A
nne begins writing as a
13 year old girl just
having had her birthday,
who decides to keep a diary to
“bring out all kinds of things
that lie buried deep in my
heart”. From the simple life of a
school girl, worried about
homework, gossiping with her
friends and amusing herself
thinking about boys who might
like her, Anne and her family are
forced into hiding to escape
capture by the Nazis. Along
with another Jewish family,
they live for 2 years, cloistered
together in the ‘Secret Annexe’
of an old office building. ey
face the trials of mundane,
everyday survival in a closed
space cut off from the world
outside amidst the fear of
discovery and death.
Anne records her life in
the ‘Secret Annexe’ from vivid
descriptions of their daily meals
and inevitable squabbles to
poignant discourse into the
challenges of growing up. She
writes about her dreams and
aspirations, her opinions about
life and the war brewing around
her. She explores the meaning
in her various relationships and
stumbles upon that all too
f a m i l i a r fe e l i n g o f b e i n g
misunderstood as an
adolescent. It’s striking how
relatable her thoughts are and
terrible, knowing she never got
to live the life she deserved.
Reading this book, knowing
what happens to Anne Frank
and her family is heart
breaking. Yet, that is the very
reason this simple account of
the life of a teenage girl under
the Nazi regime is so powerful.
Sneha Mohan
2982, Batch 2012
THE DIARY OF
A YOUNG GIRL
-Anne Frank