The diary of Anne Frank Essay, written over a two-year period, tellsabout her life while she and her family are in hiding in Holland. They are staying in a secret attic of the office building where Mr. Frank used to work in order to escape from the Nazis during WorldWar II.
During their stay in the annex, they are supported byseveral people in the office building, who risk their own lives toinsure the secrecy of the Jewish hideout and to provide them withfood and basic supplies. Much of Anne’s diary tells about the daily routine of the occupantsof the attic. It also describes in detail the characters of Anne’sfather, mother, and sister, as well as the characters of the three VanDaans and Mr. Dussel, who share the attic with them.
Anne’sdifficult situation is made more complicated by her ownadolescence. Her maturing process, coupled with the misery of hercramped quarters and her constant fear of discovery and capture, isclearly seen in the pages of the diary. She tells of the conflicts shehas with her mother and sister, the support she receives from herfather, the love that develops between her and Peter Van Daan, theconstant bickering of the inhabitants of the attic, and thedeprivations that she must endure while in hiding. She also gives adetailed accounting of what is occurring in the war, especially inHolland, and reflects upon her past life. The straightforward and simple diary is filled with conflictingemotions, ranging from depression and despair to cheerfulness andpleasure.
Anne constantly tries to see the good side of things and tohave hope in spite of the misery and fear she faces on a daily basis. She even tells of some humorous incidents that occur within theannex. When the air raids and bombings come closer to the officebuilding, however, it is harder for her to be positive, but she triesher best to rally her courage and find a zest for living. When shefalls in love with Peter, she does, indeed, gain a new lease on lifeand a strong desire to survive. Unfortunately, her diary is leftunfinished, for she, her family, and the other occupants of theannex are discovered by the Gestapo and sent to a concentrationcamp.
The general horror of war, coupled with the specific horrors thatthe Nazis inflicted upon the Jews, is the major theme of the diary. Anne Frank, the young teenage girl who writes the diary,experiences the pain of war first-hand. In order to try and escapethe Nazi extermination of Jewish people, her family and the VanDaans go into hiding in Amsterdam, Holland. In spite of theirefforts to save themselves, all of the Franks and Van Daans arecaptured and sent to a concentration camp.
Only Otto Franksurvives the ordeal. The pain of adolescence is a second important theme of the novel. Maturing into adulthood is never easy for a young person, butAnne’s growing up is made even more difficult by the external warthat rages around her, the cramped quarters which offer her noprivacy or escape, and the constant fear of discovery and death. A third important theme in the diary is the power of love. Surrounded by family and friends, Anne feels nurtured amidst thehorror and turmoil of war.
She knows that love is all-important andcan conquer the worst of things. In spite of her miserable situation,Anne maintains a love of life and a belief in the basic goodness ofmankind. Her unshakable faith in love and goodness gives herhope that everything will turn out all right.Words/ Pages : 619 / 24 .
