Anne Frank: Diary of a Young Girl                             Background

 

 

SETTING                               PLACE—Amsterdam, Holland—Secret Annex

                                                TIME---during World War II—1942-1944 –25 months

 

LITERARY TYPE                  Non-fiction-- diary---written by Anne Frank

 

CHARACTERS                     Anne Frank                diary author; wished to be remarkable; Mrs. Quack-Quack; 13 years old

                                                                                    Believed in the goodness of people

                                                Otto Frank                  Anne’s father; even tempered & intelligent; sole survivor of the Holocaust

                                                                                    Leader; teacher; successful businessman

                                                Margot Frank             quiet, studious, beautiful, talented; Anne’s sister; 16 years old

                                                Mrs. Frank                 Anne’s mother; rejected by Anne; overly critical of Anne

                                                Mr. Van Daan                        smoker; business associate of Mr. Frank’s; Peter’s father

                                                Mrs. Van Daan          vain & self-centered; Peter’s mother; quarrelsome

                                                Peter Van Daan        shy & quiet; son to the Van Daan’s; 15 years old; Anne’s sweetheart & confidante

                                                   Mouschi                  Peter’s cat

                                                Mr. Dussel                  dentist; Anne’s roommate; fiftyish & finicky

                                                Kitty                             Anne’s name for her diary

                                               

                                                Meip Geis                   young Dutch woman; employee to Mr. Frank; inhabitants’’ lifeline to the outside world

                                                Mr. Kraler                   inhabitants’ protector; employed in the office

                                                Mr. Koophuis             Mr. Frank’s friend & business partner; great support to family

                                                Elli Voccon                 typist; helps with supplies; friendly

                                                Henk                           Meip’s fiancé; works with the underground

                                                                                        

            PROTAGONIST        Anne Frank – diary author & main character; a teenage Jewish girl who is trying to survive the horror of WWII

                                                                        And the Nazi occupation of Holland

 

            ANTAGONIST           Adolf Hitler & the Nazi Regime; goal was to annihilate all Jews

 

 

PLOT                                      Although this piece of literature is a diary and does not have a typical plot (CONFLICT, CLIMAX & CONCLUSION)

                                                            It can be viewed in terms of ordinary conflict.

 

            CONFLICTS              External----World War II and the physical persecution of the Jewish people by Adolf Hitler

                                                Internal------Anne’s maturation & maturing process as viewed through her thoughts written

                                                                        In her diary

            CLIMAX                     The discovery of the inhabitants by the Gestapo (Nazi secret police)

 

            CONCLUSION          Anne’s death in Bergen Belsen of typhus; tragic

              (OUTCOME)

 

 

THEMES (3)              #1        Major theme of the diary is the general horror of World War II & the attempt to annihilate

                                                            The Jewish population. This is the external conflict.

 

                                    #2        Anne’s maturing process in cramped quarters with little or no privacy is the internal conflict.

 

                                    #3        The third theme is Anne’s unshakeable belief in the basic love and goodness of people           

                                                            which gives her hope that all will turn out all right.           

 

MOOD                        The contrasting moods of despair and depression (of hiding, constant fear of discovery) vs the joy of

                                                being alive. The mood definitely is a tribute to mankind’s brave struggle for survival.

 

IRONY                        The diary which has been translated into 30 languages & condemns the Nazi regime was never discovered by the Gestapo.

 

QUOTES

 

“I have y faults, just like everyone else, I know that, but they thoroughly exaggerate everything.”    Part II

                                                                                                                                                                        Who does ‘they’ refer to?

                                                                                                                                                                        What are ‘they’ complaining about concerning Anne?

 

“I suppose it’s their idea of a good upbringing to always try to set me against my parents,               Part III

                         because that is what they often do.”                                                                                 Who is ‘they’ referring to?

                                                                                                                                                                        What is it that ‘they’ do?

 

“The period when I cause her to shed tears is over. I have grown wise.”                                                         Part IV

                                                                                                                                                                        Who does ‘her’ refer to?

                                                                                                                                                                        What has Anne done to not cause her to shed tears?

                                                                                                                                                                        How has this made Anne wise?

 

“Oh, Anne, why have you deserted me! …rescue me from this hell!”                                                    Who does me refer to?

                                                                                                                                                                        What happens to this person?

 

“…in spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart.”                                         Part VI

                                                                                                                                                                        What doe this quote say about Anne Frank?