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Anne FrankA modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
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Anne tries to fix an index card file that had fallen over, but she gives up when Margot and Peter refuse to help. She is excited that she is about to have her period, even though they do not have access to sanitary napkins. In a later note dated January 22, 1944, Anne is taken aback by her own “childish innocence” (56).
Anne notes that the men in the Secret Annex are celebrating British victories in Africa and the fact that Stalingrad has not yet fallen to German forces. She remarks that while she is getting along better with her mother, “Margot’s a stinker (no other word for it), a constant source of irritation, morning, noon, and night” (56).
The van Daans and the Franks celebrate Peter’s 16th birthday. They also celebrate the good news that the British landed in Algiers, Tunis, Casablanca, and Oran. Everyone is optimistic this will mark the end of the war. However, Anne is cautious in her optimism, remembering the words of Winston Churchill: “This is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning” (57).
Anne then discusses how the Secret Annex gets their food. They have bread delivered by a baker who is a friend of Mr. Kleiman, they purchase rations on the black market, and they have canned food in storage. Anne recalls how Peter tried to bring a bag of beans, but a rip in the bag caused the beans to fall down the stairs on Anne. She also notes that her father recovered from his illness.
Anne is excited to hear that an eighth person will move into the Secret Annex. Because Nazi persecution of the Jews is worsening, Otto decides to take in a dentist named Albert Dussel. Anne notes, “We’ll ask him to bring something to fill cavities with” (58).
Albert Dussel will apparently join the Secret Annex, but he delays making a decision so he can wrap up matters with his practice. However, this worries Anne and the others because “these preparations require explanations to various people who we feel ought to be kept in the dark” (59).
Mr. Kleiman smuggles Mr. Dussel into the Secret Annex. He is so amazed that the Franks and the van Daans have hidden so effectively that “he nearly fainted” (60). The van Daans give Mr. Dussel a humorous “guide” to the Secret Annex, which promises to be “open all year round” and offers a low-fat diet, and stipulates that “only the language of civilized people may be spoken, thus no German” (61).
Anne deems Albert “a very nice man” (62) and reluctantly accepts the fact that she has to share a room with him. He also shares news of the outside world. Anne is saddened to hear that even more Jews, including more family friends, have been captured by the Nazis. The Nazis are now offering bounties for Jews in hiding. At night, Anne has seen “long lines of good, innocent people, accompanied by crying children, walking on and on, ordered about by a handful of men who bully and beat them until they nearly drop” (63).
Albert tells the Secret Annex residents more stories about the treatment of the Jews by the Nazis. Anne hopes things can go back to normal, but in the meantime, she feels guilty whenever she laughs at something. Anne shares her realization that “Father, no matter how kind he may be, can’t take the place of my former world” (64), especially since she feels no ties with her mother and sister.
The building exceeded its electricity ration, so the electricity is off for 14 days. Anne claims the people in the Secret Annex have still managed to keep living. They are still doing exercises using calisthenics, practicing French or English, and reading. Also, Anne finds a new way to entertain herself: looking at her neighbors through binoculars at night when she cannot be seen. Meanwhile, Anne’s opinion of Albert has changed. He, too, feels free to scold her. Anne describes “the strange feeling of wanting to be different than I am or being different than I want to be” before she falls asleep (65).
The Secret Annex has a humble celebration of Hanukkah with a menorah made of wood and a few small gifts. Miep and Bep bring the family out of the Secret Annex into the offices to celebrate St. Nicholas Day for the first time.
Since Mr. van Daan used to work in the meat business, he works on preserving meat for the Secret Annex. While doing that, Albert treats his eye infection, Mrs. van Daan tries to learn Dutch from a book while stirring soap, and Anne and her mother peel potatoes. However, everyone is distracted by the sight of Mr. van Daan preparing the meats.
Anne describes Albert treating Mrs. van Daan for a cavity. The other people in the Secret Annex are amused to see Mrs. van Daan lash out in pain as Albert pulls out a decayed tooth. Anne remarks, “Of course, that was very mean of us” (67), and admits she would have been louder.
Anne makes some observations about the people in the neighborhood. She notes how dirty the children on the street look. Also, she notes that she saw two Jews out on the street: “It gave me such a feeling, as if I’d denounced them to the authorities and was now spying on their misfortune” (68). She also observes that the women look “grim or good-humored, depending on the mood of their husbands” (69). Further, she notes that in the Secret Annex, they only talk about food or what is happening to the Jews.
The Secret Annex receives an extra ration of butter for Christmas. Anne uses it to bake two cakes and cookies. Also, Anne pays Mrs. van Daan a rare compliment, acknowledging that “she’s extraordinarily hardworking and neat” (69). However, she is angered by Albert, who says she should not even turn over at night. She refers to him as “His Lordship” (70).
The people in the Secret Annex have been busy filling packages with powdered gravy for Mr. Kugler. Outside the Secret Annex, Anne sees that more Jews are being taken. Even Christian citizens are living in fear because their sons are being drafted into the German army and sent around the globe to fight. Anne still feels guilty for being safe. She writes, “We’re so selfish that we talk about ‘after the war’ and look forward to new clothes and shoes” (71).
Anne is frustrated with everyone in the Secret Annex, even her father. She feels constantly scrutinized by others: “Everyone thinks I’m showing off when I talk, ridiculous when I’m silent, insolent when I answer, cunning when I have a good idea, lazy when I’m tired, selfish when I eat one bite more than I should, stupid, cowardly, calculating, etc., etc.” (72). In response, Anne tries to “keep my thoughts to myself” (72).
Anne remarks that there has been “no change” with the “squabbles” (72). However, she is not the only one involved in arguments. When Mr. van Daan made fun of Margot for not eating enough, Edith argued with him. Nonetheless, Anne admits they have some good moments. Mrs. van Daan told a funny story that made everyone laugh. Also, Anne is entertained by the fact that Peter thought “RSVP” means “danger,” not “please reply.”
Otto is hopeful that the Allies will invade the Netherlands soon. Anne is pleased by a letter from the bishops of the Netherlands urging the Dutch to resist the Nazi occupation. However, she writes, “Will it do any good? It’s definitely too late to help our fellow Jews” (74). Anne also complains that the van Daans took more than their fair share of butter and margarine.
The Franks give Mrs. van Daan the nickname “Mrs. Beaverbrook.” The reason is Mrs. van Daan constantly agrees with a spokesperson on the English radio broadcast who argues the bombing of Germany should be intensified, so they joke she should marry him. Anne remarks that they are also relieved that a new person will be working in the warehouse. Because the new worker is not as familiar with the building, there is less risk of discovery.
Anne admits she is frightened by the sounds of gunfire outside the building. In another scare, they hear loud noises from the attic and discover they are being caused by rats. They put Mouschi in the attic to deal with the rats. While the rats are mostly gone, Peter was bitten by one while getting some newspapers from the attic.
Anne introduces Boche, the office and warehouse cat. The name means “the German” and was chosen because Boche used to have fights with another cat named “Tommy,” or Englishman. Anne complains about having to eat so many beans and her lack of good shoes. She hopes Miep can find more shoes on the black market. Anne also mentions that she has been cutting her father’s hair. He says she does a good job, even though she often nicks his ear.
In this short entry, Anne relates that everyone is excited to hear that Turkey entered World War II on the side of the Allies.
Following up on the previous entry, Anne writes that Turkey’s entry into the war was just a rumor. Otto has tried to get Albert to stop writing letters to his wife Charlotte and other people in order to keep everyone safe. Anne describes a “pathetic” radio broadcast where Hitler talks with German soldiers wounded in the siege of Stalingrad.
Anne is terrified when Peter hears the sound of someone trying to get into the warehouse. Peter and Otto go to investigate while everyone else tries to be as quiet as possible. Anne concludes that thieves tried to break into the warehouse but were scared off when they heard footsteps. She also notes that if the police were alerted, they would have been exposed. On a lighter note, Anne says the toilet was clogged and mentions that they have been using strawberry recipes for toilet paper.
Anne announces she finished the shorthand course and is trying to improve her speed. Also, she has developed an interest in Greek and Roman mythology. In the meantime, she is disturbed and angered by a German radio broadcast vowing that all Jews will be deported from the Dutch province of Utrecht. Anne writes, “My own thoughts give me nightmares!” (82). However, she is pleased to learn of a couple acts of successful sabotage carried out by resisters disguised as German police.
The Secret Annex is put into danger when there is a business meeting over deliveries that could determine the fate of the warehouse. Otto tries to listen by lying down on the floor, but the position is too uncomfortable for him. Anne and Margot also try to listen, but Anne falls asleep. Margot is still able to convey information from the meeting.
Anne’s usual routine is that her father tucks her in and says her nightly prayers for her. When Edith tries to take Otto’s place one night, Anne declines. Edith becomes upset and cries, marking the first time Anne realizes her mother is hurt by their bad relationship too. However, Anne does not want to apologize, feeling that she told the truth and that her mother rejected her with her criticisms and jokes about Anne.
Matters are still tense. Anne notes that “everyone is mad at everyone else” (84). German businessmen hold another meeting in the building, causing the Secret Annex inhabitants to sit quietly for hours. Also, the quality of food goes down. Outside the Secret Annex, the Carlton Hotel and an entire street corner have been destroyed in British bombing raids. Anne has also heard that Dutch draftees have been deployed to prisoner-of-war camps, which she hopes is a sign that the Allies will soon invade.
In this section of the diary, life in the Secret Annex becomes harder, and not just because they have been isolated for so long. As the war in the Netherlands intensifies, resources become scarcer. As Anne herself sees, Dutch children are begging for bread on the streets (71). It is heavily implied that in the Secret Annex, everyone’s diet has worsened, since Anne mentions eating beans all the time and notes the decline in food quality. She also mentions how their clothes have become worn out, yet they are not being replaced.
The sounds of the war also grow more intense. Anne writes, “I still haven’t gotten over my fear of planes and shooting, and I crawl into Father’s bed nearly every night for comfort” (76). The tension rises further when the Secret Annex experiences more frightening close calls, with the residents scared by a thief trying to break into the building and by the sound of rats. Plus, they must remain perfectly silent when the building is being cleaned or visited by people from another office. It is important to understand that Anne is fully aware of the Holocaust, so she knows there is much at stake. She writes, “No one is spared. The sick, the elderly, children, babies and pregnant women—all are marched to their death” (63). Anne grapples with guilt over being safe while so many innocent people are being sent to concentration camps or to war.
Humor becomes an important coping method in the Secret Annex. Anne and the others get laughs out of each other’s quibbles, like Peter’s “misfortune of adoring foreign words without knowing what they mean” (73) or Mrs. van Daan’s admiration for a radio spokesperson, which prompts them to jokingly call her Mrs. Beaverbrook. There are also deliberate attempts to make light of their situation, like the tongue-in-cheek brochure given to Albert upon joining the Secret Annex, which has guidelines like “Diet: Low-fat” (60). In addition to maintaining everyday routines as much as possible, humor is another way for the inhabitants to cope with the stress of their situation and the news of the war and the Holocaust.
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