Themes in The Diary of Anne Frank

Isolation Definition: to cause (a person or place) to be or remain alone or apart from others. Even though Anne is crammed in the Annex with 7 other people, how does she still feel isolated? How does she cope with this isolation?

Anne has trouble connecting with many of the others in the Annex, due to her vibrant (and sometimes overbearing) personality. She deals with this by turning to her diary for comfort- uses as a friend to vent to. QUESTION FOR THOUGHT??? Does isolation ever bring out the best in characters? Why does it so often bring out the worst?

Family Are the van Daans and Mr. Dussel part of Anne’s family? Why or why not? Are Miep and Mr. Kraler part of Anne’s family?

Anne’s "family" expands to include four other people who are not related to her by blood. Throughout The Diary of Anne Frank, the family is at times healthy and at times dysfunctional. When did we notice moments of togetherness? When did the family unit break down? What lesson do you think the authors wanted the reader to take away about family?

Fear People can be afraid of anything… and sometimes that fear consumes them. Residents of the secret annex are literally tripping over each other in an attempt to live a "normal" life, but the fear is getting to them. When did we see fear take over characters in the annex? What does the author want us to learn about fear?

Goodness Goodness is doing the right thing when nobody's looking.  Take time to reflect on how to see the good in the world around you, in the little things and in the big. Maybe it's the peanut butter and jelly sandwich, with the crusts cut off, that your mom takes the extra time to make you in the morning. But maybe it's even bigger things, like standing up for someone who can't stand up for herself. Goodness is doing the right thing when nobody's looking. Nobody was looking at Anne Frank. But she still strived to be good. She wanted to make a difference, and that kind of thought process—as reflected in the play—is truly powerful. What can we take from Anne's outlook on life and apply to our own lives?

Faith When everything else has been taken away from someone, sometimes all that's left is faith. Religion, ceremonies, songs, chants, prayers, and other aspects of faith keep people going when we feel like we can't take it anymore. In what scene was keeping faith alive best represented in the play?

Faith is probably best represented in Act 1, Scene 5 when the residents celebrate Hanukah. What blows us away is how they still find the energy to celebrate and keep things as normal as possible—if you can call living in a confined space "normal.“ They are thankful for all they have. Mrs. Frank tells them, "We are all here, alive. That is present enough.“

Through the play, we get to see the irony that the one thing the Nazis were trying to eliminate (the Jewish faith) is the only thing they truly cannot kill. Anne writes in her diary and keeps her faith by using her imagination and embracing the power of positive thinking.