Very rarely does an author leave such an impression that it affects people universally. It is a simple task to create a work that appeals to a certain audience; a culture or interest group. To grasp the attention of the world however, is a major accomplishment for anyone, especially a teenage girl. Anne Frank defied these odds when her diary was published after World War II. The complexity and overall honesty of her writing remains, even today, a ray of sunlight emerging from the brutality and horrific effects the Holocaust left in many memories.
Born in Germany in 1929, Anne lived with her father, Otto, her mother, Edith, and older sister, Margot. The family relocated to Holland soon after, when Hitler was elected Chancellor and the Jewish population began to suffer under his leadership. In 1940 Hitler invaded Holland. Over time, new laws were enforced forbidding Jews in many public places and segregating them by forcing them to wear yellow Stars of David. On her thirteenth birthday, Anne received the diary that would later become so well known. A letter instructing Margot to report to a work camp changed her life forever when the family decided it was time to go into hiding. Over the next twenty five months, Annes family lived in the attic of her fathers office building, which became known as The Secret Annex. August 4, 1944 was the last day they spent here, when Dutch Nazis arrested the family and sent them to a prison camp. Anne was transported to Auschwitz and later to Bergen-Belsen where she died of typhus only weeks before the camps liberation.
Each entry in Annes diary is written to an unknown individual named Kitty. To Anne, her small plaid autograph book was more than bound paper, but her one true friend. The content is a combination of what happened to her on a daily basis, but also her deepest thoughts about being in hiding and her transition into womanhood. Her written experiences reflect the array of archetypes she possessed. She can be described as an orphan based on her dependency on her father. Anne often looked to him for advice and happiness; I cling to Daddy because it is only through him that I am able to retain the remnant of family feeling. She can be successfully compared to a wanderer because she often felt as though she did not belong. Others were unable to comprehend her imagination, forcing Anne to spend time alone as in the excerpt; I shall persevere, in spite of everything, and find my own way through it all, and swallow my tears. Annes most prevalent archetypes however are that of warrior, and magician. From a young age, Anne was a feisty child and this attitude can be observed in her writing as she describes her arguments and encounters with her mother and Mrs. Van Daan. Her bouts of aggression stemmed from a lack of self-confidence and loneliness that arose when she no longer had a circle of followers and friends. Her ability to make the most out of every situation is what places her in the category of magician. During her time in hiding, she was able to except their dire circumstance, but simultaneously brighten the lives of those around her; I don't think then of all the misery, but of the beauty that still remains. Entries from her diary reveal her sense of responsibility; her ability to accept her faults and weakness, recognizing her own mistakes in an attempt to better herself. Using the metaphor, A bundle of contradictions, Anne accurately described her character, portraying herself as undecided and prone to sudden changes in mood. Although she was not writing for the purpose of becoming published, her use of literary devices is strong. She demonstrates knowledge of similes when she writes; I wander from one room to another, downstairs and up again, feeling like a songbird whose wings have been clipped and who is hurling himself in utter darkness against the bars of his cage.
No matter whom the audience, everybody can in some way see themselves reflected in Annes diary. Anne was a diverse combination of traits; energetic, happy, self-centered, yet generous, and dramatic. Her different themes are apparent to different readers depending on their own character. Some may recognize the theme of maturing. Through her writing, Anne discussed the trials of becoming a woman. She constantly questioned herself, attempting to come to terms with new emotions and her own sexuality. Other themes reflect the time period in which she wrote her diary. Though still an issue today, the subject of racism and discrimination is very apparent in her work. Her family was in hiding because of religion they were born into, as well as the rest of the European Jewish population. Anne revealed her opinion on the unjust topic in the quote, What, oh, what is the use of war? Why cant people live peacefully together? Why all this destruction? A third major theme in her diary is that of family and relationships. Annes relationship with each individual in the Secret Annex reflected a different side of her. She got along perfectly with her father Pim, but her outgoing personality clashed with her mothers reserved demeanor. Trapped in a small area, Anne was forced to learn to patience with everybody. Readers can learn more about their own patience and compassion by studying how Anne communicated with those in her life.
Anne Frank became a woman at the young age of fifteen while confined in the small office building. She spoke and wrote with wisdom surpassing that of other girls her age, both then and now. Her view of the world was both simplistic, and complex; the perfect combination of the vision of a child and the logic of an adult that makes situations so clear. Her honesty and incite into such a vital and shaping part of history has made her known to many as the young voice of the Holocaust A girl whose life was cut short, lives on in our world, not only fulfilling her dream of becoming an author, but an inspiration.
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