Summary
The novel is based on real-life events that happened during World War 2. The main character of the novel, which was a Jew, narrates how the Jews survived during the holocaust. The diary of Anne Frank is an account of a young girl’s experience. The diary narrates the ordeal of a young girl who started to observe and experience real-life issues after her thirteenth birthday. In her diary, Anne Frank narrates her life journey from Germany to the Netherlands during the Second World War. Anne narrates how her family was forced into exile and into hiding. From the novel, Anne records the experience of growing up in exile and in loneliness. It is during her time in exile that Ann becomes aware of love and affection. Anne becomes too observant of what is happening to her, making her judgmental of other people. Ann struggles with thoughts of being a member of a persecuted community in Europe. She feels confined and deprived of important things in life. Anne’s disillusionment about life is evidenced when she starts to feel isolated from her family and community members. The character feels confused about things to happen after the end of the Second World War. Perhaps, this is the reason that prompts her to change and edit her diary for future reference in history.
Literary analysis
Theme
From the novel, a theme of loneliness, especially in adolescents, is evidenced.
Loneliness
Perhaps the reason for Ann writing the diary has been prompted by loneliness. Rarely, would a young girl dedicate most of her time writing and observing events for a diary? For young girls of her age, they would indulge in playing with other youths around the neighborhood. However, such could not have been possible with the ongoing anti-Semitic attitude that existed by that time. Although Ann recounts most of her experiences with family and friends, she still views her diary as her closest confidant. Perhaps, this can be considered ironic from a girl who starts her journey of the adolescent as vibrant and social amongst her peers.
Nonetheless, Ann is quick to point out that she does not see it necessary to discuss emotional matters with friends. She is not comfortable discussing matters that provoke her innermost emotions. According to Ann, her family and friends only discuss war matters or trivial issues.
In trying to assert her loneliness as a young girl, Ann reckons, that her father is a good man, but too old to confide. At one point, Ann reckons that “deep down, the young are lonelier than the old” (Frank, 1995, p.331). This can be edified by the fact that unlike the young ones, adults can understand and express their experiences.
Considering that Ann is a Jew, the feeling of isolation and deprivation in an anti-Semitic society makes her vulnerable to loneliness. Such deprivation in such kind of a society is likely to make a young girl strive for recognition and identity. In this respect, Ann tries to seek solace in finding affection from a young man called Peter van Daan. Ann can tell from Peer’s activities that she is not only the lonely one. Just like Ann, “Peter is a lonely young man and finds affection from playing with cats” (102). Another young character in the novel who exhibits loneliness is Margot. Margot is a young girl who has no friends and feels deprived of affection.
In the annex where Ann’s family and other friends live, it is clear that hiding from war has resulted in loneliness. Everyone, especially adolescents, is engulfed in their thoughts and troubles. The adolescents seem to burden themselves with the troubles of the adults. Instead of the adults taking charge of reassuring the young ones on things to happen in the future, they disapprove any thoughts harbored by the adolescents. Everyone in the annex is lonely and anxious about the prevailing circumstances. Eventually, it seems that no one wants to trouble another for fear of disapproval.
Historical evaluation
The events narrated by Ann in her diary probably happened during the holocaust. It is important to note that the dates indicated in Ann’s diary fall under the period of the Second World War. The diary passes as an actual record of a person who truly lived in that very period. The “Deportation of the Dutch Jews took place on 20th June of the year 1942″ (Frank, 2001, p.12). This is a clear indication that the content of Ann’s diary is correct and happened at a particular time. The holocaust cannot be erased in history. The actual happenings that included murder, isolation, and incarceration at concentration camps are real events captured in Ann’s diary. In fact, “images of concentration camps arced through Ann’s head” (28).
The allegation that Jews in Germany or any Nazi-controlled region were not to own any business is factual. In this regard, many of the Jews lost their business and properties. This made Otto Frank give up his business under the care of his non-Jewish business partners.
The call for Jewish deportation by the Nazi administration was extremely by force and not voluntarily. However, history indicates that the majority of the Jews tried to flee to other regions across Europe and other parts of the world. The Netherlands was one of the most sought destinations by the fleeing German Jews. However, the Nazis later got hold of the Dutch Jews and brought them into concentration camps. Ann is very factual on narrating how it was dangerous to be found by the Nazis in hiding. This is the reason why the Franks and other Jews were in hiding in the annex.
To validate Ann’s diary, Ann is very keen on mentioning elements that defined the holocaust period. For example, she uses the symbolical concentration camps. The camps were used by the Nazis to isolate the Jews, control, and incarcerate them. Also, the condition at the concentration camps was deplorable. This makes Ann uncomfortable, considering that many people never knew this fact.
After Ann is captured alongside other Jews, she is survived by her father, who bequeathed her diary as evidence of what happened during the period. Ann was able to use fictional characters that blend in the story. Historically, Ann’s diary has been used worldwide as a symbol of atrocities committed by the Nazis during the holocaust period. For example, Ann diary’s manuscripts are found with the Netherlands Institute of War Documentation. The institution conducted a forensic study that validated the manuscripts of the diary as original and was historically correct. For years, the dairy had been used in schools across Europe as a source of historical literature.
References
Frank, A. (2001). Diary of a young girl. New Delhi, ND: Penguin Books India.
Frank, O., H. (1995). The diary of a young girl. New York, NY: Knopf Doubleday Publishing.