Response to "A Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank
"A Diary of a Young Girl" is a deceivingly haunting book about the Frank family's time in hiding during the Netherlands time of occupation. It gives an incredible incite into a world of hiding and fear that would have otherwise stayed in the dark. This book was written in the perspective of a, for lack of a better word, bored 13 year old girl named Anne. She writes to her diary about her daily life in hiding along side her family and friends, although I believe there is something under the surface.
This book is deceivingly haunting because it is about a girl and her family running from their deaths. The Frank family went into hiding, and remained hidden for a little over 2 years to avoid being taken to a concentration camp, where they would no longer be running from their deaths, but awaiting and eventually facing it. One may not get the impression of impending doom from just reading the book at face value; however, if the reader would look deeper into the situation, reading between the lines, he or she would find that this memoir is not only disturbing, but also incredibly intriguing.
I enjoyed reading this book because it is like no other. Yes, there are other books that interpret what it was like being a Jewish individual or family in hiding during World War II at the time of The Holocaust. There are also books written years after the tragedy, "Night" by Elie Wiesel is an example of this; however, this book is a first hand account written simultaneously to the events occurring. I find that particularity interesting. Because the members of the "Secret Annex" could not go outside and could not do anything that would make too much noise, there are some parts of the book that can be interpreted as boring to some readers. Other people might say there is no plot to this book. They would be right, but only to an extent. If only what is on that page is read, than yes, it will come off as boring, but if one stands back and looks at the big picture, it is amazing. It is amazing because it was uncommon for people to be in hiding for that long, and it is even rarer that we have two years of information at our fingertips, in a thirteen year old girl's diary. Because it is in a diary, there is no plot because this book wasn't meant to be published.
I loved this book because I find that particular period of history fascinating. Anne Frank's diary is insightful, simple, complex, and beautiful. Although ultimately it is the story of a family simply trying to survive only to culminate in the abrupt ending of journal entries, history has shown why there could have been no other ending that would have resounded so poignantly.
This book is deceivingly haunting because it is about a girl and her family running from their deaths. The Frank family went into hiding, and remained hidden for a little over 2 years to avoid being taken to a concentration camp, where they would no longer be running from their deaths, but awaiting and eventually facing it. One may not get the impression of impending doom from just reading the book at face value; however, if the reader would look deeper into the situation, reading between the lines, he or she would find that this memoir is not only disturbing, but also incredibly intriguing.
I enjoyed reading this book because it is like no other. Yes, there are other books that interpret what it was like being a Jewish individual or family in hiding during World War II at the time of The Holocaust. There are also books written years after the tragedy, "Night" by Elie Wiesel is an example of this; however, this book is a first hand account written simultaneously to the events occurring. I find that particularity interesting. Because the members of the "Secret Annex" could not go outside and could not do anything that would make too much noise, there are some parts of the book that can be interpreted as boring to some readers. Other people might say there is no plot to this book. They would be right, but only to an extent. If only what is on that page is read, than yes, it will come off as boring, but if one stands back and looks at the big picture, it is amazing. It is amazing because it was uncommon for people to be in hiding for that long, and it is even rarer that we have two years of information at our fingertips, in a thirteen year old girl's diary. Because it is in a diary, there is no plot because this book wasn't meant to be published.
I loved this book because I find that particular period of history fascinating. Anne Frank's diary is insightful, simple, complex, and beautiful. Although ultimately it is the story of a family simply trying to survive only to culminate in the abrupt ending of journal entries, history has shown why there could have been no other ending that would have resounded so poignantly.