The Diary of a Young Girl-Anne Frank-Tuesday-July 13-1943-Onwards

Anne needs the table for studies and she has taken permission from her father to ask Mr. Dussel for that. She already sits there everyday from 2:30 to 4:00 pm when Mr. Dussel takes a nap. But for the remaining time, the room and the table are not to be used by Anne. So, she is to make a polite request to Mr.Dussel for using the table from 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm. And that is only for two afternoons.

She asked Mr. Dussel very politely for it and got his plain “No”.

Then she asked the reason for his “No”. he told her that he needed the table for doing his own work and he also added that she was not serious about her studies. He also added rather sarcastically to offend Anne that he did not think studying mythology and knitting were so important.

Anne showed control on her anger and told him that she took all her work seriously and she felt very much humiliated (insulted) at Dussel’s words dipped in pungent sarcasm. 

After that, Anne was so much full of rage (extreme anger) that she went to her father and discussed the matter with him. He gave her consolation that he would talk to Mr. Dussel and also advised her not to say anything to him until the next day.

But Anne was in extreme anger and she forgot the piece of advice her father gave her in the last part of his sentence.

As the lunch was over, Anne went to resume the talk on the same issue. Her father was also sitting outside the next room.

She began the conversation with Dussel in her most polite manner requesting him to reconsider his decision on the issue of the table. The discussion went on between them and Anne stressed on his being fair to her in his decision as he was accommodated in the room which basically was given to her. 

She also reminded him that it was decided in the beginning that he would use the room in the entire morning time and she would be free to use it in the entire afternoon. At present, she was using the table from 2:30 to 4:00 pm and she needed it for two afternoons a week from 4:00 to 5:30 pm. There was nothing unfair about her demand.

After listening to her, Mr. Dussel flared up (lost control on his temper) and started talking about irrelevant points.

It irritated Anne most because most of the words he used were the blames on her. He said that she was always ready to fight with anyone. He added fuel to the fire when he mentioned that if the same request had been made by her elder sister Margot, he would never have thought to refuse her. He also mentioned the topics of ‘knitting and mythology’ to insult her.

Anne let him finish what he wanted to say. He called her shamefully self centred. He went on speaking until Anne felt like slapping hard on ‘his ugly mug’ so forcefully that he’ll go bouncing off the wall.

After sometime, his fury was spent and he left the room feeling triumphant and angry.

His pockets were bulging with food and this shows how much greedy and selfish he was. Anne reported everything to her father, who spoke to Mr. Dussel for more than half an hour that evening.

Mr. Dussel tried to misinterpret the things, but Pim protested strongly since he had been there near the room and had heard everything. He also defended Anne and finally Dussel had to give in. Anne was now free to work for two afternoons a week in the room from 4 to 5:30 pm also. Dussel looked sullen and did not speak to Anne for two days.

Friday, July 16, 1943

There was a real theft in the warehouse this time. Peter reported about it aftrer he noticed in the morning at 7 that both the warehouse doors and the street door were open. He reported to Pim about it.

Mr. Kleiman told them about 11:30 that the burglars had forced open the outside door and the warehouse door with the help of a strong metal rod (crossbar). They did not find there anything worth-stealing. Then they opened the next door. They stole two cashboxes which contain ed 40 guilders, blank cheque books and coupons for 3330 pounds of sugar.

Mr. Kugler believed that the burglars belonged to the same gang that tried a theft a few weeks ago.

Monday, July 19, 1943

Anne reported that north Amesterdom was bombed heavily and it caused a lot of destruction to life and property.

Residential buildings were in ruins and it was very difficult to excavate the dead bodies from the rubble (debris, ruin). About 200 people were reported to be dead and countless injured. The hospitals are bursting at the seams. 

It has also been reported that he children were searching for their dead parents in the ‘smouldering (also smoldering: /ˈsməʊl.dər/burning slowly without flame) ruins. The whole detail of the destruction caused by the bombardment was very shocking for Anne. She gets terrified if she thinks of the dull drone (the low sound created by the planes flying in the sky) coming from a distance, that signifies “approaching destruction”. (890 words)