The Diary of a Young Girl – By Anne Frank
Very
Long Questions Based on Theme and Plot Involving Interpretation and Inference
(150-200 words & 10 marks each)
Question
1.
How did Anne and her family reach the ‘Secret Annexe’ ? (Board 2014, Set
QUD9VQW)
Answer:
The Frank family received a call-up notice. The family got scared. The vision
of the concentration camps and lonely cells was frightening. So, they decided
to go into hiding even if it had to be a month earlier than what had been
planned. Anne and her sister packed most important fixings in a schoolbag, no
Jew in that situation would dare to leave the house with a suitcase full of
clothes, so all wrapped themselves in many layers of clothes as if going off to
spend the night in refrigerator, each took a satchel and a bag full of
important things, Margot-Anne’s sister took her bike to reach destination,
other three members walked in the pouring rain, Miep escorted them to the
Secret Annexe. (CBSE Marking Scheme, 2014)
Question
2.
Anne called 26lh July a ‘tumultous’ day. Explain the reasons behind it.(Board
2014, Set PRE2N18)
Answer:
Value Points:
26th July full of tension and fright, sirens wailed, planes came and dropped
bombs, guns booming loudly, smell of fire everywhere, columns of smoke rising,
the house shook, everyone in the Annexe full of fright, nobody slept for the
large part of night. (CBSE Marking Scheme, 2014)
Detailed
Answer:
26th July was a tumultous day. It was full of tension and fright. The first
warning siren sent off in the morning but nobody paid any attention to it
because it only meant that the planes were crossing the coast. It was only
around two in the afternoon when the sirens waited again. Both the sisters went
upstairs. After five minutes they heard the gun-shots which were very loud.
Their house shook and the bombs kept falling. After half an hour the drone of
engines faded and life became normal. When they looked outside it seemed as if
the city were enveloped in thick fog. At dinner time, there was another air
raid alarm. Nothing happened after that but after dinner, there was another air
raid warning, gun-fire and swarms of planes. The bombs rained down. Schilphol
Airport was bombed. The planes dived and climbed. The air was abuzz with the
drone of engines. Nobody slept for the large part of the night as it started
again at midnight.
Question
3.
In what ways, do Anne’s description of life in the secret Annexe around the end
of 1943, differ from the earlier entries ? (Board Term-I 2013, Set 8SRR)
Answer:
Anne Frank considered her diary, Kitty, as her best friend and made many
entries in it. In her early diary entries she has described her girlhood
experiences. She has mentioned that she was a spoiled little girl who felt that
her mother did not love her. She had a feeling that her father loved her more
than her mother. She didn’t like Mrs. Van Daan and made fun of her. But as time
passed there was a change in her. She no longer acted as a spoiled girl, rather
she turned into a responsible girl who made efforts to help everyone in the secret
annexe. Her relationship with her mother started improving. She grew a liking
for Peter, Mrs. Van Daan’s son. In the beginning she used to feel boredom in
the annexe but gradually learnt to get rid of it by reading books, learning
languages and doing other things which kept her busy the whole day. Life had
changed and so had the meaning of life.
Question
4.
The diary fulfilled a deeply felt need to write in Anne. Discuss. (Board Term-I
2013, Set 5007)
Or
How did the diary help Anne overcome her loneliness ? (Board Term-I 2013, Set
7PZ8, 5007)
Answer:
Anne’s diary presents a remarkable account of the last two years in the life of
a thirteen year old girl. This diary was a birthday present and she considered
it the best present which she had ever received. She was a shy, introvert type
of girl who never expressed herself freely and made the diary her medium of
expression. She mentioned her loneliness in the diary. In a way, she expressed
her heart and revealed her inner self through Kitty, her diary. The diary
contains her innermost feelings, beliefs, moods and observation on people who
lived around. Her diary depicts her as a keen observer and a girl who had a
flair to write with depth and feeling. Anne poured her 1 irt out in the diary
and found comfort and solace with it in the saddest moments. Thus we can say
that her diary fulfilled her need to write. (CBSE Marking Scheme, 2014)
Question
5.
Why did Anne call herself a songbird without wings ?
Answer:
Sadness had started setting in Anne’s life after a few months of hiding. The
tension of being discovered troubled her all the time. She had prepared an
‘escape bag’ also so as to leave the annexe as soon as she got the opportunity
but she knew she was safer inside than on the roads. She could feel tension building
up in other members of the annexe also. Everyone was fed up of that life. Anne
felt like a songbird whose wings had been cut off and who kept hurling itself
against the bars of its dark cage. She longed to ride a bike, dance, whistle,
feel young and know that she was free. There was no escape. Frustration and
sadness had become a part of her life. She only liked to talk to ‘Kitty’ and no
one else.
Question
6.
Why did Anne have a feeling that their style of living had ‘sunk low’ ?
Answer:
Anne felt that they were leading a far better life than those who were not in
the hiding. Still she was of the opinion that their style of living was low.
Despite their efforts to keep it spotless it was dirty and had more holes than
cloth in it. On the other hand the Van Daans had been sleeping on the same
flannel sheet which could not be washed as the detergent was in short supply.
Whatever detergent was available was of a poor quality and hence practically
useless. Mr. Frank used to walk around in frayed trousers and his tie also
showed signs of wear and tear. Mrs. Frank and Margot shared the three
undershorts whereas Anne’s vests had gram smell.
Question
7.
Paper has more patience than people. Justify.
Answer:
Normally, people are not interested in others; they are too busy with their own
lives and problems. It is very difficult to find a person who is genuinely
interested in us and listen to us with understanding and feels sympathy for our
problems. When we talk about our problems, people feel bored and become impatient.
They want to end the conversation as they are neither bothered about our
problems nor our lives.
On the other hand, when we write our feelings and thoughts on paper, we can
write as long as we want. We can give vent to our feelings – both sad and happy.
Paper does not get bored or stops us from writing. It becomes a patient friend
who listens to us with attention and sympathy.
Though,
Anne had many friends but she did not have a friend in whom she could confined
or who was genuinely interested in her life. Hence, Anne turned to her diary to
give her feelings expression.
Question
8.
Anne considered her family lucky or unfortunate to be living in the Annexe.
Comment.
Answer:
Anne’s feelings about the annexe constantly kept on changing. Most of the time,
Anne felt that she and her family were fortunate to have the annexe as a place
to hide. She valued the kindness and generosity of her father’s non- Jewish
colleagues who risked their lives to provide them with food and supplies.
However, Anne often felt bad about the miserable physical and emotional
conditions of the annexe, and the confinement bothered her. She missed being
able to see nature and the sky, Anne had to live with eight people under severe
conditions. She had no privacy, dealt with clashing personalities, and lived in
the fear of being discovered. Most of all, she felt lonely since she had no
companions besides Peter in the annexe in whom she could confide.
However, when Anne compared her deprived freedom with her Jewish friends and
family members who had probably been arrested and sent to concentration camps,
such as her friend Hanneli, she was extremely thankful to be still alive.
Question
9.
Describe the situation in January 1943, when the war started.
Answer:
War started in January 1943. Terrible things started happening. Helpless people
were dragged out of their homes ’
at any time of night and day. They were allowed to take only a knapsack and a
little cash with them and even then, were robbed of their possessions on the
way. Families were tom apart – men, women and children were separated. Children
came from school only to find that their parents had disappeared. Women
returned from J shopping to find their houses sealed and families gone. The
sons of Christian families, living in Holland, also lived in fear as they were
sent to Germany. Hundreds of planes passed over Holland on their way to German
’
cities to drop their bombs on the German soil. Thousands of people were killed.
It was a frightening and horrible situation.
Question
10.
Anne found a friend in her diary. Comment.
Answer:
Anne was a very shy and introvert girl. She had friends but none with whom she
could share her secrets. She never confided in any of them. On her thirteenth
birthday, she was presented a red and white checkered diary by her parents. The
first sight of the diary had made Anne grow a liking to it and she started
entering her deep thoughts and feelings into it. She gave it a name ‘Kitty’ and
in all her enteries she had referred to it as ‘Dear Kitty’. There was no aspect
of her life which she had not mentioned in the diary. Whenever she found time,
she ‘spent’ it with the diary. She wrote about the teenage desires, her
friends, her fears, her loneliness. She always felt a need for friends which
she found in her diary.
Question
11.
Why did Anne give the title ‘Ode to My Fountain Pen’ to 11 November, 1943 ?
Answer:
Anne’s fountain pen was one of her most prized possession which she valued
highly. It had a thick nib and had led a long and interesting fountain pen
life. The fountain pen packed, in cotton, arrived all the way from Aachen in a
red leather case. She liked it the moment she received it as she felt herself
the proud owner of a fountain pen.
To her good luck, she was allowed to take the pen to school and even her
teachers let her use it in the class. She was provided a new case for the pen
at the age of twelve. She liked the pen so much that she took it with her even
to the annexe. The pen had raced through countless diaries and compositions.
But one day, when she swept the floor after rubbing beans she accidentally
threw it in the stove and found the remains in the morning. At first she was
very sad but later she was happy that at least it was cremated just as she
would be one day.
Question
12.
What effect did Hanneli’s appearance have on Anne Frank ?
Answer:
Anne Frank saw Hanneli in her dreams on 26 November, 1943. She was dressed in
rags and her face had become thin and worn. She looked at Anne with sadness in
her eyes as if complaining why Anne had deserted her. It seemed to Anne that
she was pleading to be rescued from the hell that she was living in the outside
world. Anne felt herself to be mean to treat her that way. She felt she should
not have been selfish and leave her to her own problems. She had not forgotten
her entirely but then she had not even thought about her. She felt guilty and
wished she were in a position to help her or share everything she had with her.
Question
13.
What was the cause of raging battles between the Van Daans ?
Answer:
The Van Daans had shortage of money. They had run out of money and Mr. Van Daan
had lost his last hundred guilders in the warehouse. Everyone was suspicious
about it but no one commented. They wanted to raise money in any possible way
but were not successful. Mr. Van Daan’s suit was difficult to sell; they put
Peter’s bike on the block but it was back again as there were no buyers. So, it
was decided to sell Mrs. Van Daan’s rabbit skin fur coat which got 325 guilders
and that was a good amount. The cause of the raging battle was the amount which
Mrs. Van Daan was not ready to part away with. She wanted to buy new clothes
for herself after the war whereas Mr. Van Daan wanted the money for household
expenses.
Question
14.
What type of relationship did Anne and Peter share ?
Answer:
Anne was a lovely girl who never had anyone to share her secrets with. As she
was growing up, she started having a feeling that she should have a friend. She
liked Peter and dreamt of him. She always wanted to be near him, so she kept on
finding some excuses to go to his room or talk to him. She longed for his
company. Whenever Peter didn’t talk to her she used to cry a lot and became
restless. Both had a very understanding relationship.
Even Peter liked her company. They talked on every subject including physical
changes in a teenager and sex.
They never felt embarrassed about it. Their parents objected to their meetings
but still they used to meet. They didn’t bother much about their parents as
they felt them to be too rosy. Anne felt herself to be in love with him whereas
Peter thought of her as a friend.
Question
15.
Justify the title ‘The Diary Of A Young Girl’. ‘
Answer:
‘The Diary Of A Young Girl’ was written by Anne Frank, a thirteen year old
Jewish girl. She started writing her diary as she did not have any friend with
whom she could share her feelings and emotions. The red and white checkered
diary came to her rescue and throughout her life she confided in it and gave it
the name ‘Kitty’. She treated it as her dear friend. She gave vent to her
feelings while making her entries in the diary. Some of the entries are very
personal while some criticise her parents as well as her friends. She never
kept anything back from her diary and recorded even petty issues like the every
day quarrel between her mother and Mrs. Van Daan and even Mrs. and Mr. Van
Daan. She recorded her feelings during the war, her fear, her frustrations and
anger at the way in which the Jews were treated by the Germans. The whole book
has been written in the diary form and revolves around the life of the girl –
Anne Frank. Hence the title is justified.
Question
16.
What is the main theme of ‘The Diary Of A Young Girl’ ?
Answer:
‘The Diary Of A Young Girl’ was written at the time of the Second World War. It
describes the pitiable conditions of the Jews as they were the most affected by
this war. Thousands of Jews were forced to leave their houses and flee to other
countries. They were supposed to wear a yellow star, distinguishing them from
others. During the war they were dragged out of their houses and were sent to
the concentration camps. Many of the Jews went into hiding to escape the
clutches of the Germans. The Frank family was also one of those few who went
into hiding in a secret annexe. The entries of the sounds of guns, sirens and
airplanes continued to create an image of the war scene in front of the
reader’s eyes. Thus, the main theme of the novel is the horrors of war faced by
the Jews at that time.
Question
17.
Anne Frank had bitter feelings for her mother. Comment.
Answer:
The Frank family went into hiding as soon as Margot received a call up notice
to report at the concentration camp. The life during their hiding was
frightening. They were away from all the comforts and pleasures of life. Above
all Anne’s mother kept on scolding her for every little thing that she did. She
felt like a stranger amongst her own family members. Her mother always favoured
her elder sister Margot. So Anne got jealous of her and started disliking her
mother. With the result that she sometimes deliberately hurt the feelings of
her mother and did not even bother to apologise. Gradually, Anne started
preferring a life full of loneliness where only her feelings and her diary
mattered.
Question
18
Why were the relationships in the annexe getting worse day-by-day?
Answer:
Living through the fears of war was a terrible thing. All the residents got
tired of the atmosphere of horror all the time. With the result they didn’t
dare open their mouths except at meal time because no matter whatever one of
them said, somebody was bound to feel resentment or take it the wrong way. Even
Anne had to fight the anxiety and depression that was settling into her life.
They had almost forgotten how to laugh. Another fact that made their life
miserable was that Mr. Van Maaren, the man who worked in the warehouse had got
suspicious about the annexe. He was a man known to be unreliable and possessed
a high degree of curiosity. All these situations kept the habitants of the
annexe under tension affecting their everyday life.
Very
Long Questions Based on Characterization (150-200 Words & 10 marks each)
Question
1.
Describe the character traits displayed by the members of Annexe during their
celebration of Hanukkah and St. Nicholas Day. 5 (Board 2014, Set QUD9VQW)
Answer:
Value Points :
Hanukkah and St. Nicholas Day celebrated with enthusiasm, Anne’s father quietly
made some arrangements with the help of his employees, each character manages
to Snatch some moments of hope and happiness, Mr. Van Daan made a menorah out of
wood, gifts were exchanged and candles were lighted.
Detailed
Answer:
Amongst all the tension and stress, arrived the Hanukkah and St. Nicholas Day.
These were celebrated with great enthusiasm. Both the festivals fell on the
same day. Anne’s father quietly made some arrangements with the help of his
employees. They all had fun on that day and each character managed to snatch
some moments of hope and happiness. Mr. Van Daan made a menorah out of wood.
Everyone exchanged gifts. Candles were lighted but only for ten minutes as the
candles were in short supply. To sum up, each and every member participated in
the celebration of Hanukkah and St. Nicholas Day in his own way.
Question
2.
What tells you that human beings continue to be petty-minded even in the most
trying circumstances after reading ‘Diary of a Young Girl’ ? (Board 2014, Set
PRE2N18)
Answer:
The inhabitants of the secret annexe continue to have squabbles and heartburns
on one or the other matter. Mr. and Mrs. Van Daan quarrelled loudly and
nastily. Mr. Van Daan was a disagreeable woman who frequently complained
something or the other about Anne. She had a row with Mr. Frank only because
she found Franks
using her china instead of their own. Anne’s mother and Mrs. Van Daan did not
get along well, no harmony in Anne’s family too, Dr. Dussel proved to be very
stingy, selfish and mean, denied Anne the use of a table and he 4
continued to violate the laws of the annexe thus risking his and others’ lives.
Dr. Dussel, on the other hand, was
found to be a selfish man who never bothered about others. He was an
irresponsible person.
The Franks also were not a happy family. Anne always thought that her parents
loved Margot more than her so ,
she never paid any respect to her mother. With the result the atmosphere in the
annexe was not friendly.
Question
3.
What impression do you form of Gestapo on its way of handling the Jews
? (Board 2014, Set 8LI922Q) (Board Term-12013, Set 8SRR)
Answer:
Value Points :
Harsh, inhuman, cruel
Detailed Answer:
Gestapo handled the Jews in a very inhuman way. According to the entries made
by Anne, the Jews were taken 4
to a big camp where they got almost nothing to eat and much less to drink as
water was available only for one
hour a day. There was only one toilet and sink for several thousand people. The
heads of women and children
were often shaved off. ,
Gestapo treated them in a very harsh and cruel way Mr. Alfred Dussel told the
residents of the secret annexe that
many Jews had been taken to a dreadful fate. Every night, the grey green
military vehicles cruised the streets and ‘
knocked at every door to ask for the Jews. If the Jews were found there, they
were immediately taken away from
that place, exactly like slave-hunting of old days. The Jews found there were
bullied and beaten until they nearly
dropped. They were so cruel that they didn’t spare anyone whether he was sick,
elderly, babies or pregnant „
women. They all were supposed to march to their death.
Question
4.
Describe the character of Miep Gies. (Board Term-I2013, Set 7PZ8)
Answer:
Miep Gies was a close friend of Franks, as she worked in Otto Frank’s company.
Her husband Jan and she , both helped the Franks a lot when they were preparing
to shift to the secret annexe. They used to stuff their belongings in bags and
pockets and took them to their hiding place. Most of the times she used to
smuggle food
for them in the annexe. She even baked cakes for them on special occasions. In
other words she turned out to :
be a good friend of the Franks who helped them in their hour of need. Miep
often visited the secret annexe and brought them the news from the outside and
of course a breath of fresh air too whenever she came. Since Anne didn’t have
any friend, she sometimes found a good friend in Miep. Miep always tried her
best to make the situation of the persons hiding in the annexe a little more
comfortable. H
Question
5.
Draw a character sketch of Mr. Keesing, Anne’s Maths teacher. (Board Term-I
2013, Set WKYS)
Answer:
The school where Anne went to receive her education had nine teachers out of
which seven were men. Her Maths teacher, Mr. Keesing, was one of those seven.
He was a very strict teacher. He didn’t like anyone talking in the class
whereas Anne talked too much. One day he assigned her an extra home-work which
was an essay on ‘A Chatterbox’. Anne understood what her teacher wanted from
her. She finished her assignment and decided to stay quiet in the class. She
wrote the essay with convincing arguments to prove the necessity of talking.
Mr. Keesing liked her arguments that she was like her mother who was more
talkative than her. Thus it was her inherited trait. Mr. Keesing, being a hard
task master wanted to ridicule Anne and so gave her two more assignments ‘Quack
Quack Quack’ an ‘An Incorrigible Chatterbox’. Anne took the help of her friend
to write about the topic in verse and came out successful. Mr. Keesing took the
joke in the right way and allowed Anne to talk in the class. He understood that
he had been wrong in telling her not to talk and to give her extra homework.
Question
6.
Who was Hanneli ? (Board Term-I 2013, Set 5007)
Answer:
Value Points:
Hanneli was Anne’s school friend, a bit on the strange side, usually shy,
outspoken at home, but reserved around
other people, blabs, whatever she is told to her mother, says what she thinks.
(CBSE Marking Scheme, 2013)
Detailed
Answer:
Hanneli Goslar was Anne Frank’s school friend. She had a strange personality as
she was outspoken at home but reserved around other people. If anyone told her
anything, she would reveal it to her mother and used to say .
whatever she thought. Usually, she was a very shy kind of girl. Anne had a
liking for this friend.
Question
7.
Write the character sketch of Anne Frank.
Answer:
Anne was bom on June 12, 1929 in Frankfurt, Germany. She was four years old
when her father moved to Holland.to find a better place for the family to live.
She was very intelligent and perceptive, and wanted to become a writer: She
loved Peter and had strong feelings for him. She even had to face opposition
from her parents in this regard but she kept on meeting him. Anne was a good
reader. Though in hiding she kept reading something or the other every day to
continue her studies. She translated chapters, wrote down the vocabulary words
and used to work hard on Maths problems though she didn’t like Maths. She
enjoyed shorthand but later left it as her eye sight grew weak and she could
not visit an ophthalmologist as long as she was in the hiding in the secret
annexe.
Like
any other child, she loved her parents but later grew a dislike towards her
mother as she used to compare her to Margot, her elder sister whom she felt
jealous of. She always had a feeling that her father loved her more than her
mother. Anne was an optimistic girl who learnt a lot from her sufferings. She
always believed that a time would come when all their problems would be over
and they would lead a happy, tension free life after the war ended. Anne had
many friends but not a single in whom she could confide in. Thus, she made Kitty,
her diary, her friend and gave way to all her feelings in it. Anne died of
typhus in the concentration camp at Bergen- Belsen in late February or early
March of 1945.
Question
8.
What do you know about Margot Frank after reading ‘The Diary of a Young Girl’ ?
Answer:
Margot was Anne’s elder sister. She was bom in Frankfurt in 1926. She was a
pretty and smart girl. Anne’s parents, according to Anne, loved Margot more
than Anne as she was well-mannered, studious and reserved in contrast to Anne
who was outspoken. Margot had her schooling at a public school. She was good at
arithmetic and was a brilliant student. Anne was jealous of her as her mother
always favoured Margot. It was Margot Frank whose order of deportation had come
from the Gestapo. Her father decided not to send her and the whole family went
into hiding. Margot had a better relationship with her mother in contrast to
Anne. She wished to become a mid-wife. According to Anne she was handsome and
clever and Anne admired her for this as she had a tolerant and shy nature.
Unfortunately, Margot too died of typhus in the concentration camp a few days
before Anne died.
Question
9
Write a pen-portrait of Otto Frank.
Answer:
Anne’s father. Otto was a practical and kind man. He was bom on May 12,1889,
into a wealthy Frankfurt family. He was a loving and caring father whom
everyone respected. He worked in a Dutch company until the family was forced
into hiding in 1942. The moment he received a call-up notice, he started making
preparation for a secret hiding after discussing it with a few people. He
always planned well before jumping into a situation. Shifting to the secret
annexe is a good example of his plan. He took a quick action and promptly
followed it. Before leaving, he even left a note for his landlord to take good
care of their cat, Moortje, which they were leaving behind. Like any other
father, he loved his daughters too much and wanted to give them good education.
He sent Margot to a public school and Anne to a montessori school in 1934. He
somehow managed to get books for his daughters as he wanted them to read and
have good knowledge of the world around them. When they were in hiding Otto was
the only member of the family who survived the war and lived until 1980.
Question
10.
What impression do ypu form of Mrs. Van Daan ?
Answer:
Mrs. Van Daan was a quarrelsome woman. She was a fatalist, egotistical,
flirtatious and disagreeable woman. She quarrelled over petty issues and nobody
in the annexe got along well with her. Mrs. Van Daan frequently complained that
Anne didn’t admire or respect her. She was a timid lady who got frightened at
the slightest noise. She didn’t behave well with Mrs. Frank, Mr. Dussel and
even Peter. She was always ready to pick up a fight. On September 2,1942 she
had a quarrel with Mrs. Frank as she had found out that the Franks were using
her China instead of their own. She got annoyed with Anne when she broke one of
her soup bowls. All these incidents point towards Mrs. Van Daan being
short-tempered. Whenever she picked up a row with anyone it was only Mrs. Van
Daan who came out as a winner because she seemed a ‘born debater’ to Anne. In
the later stage of her hiding, she became uncomfortable and gave vent to her
feelings by frequently hurting others with her speech. Mrs. Van Daan did not
survive the war like all others.
Question
11.
Briefly discuss the character of Peter Van Daan.
Answer:
Peter Van Daan was the teenage son of the Van Daans, whose real name was Peter
Van Pels. Anne first saw Peter as obnoxious, lazy, and hypersensitive, but
later they both became close friends. Peter was a quiet, timid and honest boy
who was sweet to Anne. During their time in the annexe, Anne and Peter
developed a romantic attraction. He was very fond of reading books and
especially if they were meant for adult reading. Once he hid in the loft to
read one such book and got so engrossed in reading that he forgot to come down
for dinner. His father came up to call him and hit him hard when he found him
reading the book. He was refused dinner that night.
He did not like when his parents scolded him. Sometimes he reacted also. As a
result he got emotionally detached from them.
Question
12.
Draw a pen portrait of Alfred Dussel.
Answer:
Alfred Dussel was a dentist and an acquaintance of the Franks who hid with them
in the annexe. He shared a room with Anne, who suffered the brunt of his odd
personal hygiene habits, pedantic lectures, and controlling tendencies. Mr.
Dussel’s wife was a Christian, so she did not go into hiding, and he was
separated from her. He never cared for the feelings of others and turned out to
be an irresponsible person. He was the eighth entrant of the house. The other
residents of the annexe found him to be a selfish man who never bothered about
others. None of them ever found him to be helpful in any matter. The people of
the annexe did not like him. On many occasions, he committed a mistake, later
apologised for it but only to repeat it again. He was an ungrateful personality
who showed an irresponsible behaviour throughout his stay at the annexe.
Question
13.
Draw a pen-portrait of Mrs. Edith Frank.
Answer:
Mrs. Edith Frank was a good lady. She had two daughters, Margot and Anne. She
always wanted to inculcate good moral values and disciplined behaviour in her
daughters. But sometimes her attitude towards Anne seemed to be immature. She
didn’t have an insight into the mind of a growing teenager. Most of the times
she used to scold Anne on petty issues and praised Margot in front of her which
made Anne feel jealous. Anne always felt uncomfortable in her presence and
regarded her as an imperfect mother. She longed for a mother who would
understand her and love her as all other mothers do. Mrs. Frank was never seen
participating much in the squabbles during their stay in hiding. She didn’t
like the selfish attitude of Mrs. Van Daan and Mr. Alfred Dussel and even
criticized them for being selfish. The tension in the annexe used to give her a
headache. It caused her a lot of stress.
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