The Diary of a Young Girl-Anne Frank-Monday-August 23-1943 onwards

 

The Diary of a Young Girl-Anne Frank-Monday-August 23-1943 onwards

The inmates of the Secret Annex have to follow very strict discipline while living there. However, sometimes, they forget about it. ‘No rushing of water, no flushing of toilet, no walking around, no noise’, etc. are the standing orders they have to follow. Sounds travel more easily till the office staff arrives. The door opens at 8:20 upstairs. During this time, they do studying or reading of books till their breakfast time. Anne’s father sits on the “edge of a sagging, and squeaky bed.” 

Very soon, he gets lost in reading. Sometimes he tells Anne’s mother to read a good passage and she says, “I won’t have the time right now.” Then he looks disappointed. Anne’s mother sits on a folding bed at that time, she may be doing any work like reading, sewing, knitting or studying.

They continue this work till 9 o’clock and it is their breakfast time.

Friday, Sept 10, 1943

Anne begins this entry by giving a good news to her friend Kitty, the diary. She writes that Italy has surrendered unconditionally to the Allies. But there is also a bad news to write about. It is that Mr. Kleiman, who is to be admitted in a hospital for a difficult operation of the stomach. He will have to stay there for four weeks.

Mr. Kleiman has always been very helpful to them. In spite of his illness, he remained cheerful to them and brave to face all that. He always enters the Annex with a smiling face. Anne’s mother rightly says about him, “When Mr. Kleiman enters a room , the sun begins to shine.”

Thursday, September 16, 1943 (553 words)

Adversity puts human beings to a great test. This hard fact is also applicable to the inmates of the Secret Annex also. More than a year has passed since they started ling in that hiding place in order to save themselves from the clutches of the German soldiers.

They have to pass time under severe conditions that, sometimes, become unbearable for them. In such conditions, it becomes very difficult to maintain relationships in a healthy mode. Mental stress always leads to frustration and cause irritation and quarrels.

The inmates of the Secret Annex have to exercise extra control on themselves to remain bearable for each other.

When they sit together at the mealtimes, they have to keep their tongues tight in their mouths. They utter words with utmost care so as not to offend any of the members.

In nutshell it may be said that the inmates of the Seret Annex are passing through a very difficult time.

Mr. Voskuijl occasionally come to visit them as he is suffering from cancer. Mr. Kleiman is also suffering from stomach disease. Bep’s ankle has got sprained and Anne herself has become a victim of depression and she has been taking ‘valesian’ (a medicine to relieve depression). She needs relaxed atmosphere in the Annex to have a hearty laughter, but they have forgotten how to laugh.

Sometimes, she is afraid to think that her face might start having wrinkles on it due to continuous stress and anxiety.

Another thing that has become a matter of their constant worry is that Mr. van Marren, a worker at the warehouse, has become suspicious about the Annex.

Anne writes that they wouldn’t care for Marren’s suspicion until he excessively gets curious to know about the Annex. He is not the person who can be befooled with a flimsy (unconvincing/baseless).

Anne also writes as to how Mr. Kugler had to save himself from being seen by Mr. Marren, who was in the office. Mr. Kugler had entered the Annex secretly. He was also told by Bep about Marren’s presence in the office. He went to the front office in stockings and went downstairs taking each step with full care while putting weight on the wooden steps so as not to produce any creaking sound.