#5

Act I, Scenes 4, 5: How do the events following Anne’s nightmare reveal tensions between Anne and two other members of the household?
After Anne's nightmare the coversation that Mr.Dussel has with Mr.Van Daan where he says that he wishes that she had died shows that there is tension between them and that Mr.Dussel doesn't care for Anne like he would someone else.
Anne also has a lot of tension with her mother, this is shown when she rejects her mother's care and turns to her father instead. Her mother then reveals that this has been going on for a long time and she thinks that Anne is shutting her out of her life. Anne argues with her mother a lot in the play and she tells her to go away when really she needs her help.

#7

What do you think this play reveals about our need for freedom? About the power of love? About courage and hope? About good and evil? In your answers, consider how the play’s themes relate to the themes of another work, such as The Taming of the Shrew.

I think that The Diary of Anne Frank shows that we all need freedom in some way, and we all have it in our minds "Mr.Frank:But always remember this, Anneke. There are no walls, there are no bolts, no locks that anyone can put on your mind.” but many peeople still want freedom to control themselves and their lives and feel caged without it. I think that this play shows that the only way to survive any events as tragic as the Holocaust you must be very courageous, and keep love and hope in your heart always, otherwise you will be crushed in sorrow and despair. I think that the play reveals that those showing love, Miep and Mr.Kraler, are good, and those who show hatred and prejudice are evil. I think that when you show love you are showing that you are ready to assist those in need but when you are evil and show hatred you are ready to hurt those who are in need.

#6 Why are there so many books, movies, documentaries, etc. about the Holocaust? Why do we keep retelling this story?

I think that there are so many books, movies, plays,..etc about the Holocaust because it was such a tragic event that affected so many people but at the same time not many people knew outside of the people being persecuted by the Nazis. A lot of stories are from a jews perspective to show how horrible it really was at the concentration camps and that something like the Holocaust should never happen again. At the same time the Holocaust story has an important relative message to today, that no one should ever base their decisions on prejudice. Also stories from a certain persson, especially a child's, perspective makes the story easier to relate to and not think of it as another event in the past that doesn't effect us in any way. Stories about the holocaust make us realize that these were real people, normal people who didn't do anything wrong except be of a certain race or religion. It makes you think what if it happened today, but to me?

#5

During the crisis in Act Two, Scene 3, Mr. Frank says, “We don’t need the Nazis to destroy us. We’re destroying ourselves.” What does he mean here? Are the Annex inhabitants crueler and more destructive than when they first went into hiding? How would you describe the forces destroying the characters from inside? Do you think, given their desperate situation, that such behaviour was inevitable?
When Mr.Frank says, "We don't need the Nazis to destroy us.We're destroying ourselves." He is talking about how because of all the arguing and conflict between the characters the dont' need the Nazis to hurt them because they are already hurting each other so much. The people in the Annex are not more cruel and destructive than when they first went into hiding, they are just feeling the tensions of being unable to go outside and be alone for 2 years. I think that the fear of being discovered and that all the characters are hungry creates alot of tension between the characters that would not have occured if they were free and living their old lives. Starvation and fear are what is destroying the characters and making them attack each other. I do think that them arguing was inevitable and I am surprised that there wasn't more conflict earlier given the many different personalities and the situation. I think that in any other situation they wouldn't fight and that no one is really cruel but they act cruel because of fear.

#5

Act I, Scenes 1-3: Do Anne and Peter seem to have typical teenage attitudes toward their families? Go back to the text for examples to support your response.

I think that Anne and Peter are just like typical teenagers of today, they fight with their parents, get embarassed by them, have a favorite parent, their relationship is sometimes bad sometimes good with their parents, and they do not want to be treated like children. "Mrs.Van Daan: (to peter) Now is that anyways to talk to your little girlfriend? Peter: Mother.....for heaven's sake.....will you please stop saying that?Mrs.Van Daan. Look at him blush! Look at him!"9page 383) This is an example of where Peter is embarassed by his mother and he is annoyed with what she is saying, just like many teenagers often feel today. "Anne: Mother is unbearable. She insists on treating me like a baby, which i loathe."(page 381) This is an example of where Anne says that her mother is treating her like a baby and she doesn't like it. Teenagers a lot of the time want to be more independent from their parents and do not like to be treated like children. Just like Anne and Peter feel with their parents.

#5

Act I, Scenes1-3: What do you think would be the hardest part of life in the Secret Annex: the fear of discovery, the need to keep silent for hours at a time, the sharing of cramped quarters with strangers, or some other aspect? Explain.
I think that the hardest part of living in the annex would be the fear of discovery because you would always have to be aware of everything you do and be silent all the time, worried that one tiny mistake could get you all arrested and maybe even killed. Also the fear of discovery would be hanging over your head all the time so that even when you think you are sure you are safe and can relax and have fun, you can never really enjoy yourself because of that naging fear and doubt at the back of you mind that will keep you perpetually nervous. I think that if i had to live in the secret annex i would be worried at first and extrememlly careful but later on more relaxed and that is when you are more likely to make mistakes and be discovered. I think that especially after making a mistake you would have a whole new batch of being worried and trying to be careful again. It would be an endless cycle!

#5

Act I: “But always remember this, Anneke. There are no walls, there are no bolts, no locks that anyone can put on your mind.” Explain what you think this statement means. Do you agree with this statement? Why or why not?
I agree with this statement because it is saying that although someone can trap your body or torture your body they can never gain control of your mind. Your mind is always free because it is yours and you and only you can control your thoughts and emotions. No one else can make you think how they want you to think no matter how hard they try and what methods they use. I think that this applies especially to the Frank family because although the family is contained in a small space and do not have the freedom to live as they used to, everyone is still themselves, has the same personalities and they can still learn and exercise their minds.

#4 Irony

the question: Irony: Irony is a contrast between expectation and reality. What is ironic about these references to the outside world? p. 384 – Mr. Frank. I think there’s nothing the matter with our Anne that a ride on her bike or a visit with her friend Jopie de Waal wouldn’t cure. Isn’t that so, Anne? [Mr. Van Daan comes down into the room. From outside we hear faint sounds of bombers going over and a burst of ack-ack].
The irony of Mr.Frank saying that Anne could be cured by a visit from her friend or a bike ride is that the sound of bombers and shooting shows that they can't really go outside, which means Anne can't be cured by doing those things since she can't do them. The famillies are also in hiding which is why they can't go outside. It seems like Mr.Frank is just trying to make the others happy and give them hope even though they all know they can't go outside.

Theme living post

I think that so far the theme of the Diary of Anne Frank is about how even though the two families are confined and going through hard times they can still learn and have fun although it is difficult and they have to struggle to keep a good outlook on life. I think this is the theme because even though Anne wants to go outside and is sick of being confined she is still herself and manages to have fun and pass the time learning and writing.
May 8,2008
I think now that being happy and finding joy in hard times is still a theme of The Diary of Anne Frank but the main theme is how prejudice is such a bad thing and that although everyone has it we chould try to stay open minded to liking everyone.

prejudice

To me prejudice is when someone is against someone else or has an immediately bad opinion against them because of something that they can't change. For example your race.

Prejudice often makes people feel left out or angry at others who have been prejudiced against them. Prejudice can effect peoples lives in how they make decisions, education and job opportunities, and in how they make friends. Often people are grouped together or seen as a whole a bad when one person does something bad and everyones opinion of them and people like them changes. I have seen prejudice in people being racist, in others assuming you are just like your friends or giving you a label. I think that prejudice is bad and it is not right to judge by appearances.

Information about the holocaust

Lets see what do i know about the holocaust.........
I know that the holocaust was a mass killing of jew in concentration camps that was set up by the nazis.
I have also read a book that was similar to the diary of anne frank and talked about how they were always in fear of being taken away next and seperated from their family.
Once i saw a movie with my family called It's a Beautiful Life.
The movie is about how a man and his fathers resteraunt have to suffer because of being jews often with grafitti or being assaulted by nazis. Eventually the man gets married and one day he and his son are taken to a concentration camp. The father risks his life many times to make his son happy and try to keep him safe all the while he has no idea what is going on and if he will ever see home again.
I think that the holocaust was a tragic event that should have been prevented. It changed the lives of many people, tearing families apart, ruining businesses, and killing thousands of jews.

who are you?

Lost names is all about how losing your name means losing your identity. In lost names everyones name is taken away by the japanese, the narrator also talks about how people are weak and allow themselves to be taken over. I think that the koreans had already lost their identity and pride in their country which made it easier for the japanese to take their names and the rest of their identitys.
I think that the author of lost names, Richard Kim never mentioned any names, except for the names given to the koreans by the japanese, in the book to emphasize how the koreans lost their names and identitys so that they cant even tell anyone their real names.
Who are you?
What is your identity in?

chacterization

i think that the author uses events that involve adults and hidden messages to show that the narrator is much more mature than other children his age like there is a conversation in the bookstore between the narrators teacher, father, and the bookstore owner about how there are fewer books in korean and this changes into a conversation about being patient that makes the teacher cry. the narrator doesn't quite understand all of this but he knows that it was very important and must be kept a secret without being told. This is an example of indirect characterization.

setting

I am reading Lost Names.
I think that the setting in this book highly effects the events that happen. For example if the characters hadn't lived in korea at this time then they wouldn't have had to move to manchuria, and the narrators father would not have had to stand up for his rights and be arrested and marked as a criminal which effected the rest of his family, especially making the japanese suspect his son of being a criminal and a liar too. The son would not have been beaten up on his first day of school just for singing a foreign song if they had lived in a different time period or country. I also think the main character is affected by the fact that his family lives in a larger richer house and it makes him feel a little ashamed and shy that his friends are all poorer than him.

secret

Once a long time ago my friends grandmother died but she didn't know and her family had to go to the hospital so she came to our house even though she didn't know why. But before she came my mom told me why and not to tell her. So for the whole day i was bursting with this secret that i felt she deserved to know but at the same time i didn't want her to know. Anywayz we played all day and i let her do what she wanted to make her feel happy until she found out. She was picked up later by her father and she told me later that he had told her the news after they got home. I think that my keeping this secret shows that i am able to keep important secrets and always want to help a friend in need.

courage

First of all, i hate heights and i avoid them as often as possible. For example in gym class when we did the rock climbing wall while everyone went at least 3 times, I went once on the easyone and was freaked out for a while.
So a few months ago we went with a bunch of staff people to this mountain that had a bridge and stairway that was practically a ladder suspended over this really steep drop. And even though there was an easy way that was just climbing up a bunch of rocks, i took the stairway and even though i freaked out a bunch i was still able to make it across.