Anne Frank's journal starts on June 12, 1942, her thirteenth birthday and concludes shortly after her fifteenth birthday. In World War Two, Anne, a young Jewish girl, is compelled to hide with seven others in order to evade the Nazis. They take refuge in an undisclosed attic at Prinsengracht 263 in Amsterdam. After almost two years of hiding, they are found and sent to brutal prisons. Among the eight individuals hiding, only Anne's father Otto Frank manages to survive.
Despite keeping her journal hidden, Anne's fame as a renowned writer emerged after her downfall. In the early entries of her journal, she recounts typical experiences and interactions from her childhood, including relationships with other girls, crushes on boys, and her academic performance at school. Because of anti-Semitic laws, Anne and her older sister Margot were placed in the Jewis
...h Lyceum in Amsterdam, a segregated school for Jews. Throughout her diary, Anne frequently discusses the fate of women. Upon their arrival at Auschwitz-Birkenau and subsequent selection process, Edith, Margot, and Anne are housed together in a dormitory. The mention of Auguste van Pels likely refers to another area within the camp.
Throughout the day, the women are expected to work diligently hauling heavy stones or grass bundles. They often have to stand outside for long periods of time, despite the harsh weather conditions, to be considered for labor. The Nazis aim to take as many able-bodied prisoners back to Germany. The health and fitness of the female prisoners are a key concern. Edith Frank may not be able to comply. Anne and Margot are then considered.
Rosa de Winter-Levy witnesses the following: "Next, it was the girls' turn...and there
they stayed during that time, naked and exposed. After an unpleasant three-day journey by train, Anne and Margot arrive at Bergen-Belsen. Additional prisoners are being transferred to the camp from other death camps. This camp is already overcrowded when they are brought there. The new arrivals are housed in tents. However, after a few days, the tents are destroyed in a heavy storm."
The detainees are forced to search for a space in one of the currently overcrowded encampments where there is a lack of food and poor sanitary conditions. As a result, some detainees become ill, including Anne and Margot Frank who contract typhus.
Despite the lengthy duration of the camp's liberation, both Margot and Mrs. Frank neglect to offer Anne any emotional support. Nonetheless, Anne discovers solace in her father and gains courage and motivation from him, even though he may not be the perfect companion for a thirteen-year-old girl. The invasion of Nazi Germany into the Netherlands deeply traumatized its people.
The suicides of numerous individuals, including a significant number of Jewish people, resulted in the marginalization of Jews across various aspects of society. This marginalization encompassed not only professional and economic domains but also extended to prohibitions on attending movie screenings and accessing publications. Furthermore, they were barred from public establishments through various declarations. Consequently, Jews had minimal engagement with the general population and endured stringent limitations on their personal liberties.
This environment served as a reinforcing factor for depression and conservatism. Several factors that contributed to this included the deportation and killing of Jewish men, women, and children. As a result, the Jews lived in fear of expression. The content of Anne's journal could
have a significant impact on the psychology of both men and women, potentially exacerbating feelings of depression, particularly among young people.
Anne Frank's constant feeling of loneliness and misunderstanding serves as the motivation for her dedicated journal writing. Despite having many friends and an active social life, she expresses gratitude for the journal, which acts as a companion with whom she can share her deepest thoughts. This may seem strange coming from such a lively, funny, and social young girl, but Anne explains that she is never satisfied with discussing her innermost feelings even with close friends. Despite her excitement about growing into a woman and the approaching danger of war, Anne finds that she and her friends only talk about trivial matters. This may lead people to become self-centered.
Just to maintain composure even when they are suffering. It may cause unwillingness to open up to friends and others. This may result in a conservative attitude. Additionally, it may lead to a change in the way people perceive themselves. Anne often expresses her belief that there are "two different Annes": the outgoing, cheerful, social Anne whom people find entertaining or irritating; and the emotional, hidden Anne whom only she truly knows. As she strives to understand her actions and motivations better throughout her writing, Anne consistently refers to this unsettling divide between her internal and external persona, altering her perception of herself.
Since a young age, Anne has been aware of her uniqueness. In her significant journal entry, she expresses that despite having numerous friends, acquaintances, and coworkers, she lacks someone with whom she can completely share herself. This could suggest a inclination towards antisocial behavior in
individuals' lives. Anne laments her inability to authentically reveal her true identity to loved ones. She acknowledges the challenges of expressing her emotions to others and apprehends therapy sessions that might solely focus on her personality.
When Anne's relationship with Peter begins, she wonders if he will be the first one to truly see the outward, social Anne and discover her authentic self underneath. Her diary demonstrates that war brings out both the best and worst in people when it comes to generosity and enthusiasm. Greed and generosity, in particular, become prominent in describing contrasting energies of character in the attic. The group is surprised by the selflessness and constant risks taken by their Dutch helpers, who have plenty of food, money, and other possessions they can share.
Liberality and insatiability are also understood to persist in Anne's mind as a sense of guilt for being isolated. Even though the occupants of the attic have run out of supplies by the end of their time there, Anne feels fortunate to have escaped the fate of her fellow victims who were sent to death camps. She wrestles with the belief that perhaps she and her family could have been wealthier and shared their resources with more people. This experience may inspire a person to become more generous.
The mental state of communists is contrasted with that of business people. Despite Anne showing more attraction towards individuals of the opposite gender (her father and Peter), she also has a strong attraction to the same sex. Anne's grandmother appears in her nightmares, symbolizing both limitless love and support, as well as feelings of regret and memories from her previous life
before going into hiding.
Anne wishes she could enlighten her grandma on how much everyone loves her, just as she wishes she had appreciated her own life before being confined. Anne misses a life where she didn't have to worry about what the future holds. She imagines her grandma as her guardian angel and finds solace in this thought when she is scared or unsure. All in all, the Diary encompasses many things all at once.
The text is a humorous, enlightening, and emotionally moving account of adolescence. It reflects Anne's thoughts on herself, those around her, the world, and life. The text accurately documents a young girl's growth within Anne's specific circumstances during her two-year seclusion. It also presents a chilling portrayal of the Jewish experience during the Nazi era.
Works Cited
- Frank, Anne et al. The Diary of Anne Frank. 1st ed., New York: Doubleday, 2003.
