Chapter 4: From the Diary of Anne Frank

Introduction

This chapter is an excerpt from the world-renowned autobiography, "The Diary of a Young Girl," written by Anne Frank. It offers a glimpse into Anne's thoughts and experiences as a Jewish girl hiding with her family during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands in World War II. The excerpt focuses on Anne's initial days of writing her diary and her relationship with her teachers and classmates.

Story Summary

Anne Frank, a thirteen-year-old Jewish girl, receives a diary for her thirteenth birthday. She names it "Kitty" and considers it her only true friend because she feels she doesn't have a close confidante. She explains that "paper has more patience than people," justifying her decision to write a diary. She gives a brief account of her family background, mentioning her parents, older sister Margot, and their move from Germany to Holland in 1933 due to Hitler's rise to power.

The excerpt then shifts to her school life. She recalls her happy memories at the Montessori nursery school and her farewell to Mrs. Kuperus, her headmistress. She is now in the sixth form and describes the anxiety among students as they await their term results, unsure who will be promoted to the next class. Anne is confident about her own performance, especially in Maths, her weakest subject, where she's supported by her friend G.N.

She then talks about her Maths teacher, **Mr. Keesing**, who is annoyed by her talkative nature. As punishment for talking too much in class, he gives her extra homework: an essay on the subject, "A Chatterbox." Anne initially struggles with how to approach the topic creatively. After much thought, she decides to write a convincing argument in favor of talking, stating that it's a student's trait and she inherited it from her mother.

Mr. Keesing finds her first essay amusing. He assigns her a second essay, **"An Incorrigible Chatterbox,"** after she continues to talk. For her third essay, on the topic "Quack, Quack, Quack, Said Mistress Chatterbox," Anne decides to write it in verse, with the help of her friend Sanne, who is good at poetry. This essay humorously tells the story of a mother duck and a father swan with three ducklings who were bitten to death by the father because they quacked too much. The father swan in the poem represents Mr. Keesing, and Anne and her friends are the ducklings.

This final essay finally makes Mr. Keesing laugh. He understands Anne's point of view and, from then on, allows her to talk in class without punishment. He even started telling jokes himself. This humorous incident highlights Anne's wit, her ability to stand up for herself, and the evolution of her relationship with her teacher.

Anne Frank writing in her diary, Kitty.

Main Characters

Key Themes

Textbook Questions and Answers

I. Oral Comprehension Check (Page 50)

  1. What makes writing in a diary a strange experience for Anne Frank?

    Writing in a diary is a strange experience for Anne because she has never written anything before, and she feels that no one would be interested in the musings of a thirteen-year-old girl. More importantly, she has no 'true friend' to confide in, and the diary, named Kitty, becomes that friend.

  2. Why does Anne want to keep a diary?

    Anne wants to keep a diary because she feels that she doesn't have a true friend with whom she can share her innermost thoughts and feelings. She finds it difficult to confide in people and trusts "paper more than people."

  3. What tells you that Anne loved her grandmother?

    Anne's love for her grandmother is evident when she mentions her grandmother's death in 1941, saying she still thought of her and missed her. She also dedicates a special "candle" in her memory during her birthday celebration, indicating deep affection and remembrance.

  4. What does Anne write in her first essay?

    In her first essay, "A Chatterbox," Anne writes a convincing argument that talking is a student's trait and that she got it from her mother, who was also a great talker. She argued that you couldn't do much about inherited traits.

  5. Anne says teachers are most unpredictable. Is Mr. Keesing unpredictable? How?

    Yes, Mr. Keesing is unpredictable. He initially seems strict and annoyed by Anne's talkativeness, giving her extra essays as punishment. However, after reading her clever and humorous essays, especially the last one, he changes his attitude. He laughs, allows her to talk, and even starts making jokes himself, which is an unpredictable shift from his initial behavior.

II. Oral Comprehension Check (Page 52)

  1. What did Mr. Keesing ask Anne to do?

    Mr. Keesing asked Anne to write an essay on the subject "A Chatterbox" as punishment for talking too much in class.

  2. How did Anne justify her being a chatterbox in her essay?

    Anne justified her being a chatterbox by arguing that talking is a student's trait and that she does her best to control it. However, since her mother was also a great talker, she concluded that she inherited the trait and therefore could not do much about it.

  3. What was Mr. Keesing's reaction to Anne's arguments?

    Mr. Keesing was amused by Anne's arguments in her first essay. He laughed at her reasoning. When she continued to talk, he gave her a second essay. His reaction to the third essay, written in verse, was even more positive; he found it hilarious and changed his approach towards her, allowing her to talk and even sharing jokes.

III. Thinking about the Text (Page 53)

  1. Was Anne right when she said that the world would not be interested in the musings of a thirteen-year-old girl?

    No, Anne was definitely not right. Her diary became one of the most widely read books in the world, translated into numerous languages. It offers a unique and personal insight into the lives of Jews during the Holocaust, making her observations incredibly valuable and universally compelling. Her musings, far from being uninteresting, have resonated with millions globally.

  2. There are some examples of diary or journal entries in your literature books. What are the characteristics of a diary entry?

    Characteristics of a diary entry include:

    • It is usually written in the first person ("I").
    • It is dated, often including the day, month, and year.
    • It often begins with a salutation to the diary itself (e.g., "Dear Kitty,").
    • It is informal and personal, expressing thoughts, feelings, observations, and daily events.
    • It can be reflective, introspective, and emotional.
    • It does not follow a strict narrative structure; it can jump between topics.
    • It often includes subjective opinions and interpretations of events.

  3. Why was Mr. Keesing annoyed with Anne? What did he do to punish her?

    Mr. Keesing was annoyed with Anne because she talked too much in class. To punish her, he assigned her extra homework: first an essay on "A Chatterbox," then a second on "An Incorrigible Chatterbox," and finally a third, humorous essay on "Quack, Quack, Quack, Said Mistress Chatterbox."

  4. How did Anne justify her presence in the classroom?

    Anne justified her presence in the classroom and her talkative nature by arguing that talking is a student's trait and that she inherited it from her mother, who was also a great talker. She humorously suggested that it was a hereditary trait that she couldn't easily change, implying that the teacher should be understanding.

  5. Do you think Mr. Keesing was a strict teacher?

    Initially, Mr. Keesing appears strict because he punishes Anne for talking by giving her extra essays. However, his willingness to engage with her witty responses, his eventual laughter, and his decision to allow her to talk afterwards, suggest that he was not overly strict but rather a fair and open-minded teacher who appreciated intelligence and humor.



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