The Diary of a Young Girl-Anne Frank Monday, September 21-27-1942

 The Diary of a Young Girl-Anne Frank

Monday, September 21, 1942

We come to know through this diary entry that a lamp has been fixed above Anne’s bed with a purpose.

If she hears the guns going off, she will switch on the light.

A handy wood-stained food safe with real screens has been built and placed in Peter’s room and later on it was shifted to the attic.

Mrs. Van Daan is almost unbearable for Anne. One reason is that Anne is being scolded by her for talking too much. Another reason is that she avoids washing the pots and pans. If some bits of food are left in the pans, she does not transfer them to another container (a glass dish). Not only this, when, in the afternoon, Margot is cleaning the pots and the pans, she exclaims, “Oh, poor Margot, you so much work to do!”

Mr. Kleiman brings a couple of books that are written for the girls of Anne’s age. She has read Zaniest Summer four times.

Anne is also busy in preparing a family tree with her father, who is explaining about each person while doing the job. She is also doing hard work completing her school work and cramming five irregular words of French daily.

Peter has started doing work in the subject of English with much reluctance (hesitation). Anne’s father (fondly called Pim) wants to help Peter in his Dutch lessons. Anne is also ready to help him in his lessons if he also does so in French and some other subjects.

She also listens to the Dutch   broadcasts from London. No one of her family understands as to why Anne takes so much interest in the Royal family.

After that, we come to know that she is not allowed to read certain books, while her sister Margot is allowed to do so. Anne was a topic of discussion in the family. She was called ignoramus (extremely ignorant person, fool) It was also discussed that she was hardly allowed to read anything. After that, Anne’s ignorance of philosophy, psychology and physiology and physiology)  were all discussed. She checked out all those big words from dictionary.

She admits that at that time she didn’t know about all those subjects.

The conclusion of the discussion was shocking for her. It was said that Anne had only one long sleeveless dress and three cardigans to wear in the winter. Some of their clothes were shifted to their friends for safe- keeping.

Last of all, we come to know from this entry that Mrs. van Daan when Anne finished writing about her. Anne slammed the book shut (closed) at once.

Notice the following conversation.

“Hey, Mrs van Daan.”

“Just the last page then.”

“No, not even the last page, Mrs. Van Daan.”

Anne did not want to show that page to her because it contained some critical remarks about her.

Friday, September 25, 1942

We come to know about Anne’s father’s friend, who is in his midst seventies. His name is Mr. Dreher, and he is sick, poor and compeletely deaf. His wife is 27 years younger than he and she is equally poor but “her arms and legs are loaded with real and false bracelets and rings.”, which she has kept so far as the proof of her prosperous days.

Mr. Dreher has proved a great nuisance for Anne.s father.

Now Anne describes that she goes to the room of the van Daans for little chat. They eat “mothball cookies”. These are biscuits stored in a closet that was mothproof.

 

There recent conversation was centred around Peter. She also complains to them that he often outs her on the check and she does not like it. They asked her in a typical grown up manner if she could ever learn to love Peter a=like a  brother he loved her like a sister.

She said, “Oh, no!”, while she was thinking, Oh, ugh!”

She also added that Peter was a little stiff probably he was shy. She also explains the reason as to why it happens. She says that the boys, who are not used to remain around girls become shy.

Sunday, September 27, 1942

In this entry, we come to know that Anne, again, mentions that her father understands her better than her mother. She also feels difficulty in coping with her sister Margot also. She adds that the personalities of her mother and sister are quite alien to her. She also thinks that it is shameful that her girl friends understand her better that her mother. Sometimes, there are arguments of Anne’s choices of eating vegetables. For example, if Anee prefers to eat potatoes, then, Mrs. Van Daan suggests her to eat other vegetables. Mrs. Van Daan would say, “Come on Anne, eat some more vegetables.”

“No, thank you, Ma’am,” Anne replies.

“The potatoes are more than enough.”

When she insists more, Anee’s father would intervene. After that the topic of discussion changes to the other, that is, ‘upbringing of children’.

When Mrs. Van Daan keeps on making irritating statements on “upbringing of children”, Mr.  Frank silenced her by saying that Anee was very well brought up. At least she has learned not to respond to her “long and boring sermons.” That made van Daan defeated in a way.