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Anne Frank's Play: The Diary Of Anne Frank

Decent Essays

Life during the Holocaust was a life no human should ever have had to live through. Two-thirds of the Jewish population were brutally abused and murdered by the Nazis. One of the most famous victims was a young girl named, Anne Frank. To escape Nazi persecution, Anne Frank and a group of Jews hid out in a secret annex. Anne documented her time in the annex through her closest friend, her diary. Many adaptations of Anne’s documentation through her diary have been made such as the Anne Frank Play. The playwrights captured the feelings, images, and thoughts of the members of the annex in various ways. For example, in the Frank Family timeline, it says that on July 6, 1942, the Franks went into hiding. This was reflected in the play in …show more content…

The allies successfully invaded the country of France. This victory was a new hope for the annex members. In the play, Miep Gies says to the members of the annex, “Did you hear everybody? Did you hear what I said? The invasion has begun! The invasion!” (Goodrich and Hackett 179). Minutes earlier, the members of the annex had been quarreling, but after the news was said. The annex members let go of their quarrels and became joyous. Dussel says to the argumentative Mr. Van Daan, “stop it now! Let’s be happy!” (Goodrich and Hackett 181). Previously, the annex members’ hope was diminishing by the day. Spirits are now lifted, and Anne reflects her positive feelings in her soliloquy. “We’re all in much better spirits these days. There’s still excellent news of the invasion. The best part about it is that I have a feeling that friends are coming…” (Goodrich and Hackett …show more content…

All were transported to Jewish concentration camps and were treated like no human should have been treated. Almost all members of the annex passed away in the camps or sent to the gas chambers. In the first scene of act one and the last scene of act two, it is shown that the lone survivor of the annex was Mr. Frank. Mr. Frank is now a bitter, sorrowful man. He states, “I can’t stay in Amsterdam, Miep. It has too many memories for me. Everywhere there’s something...the house we lived in...the school...that street organ playing out there...I’m not the person you used to know, Miep. I’m a bitter old man. Forgive me. I shouldn’t speak to you like this...after all that you did for us...the suffering…” (Goodrich and Hackett 103). As Miep and Mr. Frank are looking in the office building, Miep finds Anne’s papers, and Mr. Frank wishes to get rid of the papers. The memory of Anne is too hard for him to him to think about. Mr. Frank utters, “Burn them. All of them...” (Goodrich and Hackett 103). Thing changes after Miep finds Anne’s beloved diary. Mr. Frank then has a change of heart, “Anne’s diary. ‘Monday the sixth of July, nineteen forty-two. Is it possible, Miep?... Only three years ago” (Goodrich and Hackett). Mr. Frank’s voice in the play fades and turns into Anne’s voice. The play is then turned into a play of the true story of Anne and the annex members. The last scene is then turned back onto Mr.

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