Harrison Van Pelt #18 8-7

Anne Frank Act 2 Questions

Recalling 1) Why is Mieps cake such a treat? How does it also reveal rising tension? Mieps cake serves as a treat to the family because it used Mieps entire sugar ration for the week. In addition to this gesture, the last time any of the members of the Annexe saw a cake was last year when Miep brought another cake for them. The prior cake along with this new one both exclaims the wish to be peace in the following years. The cake reveals rising tension, however. With the members trying to decide who will cut the cake, it shows the feelings of the Van Daans and Dussel. Dussel believes that when Mrs. Van Daan splits anything, Mr. Van Daan always gets the biggest portion.

2) Give two other indications that tensions in the hideout are rising. The first indication is when Mr. Van Daan is caught stealing food. The fact that he has been stealing food and blaming it on the rats, taking food from every other member in the Annexe, including his son, causes Mrs. Frank to explode. Everyone is made at each other, nobody other than Mr. Frank controlling themselves and acting rational. The second indication occurs before the first one, when Anne is preparing to go into Peters bedroom. She is dolling herself up in order to look good for Peter, opening herself up for the other adults to insult and poke at her.

3) What gives the families hope? What troubling information does Mr. Kraler bring? What gives the family hope is when Miep brings the wonderful news of how the invasion began. What this means guarantees the end of the Holocaust in a short times notice in the area that the families are living. The troubling information that Mr. Kraler brings before this wonderful news is how a worker discovered the family. He blackmailed Kraler into promising him no to tell anyone.

4) Why does Mrs. Frank want to turn out the Van Daans? How has the playwright prepared you for this aspect of her character? Mrs. Frank wants to turn out the Van Daans because Mr. Van Daan was caught stealing food and his wife always gives Mr. Van Daan the best sized ration of any food split between the members. The playwright prepared the reader (viewer) by explaining how Anne cannot confide in her mother because of her unpredictable ways right before this event occurred.

Harrison Van Pelt #18 8-7 5) What role does the thief play in the events? The thief plays the role of the climatical tension. The reader or viewer is on the edge of their seat because the thief could easily rat out the family to the police and claim the money prize. This puts the entirety of the Secret Annexe at risk, creating the tension that helps build towards the climax.

Interpreting 6) How does Annes friendship with Peter help her live through difficult times? Annes relationship with Peter helps her by giving her someone to somewhat confide in. She can share her thoughts and feeling with him, getting that final satisfactory relief of letting out all of her problems that built up over the years. Peter eases Annes mind from keeping her split personalities a secret. With Peter, she can be her true herself. She also has someone to talk about her mother with. Mr. Frank refuses to talk about her mother. Peter also has mother problems and is also relieved to have someone to talk to.

7) What does Mr. Frank mean when he says that people in hiding are Mr. Kralers ulcers? Definition of Ulcer: an erosion of the mucous membrane of the lower esophagus, stomach, or duodenum, caused in part by the corrosive action of the gastric juice. Using this definition, Mr. Frank is saying that anyone in hiding is basically a nuisance towards the man. Mr. Kraler must go out of his hectic way in order to provide for the multiple families that are in hiding, acting like this diseas that would take time out of his busy life.

8) How does the families behavior prove Mr. Franks statement: We dont need the Nazis to destroy us. Were destroying ourselves.? Mr. Frank said this after Mrs. Frank threatened to kick the Van Daans; right after Mr. Van Daan was caught stealing food from the rest of the members of the Annexe. With everyone else mad at someone in the confined space, the only thing left to do is fight. Each member goes at another, choking them with threats and cruel words. If anyone was put in their situation, they couldnt last much longer. If the families were to fight a few more times, they could possibly tear themselves apart, deserting each other as friends.

9) How can Anne believe that In spite of everything people are really good at heart.?

Harrison Van Pelt #18 8-7 Anne believes that, mostly, everyone tries to do right. Not all people are logical, but most are. The ones that try to do good, that devote themselves to performing actions that benefit other people, not just themselves, will spread the good will and infect others with kindness. That person will then do something good and cause others to do well. Every human is made of the same essence that drives them. This trait that every human has can either be used for good or bad. It is simply up to that particular person to decide which they want to be. Everyone has the choice to be good.

10) Explain the meaning of Mr. Franks last line She puts me to shame. Anne's words are so powerful that it puts Mr. Frank to shame. He is humbled by the strength of character she shows throughout the diary and is perhaps also remorseful and sorrowful that he was unable to protect his daughter from the tyranny of the Nazi's and her eventual fate. I think he is basically saying that he feels she was a stronger and bigger person throughout their horrific ordeal than he himself was. What Otto was attempting to say was that the depth of Annes belief and how she handled predicaments through the tough times of living in the Annexe or perfect. Mr. Frank believes that her character puts his to shame, that she was ultimately the bigger man. The level Anne thought at couldnt be guessed by anyone, and Ottos realization n of it astonished him.

Applying 11) How might Annes speech on page 756 beginning Were young express the attitudes of people today? Quote: Were young, Margot and Peter and I! You grown-ups have had your chance! But look at us . . . If we begin thinking of all the horror in the world, were lost! Were trying to hold on to some kind of ideals . . . when everything . . . ideals, hopes . . . everything is being destroyed! It isnt our fault that the world is in such a mess! We werent around when all this started! So dont try to take it out on us! (She rushes off to her room, slamming the door after her. She picks up a brush from the chest and hurls it to the floor. Then she sits on the settee, trying to control her anger.) The attitudes of young people today are widely thought to be rebellious and untamable, just like Annes character. Just like people today, we are born in a time of technologic advancement. Grown-ups should criticize us for following the path that was set before. Just like Anne was saying, we are doing what is natural and right in this world created before us.

Harrison Van Pelt #18 8-7 12) How is Annes diary a portrait of courage? Annes diary symbolizes the struggles that many Jews had to go through in order to persevere through the Holocaust. These Jews had to have had courage in order to live lives in danger. With Annes diary showing the courage that Jews had, the diary itself becomes immortal in history. Courage is painted throughout the diary in the way Anne views life. Even though she is in the worst position to possibly be in, she looks on the bright side. Doing this in times of pure danger when ones life is risked yells courage, something which is continuously shown in Annes solace.