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Text-Dependent Analysis Essay

Play TDA of the Play  "The Diary of Anne Frank"

Act 1 analysis

After reading the play "The Diary of Anne Frank" by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett, we are introduced to the conflicts that occurred while hidden in the secret annex. Anne and her family escape from their home after receiving a call up for Margot. They escape to the secret annex to their caretakers Mr. and Mrs. Van Dann, Peter, Miep Geis, and Mr. Krawler. Their caretakers get them supplies such as hygiene products, while The Franks gave them all the money they had. While in the secret annex tension grew. Having to be quiet practically all day and not being able to express emotions as to be quiet, a lot of inner turmoil rose and got pushed down because of the need to stay absolutely silent. So, after the workers left, a lot of emotions were released and arguments that could be a lot quieter were louder as they tried to relieve their stress. This tension affected Anne during their time in hiding.

Anne receives a diary and seeing as she's never had one she gets excited and tries to leave to get a pencil but is unable to as she is stopped by Mr. Frank. In scene two, Anne receives a diary, one that will become famous, in the secret annex as a present. After receiving the gift, she wants to go out and get a pencil. But, she's stopped by Mr. Frank who tells her "I don't want you ever to go beyond that door"(Act 1, Scene 2), with being told this, the truth of what "going into hiding" truly means settles upon her teenage shoulders. She realizes how hard this may be, how invisible they have to pretend to be. How unknown they have to become.

Mr. Van Dann smokes and Mrs. Van Dann dislikes it. She thinks it's a waste of money. In scene three, the married couple argues a bit about Mr. Van Dann's habit and this surprises Anne and as she states, "I never heard grown-ups quarrel before"(Act 1, Scene 3), she didn't know that this was something that adults did as well and thought it was only reserved for children as that is the age group she had only see arguing before. Anne may have finally seen adults argue but she has yet to see how anger blossoms.

Mrs. Van Dann shows everyone an expensive fur coat that she had received from her father, she loves the coat, adores it even. In scene three, Anne accidentally knocks over a glass of milk onto Mrs. Van Dann's coat and she gets upset at Anne and lashes out. Anne feels guilty, and when Mrs. Frank tries to lecture Anne on her behavior and ends up comparing her to her sister Margot who is said to always be a perfect child while everyone else just complains about Anne. "You don't hear Margot getting into arguments with them, do you?"(Act 1, Scene 3). Needless to say, Anne gets very upset "Margot! Margot! Margot! That's all I hear from everyone...how wonderful Margot is...' why aren't you like Margot'"(Act 1, Scene 3). Anne runs up to her room in hurt and anger.

Anne has a nightmare waking everyone, this annoys them and they voice their complaints. In scene four, Anne has a nightmare and starts screaming startling everyone into being awake. They get worried and go to see what the problem is with Anne. Mrs. Frank attempts to comfort her but is fruitless as she just pushes her away. Anne says she only loves her dad. Everyone complains about being woken up for a mere nightmare and this makes Anne feel really bad and guilty for it. She talks with Mr. Frank as he comforts her. Anne admits that she wants to change and act more mature but something is holding her back. "I think I've conquered my fear...I think I'm really grown up...and then something happens...and I run to you like a baby"(Act 1, scene 4). She doesn't want to act like a child, she wants to be like Margot. She's disappointed in her own actions and she goes on to say "I'm a terrible coward"(Act 1, Scene 4). With all the arguing and complaints about Anne, they finally get to her and tells her father, Mr. Frank, "I'm afraid that people are going to laugh if I'm serious"(Act 1, Scene 4). She feels sad and scared. And she hates being compared to Margot. She wants to change.

The inner turmoil and the arguing going on between all of them affect Anne. From simply wanting a pencil to not being able to get one. To a simple quarrel between a married couple over cigarettes, to accidental spillage of milk onto an expensive fur coat. Even to people focusing on one thing that can't be controlled, a nightmare. All of these conflicts have affected Anne even if some of them were small and would normally be seen as insignificant.

Act 2 Analysis

The play "The Diary of Anne Frank" written by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett, tells the story of a teenage Jewish girl who goes into hiding with her family during the Nazi's rain of power. While in hiding she meets another family, the Van Danns who are there to hide with them. The Van Danns consists of Mr. and Mrs. Van Dann and Peter. They go into hiding in a place Anne refers to as the Secret Annex. The secret annex was hidden by a hinged bookcase. Mr. Kraler and Miep Gies were the two people to get the two families their necessities. They lived there for two years having to be quiet the entire day from when the workers come into the building to when they leave. They never flushed the toilet during these hours in fear of being heard. The need for silence ended up causing a lot of inner tension unable to release out of fear. When the workers were away their anger was unleashed. They were annoyed and Anne didn't help. They aimed their annoyance towards her. This eventually affected her and this is exemplified in Act 2. Anne grew up, she learned how to be an adult, she matured.

Throughout the entirety of Act 1, Anne is the center of all complaints. She often pranks others and acts like a child. She has large dreams, almost an impossible dream for the future. "I'd cut my throat first! I'd open my veins! I'm going to be remarkable! I'm going to Paris"(Act 1, Scene 3). She doesn't want people to "walk all over"(Act 1, Scene 3). That is why she acts the way she does, she wants to stop them before they get too close. In scene four, Anne has a nightmare and wakes everyone from their slumber. They complain about her screaming, Mr. Van Dann states "I thought someone was murdering her"(Act 1, Scene 4) and Dr. Dussell replies "unfortunately no"(Act 1, Scene 4). All they seem to do in Act 1 is complaining about Anne. But in scene four, it is learned on why she acts this way. "I'm afraid that people will laugh at me if I'm serious. So the mean Anne comes to the outside and the good Anne stays on the inside, and I keep on trying to switch them around and have the good Anne on the outside and the bad Anne inside and be what I want to be"(Act 1, Scene 4).

In Act 2, Anne matures a great amount catching the attention of Peter Van Dann and he even admits it "I used to think you were awfully noisy"(Act 2, Scene 2). In Act 1, Peter would relentlessly tease Anne because he disliked her for her lack of maturity but now has acknowledged her as much more than a friend. She has gotten over her one-sided conflict with her mother and realizes how mean she was towards Mrs. Frank. "Look at me, the way I've treated mother...so mean and horrid to her"(Act 2, Scene 2). She also has gotten a lot nicer to the others especially peter, "look, peter the sky."(Act 2, Scene 4) She tells him this while she's trying to comfort him after his parents were arguing. Anne and Peter have gotten closer although they never truly become a couple. She's become what she wanted to be, she's become what they wanted her to be like, she's become like Margot.

Anne has come a long way from the brat she used to be, to a young lady. The two years in hiding has matured her. From the childish teen who put "the wet mop in Dr. Dussel's bed"(Act1, Scene 4), to the woman who became quieter and learned to accept people. She's done what she's always wanted, to have the good Anne on the outside and the bad Anne on the inside. She's grown, she's aged, she's matured.