The Diary of a Young Girl-Anne Frank-Thursday-March 7-1944-onwards

 The Diary of a Young Girl-Anne Frank-Thursday-March 7-1944-onwards

Anne begins this diary entry by comparing herself to the Anne who was in 1942, when they entered the Secret Annex. Now, a wise Anne has replaced the Anne who used to be ‘a spoiled’ child by her parents. She had admirers in every street, around 20 friends and she was the favourite of most of the teachers, who liked her clever answers, witty remarks, smiling face and critical mind. 

She also says that she was ‘a terrific flirt, coquettish and amusing’. She also describes a few of her plus points. She was hard-working, honest and generous. She was noble and unselfish also.

She asks herself if so much admiration that she usually received had made her over-confident. At the height of glory, she had to come in the Annex and it took her one year to get habitual of living without admiration.

The previous Anne was a pleasant, amusing, but a superficial girl.

Peter remarked about her “whenever I saw you, you were surrounded by a flock of girls and at least two boys, you were always laughing, and you were always the centre of attention!”

She believes at present that she can still flirt and look amusing and she would like to love that seemingly carefree and happy life, but that would continue only for a week. Very soon she would get fed up with that superficial style of life. Now she needs friends, not admirers. 

She would like people to respect her for her character and her actions, not her flattering smile. She has now realized that her easy-going and carefree schooldays have gone forever.

After a few months in the Annex, in the year 1942, the quarrels and accusations started. In the first half of 1943, she experienced ‘crying spells, loneliness and gradual realization of her faults and shortcomings. In the second half of 1943, she became teenager and was treated like a grown up. 

An independent thinking started growing in her. She began to think about things and to write stories. The realization that she could manage without her mother dawned upon her mind. The most pinching realization was that she was never going to be able to confide in her father and she would have to trust none but herself. 

After the New Year, 1944, the second big change she felt in herself was that she longed for a boy friend, not a girl friend. She discovered her soul-mate in Peter, who was going to stand by her in her joys and sorrows. She lies in bed after ending her prayer by thanking God for all that is good and joyful to her. She is full of so much optimism that she does not think of misery, but about the joy and the beauty that is still left in her life.

We also come to know about the difference between Anne and her mother in their outlook towards life. Her mother advises in the face of misery, “Think about all the sufferings in the world and be thankful you’re not part of it.”

Anne’s advice is: “Go outside to the country, enjoy the sun and all nature has to offer. Go outside and try to recapture the happiness within yourself, think of all the beauty in yourself and in everything around you and be happy.”

Anne’s approach towards life is optimistic and comprehensive. It leads one to the treasures of happiness that has nature to offer to us. She thinks if we become part of sufferings, it would take us nowhere. She also believes that beauty always remain in us. The need is to discover it. We may regain our balance if we discover it. A sad face cannot make others happy.

Wednesday, March 08, 1944

Anne and Margot have started writing notes just for fun. Anne writes about Dussel’s habit of snoring. Margot asks her if habit of snoring is better than gasping for breath. Anne replies that snoring is better because it stops when someone makes a noise.

Then she confides in her friend Kitty that she did not write in her notes to her sister Margot that she was missing Peter very much at that time. She also writes that she dreamt of him skating with her in her living room. 

In the next dream she found that she was standing in Peter’s room with him in front of each other beside the stairs. He gave her a kiss and also told her that he did not love her, so she should not flirt with him. In her most pleading manner she had said that she did not flirt with him. When she woke up in the morning, she felt happy to know that it was a dream and Peter had not said that in reality.