Contents
The Diary of a Young Girl Chapter Wise Important Questions Class 10 English Communicative – Novel
EnglishMathsScienceSocialHindi AHindi B
2016
Long Answer Type Questions [10 Marks]
Question 1.
Cor nent on the title of the book: ‘The Diary of a Young Girl’.
Answer:
The Diary of a Young Girl’ is the record of Anne Frank’s experiences between June 1942 and August 1944, from her 13th birthday until her 15th birthday. Anne named the diary ‘Kitty’ and kept it for the two years during which she was in hiding because of the Nazi persecution of the Jews in Europe. In her diary, she recorded her feelings, emotions, thoughts as well as the events around her.
During the two years recorded in her diary, Anne dealt with the confinement and deprivation, as well as the complicated and difficult issues of growing up in the adverse circumstances of the Holocaust. Her diary describes the struggle to define herself within this climate of oppression. Anne’s diary ends without comment on 1 August 1944 as the Frank family is betrayed to the Nazis and arrested on 4 August 1944.
Therefore, the title of the book, ‘The Diary of a Young Girl’ is quite appropriate. In fact, Anne’s diary expresses the contents of the book and bears the testimony of a tribute to human kind’s brave struggle for survival as well. It also brings out horrors of the war.
Question 2
Describe Mr. van Daan and Mrs. van Daan’s attitude towards war
Answer:
Mr. van Daan predicts that the war will not end until the end of 1943. He had great insight into politics. However, he thinks that it’s a very long time, and yet it’s possible to hold out until then. But who can assure them that that war,which had caused nothing but pain and sorrow, will then be over? It means there was no guarantee that the war would be over by the end of 1943, or they would survive the war or their helpers might be fore d to go into hiding. This only caused tension and fear. He thought that the number of people hiding was relatively small in comparison to the general population. However, it was astonishing at how many good people in Holland were willing to take Jews and Christians, with or without money into their homes. There was also an unbelievable number of people with false identity papers. On the other hand, Mrs. van Daan wanted to get false IDs. So she proposed that they each had one made regardless of money. However, she was tired of continuous war, and wanted to get out of Holland and Hitler’s regime. She vacillated between converting to Christianity and remaining a Jew.
Question 3.
Give textual evidence to support the fact that the conversation in the hideout had become monotonous.
Answer:
Anne found the conversation in the hideout had become really monotonous. The subject of the conversation in the hideout was based on politics. In fact, Anne had little interest in the discussion of politics. The discussion was about different opinions on the politics of war. And it’s not surprising to hear it frequently discussed in times of war, but… arguing about politics is just plain stupid! Let them laugh, swear, make bets, grumble and do whatever they want as long as they stew in their own juice. But don’t let them argue, since that only makes things worse.’ Besides in the Annexe the endless debates over the invasion, air raids, speeches, etc. are accompanied by countless exlaimations such as “Eempossible, Um Gottes Willen (Oh, for God’s Sake)”, which was absolutely boring to Anne.
Anne finds the adults silly because they listen to the news every hour. “If the adults aren’t eating or sleeping, they are clustered around the radio talking about eating, sleeping politics. Whew! It’s getting to be a bore. Even people who come from outside indulge in political gossips. The funny thing is that this gossip ‘goes from early morning, to late at night’, and ‘they never get tired of it’.
Question 4.
Mr Albert Dussel was the eighth person who joined the Annexe group. Give a character sketch of Mr. Dussel.
Answer:
Mr. Albert Dussel was a dentist. He was the eighth person who joined the Annexe group. He shared a room with Anne when he came in, he promised to share his food and be accommodating. However, as days progressed, Anne had to actually fight him to get custody of the table in their room even twice a week. He hid his food in the cupboard, was petty and officious. He believed no one knew how to do better than him—from peeling potatoes to rearing children.
Dr. Dussel lectured Anne and instigated misunderstanding between‘her and her mother. He tried the same tactics with Margot and Mrs. Frank but failed miserably. In the end, Mrs. Frank saw through his sweet talk and told him, in no uncertain terms, that he had often been a source of annoyance to them. On the whole, Dussel ne er liked to be contradicted and was very egotistical and so he was a very unlikeable character.
Question 5.
Anne Frank’s growing years were not normal. Elaborate
Answer:
Unlike most teena0ers, Anne’s life was spent in hiding in the Annexe, in stark contrast to her earlier life of normalcy and comfort. Anne’s life in confinement had cut her off from friends, carefree schooldays and a designated routine of study.
An outgoing and friendly sou’, Anne, lived a life of absolute secrecy, which included living stealthily, with curtains drawn and using the lavatory judiciously to allay all suspicion. Quite early in life, she became a victim of racial prejudice as news of German atrocities trickled into the Annexe through the broadcast media. Unlike teenage activities of studies and socializing with friends, her life was spent cooking, eating, reading, listening to the radio and quarrelling among the inmates. This routine turned Anne into a rebel, surviving in a tension-riddled atmosphere brought on by adults. Anne even resented her mother being insensitivity towards her.
But the confinement helped Anne discover her deep-seated courage and belief in the goodness of people. Despite the chilling deprivations, Anne was able to find solace in writing her diary and nursed the ambition of becoming a writer in future. Thus, Anne’s confinement was a stark reality on the face of it, but also an avenue to discover her inner strengths and faith.
Question 6.
The Annexe was almost a prison for Anne. How did it limit her life?
Answer:
The comfortable existence of the inmates was cruelly ended in the Annexe where they were subjected to a life of constant fear of discovery and being led into concentration camps. Despite all precautions, there were some nasty moments when the Annexe was broken into by burglars and its risky consequences of exposure, forcing them to use Peter’s wastepaper basket to relieve themselves, as the lavatory was out of bounds.
The sights of the outside world were denied and even human activities like using a toilet and bathing had to be strictly regulated. Medical facilities and replenishments for outgrown or torn clothes were unknown. The occupants spent their time cooking eating, quarrelling and making up. Everyone was on tenterhooks and children suffered emotional trauma, particularly Anne, whose sensitive nature reacted to adult reprimands acutely.
Diversionary activities, such as calligraphy for children, sausage and jam making by adults, were insufficient and meals were rationed to the point of starvation. News broadcasts over the wireless, or an occasional concert of classical music, was the only relief. Above all, these physical deprivations and mental tortures brought on by confinement, brought out the pettiness and meanness of their natures and their unreasonableness towards the youngsters, making life miserable for one and all.
Question 7.
Anne’s relationship with her mother was never simple. What created the tension and discord?
Answer:
Anne and her mother maintained very strained relations throughout the account. This was because neither understood the other. Anne even hated to occupy a seat next to her mother. He. mother was horrified when Anne refused to say prayers with her. Anne found her mother cold and unsympathetic and commented that her mother did not know how to love children. It pained her to see that her mother did not gauge her inadequacies as a mother. Anne even vowed to be as unlike her mother as possible towards her own children.
Her mother would unfeelingly find fault with Anne who longed to be loved. When she spoke to her mother, it was always a nasty exchange. Thereafter, Anne besotted with a bout of .elf-pity would pour out her disappointment in her diary. In the latter part, the mother-daughter relationship warmed up slightly as Anne, on reading parts of the diary, felt she had been unkind. But she could not make herself change her opinion. In the later part, Anne is more objective, but continues to find herself distanced and incapable of loving her mother. Perhaps, it is the strain of the circumstances that add to the estrangement.
Question 8.
Anne’s father was close to her. What did she like about him?, Why?
Answer:
Anne found her father to be the most amiable of the people. She particularly admiredhis sacrificing ways, his capacity for peacemaking, and his utmost desire to keep his daughters happy.
He was very keen to continue with their education and taught them Greek, and French. He was very tolerant of Anne’s ways and defended her against the van Daans and Dussel in particular. This attitude won Anne’s love and admiration for her father.
She fully confided in him and told him about her inability to love her mother as much, to which he showed a tolerant understanding. He remained self-contained and Anne found great comfort in his physical presence during air raids and bombings. He even wrote a beautiful poem for Anne on her 14th birthday, which she cherished. However, she was upset at being checked by her father from meeting Peter and wrote him a letter in defiance. But after the first kiss, it was to her father that she wanted to narrate the experience. Her father’s handling of th,e situation, through a frank talk, cleared the atmosphere and restored normalcy in the affectionate relationship.
Though with maturity she drifted from him, the affection between the two remained the strongest bond till the very end.
Question 9.
Anne had a tough relationship with her sister. Why did she find it difficult to get along with her and the other fellow residents of the annexe?
Answer:
Margot, the 16-year-old elder sister, had it all in her favour. She was better looking, more intelligent and far more accommodating than Anne. This contrast always brought about comparisons by the elders in the Annexe, particularly Mrs van Daan, making it more difficult for Anne, although Margot herself never uttered a word against Anne. Since her mother always found Margot more obedient and
accommodating, Anne resented the preferential treatment given to her by her parents, particularly her mother.
Margot’s sweet nature, accommodating ways made her the ideal child in the eyes of the Annexe members and thus estranged the relationship between the siblings. Anne also found her sister too weak minded and forgiving, who did not know how to assert her rights according to Anne. Though Anne thought Margot was interested in Peter, her doubts were cleared by Margot herself and reassured Anne of the good intentions of her sister.
Margot was a mature and caring elder sister who understood the need for company that Anne faced. She encouraged the friendship between Peter and Anne and was not bitter about their closeness. Thus Margot was the true elder sister to Anne as also the ideal child for the rest of the Annexe inmates.
Question 10.
Why is Anne’s diary regarded as a valuable and authentic account of those times?
Answer:
Anne’s diaiy, acknowledged as a world classic, narrates the actual sufferings, physical and mental that the Annexe inmates underwent and which was a micro picture of the macro experience endured by the Jews. Anne’s natural flair for writing, goaded by the desire to pen her experiences, makes the narrative not just factual but deeply personal, making it a wonderful record of the effects of war on the human race, and the indomitable human spirit.
The narrative throws light on the ingenuity of human beings when faced with impossible circumstances The members of the Annexe find numerous ways of keeping themselves safe and undetected and help comes to them from unusual quarters showing that even in the depths of misery there is always a ray of hope. The diary traces the changes in Anne’s mental maturity from that of a carefree schoolgirl to that of a rebellious teenager who finds solace in diary writing. Her capacity to analyse things, her humorous comments on the goings-on, her fondness for life, uplift not just the writer but acknowledge the strength of human endurance.
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2015
Long Answer Type Questions [10 Marks]
Question 11.
Why did the Franks have to go in hiding? Where was the hiding place located and how does Anne describe it?
Answer:
On 5th July, Margot received a call-up from the German Secret Service, which meant deportation to a concentration camp, forcing the family into hiding.
The Franks’ hiding place was located in Otto Frank’s office, a large warehouse building. The general office and front office were on the second floor. The back
office was located in an alcove and beyond this alcove was a long narrow hallway, up four steps into a private office. A wooden staircase led to the third floor with a landing at the top of the stairs, with doors on either side. The plain gray door to the right led to the ‘Secret Annexe’ in the rear. Inside the space, and up a flight of steps, a narrow hallway led to the Franks’ living room. In a smaller room next to it was the room for the young ladies of the family and to the right a windowless washroom with a sink. A door in the corner led to the toilet and another to Margot’s room, while above it was the room occupied by the van Daans. The room was also a kitchen as it contained a stove and a sink. A side room was allocated to Peter. An attic and loft completed the layout of the Annexe.
Question 12.
How did Anne feel about her grandmother?
Answer:
Right from the start Anne was very close to her grandmother, who, in turn, always remembered to send good wishes to her grandchild on her birthday punctually. Thus, the bond between them was very close and filled with affection. Anne, along with her sister Margot, had been sent to Aachen to stay with their grandmother because her parents had moved to Holland where Otto Frank had become the Managing Director of the Dutch Opekta Company that manufactured products for making jam. While Margot moved to her parents in December 1933 to Holland, Anne stayed in her grandmother’s care till February when she joined her parents.
As life in Germany had become harder and restrictive for the Jews, Anne’s maternal uncles moved to the USA. Anne’s grandmother came to live with them and was with Anne and her family, till the end. In the summer of 1941 Anne’s grandmother underwent an operation and passed away in 1942. Anne who was close to her, often thought of her after her passing away and continued to love her. Thus, on her birthday in 1942, an extra candle was lit along with the rest, in memory of her grandmother
Question 13.
Describe the burglary in the Annexe in ‘Diary of a Young Girl’.
Answer:
The first alert about the burglary7 was given by Peter when he reported to Otto Frank about two loud bangs. The warehouse had been broken into and the men feared a search being conducted by the police. As activity continued, despite Mr van Daan’s inadvertent snouts of ‘Police!’, they found a woman flashing a torchlight through the broken planks that lit up the entire warehouse. Fearing that the police had arrived, the men raced upstairs, and the inmates hid in the attic, waiting for the worst.
The next night every sound sent the inmates into a grip of fear, suspecting a police search party at work. The bookcase which camouflaged their entrance was rattled and a light left burning, when the footsteps receded. The inmates, too nervous to go to the bathroom, relieved themselves in improvised containers, and lay on the floor. The party planned on how they would tackle the police when they were exposed. Ultimately, they decided to call up Mr Kleiman to ask other helpers to stay off the premises. It was only when Miep and Jan arrived at the bookcase and gave their characteristic whistle, that the inmates were relieved. Jan and Miep thereafter went off to inform the police of the break-in and the inmates began tidying up the mess.
Question 14.
Draw a pen portrait of Otto Frank, Anne’s father
Answer:
Mr Otto Frank is the father of Anne Frank. He is one of the kindest, smartest, gentlest and most thoughtful fathers. He supports Anne and frequently takes her side during family arguments He is generous, kind, and level-headed. He is the most considerate inmate in the Annex. He always tries to save the best food for the children and takes the smallest portion for himself. He is very close to Anne, her daughter. Sometimes, he shows possessiveness over his daughter. He does not approve of her relationship with Peter and asks her not to be serious about the relationship. Anne has good opinion about him but when he does not approve of her relation with Peter, she finds him conservative, protective, and secretive about sexuality. He is not only a smart, resourceful, and caring father but a talented businessman also. He had a strong character. He is the only resident of the Annexe to survive the war. He remained in Auschwitz until it was liberated by Russian troops in 1945. He devoted the rest of his life to promoting Anne’s diary.
Question 15.
Bring out the importance of the diary in Anne’s life.
Answer:
Anne started her diary entry strictly for herself but later realised that it would be used
for historical purposes in recounting the events that took place. Her diary reflects two aspects of her life—first, her emotions, conflict and journey of self-realization; second, her life and war.
Anne’s diary is an appropriate monument to her fine spirit. Anne’s emotions of growing up and her loneliness are recorded in her diary. In spite of having a host of admirers and friends, she feels lonely. She feels alienated from her mother and sister and does not have a very high opinion of the other youngsters around her. She uses the diary to pour out her thoughts and feelings, her longings and ambitions. Later in the Annexe when she was continuously criticized for her behaviour and her alleged rudeness Anne takes a recourse in writing in her diary. Her diary becomes her confidant and true secret since no one is allowed to even take a peek at it.
Her diary speaks volumes of the harshness of the Germans against the Jews. She projects her anxiety for her friends and their families who have not been fortunate enough to go into hiding.
Writing in her diary also helps Anne analyse her own feelings and her capabilities as a writer. Hence, the diary is very important to her.
Question 16.
Why does Anne call herself ‘a bundle of contradictions’ ?
Answer:
Anne’s personality comprises two aspects. The first aspect is to see her from the
outside, and the second is from her inner side. This split personality of hers reveals contradictions, however pleasant or unpleasant, for which she herself is known.
Now let us sec Anne’s life to understand her dual personality in respect of her two sides. First side, i.e., her outerside of life contains her happy spirits, her cheerfulness, her impertinence, her joy in life and, above all, her ability to appreciate the lighter side of things, For example, this outerside of hers includes not taking offence at a flirtation, a kiss, an embrace, even a dirty joke. This side is ordinary “not giving in easily always knowing best, getting in the last word”, all the unpleasant qualities for which she is renowned. That is why how she has acquired the name of chaser- after-boys, flirt, know-all, reader of love stories. So it is understable that bad is on the outside of her life.
The contrary, the innerside of her personality is finer, better and deeper. No one knows her oetter side, and that is why most people cannot stand her and find her so insufferable, and that was her own secret. So Anne is guided by the p are Anne within, but on the outside she is nothing but a “frolicsome little goat tugging at its tether.”
In sum, the dichotomy, between her outward and inward selves lies in her dual personality. Anne is able to see herself and knows both of them. So, Anne calls herself “a bundle of contradictions”.
Question 17.
How does Anne criticise the attitude of the grown-ups in her diary?
Answer:
Anne was upset, thinking about the way the grown-ups treat the young people in
the Annexe. She had the chance of observing the grown-ups closely in the Annexe. She had her own inferences. She says, “why do grown-ups quarrel so easily, so much, and over the most idiotic things?… I am going to start educating them. Shall I take up that attitude? Plain barbarism! I’m simply amazed again and again over their awful manners an specially stupidity of Mrs. van Daan’s.’ She felt that the adult world was full of hypocrisy and rigidity of character. She observed that they were a little too pessimistic and gave baseless advice. They prevented the youngs from saying what they felt nd thought of themselves as “know-alls”.
Anne felt that the young people were much more sensitive and advanced in their thoughts and more optimistic and practical in their approach.
Question 18.
Write a character sketch of Mrs. van Daan.
Answer:
Anne described Mrs. van Daan as a quarrelsome and irritating woman. She was
aggressive and selfish, always instigated fights and was rarely helpful.
Mrs. van Daan was vain and lacked humility. Anne found her to be the most insufferable Annexe resident and was partici ’ arly annoyed when Mrs. van Daan flirted with Mr. Frank.
Mrs. van Daan was jealous of Anne’s relationship with her son Peter van Daan. She wanted Peter to confide in her rather than in Anne. She also constantly criticised Anne’s behaviour, indicating she had been improperly raised. Although all of the Franks found her troublesome and lazy, they could dc nothing about her. However, she was terribly moody. She kept hiding more of her private dwellings.
Mrs. van Daan was not a good parent. She did not know how to properly handle
Peter’s disobedience or his insolence. Peter had trouble talking to her. This led Anne to believe that she, like Mrs. Frank, lacked mothering skills.
However, Mrs. van Daan did have a atrong point. She occasionally could be reasonable, backed down from fights, was generally neat and tidy, and, according to Anne, more approachable than Mrs. Frank, her mother. Anne did not admire her nature.
Question 19.
How did the residents of the Annexe react to the good news of the invasion by the Allies?
Answer:
The good news of the Allied Forces invasion of France led to great excitement among the residents of the Secret Annexe. They were optimistic that the Allied forces would surely defect the Germans and that they would be liberated soon. BBC announced that it was D-Day! Good news of invasion! According to German news, British paratroopers had landed on the coast of France.
Some residents however felt it might be a trial landing, like the one two years ago in Dieppe. Anne gave some interesting details about the number of planes in use and of bombs being dropped. The Allied forces had captured many French towns. Anne pointed out how foolish the Dutch people were for thinking the English were lazy because they had not liberated Holland.
Question 20.
Describe Albert Dussel as he appears in Anne Frank’s diary.
Answer:
Mr. Albert Dussel was a dentist who joined the Franks in the Annexe in November
1942. He was married to a catholic woman who did not need to go into hiding. Mrs. Dussel became Ynne’s roommate in the secret Annexe an unhappy alliance for both. Living in cramped quarters with a rebellious and feisty teen was probably just as difficult for a rather fussy and set in his ways seventy-year-old man.
Anne does not paint a very pretty picture of his because Dussel did not respect her at all. He demanded Anne’s compliance with all of his absurd wishes while never considering hers. Anne had to actually fight him to get custody of the table in their room even twice a week.
Dussel was very selfish. He never thanked the Franks or van Daans for sharing their hiding spot with him or showing any gratefulness to their protectors. He even hoarded food, which he refused to share with others.
He lectured Anne and instigated misunderstandings between her and her mother. He tried the same tactics with Margot and Mrs. Frank but failed miserably.
Mr. Dussel was petty and mean and was constantly sulking or picking up fights with others. He fought with everyone in the Secret Annexe.
He frequently endangered the other members of the Secret Annexe by breaking their security rules. However, Anne portrays a very negative picture of Dussel in her diary.
2014
Long Answer Type Questions [10 Marks]
Question 21.
What did Anne note about their life of compromises in the hiding?
Answer:
Anne, with the longings of any teenager, wanted to be out in the open. Instead, she had to remain confined and in hiding. Added to these strictures were the demands of coexisting in the secret hideout, which required that Anne strictly adhere to the demands of adults. Having to share a room with Dussel meant that she was constantly to be told off and reprimanded. She felt exasperated and infuriated, but was required to be reasonable.
Her relationship with her mother is no better. At times, she wants to cry, give her mother a good shaking, and scream at her mother as well as at all the other inmates. She complains that she is grossly misunderstood. She is accused of being insolent when she answers, being cunning when she has a good idea, being stupid, cowardly, calculating, etc.
Ultimately, she comes to the conclusion that she is stuck with the character she is born with, and hopes for things to clear up. She laments that in trying to be kind, making compromises, her commonsense would be used up too quickly, leaving her with none, at the end of the war. A year and a half later, Anne makes the transition from child to adolescent and accepts that compromises are necessary.
Question 22.
Write a detailed character-sketch of Mr Kleimen and Mr Kugler as described by Anne in the diary.
Answer:
Mr Kugler and Mr. Kleiman were business associates of Otto Frank. Both of them displayed sterling qualities of head and heart towards the inmates. Both of them were very kind and careful people and through their efforts they managed to keep the Annexe a safe and secure h’ leout for the occupants.
It was in this regard that Kugler turned in the large Philips radio to the authorities when orders to do so were passed. Mr Kleiman replenished the loss by bringing a small radio. These actions show that both men were very responsible helpers, who did not take undue risks and circumvented authority judiciously. This action shows their fearless trait.
Both were uncomplaining persons and did not even once utter a word of discomfort at the risk they endured on account of the inmates.
Both men liked a routine existence and visited the inmates every day, after work, bringing in a fray of sunshine according to Mrs Frank. They kept up the inmates’ spirits by informing them of the happenings outside, and even showered them with gifts and presents on special occasions, like birthdays and festival days.
Being ingenious, they procured food coupons and other amenities, brought in extra supplies of food items, so the inmates could remain fed as comfortably as possible.
Question 23.
What made Anne hopeful when the Fascists were overthrown in Italy? Explain.
Answer:
On September 10, 1943, Anne noted in her diary that nothing special had been happening in their lives at the Annexe. Immediately thereafter, she informed her readers about the incidents that shook their routine lives when the seven o’clock news broadcast informed them about Italy having capitulated to the Allied forces. This news meant that the Fascist party would now be banned in Italy as the surrender was unconditional.
From this announcement one could infer that internal discord was rife in Italy’s government and fascism began to deteriorate. Though this news was of long-term importance, it did nothing to change the immediate situation in the Annexe, or in the country.
The German government took badly to this announcement accusing the Italians under their commander Badoglio of Italy, of committing acts of treachery towards the Germans.
On the other hand, the British troops landed in Italy a day after the truce had been signed. These developments made Anne and the others hopeful of better times to come in the country.
Question 24.
Describe the ways you find Anne different from other members in the Annexe.
Answer:
Anne is in the habit of scrutinizing her actions, thereby developing an analytical approach to life. She is headstrong, enthusiastic and positive, while her mother appears to be unconcerned with the sufferings seething within Anne’s heart. Though both sisters show a touching level of concern for each other and share several jokes and attitudes together, Margot is more compromising and forgiving of the demands made by their elders.
Anne is blessed with a unique sense of humour. This, when coupled with her keen sense of observation, provides welcome relief from the dreary life of the inmates. Thus, Anne is a practical and straightforward person who describes the hardships of life in the Annexe with no untoward emotion. Anne is not prudish in expressing intimate matters and is not cowered into observing social norms blindly.
Anne’s compassionate streak makes her relate with the plight of the children in the streets. Though not overly studious she keeps abreast of political developments, adding her opinion about leaders and events not as swings of emotion, bUt as fact- based conclusions. Despite growing up at a time when feminine duties narrowed down to domesticity, Anne is inclined towards intellectual pursuits. Unlike all the others Anne has a flair for writing and nurses the ambition of being a writer one Day.
Question 25.
Describe in 120-150words Margot and Anne’s relationship with their parents.
Answer:
Margot Frank, Anne’s elder sister, was only sixteen at the onset of the story and eighteen by the end. At least through Anne’s eyes, Margot was smarter, quieter, prettier and more grown-up than Anne. The two sisters did not get along, were not close friends, and did not confide in each other much.
Anne says that she is pleased to exchange places with Margot at the food table as this takes her away from her mother who is constantly finding fault in her. Anne resents the fact that Margot is better liked by her mother and vows to teach her a lesson.
The sisters always got on each other’s nerves. Anne appears to be jealous of Margot, because of the special attention and privileges Margot received from their father and the relationship she had with their mother. However, they sometimes did share sisterly moments. One night Margot and Anne were lying side by side in their bed, it was incredibly cramped, but that was what made it fun. Margot asked Anne if she could read her diary once a while.
However, the sisters also talked about their future. Anne asked Margot what she wanted to be when she was older though Margot remained mysterious about her plans
Question 26.
Write a character sketch of Mrs. van Dann in 120-150 words.
Answer:
The same as answer no. 18.
Question 27.
Attempt a character sketch of Peter in 120-150 words.
Answer:
Peter was the only son of the van Daans. He was attractive, with blue eyes and dark,curly hair. He was shy by nature. He was visibly upset because of his parents’ habit of quarrelling and admired Mr. Frank for his good behaviour calling him a ‘first- rate-chap’. When he arrived at the secret Annexe with his parents, Anne thought him to be awkward and lazy and had a weak character. Anne suddenly started to notice Peter a year and a half later. He appeared snobbish when he said that he did not need friends but was also open to admit that he appreciated Anne for her wild nature of expressing what came to her mind. He was also humble and thanked Anne everytime.
Anne seemed satisfied with mediocrity and led an easy life rather than one of hard work and personal growth. All in all, he was likeable and one felt sympathetic to¬wards him due to his inferiority complex.
Question 28.
How did the air raids disprupt the Dutch public life?
Answer:
The air raids disrupted the Dutch public life miserably. The Dutch citizens were facing untold hardships and shortage of all kinds. With Hitler’s guns, ‘no butter compaign’, food and other necessities were difficult to get. The destruction seemed to be terrible due to the air raids. Whole streets were lying in ruins. There were shortages of food, which led to rationing at table.
As the war continued, people realised that their sons who had been enlisted for war would not return. In Holland, the air strikes that Anne mentioned also contributed to the low morale among the Dutch. They were hungry and cold most of the time. Their clothes were in rags. Looting and thieving were quite common and the black market was thriving. Besides, many of the Dutch were put off by the fact that some of the Jews gave them away under duress to the Germans which led to their persecution.
Question 29.
Attempt a character sketch of Anne Frank.
Answer:
Anne is the main character of the novel. Her diary entries give an insight about her character and personality. Anne finds a good and confident friend in the form of her diary with which she could share all her feelings. She shares everything with her diary. She does not think she is pretty, but she is confident that her personality and other good traits make up for it. Anne is playful and comical but a bit serious too. She is content and optimistic despite the threats and danger that her family faces. She is remarkably forthright and perceptive at the beginning of the diary, but as she leaves her normal childhood behind and enters the dire and unusual circumstances of the Holocaust, she becomes more introspective and thoughtful. Anne feels extremely lonely and in need of kindness and affection. She thinks that her mother is incapable of providing the love and affection that she needs. Throughout her confinement in the Annexe she wrestles with her inner self. As she matures, Anne longs for intimacy with a male counterpart. She becomes infatuated with Peter. From her diary, it is clear that she has the potential to become a challenging and sophisticated writer.
Question 30.
Attempt a character sketch of Otto Frank, Anne’s father.
Answer:
In Anne’s eyes, Mr. Frank was one of the kindest, smartest, most gentle and thoughtful fathers. He almost always supported Anne and frequently took her side during family arguments. He was generous, kind, and level-headed, while the other adults in the Annexe could be stingy, harsh and emotional. Mr. Frank always tried to save the best food for the children and took the smallest portion for himself. He was very close to Anne, He did not approve of her relationship with Peter and asked her not to be serious about the relationship.
When Mr. Frank saw that the Jews were being persecuted in Germany, he moved himself and his family to Holand in 1933. Then when the Nazis invaded Holland, he made plans to take his family into hiding, hoping they would all be safe until the end of the war. It is obvious that he was much loved and respected by his Dutch business colleagues. These Dutch friends helped him in the Annexe, risking their lives for the safety of the Frank family.
Mr. Frank was the only resident of the Annexe to survive the war. He was truly a wise man and a loving father. He remained in Auschwiz camp until it was liberated by Russian troops in 1945.
Question 31.
What made Anne Frank’s diary a piece of historical record? Why was it considered authentic?
Answer:
Anne Frank’s diary was written and set during the World War II in the early 1940s. The diary is one of the wisest and most moving commentaries on war and its impact on human beings. It documents her experiences during the German occupation of the Netherlands in the World War II.
The Franks had been living in Amsterdam since 1933 and felt the full impact of German invasion in May 1940, when the German Army invaded Holland. The year 1943 witnessed major political events. The Allied invasion was expected any time. On 10 March 1943, Anne mentioned the bombing of Amsterdam by the planes of the Allies. The frequency of air raids increased, sometimes even twice a day. The happiest war news was that Mussolini ‘resigned’ and the fascist party was outlawed in Italy. Hitler’s “guns, not butter” campaign ensured that food and other necessities were difficult to obtain. Thus, Anne Franks diary dwells on a piece of historical record.
The diary is considered authentic because it is one of the most heartfelt, real accounts of any person who went through such atrocity under the Nazi regime. Moreover, the tale of the brutality shown by the Nazi regime, depicted through the eyes of a young girl, shocked the world.
Question 32.
Describe Anne’s relationship with her mother. What made it complex?
Answer:
Anne’s relationship with her mother was not cosy. She felt that her mother was partial towards her elder sister, Margot, whom she never reprimanded. She felt that both her mother and Margot picked on her. She could not tolerate her mother and always tried to correct her and tell her to keep quiet. She found her mother’s ideas totally opposite to hers. Anne says. “Mummy’s and Margot’s natures are completely strange for me.” Her disagreement with her mother intensified her adolescent rebelliousness.
Besides, Anne felt that her mother had failed to be a good and caring mother. She felt she was ignored and therefore, she retaliated by being rude. She expected her mother to learn how to handle children. Thus, Anne had a strained relationship with her mother.
Anne had very little sympathy for her mother. Anne felt that her mother was cold, critical and uncaring. She saw her mother as an irritating figure of authority. As a result, her mother Mrs. Edith Frank was upset by Anne’s rejection o’f her. Anne rarely found her mother’s positive traits. These were the reasons that made their relationship complex.
Question 33.
Attempt a character sketch of Peter
Answer:
The same as answer no. 27.
2013
Long Answer Type Questions [10 Marks]
Question 34.
How did Frank try to make their hiding place secure?
Answer:
The Secret Annexe occupied the rear extension of the main building of the warehouse, where Otto Frank worked. It was concealed from view by other buildings that were built around a quadrangle. It thus provided the ideal hiding place for the inmates. The building was also located away from the main street and provided additional security.
Instead of an entrance door to the Annexe, there was a cupboard placed at the entrance to camouflage the entrance and allay all suspicions. Inside, the space was large enough to accommodate two families.
The inmates kept a close relationship with the workers of the factory, where Otto Frank worked and the loyalty of these helpers made their life both safe and secure. These people provided them with fresh supplies and other materials and visited them daily, bringing news of the outside world.
A set of rules were drawn up for observation by all the inmates, which included remaining confined within, and remaining extremely quiet during office time at the warehouse. No one was allowed to look out of the windows.
Strict rules about toilet usage were laid down and no food could be wasted and garbage was burnt instead of being thrown out to prevent all suspicion. Radio broadcasts could only be heard after office hours and speaking had to be in very low tones.
Question 35.
Draw a character-sketch of Mr Keesing, Anne’s maths teacher.
Answer:
Mr Keesing was the maths teacher at the Jewish Lyceum in Holland, where Anne studied. Unlike the other teachers, Mr Keesing was an elderly person and a strict disciplinarian in the class. He disliked disruption and did not permit talking during the period. Mr Keesing was a dedicated teacher but could not motivate indifferent scholars like Anne, to take interest in his subject.
Being a just person, he merely remonstrated with pupils initially, followed by written tasks as punishment. Thus, Anne wrote an essay on A chatterbox’, after a while, and found the topic difficult to handle. Mr Keesing had a fine sense of humour and when Anne submitted her essay arguing that talking was an inherited trait from her mother, he appreciated the humour. Being a disciplinarian, when Anne continued chattering in the class, he assigned her another writing task.
When the talking persisted, Keesing lost his patience and turned vindictive. He assigned her a writing task that had a streak of mockery because it likened a chatterbox to a mother duck. When Anne stood up to the challenge and produced a poem in response, Keesing was sporting enough to enjoy the humour and conceded to Anne’s ways.