The journal of a Jewish girl in her early teens describes both the joys and torments of daily life, as well as typical adolescent thoughts, throughout two years spent in hiding with her family during the Nazi occupation of Holland.
1. a) After the Nazi invasion of the Netherlands in May 1940, the Dutch people were immediately faced with the question of choice: how to respond to the Nazi occupation. Tens of thousands of Dutch people followed Hitler, and millions more looked the other way. Eventually, a resistance movement began to grow. The Nazis needed Dutch collaborators to carry out their fascist decrees. What would have influenced someone to become a collaborator? What factors would have encouraged someone to join the resistance? Do you think these factors were based on personal characteristics or political beliefs? What was the price of resistance during the war? What was the price of collaboration? b) Anne Frank and her family were German refugees who resettled and tried to build their lives in the Netherlands. Although the Franks were proud of their German heritage, their feelings toward Germany became very complicated during the war. Anne wrote: "Fine specimens of humanity, those Germans, and to think I'm actually one of them! No. that's not true, Hitler took away our nationality long ago. And besides, there are no greater enemies on earth than the Germans and Jews." (October 9, 1942.) Although Anne had lived in the Netherlands since 1934, she did not become a Dutch citizen. Did Anne have a nationality? If not, were Anne's civil rights protected by any nation? By 1939 some 250, 000 Jews, half of Germany's Jewish population, had fled their homeland. Did these refugees have any guaranteed rights? After the war Otto Frank responded to references to "the Germans" by asking "which German?" He believed strongly that blaming all Germans was another form of stereotyping. What constitutes a stereotype? How is astereotype different from discrimination? c) In The New York Times the writer Anna Quindlen asked, "Would our understanding of the Holocaust be quite the same if Anne Frank had not taken a small plaid diary into hiding with her?" What has most shaped your understanding of World War II: personal experience, Anne's diary, popular films such as Schindler's List, newsreel footage, academic or historical texts? d) Otto Frank chose to edit out some of the negative comments Anne made about her mother and a number of the other residents of the Secret Annex--comments that have been restored in the new translation by Susan Massotty. He believed that Anne would have wanted him to do so. Do you think he was correct? e) In her diary Anne opined: "... if you're wondering if it's harder for the adults here than for the children, the answer is no... Older people have an opinion about everything and are sure of themselves and their actions. It's twice as hard for us young people to hold on to our opinions at a time when ideals are being shattered..." (July 15, 1944.) When was the last time as an adult that you experienced the "shattering" of an ideal? Is the media a neutral force, or do you think it plays a role in supporting or destroying idealism? f) Are there certain characteristics common among those few individuals who risked their own lives to rescue Jews during World War II? Why do so many of them deny their own heroism? g) A disturbing number of neo-Nazi groups have taken hold in all parts of the world. What social conditions would be necessary for them to grow? What do you believe would be the most likely basis of another world war: pride, nationalism, fear, racism, economic interests, or religious intolerance? h) Nazi leader Adolf Eichmann was asked how he could explain the killing of 6 million Jews. He answered, "One hundred dead are a catastrophe, a million dead are a statistic." Have we become more or less tolerant of murder since he made this observation? i) Anne Frank wrote: "I don't believe the war is simply the work of politicians and capitalists. Oh no, the common man is every bit as guilty; otherwise, people and nations would have rebelled long ago!" (May 3, 1944.) How should accountability be assigned? So many say they never understood what was happening. How likely could that have been? j) Hitler published Mein Kampf in 1925, describing his plan for the elimination of Jews. At that time, what steps might have been taken to stop Hitler's rise to power?
Lucy_Maureen_Porter
Posted April 10, 2013
“Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl” is a fantastic book. I have read it once in the past, and I really enjoyed reading it again. As with anything, I feel I gained more the second time. I understood more now than my sixth grade self. I really enjoyed reading something that was nonfiction. This is her actual journal that she created during a horrific time. It was so interesting being able to get into her head and being able to connect with it, especially since I’m a fourteen-year-old girl just like Anne; we even have the same birthday!
I would certainly recommend this book, but I would recommend it to people 13 and older. I know some people who are younger might understand the basic idea of the novel, as I did, but I think in order to really get the full experience you need to be a bit older. I believe that this book is perfect for high school students, girls and boys. It is a heartfelt true account of history and I think every high school student should have to read it. “Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl” is a real eye opener and it might show kids that some people have it worse and our first-world problems are small compared to others. This point could be made by telling kids of the Holocaust, but reading this book enables the reader to get inside Anne’s head and it really paints a clear picture of life as a Jew in hiding during the Holocaust. I really loved reading this book. I have always been interested in the Holocaust and I find every aspect of it interesting. Reading Anne Frank’s diary has been so much better than just reading some fictional book on the Holocaust. This is real. “Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl,” is one of my all-time favorite books.
Lucy_Porter
Posted April 9, 2013
“Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl” is a fantastic book. I have read it once in the past, and I really liked reading it again. As with anything, I feel I gained more the second time. I understood more now than my sixth grade self. I really enjoyed reading something that was real. This is her actual journal that she took during a horrific time. It was so interesting being able to get into her head and being able to connect with it, especially since I’m a fourteen year old girl just like Anne; we even have the same birthday!
I would certainly recommend this book, but I would recommend it to people 13 and older. I know some people who are younger might understand the basis idea of the novel, as I did, but I think in order to really get the full experience you need to be a bit older. I believe that this book is perfect for high school student, girls and boys. It is a heartfelt true account of history and I think every high school student should have to read it. “Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl” is a real eye opener and it might show kids that some people have it worse and our first world problems are small compared to others. This point could be made by telling kids of the Holocaust, but reading this book enables the reader to get inside Anne’s head and it really paints a clear picture of life as a Jew in hiding during the Holocaust. I really loved reading this book. I have always been interested in the Holocaust and I find every aspect of it interesting. Reading Anne Frank’s diary has been so much better than just reading some fictional book on the Holocaust. This is real. I truly love “Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl.”
ingvild
Posted February 20, 2013
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Shows an insightful and smart young lady
During World War 2, Anne Frank wrote everything from personal experiences to political opinions in her diary. As Jews in German-occupied Holland the Frank family fears for their lives. For more than two years the family lives in what they call the Secret Annex to keep themselves hidden. I think one of the reasons why this book is particularly well known is because of Anne’s age. As a 14- year old girl she fights her own battles, including all the difficulties within the ongoing war. Anne is a bright girl and I really enjoyed reading her perspective on life’s many challenges. I find the book interesting knowing that actually Anne wrote this her self.
On the other hand, I would prefer if we could read things from other family members perspective as well. Then again, this is Anne’s diary so naturally it’s her thoughts and experiences the book is about. All the dates are included, as well as describing sentences if necessary. Anne calls her diary Kitty, and therefor every chapter begins with dear Kitty. The chapters, or paragraphs length can be anything between half a page and two-three pages. She describes everything in details and often includes dialogs.
Obviously the books theme is the holocaust and World War 2, but also Anne’s feeling as a 14- year old girl. We follow her ups and downs over two years, and overall I think this is a good book. For me some pages seemed longer than others, but the book made me realize how small my problems are in comparison with teenagers during that era. The book brings history to life, and even though Anne is a young writer the book is worth reading if you find the holocaust interesting.
Indigeek
Posted August 14, 2012
Anne Frank was amazingly insightful and articulate for a young teenager. I read somewhere that her father was surprised when he read her diary because he had no idea the depth of his daughter's innermost thoughts, which made me wonder how much I don't know about my own daughters. I wasn't alive during World War 2, but it blows my mind to think the horrors of the holocaust actually happened not all that long ago and that genocide still occurs today. My heart can't grasp the fact that people are capable of doing such things to other people. I think everyone should read this book.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Maddi-Loves-Disney
Posted March 1, 2012
Anne Frank’s story is truly fantastic - The Diary of a Young Girl is written from the viewpoint of a carefree juvenile girl growing up as a Jew in the heart of World War II in Amsterdam, giving a firsthand insight to everyone. Though Anne wrote this diary as a sole confidant, millions of readers across the globe can find solace in her strong words. Saturday, July 15th of 1944, she wrote that “in spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart”. Despite all of the troubles she went through during her short life, Anne still set an example of strength, courage and hope for us all.
I found Anne Frank’s Diary absolutely fascinating - such detailed eyewitness accounts of life for young victims of the Holocaust are quite rare indeed; almost as rare as insight into the true inner workings of a real human being’s heart and soul. Everyone can learn something from this young girl’s ideals, hopes and dreams. That, as well as the potency of the text’s rich emotional levels, inspire me to rate Anne’s Diary at a 9.5 out of 10.
Anonymous
Posted April 9, 2008
i think this book Anne frank: the diary of a young girl is for girls or boy that like history.
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