The Diary of a Young Girl

Consider The Diary of a Young Girl as a historical primary source. Describe three insights you believe it gives about life during World War II and the Holocaust. Do you think diaries overall are reliable historical sources? Be sure to give specifics.

The published version of Anne Frank’s diary is not a “pure” reproduction of the journal. Instead, it has been revised by Anne herself. How do you think this affects the book? Do you believe it still gives reliable insights into Anne’s thoughts?

Imagine that one of the other Secret Annex residents is writing their own journal. Write a fictional entry in which they respond to an incident or conversation that involved them or Anne (for example, one of the arguments between Anne and Edith Frank, or one of Peter’s conversations with Anne).

Discuss at least two ways in which Anne changes as a person and two ways her relationships with others change throughout the diary. Be sure to include textual evidence to support your examples.

How did the experiences of World War II and anti-Semitism change Anne Frank and her thoughts and beliefs? Do you agree with her assessment that life in the Secret Annex made her more independent and mature? Or was her development just part of growing older?

Why does Anne start writing her diary? How does her motive for writing the diary change over time?

Name three ways that Anne and the other Secret Annex residents coped with their situation and the fear they lived under. Why do you think they resorted to these tactics as opposed to others? Provide specific examples.

Analyze one element of Anne’s writing style, such as how she describes political events and the war, how she describes other people, or how she writes about herself and her experiences. How would you describe that element of her style? How does it add to the diary’s overall narrative?