The Diary of a Young Girl- Ch. 12- (9 June 1944 -1 August 1944) Study Material

A novel for class 10- English CBSE

By Anne Frank

Chapter 12- Notes and Study Material

Following is the novel of CBSE class 10 – The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank. All the aspects like chapter wise summary in simple words, downloadable pdf files, short story of the novel, book review, Anne Frank Biography, Important Extra questions and Answers for SA 1 and SA 2, short Summary, main characters, Anne Frank autobiography, solutions of the diary of a young girl,Chapter wise Notes and Study Material, Introduction, Analysis, Understanding the Theme, main characters, Chapters in short, Conclusion and much more you will find below. Just get dive in-

Letters from 9 June 1944 -1 August 1944

1. What was Mrs Van Dan’s opinion about Anne?

Ans. Mrs Van Dan always confronted with Anne Frank. She made Anne feel guilty for none of the wrongdoings on her side. Mrs Frank thought her to be too stupid to waste words over her. Anne’s counter-questions and replies kept Mrs Van Daan unary. Mrs Van Daan was of the opinion that Anne knew too much about things unsuitable for her age because she had been brought up all wrong. She was never at comfort with Anne. She always took her as an outspoken girl. Anne’s behaviour did not match the mood of Mr Van Daan. Anne thought about Mrs Van Daan one of her chief accusers and an unintelligent lady.

Mrs Van Daan thinks Anne a stupid girl because she herself was not as intelligent as Anne was. Mrs Van Daan accused her of being terribly knowing and forward. She thought so because her dresses were too short. Poor Mrs Daan used to join over subjects she knew nothing. Anne found Mrs. Van Daan to be mean and selfish. Mrs Van Daan often tried to show Anne down and Anne, in return, wished she could teach her a lesson she would never forget.

2. According to Anne, how can one be happy?

Ans. Anne turns highly analytical when she talks about Peter and his weaknesses. She tries to find a way to make it clear to him that what appears easy and attractive will only drag him down to depths. Anne further philosophizes on the purpose of life, emphasizing on the need for, and the importance of being happy. She points that we all live but we do not know the why or the wherefore of it. She says that we all live with the object of being happy, that our lives are all different, yet the same. Then, Anne talks about the bringing up of all of them. She indicates how they have been brought up in good circles, that they have had the chance to learn, the possibility of attaining something, which is why they had the reason to hope for much happiness. Anne further elucidates that beyond all there is, we have to earn it for ourselves and that it is never easy. Anne thus, says that we must work and do good, not be lazy and gamble if we wish to earn happiness. Anne concludes that one could never be lazy if he has to achieve this goal. As she points out, “Laziness may appear attractive, but work gives satisfaction.”

3. What were the qualities of ‘Second Anne’ that are revealed to us? How was she different from ‘ordinary Anne’?

What does Anne mean by “a bundle of contradictions”?

Portray the fun-loving, cheerful as well as the quiet side of Anne’s character as shown in the last chapter of the book.

Why does Anne try to hide the other side of her personality?

Ans. Anne grew hopeful about the end of the terrible War the invasion broke out. The prospect of her sitting on school benches next October (1944) made her feel far too cheerful to be logical about the outcome of the war. For, earlier she herself had told that she did not want to be too hopeful. This made her think of herself as a “little bundle of contradictions” all for nothing. Later, Anne explains this; she says that “contradiction” can mean two things—contradiction from without, and from within. The first thing, Anne says, is the ordinary “not ring in easily, always knowing best, getting in the last word”. This includes all the unpleasant qualities for which she was known, as Anne herself confesses. The second, she says, is a secret, which no one knew about. Thus, Anne describes herself to be a dual personality, one half embodying her exuberant cheerfulness. This made her make fun of everything, be high spirited and take everything lightly. However, for her, the other side is much better, deeper and purer, though it is being pushed away.

4. People who are religious are blessed. Comment with reference to Anne Frank.

Ans. According to Anne, people who have a religion should be glad. She explains that this is so because not everyone has the gift of believing in heavenly things. Anne says that we need not necessarily have to be afraid of punishment after death, purgatory, hell and heaven if we are religious. A religion, she says, keeps a person on the right path. Religion, for Anne, is not the fear of God, but the upholding of one’s own honour and conscience. She opines that everyone would be noble and good, if every evening, before falling asleep, they were to recall in their minds, the events of the whole day and consider what has been good and bad. This way, Anne thinks, everyone would try to improve himself without realizing it at the start of each new day, and thereby achieving quite a lot in the course of time. Anne concludes her ideas with the saying that “A quiet conscience makes one strong!”

5. Why was Anne unsure about her relationship with Peter?

The relationship between Anne and Peter did not finally take any shape Comment.

Why was Anne disappointed in Peter?

Anne thought that she would not be able to marry Peter in spite of their closeness because he did not have ‘enough character’. Explain.

Ans. In the beginning, Anne had a great infatuation for Peter. She was always on a hunt for an opportunity to meet and talk to Peter. They both waited for each other to share their feelings. As Anne’s attachment to Peter seemed to grow stronger, she started turning analytical about him. For her, Peter was a lovable boy, a darling because he had many attractive qualities. She liked his love for peace, though she wondered why he kept his feelings and ideas to himself. Later, as the invasion was going on, Anne grows more and more confused about him. Something that Anne felt scared about regarding Peter, was his character. She was clear that Peter is losing his hopes. He kept talking about things that Anne did not like. His talks proved that he could become a criminal and indulge in gambling. Anne had also observed that Peter was himself afraid of his weaknesses. In Anne’s views, Peter was not sure about himself. He talked nonsense.

Sometimes, his views were pessimistic that caused distraction for Anne. Besides all these, Peter had no religion and scoffed at God and Christ, which had made him appear deserted, scornful and poor. The final blow to their relationship was given by Anne’s father who somehow convinced Anne about the fruitlessness of their ongoing relationship.

6. How was Anne treated by her family in her quiet and serious moments? Explain.

Ans. When Anne talks about her dual personality, she makes a self-analysis. A voice sobs within her, saying that because she is uncharitable, haughty and peevish, people dislike her. It also tells her that she would not listen to the advice of her own inner self. Anne, however, justifies her stance. She says that she would like to listen, but it does not work. If she is quiet and serious, everyone thinks it is a new comedy. So, Anne had to get out of this mood by turning it into a joke. Even her own family members think that she is ill and make her swallow pills for headaches, etc. and feel her neck and head for temperature. They ask if she is constipated and criticized her for being in a bad mood. This, Anne says, she cannot keep up with. Anne opines that if she was watched to that extent, she would start getting snappy, and then, unhappy. This forces her into a dual personality — to be bad on the outside and good on the inside.

7. Anne in her entry dated July 15, 1944, finds fault with her daddy. How does she do so?

Ans. In her diary entry of July 15, 1944, Anne exhibits her anger and regret at the way in which her parents had brought her up. First, she says how her parents had thoroughly spoiled her, by being sweet to her and defending her always. However, she wonders how her Daddy had never supported her in her inward struggle. She accuses him of teaching her wrong methods, by talking to her as a child who was going through difficult phases. For her, this sounds crazy because, daddy was the only person who had always taken her into his confidence, while at the same time giving her the feeling that she is sensible. Anne supports her claim by saying that he did not realize that the fight to get on top of all problems was more important than everything else. He had evaded her longings by just saying that he didn’t want to hear about things like “typical adolescent problems”, “other girls”, or said that she’d grow out of it, etc. While she actually did not want to be treated as a `girl-like-all-others’, but as Anne `on-her-own-merits’.

8. What advice is given by Anne, which makes her a role model for the youth of today?

Ans. “For in its innermost depths, youth is lonelier than old age”–Anne had read this saying in some book and had found it to be true. Anne further elucidates on this idea by adding her opinion. According to her, older people have formed their opinions about everything and don’t waver before they act. It is twice as hard for young ones like Anne to hold their ground and maintain their views at a time when all ideals were being shattered and destroyed. Anne herself had proved to be a classic example of this phase. She found her ideas and dreams shattered after her family came to hide at the ‘Secret Annexed’. Anne further points that people who claim that the older ones have a more difficult time in hiding are wrong. She asserts that they don’t realize to what extent their problems, which they were too young to face, weigh them down. Anne herself had felt the circumstances around her too demanding and pressurizing. She had to live through conflicts among the inmates, conflicts within her, as well as the tumultuous situations outside. She and others had their hopes rise and falls and had lived with the constant fear of the arrest and execution. The difficulty that she faced at these times was that her ideas, dreams and cherished hopes rose within her, only to meet the horrible truth outside and be shattered. Still, she had not dropped all her ideals even though they seemed too absurd and impossible to carry out. She had kept them alive because, in spite of everything, she believed that people are really good.

Her belief in her ideas and her hope for a better future despite all the adversity makes her a role model for the youth even today.

9. “It hurts me every time to see him so lonely, so scornful, so wretched.” Why can’t Anne teach Peter to be happy?

Ans. Anne was in deep love with Peter. She always ayes liked his company. Her talks and sharing of feelings with Peter helped her closely understand him. Some of Peter’s feelings made her uneasy. She was not convinced with a view. She was vibrant and fighter girl and g expected the same from Peter. While talking about Peter’s traits and weaknesses, Anne describes him to be a boy who has just not got a fixed goal to pi to aim at and thinks he is too stupid and too, was n inferior to achieve anything. The reason, she points, is that he has never known what it feels like to make other people happy. Anne agree when Peter said that he might indulge in petty criminal activities like gambling, etc. Anne cannot teach him the right ways because she says, he has no religion. To be precise, Anne explains that Peter scoffs at Jesus Christ and swears using the name of God. Although, Anne herself was not orthodox, she says, it hurts her every time to see how lonely, how scornful and how poor he really is. Anne further explains that people who have a religion should be glad, for religion keeps a person on the right path.

10. Why does Anne say that it is more difficult for younger ones to live in the Annexe than the adults?

Ans. Anne was an expressive and vibrant young girl. She was youngest of all in the Secret Annexe. She loved freedom much. She had her own opinion which she wished to be listened to. But, in the Secret Annexe, in her view, no one took her seriously. There were certain restrictions on her owing to her younger age. No one could understand her that the circumstances had made her more observant and reactionary. She missed people with whom she could share her feelings. Anne had read in some book, “For in its innermost depths, youth is more lonely than old age.”Anne always remembered it and found it to be true. She said that in the Secret Annexe, older people have formed their opinions about everything and don’t waver before they act. It is twice as hard for young ones to hold their ground and maintain their opinions, in a time, when all ideas are shattered and destroyed; and, when people are showing their worst side and do not know whether to believe in truth and right and God. She further said that anyone who thought older people has a more difficult time fails to realize to what extent problems weigh down on younger ones. Anne said that they had to face the problems for which they were probably too young. There were difficulties of ideas, dreams and cherished hopes that rose within them. They had to meet the horrible truth and be shattered.

11. Most people find the easiest way to live is to live a life of ease and comfort. Elucidate.

Ans. Anne says that most people want to live a life of ease and comforts. But she believes that easy life and laziness do not give one happiness. Laziness may appear attractive but work gives satisfaction.

She doesn’t believe that a lazy and deceitful life is an easy life. In her view, what appears easy and attractive, drags people down into the depths, where there is no comfort to be found. There are no friends and no beauty. There is a depth from where it is almost impossible to raise oneself. Anne says that we all live with the purpose of being happy. Our lives may be all different but, still the same in view of the aim of life. Anne wonders why people don’t like to work. Thus, it is rightly said that work is worship. Anne suggests that we must work and do good. We should not be lazy and gamble if we wish to earn happiness.

12. How was Anne’s fifteenth birthday celebrated in the Annexe?

Ans. Anne Frank celebrated her fifteenth birthday in the ‘Secret Annexe’ pleasantly. Anne was fifteen years old. She got a lot of presents from family members and friends. She received all five parts of Springer’s ‘History of Art’, a set of underwear, a handkerchief, two bottles of yoghurt, a pot of jam, a spiced gingerbread cake, and a book on botany from her parents. Also, she got a double bracelet from Margot, a book from the Van Danes, sweet peas from Duse, sweets and exercise books from Mie and Elli. Karle brought the famous book, Maria Theresa and three slices of fluidram cheese. Most importantly, Peter brought a lovely bunch of peonies.

However, in spite of the wretched weather, countless gales, heavy rains and high seas, there was news of the invasion.

On the whole, despite all the unpleasantness and bother, Anne enjoyed her last birthday very much.

13. Anne had taken a book from the library with the title, “What do you think of the modem young girl?” What description was made by Anne in her diary about this book?

Name the book that Anne got from the library. What were the views of the author about the young brigade?

Ans. The book that Anne got from the library was: ‘What do you Think of the Modern Young Girl’. The author had criticized the young brigade. In her view, it cannot be said the young brigade was incapable of anything good but, if they wished, they could make a bigger, more beautiful and better world. However, she felt that the modern youth occupied themselves with superficial things without giving thought to real beauty. At some places, Anne thought that the author was directing the criticism towards her. So, Anne defended herself against the attack. She says that Anne of every day she can face entirely without prejudice, without making excuses for herself. She says that she is capable of watching what is good or what is bad. Defending herself from the author’s attack on the youth, she praises her self-consciousness. In her view, she had an outstanding trait in her character — her knowledge of herself. She could watch herself and her actions just like an outsider. Also, she agreed with her father’s view, “All children must look after their own upbringing. Parents could only give them good advice and put them on the right path but the final forming of a person’s character lies in his own hands.” Anne does not completely agree with the author. She says she had lots of courage. She writes, “I always feel so strong and as if I can bear a great deal, I feel so free and so young. I was glad when I first realized it because I do not think I shall easily bow down before the blows that inevitably come to everyone.

14. What did Anne and Mrs Van Daan think about each other? Explain.

Ans. Mrs Van Daan always confronted Anne Frank. She made Anne feel guilty for none of the wrongdoing on her side. Mrs Frank thought her to be too stupid to waste words over her. Anne thought about Mrs Van Daan one of her chief accusers and an unintelligent lady.

Mrs Van Daan thinks Anne a stupid girl because Anne is not quite so lacking in intelligence as she is. Mrs Van Daan accused her of being terribly knowing and forward. She thought Anne was forward because her dresses were too short. Poor Mrs Daan used to join over subjects she knew nothing. So, there was some truth in her accusations. This made Anne say her favourite saying, “There’s no smoke without fire.” Anne admitted that she knew. She was fever finding fault with Anne. Anne found her to be mean and selfish. Mrs Van Daan often tried to show Anne down and Anne, in turn, wished she could teach her a lesson she would never forget.

According to Anne, in spite of all her selfishness and stinginess, one could make Mrs Van Daan give up easily, as long as he/she didn’t get on the wrong side of her.

15. Why does Anne say that there are two Anne’s? With which Anne does you sympathies more?

Ans. Anne says that there are two Anne’s. The first, she called, the ordinary Anne was the one who wanted to love and be gentle. And, the second Anne who was not reckless and humorous or amusing. In fact, when Anne and Peter were, as usual, sitting on the divan on 27th April 044 and their arms were around each other’s waists, she thought that the ordinary Anne had slipped away and a second Anne took her place.

She confessed to having a dual personality. The first half of her personality embodied her exuberant cheerfulness, her making fun of everything, her high spiritedness and the way she took everything lightly. This included not taking offence at a flirtation, a kiss, an embrace, a dirty joke, etc. She says that Anne number one is ridiculous and sentimental. No one takes her seriously. She says that Anne is used to not being taken seriously because she is light-hearted. But Anne in the depth of the heart is totally different. She takes things seriously. She is more analytical and inquisitive. She asks for an explanation. She likes freedom and rights. That Anne is most expressive. She always keeps herself inside. No one knows that Anne.

The other part of her personality was much better, deeper and purer. My sympathies are more with the ordinary Anne who takes life easy and humorously.

16. Anne’s relationship with Peter has undergone a complete change. Why? Explain with examples.

Ans. Earlier Anne was deeply interested in Peter. She was always on a hunt to spare a moment to meet and talk to Peter. It was Peter who governed all her moods. She talked for hours. Sometimes, she even got to forget the job for which she was sent upstairs. For example, she was always ready to procure potatoes, the reason being the availability of an opportunity to have a chat with Peter. All these show that Anne had fallen in love with Peter, although, in her letter to Margot, she had asked her to treat Peter as a younger brother. But, this relationship was not approved by her parents.

In fact, Anne herself knew that she had conquered Peter instead of having conquered by him. She achieved what she wanted and slowly Peter drew towards her. Finally, he became friendly that automatically developed into intimacy. Peter longed to be loved and fell more and more in love with her. He had started clinging to her and Anne did not know how to shake him off and put him on his own feet.

17. “There is no smoke without fire.” Why did Anne Frank use this statement?

Ans. Anne’s head was haunted by so many wishes and thoughts and accusations and reproaches. Mrs Van Daan, one of her chief accusers, continued to pass rash comments on her and made her fed up.

Anne argued that before passing comments, one should have a deep look at his or her own matters. She had reasons. She said Mrs Van Daan thought her (Anne’s) dress too short because heirs were even shorter. She took Anne as stupid because Anne was not quite so lacking in her intelligence as Mrs Van Daan was. She thought Anne was forward because she was even more so.

But, Anne was honest in accepting the truth. She agreed that she was a “know-it-all”, but she knew her own faults and shortcomings and wanted to improve. She was hopeful that she shall improve. She said she had already improved a great deal.

That is why, she accepted the truth of the sayings, “There is no smoke without fire.” But, at the same time, she did not appreciate the way people made accusations against her and hurt her sentiments again and again.