings them some joy,
birthday. Anne notes that Mr. Dussel does not though they must ration their use of Hanukkah
share his sizable stash of personal food with the candles because supplies are scarce. St. Nicholas
other residents or their Dutch helpers. Although Day is a traditional Dutch holiday that marks the
Anne knows that her family is better off than the advent of Christmas, and Black Peter is the
vast majority of Jews, she predicts that they will companion to Father Christmas, or Santa Claus.
look back and wonder how they lived for so long The fact that the Franks celebrate Jewish and
under such difficult conditions. Mr. van Daan Christian holidays, and that Anne believes that
says he believes that the war will end in 1943. both the Christians and Jews want the war to
When Anne reaches her fourteenth birthday, her end, reflects the family’s assimilation into
European culture. Their acceptance of other

cultures and religions makes it even more have access to the table for two afternoons each
difficult for the Franks to comprehend the week. There is another break‐in at the office, and
persecution of the Jews and their treatment as this time the robbers take cash and ration
outsiders. coupons for sugar. Anne writes about what she
plans to do when they are able to leave the
Anne increasingly interrupts her descriptions of
annex. She says she would be so overjoyed she
the minutiae and social dynamics of the annex
would not know where to start, but she wants to
with comparisons between the annex and the
go back to school again.
world outside. The radio keeps the residents
informed of the latest atrocities being Two air‐raid sirens sound in one day as bombs
committed outside their door, and the break‐ins fall relentlessly on Amsterdam. The residents of
disturb their already precarious sense of safety. the annex are scared, but Anne tries to be brave.
Anne alternately feels that living in hiding is On the radio they hear the good news that
saving her life and that it unfairly condemns her. Benito Mussolini, Italy’s Fascist leader, has been
Working out her thoughts in the diary helps deposed. They are forced to turn in the radio,
Anne make sense of the new world and the which angers Mr. Dussel. Anne describes the
inconceivable reality she is forced to inhabit. She complicated daily schedule of the annex,
begins to see herself as a young girl trapped in a pointing out that it is very different from the
conflict that does not involve her directly. Anne routine that ordinary people would follow during
looks to the future and the end of the war, ordinary times. Her account, as usual, is filled
imagining that the persecution of her people will with humorous and not very complimentary
end and she will be free again. descriptions of the other people in the annex.
Summary Anne receives new shoes, and Mr. Dussel almost
causes trouble by asking Miep to bring him a
June 15, 1943–November 11, 1943
banned book. Italy surrenders unconditionally,
June 15, 1943–November 11, 1943 but Anne’s happiness is tempered by the news
that Mr. Kleiman will have to undergo a serious
Summary stomach operation. She also worries that Mr.
I can only cry out and implore, “Oh ring, ring, van Maaren, a man who works in the warehouse
open wide and let us out!” and is not trustworthy, will find out about the
hiding place. Anne writes that she has been
Mr. Voskuijl is diagnosed with cancer and knows taking medication every day for depression. Bep
he does not have long to live. Anne decides to is exasperated with the number of errands they
stop studying shorthand because she is ask her to run, and everyone’s temper is
becoming nearsighted and cannot get glasses. constantly flaring up. Anne compares herself to
The group briefly considers sending her out to an a bird with broken wings, longing for fresh air
ophthalmologist, but Mr. Frank has heard that and sunshine.
the British have landed in Sicily, Italy, and thinks
the war will soon be over. Anne’s favorite day of Margot decides to take a correspondence course
the week is Saturday, when Bep brings books in Latin to ease her boredom, but Anne says it is
from the library. Anne asks Mr. Dussel if she can too difficult. Mr. Frank asks Mr. Kleiman for a
use the table in their room to study during the children’s Bible so that Anne can learn about the
afternoon, but he refuses. They argue over it, so New Testament. Miep tells Anne that she envies
Mr. Frank intervenes and arranges for Anne to the peace and quiet of the annex. But Anne, who
is constantly afraid of being discovered,

compares the eight residents to a patch of blue society as a whole, not members of a separate
sky surrounded by dark clouds. The clouds are group. Mr. Frank demonstrates his open‐
coming in, and they can see both the destruction mindedness when he decides to buy Anne a
below them and the peace above them. Bible. Additionally, since the Franks and the van
Daans do not keep kosher but do celebrate both
Anne writes a memorial to her fountain pen,
Jewish and Christian holidays, they most likely
which she has owned for many years but which
identified themselves as Germans first and Jews
was accidentally melted in the stove. She says
second. Their identity became unclear when
that her only consolation is that the pen was
Hitler came to power and they lost their German
cremated, as she hopes to be when she dies.
citizenship. Despite the forced segregation
imposed in the Netherlands, the Franks settled
in comfortably enough for Anne to consider
herself part of wider Dutch society.
Analysis In this section, Anne also describes more of
By the middle of 1943, Anne’s mood becomes Miep’s role in keeping the annex running and
darker as her frustration and anger increase. She gives us a sense of the amount of work Miep has
has plenty of time to contemplate the war, and to do to keep them supplied in secret. Anne
in each diary entry her anxiety grows. Her tone is understands Miep’s envy of the people in the
less cheerful and humorous, despite occasional annex, since the situation outside is not
injections of satire or sarcasm, particularly when favorable for any of the Dutch people, even non‐
she is annoyed with another resident of the Jews. The people who protect the annex are
annex. While Anne tries to act like a brave adult, under just as much stress as those inside.
she still jumps into her father’s bed during air Nonetheless, Anne knows that Miep is unaware
raids and takes medication for her depression. of the difficulties of their life in hiding, such as
Anne is still just a young girl and can no longer the constant quarreling and frustration at being
pretend to be strong. in such close quarters. Miep does not
understand what it is like to be a young girl,
Anne gives a cynical description of her discovery trapped in a small attic with a whole world just
that hypocrisy rather than honesty is the only out of reach.
way to get along with people. She displays her
newfound skill at hypocrisy in her negotiations Anne’s language becomes more metaphorical in
with Mr. Dussel over the study table in their this part of the diary, as she increasingly
bedroom. Although she considers Mr. Dussel attempts to describe her fear and depression
rude and impossible to deal with, she swallows using figurative language. She chooses to
her feelings to gain the upper hand. By describe her situation in terms of the natural
maintaining her composure, Anne feels superior environment, the part of the world she misses
to the “petty and pedantic” Dussel. Her language most while she is in hiding. She compares herself
and behavior show us that the once‐lighthearted to a bird with a broken wing and compares the
girl is becoming depressed and cynical, trusting eight residents to clouds caught between peace
less in the security of her parents and relying and war. Anne uses these comparisons to nature
more on her own resourcefulness. to express her feelings and desires that are too
difficult to describe in literal terms.
Although the Franks are being persecuted as
Jews, they clearly see themselves as part of

Summary she has grown wiser since then and now
understands her mother better. She sees herself
November 17, 1943–January 28, 1944
as an adolescent now and says that when she is
November 17, 1943–January 28, 1944 having her period she feels like she has a “sweet
secret.” Anne also mentions the ecstasy she feels
Summary at seeing a female nude, such as the Venus de
I sometimes wonder if anyone will ever . . . Milo statue, and she talks about how she once
overlook my ingratitude and not worry about had a “terrible desire” to kiss a female friend.
whether or not I’m Jewish and merely see me as Now that she has no female friends, she is so
a teenager badly in need of some good, plain fun. desperate for someone to talk to that she begins
to confide in Peter van Daan. Anne also dreams
Bep is forced to stay away from the annex for six about Peter Schiff, an older friend on whom she
weeks because of an outbreak of diphtheria at had a long crush. She tells the story of their
her house. Margot continues the Latin relationship and says that she does not need a
correspondence course using Bep’s name. Mr. photograph of Peter because his face is still clear
Dussel fights with Mrs. van Daan, who thinks he in her mind.
and the rest of the annex should go to dinner in
honor of his first anniversary of living there. Anne and Peter talk about a cat, Boche. Peter
Anne notes that Mr. Dussel has not once says that Boche is a tomcat and turns the cat
thanked them for taking him into the annex. At over to show Anne his genitalia. Anne says that
night, she dreams that she sees Hanneli, who she knows the female sexual organ is called the
asks Anne to rescue her. Anne regrets not vagina, but she does not know what the male
treating Hanneli better and feels guilty that she sexual organ is called. Peter says he will ask his
is still relatively safe while Hanneli is suffering. parents. Anne is impressed that Peter can
discuss such things without any shame.
St. Nicholas Day comes again, and Anne
decorates a laundry basket with colorful paper Analysis
and fills it with shoes. She and her father write Anne’s dreams in this section demonstrate how
verses and put one in each shoe. Anne comes deeply the war haunts her. The fears, loneliness,
down with the flu and receives an assortment of and insecurities that she feels uncomfortable
supposed remedies. Everyone exchanges expressing out loud emerge in her dreams about
Christmas and Hanukkah presents, but spirits are Hanneli and her grandmother. Anne assumes
low because the war is at an impasse. Anne is still that Hanneli has been deported to the
grateful that her situation is better than that of concentration camps. She knows that she is
other Jewish children, but she cannot help powerless to save her friends, yet she feels guilty
feeling jealous of Mrs. Kleiman’s children. Her that they are suffering and she is not. Despite
children can go outside and play with friends, acknowledging her relatively good fortune thus
while Anne’s family and friends are trapped in far, Anne is envious of the non‐Jewish children in
the annex like “lepers.” Amsterdam who can still play and move about
Anne dreams about Hanneli again and also about freely.
her own grandmother. She wonders whether The appearance of Anne’s grandmother in her
Hanneli is still alive. Later, Anne reads through dream emphasizes Anne’s longing for security.
her diary and is shocked at how negatively she Anne imagines that her grandmother is her
wrote of her mother in past entries. Anne thinks guardian angel and will protect her. She

attempts to find comfort from the stability of fascinated by his body. Anne’s discussion of the
previous generations embodied in the cat’s genitalia represents an important moment
protective, maternal figure of her grandmother. for her, since it allows her to confront sexuality
Anne’s dreams reflect the profound feelings of openly and with a male for the first time.
sadness and loneliness that she feels she must Without female friends to discuss her innermost
put aside for the good of the group. Anne secrets, Anne learns about herself the only way
acknowledges the reality of their situation and she can, through introspection and through
realizes that if they all succumbed to their interactions with her limited environment.
feelings of anxiety and depression, living in the
Summary
annex would become unbearable.
January 28, 1944 (evening)– March 11, 1944
As Anne goes through puberty, we see her
becoming more mature, thoughtful, and more January 28, 1944 (evening)– March 11, 1944
aware of her body. Her confinement forces her
to struggle with many of the questions of Summary
adolescence by herself, since there are no other Anne writes that she is growing more bored in
girls her age with whom she could share her the annex and tires of listening to the same
experiences. Thus, the diary becomes an stories over and over again. The adults
important tool for Anne’s self‐discovery and constantly repeat the stories they have heard
maturity. She starts to feel disconnected from from Mr. Kleiman, Jan, and Miep, which are
“the Anne of last year” as she looks over past mainly stories about other Jews who are in
diary entries about her mother, which she now hiding. Anne is very impressed by the Dutch
considers the product of her immaturity and people who are helping Jews hide, since they are
girlish moods. Anne has a record of all of her risking their own lives in an attempt to save
private yet indignant temper tantrums, which others. She goes downstairs one night and feels
allows her to see how much she has changed in that she cannot count on anyone else to support
such a short time. Writing in the diary allows her. However, Anne’s fears vanish as she looks
Anne to express her unkind and indulgent up into the sky and puts her faith in God. She has
emotions and explore her own personal desires an intense desire to be alone, but she worries
in a way that will not hurt anyone else. Anne’s that someday she will be more alone than she
candor caused Otto Frank to cut many parts of would like.
the diary in its original publication. Anne’s
judgments, though at times cruel, are an Anne’s personal life has changed considerably
important aspect of her personality and her since the weekend, when she noticed Peter
experiences. Anne’s written outbursts provide a looking at her “not in the usual way.” The next
full sense of who she is and how she changes day, Peter confides that he is often too nervous
while she is in the annex. to speak to people and that he used to beat up
people instead of talking to them. Anne is happy
With her diary as her only confidant, Anne to learn that Peter is also temperamental. On
misses both her female and male friends, and Margot’s birthday, Anne and Peter talk again,
she thinks often of her love, Peter Schiff. She is and Peter says he is sure Britain will go to war
drawn to Peter van Daan, since he is the only against Russia. Peter also adds that he is sorry he
young man sharing her experience. Anne is was born a Jew. Anne is disappointed to find out
naturally curious about Peter because he is a that although Peter does not want to be
teenage male, and as a girl in puberty, she is Christian, he wants to make sure no one knows

he is Jewish after the war. He says that the Jews sense of self. Anne also sadly notes that the
are the chosen people, and Anne exclaims, “Just police have arrested Mr. M., a man who had
this once, I hope they’ll be chosen for something provided her family with food. The residents are
good!” scared anew when they hear a knock on the wall
next door during dinner.
Anne starts to enjoy going upstairs to see Peter,
and she says her life is much better now that she Analysis
has something to look forward to. However, she
By this point in her diary, Anne has gained a fuller
adds that she is not in love. All the same, Anne’s
sense of self and a clearer view of her
mother does not like the idea of her going
relationships with the people in the annex. She
upstairs. A few days later, Anne writes that she
starts signing her diary “Anne M. Frank” instead
thinks about Peter all the time and that Peter van
of simply “Anne,” a sign that she perceives her
Daan and Peter Schiff have melted into one
own coming of age. Anne has matured
Peter. Anne’s newfound happiness is briefly
significantly during her time in the annex,
shaken after another, more serious break‐in at
particularly because her family’s time in hiding
the office. It seems that the burglar has a
coincided with Anne’s puberty. In this confined
duplicate key.
world, Anne has also developed her
Anne writes about love, saying that emotional relationships with her family, because the close
love eventually leads to physical love, and that quarters have forced her to understand her
she considers this a natural progression and does parents and sister on a deeper level.
not worry about losing her “virtue.” She
Confinement in the annex has changed Peter as
imagines that her grandmother is watching over
well. He opens up to Anne emotionally, whereas
and protecting her. Mrs. van Daan teases Anne
he previously used physical force instead of
about Peter. In a particularly self‐reflective
connecting with other people. Anne finds in
entry, Anne thinks back on her life before coming
Peter the confidant for whom she had been
to the annex. She says that her life was heavenly
longing. She becomes aware of her feelings for
but that she was superficial and very different
the opposite sex, a new aspect of maturity and
back then. Anne remarks that her carefree days
development as a young woman that changes
as a schoolgirl are gone forever, but she does not
her entire experience of living in the annex.
miss them.
With life in the annex becoming more tedious
Anne also looks back over her time in the annex
and oppressive, Peter’s empathy and
and distinguishes different periods in her
companionship provide Anne with significant
growing maturity. In 1942, she said that the
emotional and mental relief. Since her physical
transition from a life “filled with sunshine” to
life is so static and confined, Anne instead begins
one of quarrels and accusations made her
to look forward to emotional changes such as the
stubborn and insolent. In 1943 she was sad,
development of her feelings for Peter. Because
lonely and self‐critical but then became a
of the physical confinement of the annex, the
teenager and was treated more like a grown‐up.
evolution of Peter and Anne’s relationship is on
She gained a deeper insight into her family and
display for everyone else to see. As Peter
the other members of the annex, and she began
becomes an object of desire for Anne, the adults
to feel more emotionally independent. Now,
begin to comment on the appropriateness of the
in 1944, she has begun to discover her longing
relationship, and Mrs. van Daan constantly
“not for a girlfriend, but for a boyfriend,” and she
teases Anne. The lack of privacy forces Anne to
has noticed a new depth to her emotions and

confront issues with her family and sexuality March 14, 1944–April 11, 1944
long before she would have under normal
Summary
circumstances.
The people who supply food coupons to the
Anne’s growing maturity is also evident in the
annex are arrested. The residents’ only
increased gravity of her discussions of her life
alternative is the black‐market ration books they
and the war. For the first time, Anne writes
have, and the food they must eat is horrible.
seriously about the possibility of her own death,
Miep gets sick with the flu, and Jan says it is
especially as her morale worsens. At the same
impossible to see a doctor. Anne says that she is
time, she dreams about life after the war and
more restless than Peter because he has his own
about her great fortune in having a hiding place.
room, while she has to share one with Mr.
She has become highly introspective and
Dussel.
insightful about her own nature, and she begins
to reflect on her past development and organize Anne and Margot are both growing annoyed
it into stages. Anne uses her diary like a literary with their parents. Anne complains that her
timeline of her inner development, which she parents are not open about sex and sexuality.
analyzes and critiques. By criticizing her own past She and Margot exchange letters. Margot writes
actions and thoughts, she shows her capacity for that she is somewhat jealous of Anne’s
personal growth and self‐awareness, two relationship with Peter, but only because she
important aspects of coming‐of‐age. Anne also wants someone with whom she can share
considers the possibility of her death, but she her feelings. Anne is growing happier with her
does not fully come to terms with the fact that relationship with Peter but cannot fathom ever
the future may not come for her. Though marrying him.
maturing into a young woman, she still retains a
measure of youthful innocence and idealism. Anne decides to ask Peter about sex, since she
believes “he knows everything,” and later she
Anne and Peter also confront their identity as talks to Margot in the bathroom. Peter
young Jews, a subject that Anne rarely touches overhears them and thinks Anne only spoke to
upon in her diary. Anne does not consider the him to tease him, but she tells him it is untrue.
possibility of converting to Christianity and is Anne says she would like to ask if Peter knows
shocked when Peter says that in the future he about female genitalia, and she writes a
will hide the fact that he is Jewish. Anne is proud description of her own anatomy in her diary.
that she is Jewish and remains optimistic that the
Jews will eventually be rewarded for their faith Anne’s mother forbids Anne from going up to
and not persecuted. Peter, however, is ashamed see Peter because Mrs. van Daan is jealous. Peter
that he is Jewish and wants to separate himself invites Margot to come upstairs with Anne.
from his past. The discussion that the two share Listening to the radio at the end of March, Anne
and their different conclusions represent two hears a member of the Dutch government in
common but opposite reactions to the exile propose a collection of Dutch people’s
Holocaust: a strengthening of Jewish diaries and letters after the war. Anne writes
identification versus a willful weakening of an that everyone in the annex immediately thought
association with Judaism. of her diary. She wonders what would happen if
she published a novel about the annex, and
Summary thinks that ten years after the war people would
find her diary very interesting. To pass the time,
March 14, 1944–April 11, 1944
Anne continues writing stories and describes

some of them in her diary. She also writes about Although at the beginning of the diary she saw
her hobbies, such as genealogy and mythology. herself as a child, Anne is now beginning to
Food is growing scarce and there are no discover her place in the world and see herself as
vegetables left. an adult. In an early entry, on June 20, 1942, she
had written, “It seems to me that later on neither
Anne is talking to Peter one night when another
I nor anyone else will be interested in the
break‐in occurs. Mr. van Daan tries to scare the
musings of a thirteen‐year‐old schoolgirl,”
burglars away by shouting “Police!” but the
because she did not think her thoughts were
residents see someone shine a flashlight through
important for anyone except herself. Now,
a gap in the wall and hear footsteps running
however, she is starting to become aware of the
away. Anne is terrified, thinking the Gestapo is
broader significance of her experience and
about to come for them. The residents lie on the
realizes the potential value of sharing her words
floor, petrified, and hear footsteps on the stairs
with others. With a newfound understanding of
and a rattling at the bookcase that hides the door
her own mortality, Anne recognizes the injustice
to the annex. The noises stop but someone has
of her fate more fully. She also realizes the value
left the light in front of the bookcase on.
of her diary and her personal thoughts, and she
Mrs. van Daan worries about the police finding expresses her hope that her diary will reach
the radio downstairs, and Otto Frank worries people after the war. Anne’s written words
they will find Anne’s diary. Anne writes, “If my about this hope are what convince her father to
diary goes, I go too.” The adults phone Mr. share the diary with others.
Kleiman and wait in suspense until a knock
Otto Frank understandably chose to omit several
comes on the door. They cry with relief when
passages from this section, including those
they see it is only Jan and Miep. Anne wonders
concerning Anne’s sexual curiosity. He believed
why the Jews have been singled out for death.
that these were personal thoughts and were not
She decides that after the war she will become a
necessarily suitable for a young‐adult audience.
Dutch citizen because she loves Holland and the
These moments in which Anne expresses her
Dutch. She writes, “If God lets me live . . . I’ll
sexuality are very important. We see Anne as a
make my voice heard.”
girl, rather than a sort of sterilized saint or
As the danger increases, Anne’s perspective victimized martyr. While Anne is a unique and
about her future continues to mature. She remarkable individual with a tragic experience,
continually shifts back and forth between feeling we also see her as a normal girl, with typical
that she is about to die and making plans for her human fears and desires. If Anne’s diary entries
future. The closest encounter thus far with the focused only on the war or her hiding, we would
police makes Anne contemplate death more feel less connected to her tragedy. However,
seriously. The possibility of the family being Anne intersperses her thoughts about death and
discovered only increases with time, and the the war with accounts of time spent with Peter
inhabitants take turns contemplating how they and her growing sexuality. We feel a greater
will behave when they are arrested. Anne begins connection and identification with Anne, and her
to worry that she will not live to accomplish any tragedy causes even more emotional impact.
of the things she hopes to, like writing a novel or
Summary
pursuing her hobbies. However, she continues to
think about her future and decides how she will April 14, 1944–August 1, 1944
identify herself after the war.
April 14, 1944–August 1, 1944

Summary Anne wants to explain why she visits Peter a lot,
so she writes her father a letter, which makes
[I] keep trying to find a way to become what I’d
him very upset. He tells her it is the most hurtful
like to be and what I could be if . . . if only there
letter he has ever received. Anne feels deeply
were no other people in the world.
ashamed and decides to try to improve herself.
Tensions in the annex run high after the break‐
Anne tells her diary the story of her family,
in, and no one can shake the feeling of
including her parents’ biographies. She writes
impending doom. On top of that, Peter forgets to
that her wish is to become a famous journalist
unbolt the front door, so Mr. Kugler has to smash
and writer. Mr. Frank has lost a bet with Mrs. van
the window to get in. The air raids on the city are
Daan about when the war will end, so he has to
incredibly heavy. The Registry of Births, Deaths,
give her five jars of yogurt in payment. Anne
and Marriages in The Hague is bombed,
hears that anti‐Semitism is becoming more
requiring new ration cards to be issued.
common among the Dutch, and she is deeply
On April 15, 1944, Anne gets her first kiss. disheartened. She grows depressed again and
Although Peter only kisses her “half on [her] left wonders if it would not have been better to
cheek, half on [her] ear,” Anne suddenly feels suffer a quick death rather than go into hiding.
she is very advanced for her age. She writes that She counteracts this thought by writing that they
the longer the war drags on, the more difficulty all love life too much.
she has imagining ever being liberated. Anne
On June 6, 1944, D‐Day, the BBC announces that
talks to Peter about female anatomy, which she
the Allied invasion of France has begun. The
has wanted him to do for a while. She then
residents of the annex are very excited. Anne
muses about trying to have a fairy‐tale published
turns fifteen and writes that the liberation is
in a magazine.
going “splendidly.” Her mood improves, and she
Anne writes about her schoolwork and also contemplates her love for nature and the
includes the family’s war‐ration recipe for potato question of why women are thought of as
kugel in her diary. She asks Peter if he thinks she inferior to men. Near the end of July, Anne writes
should tell her father about their relationship, about an assassination attempt on Hitler and
and he believes they should. Mr. Frank says that hopes it is proof that the Germans want to stop
he thinks it is not a good idea to carry on a the war themselves. On August 1, 1944, Anne
romance in the annex, and he asks Anne if Peter describes her new insights into her own
is in love with her. Mr. Frank tells her not to take character and muses that perhaps she could
it too seriously and that it is her responsibility to become the kind of person she wants to be “if
show restraint. only there were no other people in the world.”
Anne’s diary ends abruptly.
Anne wonders about the point of the war and
laments that money is being spent on fighting
rather than on medicine, the poor, and the arts.
It’s difficult in times like these: ideals, dreams
She reflects on human nature and concludes that
and cherished hopes rise within us, only to be
until all of humanity undergoes a profound
crushed by grim reality.
change, people’s tendencies toward violence will
lead to endless wars and destruction. Anne In this section we see a marked shift in Anne’s
writes that she is “young and strong and living writing, as she appears to be writing primarily for
through a big adventure.” Her father complains other readers rather than just for herself. She
that she is going upstairs to see Peter too much. begins to think of herself as a writer and of her

diary as a book. She also sees herself as more of Anne’s last sentence is a powerful statement,
an adult, though at times she is still writing from which is even stronger because it is the last we
a child’s perspective. Anne’s final entries are a ever hear from her. She writes, “[W]hen
mixture of personal reflection, philosophical everybody starts hovering over me, I get cross,
inquiry, humor, and complaints about her then sad, and finally end up turning my heart
dissatisfaction with her family life and the way inside out, the bad part on the outside and the
she is treated. In many ways, the end of the diary good part on the inside, and keep trying to find a
reads as a more self‐conscious mixture of the way to become what I’d like to be and what I
ideas she presented earlier: a portrayal of an could be if . . . if only there were no other people
imaginative, ambitious teenager blended with in the world.” This passage conveys Anne’s
evidence of the extraordinary and devastating struggle with her inward and outward selves.
circumstances of her life. Because she knows that there will always be
both good and evil people in the world, she
Though she maintains an optimistic innocence
concludes that for only good to exist, there must
throughout, Anne clearly has matured over the
be no other people at all. Anne realizes that she
time in which she keeps her diary. She becomes
has tremendous potential but that it is stifled
interested in love and sex, as can be seen in her
and contorted. Because of the evil that she
feelings for Peter, and must reconcile those
faces—and that everyone in the world faces—no
feelings with her desire to maintain a happy
one can be exactly who he or she wants to be.
relationship with her father. But in addition to
Anne’s words have an eerie prescience, since we
the normal psychological and physical changes
know that she was killed at the hands of these
associated with puberty and aging, Anne is
“other people” just a few months after this last
deeply affected by the confinement, fear, guilt,
entry. Thus, the diary culminates with a
anger, and sadness the war brings upon her.
precocious insight into human nature and a
Faced with the life that has been forced upon
stinging poignancy.
her, Anne must enlarge her concept of the world
and examine herself not only within the confines
of her small family but in relation to a world that
Themes
is demonstrating an implacable hatred of her. In
her final entry, she begins to explore larger social Themes are the fundamental and often universal
issues, setting goals to become a successful ideas explored in a literary work.
woman and overcome obstacles she might
encounter. The Loneliness of Adolescence
Although Anne clearly did not plan to end her Anne Frank’s perpetual feeling of being lonely
diary where she did, it does serve as an and misunderstood provides the impetus for her
appropriate ending to her account of her dedicated diary writing and colors many of the
thoughts and experiences: a summation of her experiences she recounts. Even in her early diary
character and the struggles she has endured in entries, in which she writes about her many
trying to become the kind of person she imagines friends and her lively social life, Anne expresses
she can be. She takes a long, deep look at herself gratitude that the diary can act as a confidant
and is upset that people only know her public with whom she can share her innermost
side. Anne is still afraid of sharing her more thoughts. This might seem an odd sentiment
personal, sentimental inner self. from such a playful, amusing, and social young
girl, but Anne explains that she is never
comfortable discussing her inner emotions, even

around close friends. Despite her excitement impatient with one another over trivial matters
over developing into a woman, and despite the and never address their deeper fears or worries.
specter of war surrounding her, Anne This constant masking and repression of serious
nonetheless finds that she and her friends talk emotions creates isolation and
only about trivial topics. misunderstanding between all the residents of
the annex.
We learn later in the diary that neither Mrs.
Frank nor Margot offers much to Anne in the way The Inward versus the Outward Self
of emotional support. Though Anne feels very
Anne frequently expresses her conviction that
connected to her father and derives strength and
there are “two Annes”: the lively, jovial, public
encouragement from him, he is not a fitting
Anne whom people find amusing or
confidant for a thirteen‐year‐old girl. Near the
exasperating; and the sentimental, private Anne
end of her diary, Anne shares a quotation she
whom only she truly knows. As she comes to
once read with which she strongly agrees: “Deep
understand her actions and motivations better
down, the young are lonelier than the old.”
over the course of her writing, Anne continually
Because young people are less able than adults
refers to this aggravating split between her
to define or express their needs clearly, they are
inward and outward character.
more likely to feel lonely, isolated, and
misunderstood. Living as a Jew in an increasingly Anne is aware of this dichotomy from a young
anti‐Jewish society, in cramped and deprived age. In her early diary entries she explains that
circumstances, heightens the isolation Anne though she has many friends and acquaintances,
feels and complicates her struggle for identity. she feels she does not have one person to whom
she can really open up. She regrets that she does
Anne occasionally turns to the cats that live in
not share her true self with her friends or family.
the annex for affection. Noticing that Peter van
Anne expresses frustration that she does not
Daan also plays with the cats, Anne speculates
know how to share her feelings with others, and
that he must also suffer from a lack of affection.
she fears that she is vulnerable to attacks on her
Anne’s observation softens her view of Peter,
character. When her relationship with Peter
whom she once considered obnoxious and lazy,
begins, Anne wonders whether he will be the
and these thoughts cause her to think that they
first one to see through the outer, public Anne
might have something in common. Their ensuing
and find her true self beneath.
friendship and budding romance stave off their
feelings of loneliness. Margot, who like the other Anne struggles with her two selves throughout
members of the annex witnesses the changing the diary, trying to be honest and genuine, while
nature of Anne and Peter’s relationship, at the same time striving to fit in with the rest of
expresses her jealousy that Anne has found a the group and not create too much friction. On
confidant. Evidently, Anne is not the only one in January 22, 1944, Anne asks a question—“Can
the annex suffering from the deprivation of you tell me why people go to such lengths to hide
friends. their real selves?”—that suggests she realizes
she is not alone in hiding her true feelings and
Feelings of loneliness and isolation also play out
fears. With this realization, Anne starts to read
in the larger scheme of the annex. All the
into other people’s behavior more deeply and
inhabitants feel anxious, fearful, and stressed
starts to think about their true but hidden
because of their circumstances, yet no one
motivations.
wants to burden the others with such depressing
feelings. As a result, the residents become

In her final diary entry, on August 1, 1944, Anne look out for themselves far more than to look out
continues to grapple with the difference for others.
between her self‐perception and how she
Generosity and greed also come to bear on
presents herself to others. She arrives at a
Anne’s feelings of guilt about being in hiding.
greater resolve to be true to herself and not to
Although by the end of their time in the annex
fold her heart inside out so only the bad parts
the residents have practically run out of food,
show.
Anne feels lucky to have escaped the fate of her
Anne’s inner struggle mirrors the larger friends who were sent to concentration camps.
circumstances of the war. Both the residents of She struggles with the idea that perhaps she and
the annex and the Dutch people who help them her family could have been more generous and
are forced to hide themselves from the public. could have shared their resources with more
They must take on a different identity in public people. While Mr. Dussel and Mrs. van Daan feel
to protect their livelihood because their true that greed is the only way to protect themselves
identities and actions would make them targets from the horrors of war, these same
of persecution. This is yet another manifestation circumstances of hardship inspire Anne to feel
of the hypocrisy of identity that Anne is trying to even more generous.
come to terms with in her diary.

Generosity and Greed in Wartime
Motifs
Anne’s diary demonstrates that war brings out
Motifs are recurring structures, contrasts, or
both the best and the worst traits in people. Two
literary devices that can help to develop and
characteristics in particular become prominent
inform the text’s major themes.
defining poles of character in the annex—
generosity and greed. The group’s livelihood Becoming a Woman
depends on the serious and continual risks taken
by their Dutch keepers, who are generous with Anne is thirteen years old when she first goes
food, money, and any other resources they can into hiding in the annex, and she turns fifteen
share. shortly before the family’s arrest. Thus, her diary
is a powerful firsthand record of the experience
Although the annex is hardly luxurious, the of a young girl as she matures. Although Anne
Franks and van Daans feel their situation is faces the challenges of puberty under unusual
better than that of the thousands of Jews who circumstances, the issues she struggles with are
are in mortal danger outside. As a result, they universal. She frequently contemplates the
extend Mr. Dussel an invitation to join them and changes in her body and her psychology.
to share their limited resources—an act of true Because Anne does not readily confide in her
generosity. The fact that Mr. Dussel accepts the mother or her sister, she turns to her diary to
others’ offer but never makes any attempt to understand the changes she perceives and to
acknowledge or reciprocate their generosity question issues about sexuality and maturity. In
might be attributed to the extreme later entries, as Anne begins to see herself as an
circumstances. More likely, however, is that Mr. independent woman, she compares herself to
Dussel is the kind of person in whom hardship her mother and to other women of her mother’s
brings out the qualities of greed and selfishness. generation, imagining what she will be like in the
Indeed, the two people Anne most reviles, Mr. future. She often thinks about what it means to
Dussel and Mrs. van Daan, share the tendency to be a woman and a mother, typically using her

mother as an example of the type of woman she Hanneli’s suffering. A young Jewish girl, Hanneli
does not want to become. Instead, Anne seeks has presumably already been arrested and
to overcome the obstacles of gender bias and deported to a concentration camp. For Anne,
prejudice, just as she hopes to escape the Hanneli represents the fate of her friends and
persecution faced by the Jewish people. companions and the millions of Jews—many of
whom were children like herself—who were
Fear
tortured and murdered by the Nazis. Anne
The Franks and the van Daans are fortunate questions why her friend has to suffer while she
enough to have made advance plans to go into survives in hiding. Anne continually struggles
hiding should the need arise, but they still know with the guilt that her friend is dead while she is
they are not completely safe from the Nazis. still alive. Hanneli’s appearance in Anne’s
Their security depends on the cooperation of dreams makes Anne turn to God for answers and
many different people outside the annex, as well comfort, since there is no one else who can
as a good amount of luck and hope. Their fear explain why she lives while her friend does not.
grows each time the doorbell rings, there is a
Anne’s Grandmother
knock on their door, or they hear that there is a
break‐in at the office building. They hear reports Anne’s grandmother appears to Anne in her
from the outside world about their friends who dreams. To Anne, she symbolizes unconditional
are arrested and about non‐Jews who are love and support, as well as regret and nostalgia
suffering from a lack of food. As the war rages on for the life Anne lived before being forced into
around them, all people—Jews and non‐Jews— hiding. Anne wishes she could tell her
suffer. Anne knows that her family’s situation is grandmother how much they all love her, just as
precarious, and she spends much of her time she wishes she had appreciated her own life
trying to distract herself from this frightening before she was confined in the annex. Anne
reality. However, each scare does color her diary misses living a life in which she did not have to
entries. She knows what would happen to her worry about her future. She imagines that her
and her family if they were discovered, and this grandmother is her guardian angel and will
fear that permeates life in the annex likewise protect her, and she returns to this image to
permeates the tone of Anne’s diary. sustain her when she feels particularly afraid or
insecure.

Characters
Symbols
Anne Frank
Symbols are objects, characters, figures, or colors
used to represent abstract ideas or concepts. When Anne Frank is given a diary for her
thirteenth birthday, she immediately fills it with
Hanneli
the details of her life: descriptions of her friends,
Hanneli is one of Anne’s close friends who boys who like her, and her classes at school.
appears in Anne’s dreams several times as a Anne finds comfort writing in her diary because
symbol of guilt. Hanneli appears sad and dressed she feels she has difficulty opening up to her
in rags, and she wishes that Anne could stop friends and therefore has no true confidants.

Anne also records her perceptions of herself. She to struggle with how she can be a good person
does not think she is pretty, but she is confident when there are so many obstacles in her world.
that her personality and other good traits make She writes eloquently about her confusion over
up for it. Through her writing, Anne comes across her identify, raising the question of whether she
as playful and comical but with a serious side. will consider herself Dutch, as she hears that the
Dutch have become anti‐Semitic. Anne thinks
Anne’s diary entries show from the outset that
philosophically about the nature of war and
she is content and optimistic despite the threats
humanity and about her role as a young Jewish
and danger that her family faces. The tone and
girl in a challenging world. From her diary, it is
substance of her writing change considerably
clear that she had the potential to become an
while she is in hiding. Anne is remarkably
engaging, challenging, and sophisticated writer.
forthright and perceptive at the beginning of the
diary, but as she leaves her normal childhood Otto Frank
behind and enters the dire and unusual
In Anne’s eyes, Mr. Frank is one of the kindest,
circumstances of the Holocaust, she becomes
smartest, most gentle and thoughtful fathers
more introspective and thoughtful.
imaginable. He almost always supports Anne and
During her first year in the annex, Anne struggles frequently takes her side during family
with the adults, who constantly criticize her arguments. He is generous, kind, and
behavior and consider her “exasperating.” Anne levelheaded, while the other adults in the annex
feels extremely lonely and in need of kindness can be stingy, harsh, and emotional. Unlike Mr.
and affection, which she feels her mother is Dussel, for example, Mr. Frank always tries to
incapable of providing. She also wrestles with save the best food for the children and takes the
her inner self and considers what type of person smallest portion for himself.
she wants to become as she enters womanhood.
Anne feels a special closeness to her father, since
Anne tries to understand her identity in the
she sees herself as more similar to him than to
microcosm of the annex and attempts to
her mother or sister. Anne continually tries to
understand the workings of the cruel world
impress her father, live up to his expectations,
outside. As she matures, Anne comes to long not
and obey his wishes. However, when she begins
for female companionship, but intimacy with a
a close relationship with Peter, her father deems
male counterpart. She becomes infatuated with
it inappropriate, and he asks her to stop visiting
Peter, the van Daan’s teenage son, and comes to
Peter in the upstairs part of the annex. Anne is
consider him a close friend, confidant, and
very hurt that her father is so conservative,
eventually an object of romantic desire.
protective, and secretive about sexuality, and
In her final diary entries, Anne is particularly she is upset that he does not approve of her
lucid about the changes she has undergone, her relationship. Out of respect for her father and in
ambitions, and how her experience is changing an attempt to please him, Anne begins to spend
her. She has a clear perspective of how she has less time with Peter.
matured during their time in the annex, from an
Otto was a smart, resourceful, and caring father,
insolent and obstinate girl to a more emotionally
as well as a talented businessman. He had a
independent young woman. Anne begins to
strong character and was clearly the head of the
think about her place in society as a woman, and
Frank household. The only resident of the annex
her plans for overcoming the obstacles that have
to survive the war, Otto remained in Auschwitz
defeated the ambitions of women from previous
until it was liberated by Russian troops in 1945.
generations, such as her mother. Anne continues

He returned to Holland, where he receives pretty, smart, emotional, and everyone’s
Anne’s diary. He remained in Holland until 1953, favorite. However, Anne and Margot do not form
when he moved to Basel, Switzerland, to join his a close bond, and Margot mainly appears in the
sister’s family. He married another Auschwitz diary when she is the cause of jealousy or anger.
survivor and devoted the rest of his life to She dies of typhus in the concentration camp a
promoting Anne’s diary. few days before Anne does.
Edith Frank Mr. van Daan
Anne has very little sympathy for her mother The father of the family that hides in the annex

during their tumultuous years in the annex, and along with the Franks and who had worked with
she has few kind words to say about her, Otto Frank as an herbal specialist in Amsterdam.
particularly in the earlier entries. Anne feels that Mr. van Daan’s actual name is Hermann van Pels,
her mother is cold, critical, and uncaring, that but Anne calls him Mr. van Daan in the diary.
they have very little in common, and that her According to Anne, he is intelligent, opinionated,
mother does not know how to show love to her pragmatic, and somewhat egotistical. Mr. van
children. Like Margot, Mrs. Frank is mentioned Daan is temperamental, speaks his mind openly,
almost exclusively in instances when she is the and is not afraid to cause friction, especially with
source of Anne’s anger and frustration. Anne his wife, with whom he fights frequently and
rarely comments on her mother’s positive traits. openly. He dies in the gas chambers at Auschwitz
in October or November of 1944.
Later in her diary, however, Anne attempts to
look at her mother’s life as a wife and mother Mrs. van Daan
from a more objective viewpoint. As Anne gets
Mr. van Daan’s wife. Her actual name is Auguste
older and gains a clearer perspective, she begins
van Pels, but Anne calls her Petronella van Daan
to regret her quick, petty judgments of her
in her diary. Anne initially describes Mrs. van
mother. Anne has more sympathetic feelings for
Daan as a friendly, teasing woman, but later calls
Mrs. Frank and begins to realize how Mrs.
her an instigator. She is a fatalist and can be
Frank’s gender and entrapment in the annex
petty, egotistical, flirtatious, stingy, and
have created many obstacles for her. Despite her
disagreeable. Mrs. van Daan frequently
new perspective, Anne continues to feel
complains about the family’s situation—criticism
estranged from her sentimental, critical mother
that Anne does not admire or respect. Mrs. van
and irrevocably deems her unfit. It seems that
Daan does not survive the war, but the exact
Mrs. Frank’s inability to provide emotional
date of her death is unknown.
support for her daughter stems in part from the
stress and pain of the persecution and forced Peter van Daan
confinement. Because the diary consists of only
Anne’s thoughts and perspectives, we are never The teenage son of the van Daans, whose real
able to gain much insight into Mrs. Frank’s own name is Peter van Pels. Anne first sees Peter as
personal thoughts or feelings. obnoxious, lazy, and hypersensitive, but later
they become close friends. Peter is quiet, timid,
Margot Frank honest, and sweet to Anne, but he does not
share her strong convictions. During their time in
Anne’s older sister. Margot was born in Frankfurt
the annex, Anne and Peter develop a romantic
in 1926. She receives little attention in Anne’s
attraction, which Mr. Frank discourages. Peter is
diary, and Anne does not provide a real sense of
Anne’s first kiss, and he is her one confidant and
Margot’s character. Anne thinks that Margot is

source of affection and attention in the annex. A secretary at Otto’s office who helps the Franks
Peter dies on May 5, 1945, at the concentration hide. After the Franks are arrested, she stows the
camp at Mauthausen, only three days before the diary away in a desk drawer and keeps it there,
camp was liberated. unread, until Otto’s return in 1945. She died in
2010 at the age of 100.
Albert Dussel
Jan Gies
A dentist and an acquaintance of the Franks who
hides with them in the annex. His real name is Miep’s husband. He dies in 1993.
Fritz Pfeffer, but Anne calls him Mr. Dussel in the
Hanneli
diary. Anne finds Mr. Dussel particularly difficult
to deal with because he shares a room with her, Anne’s school friend. The Nazis arrest her early
and she suffers the brunt of his odd personal in the war.
hygiene habits, pedantic lectures, and
controlling tendencies. Mr. Dussel’s wife is a Peter Schiff
Christian, so she does not go into hiding, and he The love of Anne’s life from the sixth grade. Peter
is separated from her. He dies on Schiff is a boy one year older than Anne. She has
December 20, 1944, at the Neuengamme dreams about him while in the annex. Peter
concentration camp. Schiff is also referred to as Peter Wessel.
Mr. Kugler Hello Silberberg
A man who helps hide the Franks in the annex. A boy with whom Anne has an innocent, though
Victor Kugler is arrested along with Kleiman romantic relationship before she goes into
in 1944 but escapes in 1945. He immigrates to hiding. Hello is also referred to as Harry
Canada in 1955 and dies in Toronto in 1981. Mr. Goldberg.
Kugler is also referred to as Mr. Kraler.
Quote 2
Mr. Kleiman
I see the eight of us in the Annex as if we were a
Another man who helps the Franks hide. patch of blue sky surrounded by menacing black
Johannes Kleiman is arrested in 1944 but clouds. . . . [They loom] before us like an
released because of poor health. He remains in impenetrable wall, trying to crush us, but not yet
Amsterdam until his death in 1959. Mr. Kleiman able to. I can only cry out and implore, “Oh ring,
is also referred to as Mr. Koophuis. ring, open wide and let us out!”
Bep Voskuijl Anne records this vivid image on
A worker in Otto Frank’s office. Elizabeth (Bep) November 8, 1943, after living in the annex for
Voskuijl helps the family by serving as a liaison to more than a year. As the war rages on and
the outside world. She remains in Amsterdam people throughout Europe suffer, Anne is
until her death in 1983. starting to become depressed and pessimistic
about her family’s chances of survival. She
Mr. Voskuijl alternates between imagining what her future
will be like and fearing that she and her family
Bep’s father.
will be discovered at any time. Anne’s writing
Miep Gies becomes more metaphoric as she tries to
express her fears and the anxiety and

desperation that plague the residents of the Quote 4
annex. Nature is perhaps what Anne misses most
It’s difficult in times like these: ideals, dreams
about the outside world, so it follows that she
and cherished hopes rise within us, only to be
describes her feeling of claustrophobia and
crushed by grim reality. It’s a wonder I haven’t
entrapment with an image of nature. The image
abandoned all my ideals, they seem so absurd
of blue sky suggests freedom. Dark clouds,
and impractical. Yet I cling to them because I still
signifying the oppression and restrictions on the
believe, in spite of everything, that people are
Jews, cover the sky, suffocating Anne and the
truly good at heart.
annex’s other inhabitants. Anne’s blue sky
represents liberation. Both the sky and freedom Anne writes this on July 15, 1944, less than one
remain beyond her reach. month before the Nazis arrest her and her
family, sending them all to the concentration

camps. This is perhaps the most well‐known
Quote 3 quotation from Anne’s diary because it is a
brazen expression of optimism in the face of
I sometimes wonder if anyone will ever
imminent and incomprehensible cruelty. The
understand what I mean, if anyone will ever
passage also provides a brief glimpse into Anne’s
overlook my ingratitude and not worry about
mind during her last days in the annex and
whether or not I’m Jewish and merely see me as
demonstrates how much she has changed from
a teenager badly in need of some good, plain fun.
when her family first went into hiding. At the
In this passage from December 24, 1943, Anne beginning of her diary, Anne would likely never
reminds us that she is just a normal young girl have had the self‐insight to make such a
who has been forced into extraordinary sweeping statement. After two years of growth
circumstances. She willingly makes sacrifices and while living in extremely difficult circumstances,
deals with the restrictions of the annex without however, she is able to find within herself a core
much complaint because she knows that she is of hope and optimism. This passage is an
more fortunate than her friends who have example of Anne’s occasional and brilliant
already been arrested and sent to concentration glimpses of lucidity and insight into her horrific
camps. This attitude demonstrates Anne’s situation.
remarkable maturity, but it clearly takes its toll

on her spirit. Aside from wanting to return to the
freedoms and comforts she had before the war, Quote 5
Anne simply wants to experience a normal
I get cross, then sad, and finally end up turning
childhood. She does not want to live in a world
my heart inside out, the bad part on the outside
that places such significance on where she is
and the good part on the inside, and keep trying
from, what her religion is, or whether she
to find a way to become what I’d like to be and
behaves well with adults. She wants to be in a
what I could be if . . . if only there were no other
place where she does not have to worry whether
people in the world.
she will live or whether her friends are suffering.
The diary has such emotional impact because we This statement ends Anne Frank’s last diary
see Anne not as a saint, but as a normal girl with entry, written on August 1, 1944. Anne does not
real human feelings and imperfections who falls intend to end her diary at this point: to her, it is
victim to the tragedy of the Holocaust. just the end of a regular day of hiding in the
annex. However, this turns out to be her last


entry because the Nazis arrest her and her family good time. Now I think either about unhappy
just three days later. It serves as a fitting things or about myself.
conclusion to Anne’s development and personal
After a few months in the Annex, Anne writes
growth during her time in the annex. Since her
about all the people who are dying in the war
time in hiding coincides with puberty, Anne
and how she cannot get them out of her head.
constantly struggles with her identity and her
She feels guilty in lamenting her own situation,
evolving sense of self. She tries to figure out her
that she feels empty and lonely despite the fact
role within the annex and how she fits into the
that she has found safety and remains with her
war and suffering in the outside world. Anne
family. While Anne feels that she has no right to
believes that she is a good person, but she also
complain when people outside the Annex are
realizes that because of her confinement, she is
suffering and dying, her feelings show that
unable to reach her true potential until she is
loneliness stands as its own sort of suffering.
released back to her normal life after the war.
Anne’s words resonate even more profoundly “Deep down, the young are lonelier than the
because we know that within months these old.” I read this in a book somewhere and it’s
“other people” kill her in the concentration stuck in my mind. As far as I can tell, it’s true.
camp. Anne is never allowed to reach her full
potential and never gets the chance to become After nearly two years in the Annex, Anne
the good person she has in mind. reflects on what life has been like for her,
Margot, and Peter as they have been hiding
Quotes through their formative years. She says that they
should be using these years to learn about the
Loneliness
world and form their own opinions and ideas.
Loneliness Since they cannot do that, they feel their
loneliness more acutely than the adults around
No, on the surface I seem to have everything,
them do. Anne seems aware that not only does
except my one true friend. All I think about when
their loneliness cause suffering in the moment,
I’m with friends is having a good time. I can’t
but the younger people have no chance of
bring myself to talk about anything but ordinary
becoming the adults they might have been
everyday things. We don’t seem to be able to get
otherwise.
any closer, and that’s the problem.

Soon after receiving her diary, Anne writes about
how although she has a loving family and a good Quotes
group of friends, there is no one she can truly
Identity
confide in and be herself around. So, she decides
to write in her diary as though she is writing to Identity
that missing close friend. Even before Anne and
her family go into hiding, she feels intense I don’t fit in with them, and I’ve felt that clearly
loneliness even though she appears to have in the last few weeks. They’re so sentimental
many friends. together, but I’d rather be sentimental on my
own.
Still, I can’t help telling you that lately I’ve begun
to feel deserted. I’m surrounded by too great a Soon after Anne and her family move to the
void. I never used to give it much thought, since Annex, she realizes how much her personality
my mind was filled with my friends and having a clashes with her mother’s and sister’s

personalities. Throughout her diary, Anne To be honest, I can’t imagine how anyone could
defines her identity simply as being different say “I’m weak” and then stay that way. If you
from every other person in her family. Perhaps know that about yourself, why not fight it, why
because she has no one else to talk to and to help not develop your character?
shape her identity, she reacts to being in such
After Anne reports that Margot and Peter often
close quarters with her family by making sure her
comment on how they wish they had her
identity contrasts with theirs. Such an action
“spunk” and “strength,” she wonders why they
might feel like she is developing into her own
don’t work on changing themselves instead of
person rather than merely mimicking or
wishing they were different. To Anne, who is still
absorbing the personalities of those around her.
growing up and finding herself, identity is not
Fine specimens of humanity, those Germans, something fixed and immutable. She often
and to think I’m actually one of them! No, that’s writes about her own flaws and how she can go
not true, Hitler took away our nationality long about improving on them. Her outlook and
ago. attitude set Anne apart from her peers in the
Annex; she appears more ambitious and
As Anne reports on the latest news of the war,
optimistic than the others in the same situation.
she reflects on the heartless nature of the
Germans and feels horrified that she shares any Quotes
part of her identity with them, as she herself was
War
born in Germany. However, due to the
Nuremberg Laws, which took away many rights War
for Jewish people living in Germany, she cannot
actually call herself a German citizen. Even If it’s that bad in Holland, what must it be like in
though Anne’s family moved to Holland when those faraway and uncivilized places where the
she was only four years old, she still longs to Germans are sending them? We assume that
identify with the country of her birth. most of them are being murdered. The English
radio says they’re being gassed. Perhaps that’s
All day long I hear nothing but what an the quickest way to die.
exasperating child I am, and although I laugh it
off and pretend not to mind, I do mind. I wish I After Anne learns of how Jewish people in
could ask God to give me another personality, Amsterdam are being mistreated, she wonders
one that doesn’t antagonize everyone. how bad the conditions are for the Jewish people
in Germany. Even though Anne and her family
Throughout her diary, Anne writes a great deal are, at this point, safely protected from the war
about how she sees herself versus how others and all the dangers that other people on the
perceive her. She acts as though she delights in outside face, her casual mention of gassing as
other people’s criticisms of her but secretly “the quickest way to die” reveals how the war
wishes she could somehow be different. Her permeates their lives, to the point where a
diary, which she calls Kitty, represents the only thirteen‐year‐old girl seems almost unfazed by
place where Anne feels comfortable sharing or the war’s horrors.
revealing her true self. Although she acts
confident and silly most of the time, she appears I could spend hours telling you about the
to be just like many other insecure, vulnerable suffering the war has brought, but I’d only make
teenagers who are struggling to find their myself more miserable. All we can do is wait, as
identity. calmly as possible, for it to end. Jews and

Christians alike are waiting, the whole world is After Anne writes about how everyone around
waiting, and many are waiting for death. her questions what the point of the war is, she
seems exasperated by people’s inability to
As Anne writes about the suffering of the Jewish
understand that a real answer to this question
people who are not in hiding, she stops herself
doesn’t exist. Here she states that violence and
from going on because reminding herself of their
hatred are innate qualities in human beings and
situation and the reality they face only makes her
that, as such, this sort of war was inevitable. This
sad. She acknowledges here that Jews are not
line of thinking seems extreme for a fourteen‐
the only people wishing for the end of the war.
year‐old, but, as Anne is living through the worst
In addition to being horrified by what is
human massacre in history, readers may easily
happening to people in the concentration
understand how she would come to feel this
camps, she almost seems indifferent to how the
way.
war will end and only wishes that the situation
will end soon. Her attitude shows how living Quotes
through the war has destroyed her innocence.
Family
We’ve been told of children searching forlornly
Family
in the smoldering ruins for their dead parents. It
still makes me shiver to think of the dull, distant Mother, Margot and I are once again the best of
drone that signified the approaching buddies. It’s actually a lot nicer that way.
destruction.
In the beginning of her diary, especially after
This excerpt comes from a very short passage in Anne and her family arrive at the Annex, she
Anne’s diary the day after a bombing in North writes a good deal about her rocky relationships
Amsterdam. Although Anne and the others in with her mother and sister. This entry comes
the Annex are safe from this type of danger, they only a little more than a week after Anne writes
are close enough to hear the drone before the about a “run‐in” with her mother in which she
attack, showing how close they live to real said she would not be sad if her mother died.
danger and how precarious their situation is. However, the tides quickly change, as they do
Anne’s description of children searching for their often throughout Anne’s stay in the Annex. Her
parents’ corpses shows that while the war has fickle feelings about her family show that family
taken her innocence and former life from her, can bring out the worst as well as the best in
she understands that she could lose so much people. Such events also highlight the fact that
more. Anne is experiencing the normal ups and downs
of her teenage years; however, her emotions are
I don’t believe the war is simply the work of
heightened by her life’s circumstances and
politicians and capitalists. Oh no, the common
cramped living situation.
man is every bit as guilty; otherwise, people and
nations would have rebelled long ago! There’s a But I have a right to be taken seriously too. I’ve
destructive urge in people, the urge to rage, always been the clown and mischief maker of the
murder and kill. And until all of humanity, family; I’ve always had to pay double for my sins:
without exception, undergoes a metamorphosis, once with scoldings and then again with my own
wars will continue to be waged, and everything sense of despair.
that has been carefully built up, cultivated and
grown will be cut down and destroyed, only to Here, Anne writes about how her mother and
start all over again! father treat Margot differently. As she often

does in her diary, Anne writes about Margot’s describes how close to death she felt in those
intelligence, kindness, and beauty and claims moments. Rather than talk about how scared
that, as a result of Margot’s merits, Anne she felt, here she admits that she feels ready for
receives worse treatment from her parents. She death at any point as getting caught and killed
longs to be taken seriously but, as in many family has been hanging over her head for years.
relationships, seems to model her own identity
Essays
in contrast to Margot’s. While Margot seems
more serious and studious, Anne seems loud and Mini Essays
silly. Readers may note from Anne’s example
how family members can strongly influence Mini Essays
one’s personality. What role does the diary play in Anne’s life?
Quotes When Anne first begins writing in her diary as a
Mortality thirteen‐year‐old girl, she feels that her friends
and family all misunderstand her. Thus, she first
Quotes Mortality turns to the diary as a new friend and confidant,
counting on the diary to be the sympathetic,
I’ve reached the point where I hardly care
nonjudgmental ear she has been unable to find
whether I live or die. The world will keep on
elsewhere. Once she goes into hiding in the
turning without me, and I can’t do anything to
annex, Anne feels even more misunderstood.
change events anyway. I’ll just let matters take
She thinks her mother is cold and callous, and
their course and concentrate on studying and
feels that the other adults consider her a
hope that everything will be all right in the end.
nuisance. The diary offers Anne much solace in
Anne writes this excerpt after recounting the the annex because she is in need of
endless conversations she hears about the war, companionship. Until she befriends Peter, Anne
from worries about bombs to more mundane has no one other than her diary with whom she
subjects such as their food supply. She writes can openly share her fear, anger, sadness, and
that she doesn’t concern herself with these hope. Anne calls the diary “Kitty,” indicating that
things and that she doesn’t care if she lives or she considers it a close friend. She occasionally
dies, which seems like something any even writes to Kitty as if the diary were a person
melodramatic teenager might write. Yet Anne’s who had asked her questions.
situation is far from ordinary. At this point, Anne
Writing diligently in the diary also helps Anne
has had to live for years with the fact that she
redirect her strong feelings instead of expressing
could be caught at any moment, and she seems
them outright and causing damage to the fragile
to have made peace with her situation.
relationships within the annex. When everyone
That night I really thought I was going to die. I around her is feeling anxious and tense, Anne
waited for the police and I was ready for death, turns to her diary for comfort because she does
like a soldier on a battlefield. I’d gladly have not want to burden the already overtaxed adults
given my life for my country. with her own concerns. In this way, Anne
becomes very independent at a young age.
Here, Anne recounts a night when the people in
the Annex heard someone enter the building and Moreover, Anne’s constant diary‐writing enables
thought the Gestapo had found them. They’d her to discover her inner voice and her voice as
experienced scares like that before, but Anne a writer. The diary gives her a private place to

explore and develop her increasingly profound she is disheartened but remains optimistic about
thoughts and ideas. After two years, Anne is able humanity.
to look back at the invaluable record of her
Does Anne consider her family lucky or
experiences and analyze how she has grown and
unfortunate to be living in the annex?
changed. In this sense, the diary becomes a
significant tool for Anne’s maturity. Anne’s feelings about the annex constantly
change. Most of the time, Anne realizes that she
How does Anne feel about the laws that restrict
and her family are very fortunate to have the
the Jews’ freedom?
annex as a place to hide. She values the kindness
The Franks left Germany to live in Holland and generosity of her father’s non‐Jewish
because they felt they could escape persecution. colleagues who are risking their lives to provide
After the Germans invaded Holland in 1940, them with food and supplies. However, Anne
however, the same laws imposed in Germany often complains about the miserable physical
were extended to the Netherlands. Anne thinks and emotional conditions of the annex, and the
the laws are unjust, but she does not completely confinement bothers her. She misses being able
understand why the Jewish people have been to see nature and the sky and laments that she
singled out for this discrimination. She wishes cannot explore the world. Compared to her
that next time the Jews will be chosen for formerly comfortable, middle‐class life, Anne
something good rather than something bad. must live with eight people under severe
Anne feels it is unfair that Jews cannot use conditions—she eats rotten potatoes day after
streetcars, that they must wear yellow stars, and day, has no privacy, deals with clashing
that she must attend a particular school. personalities, and lives in constant fear that the
Nonetheless, she is still optimistic about her family will be discovered. Most of all, she feels
family’s safety and feels relatively secure about lonely since she has no companions besides
her future. Anne accepts the restrictions as a fact Peter in the annex in whom she can confide.
of life in Amsterdam, and she is thankful to the
When Anne compares her deprived life to the
Dutch people for their sympathy, especially the
freedom of non‐Jewish Dutch children—a
ferryman, who lets Jews ride the ferry because
freedom she experienced so recently and took
they are not allowed to ride streetcars.
for granted—she feels indignant. However,
Once the SS call up for Margot, Anne realizes when she thinks about her Jewish friends and
that she is not safe from the Nazis. Her entire life family members who have probably been
and worldview is quickly transformed as she is arrested and sent to concentration camps, such
forced into hiding. As Anne hears about more of as her friend Hanneli, she feels extremely
her friends being taken to concentration camps, thankful to still be alive. Anne feels that the Jews
her fears grow and she questions why the Jews as a group are not fortunate and have not been
are being restricted. She also questions why she chosen for good things, only bad ones. However,
remains relatively safe while her friends outside she expresses her conflict over whether she feels
have to suffer so much. Anne says that she does fortunate or unlucky about her personal
not blame the Dutch people for her family’s situation. She wonders whether it would have
misfortune, and her sense of perspective allows been better to die a quick death than live a
her to realize that the non‐Jewish Dutch also confined, tedious, and fearful existence. Anne
suffer greatly during the war. When she hears quickly realizes, however, that she loves life too
that the Dutch are becoming more anti‐Semitic, much and decides she is fortunate that she had
the opportunity to evade the Germans.

Anne

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Anne

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A n n e

Summary Eventually, the entire family arrives at their

Anne has very little sympathy for her mother The father of the family that hides in the annex

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