Anne Frank's diary and the resilience of human hope

¶ … Diary of Anne Frank

The importance of Anne Frank's diary lies not in the fact that it is an eyewitness to the terrors of the Holocaust, for this is but one in thousands, it lies in the fact her writings reaffirm man's faith and hope in his fellow man and demonstrate that even under the most depressing of circumstances one can live, love, dream, and experience the entire spectrum of human emotions. The book is about survival, prejudice, the nobility of human compassion. It is also about young girl during adolescence.

This work has maintained its popularity for a number of reasons. This diary is an important historical document. It was written contemporaneously with the events. Anne was born in 1929 and receives her diary on her 13th birthday; just weeks before her family were driven into hiding in Nazi occupied Amsterdam. The dairy recounts twenty-five months of confinement in a limited space with her parents, sister, a second family, and a middle-aged intolerant bitter dentist. It is a journal of a journey of constant anxiety, hunger, and oppression.

The story also serves as a great educational tool. Written by a young girl who was experiencing all of the horrors of Nazi anti-Semitism, the book touches the audience deeply and appeals to a wide range of ages. Young people can identify with the ideas, thoughts and feelings expressed in the narrative, as can adults who were once young themselves. Anne's attitudes and reactions feel familiar. The book is honest.

Additionally, it is a good story. It relates an engrossing tale of survival during one of contemporary history's darkest hours. The universal appeal stems from the details of the plight these people were subjected to, a scarce and unreliable food security, insufficient clothing, and their indomitable will to survive. Anne's ultimate demise, despite her optimistic outlook, further contributes to the feeling of loss and the senselessness of the time provoked by the work.

November 7, 1942

The November 7, 1942 entry, made less than six months into the ordeal at the annex testifies to the youth and immaturity of Anne at the time. She and her sister argue over a book and Anne reacts as a victim.

"I cling to Father because my contempt of Mother is growing daily and it's only through him that I'm able to retain the last ounce of family feeling I have left. He doesn't understand that I sometimes need to vent my feelings for Mother. He doesn't want to talk about it, and he avoids any discussion involving Mother's failings. And yet Mother, with all her shortcomings, is tougher for me to deal with. I don't know how I should act. I can't very well confront her with her carelessness, her sarcasm and her hard-heartedness, yet I can't continue to take the blame for everything."

Had the brunt of the diary continued in this vain the work, though a sad and terrible reflection of man's inhumanity to man, would have been far less significant and appealing. Its place in history and our hearts would have been diminished, viewed as the angst of a teenage girl. On the other hand, the inclusion of this passage gives the reader insight into the incredible growth Anne made while living in the Annex.

Conclusion

Anne Frank's story is a testament to the human spirit. The diary chronicles her growth as a human being. Its appeal lies in the fact that she was able to divine the goodness of people during a dark and terrible passage. Though her life was short the wisdom she exemplified makes us all feel better about ourselves. The Holocaust was a horrible event in the history of man, and Anne's optimism in the face of it clearly demonstrates the better side of human nature. She is the kind of person we all hope we could be given the same set of circumstances. This is what makes the story so endearing and enduring.