QUESTIONS

1. When and why does Anne receive her diary?
2. One of the first things Anne says in her diary is that "paper is patient." Infer why this statement is important to how Anne perceives her diary and what she writes in it.
3. Why does Anne choose to write to a fictional friend named Kitty, rather than just writing down her thoughts? How do you think that writing a letter, even to someone who isn't real, changes the tone of what Anne shares?
4. Summarize some of the anti-Jewish laws that were put in place after after Germany invaded the Netherlands.
5. Explain the irony in Anne writing an essay about her excessive chattiness. How does this history of writing and examining her own feelings translate to her need to express herself in her diary?
6. Assess why Harry's grandparents would not like him attending the Zionist Movement meetings.
7. Explain how the Frank family prepares to go into hiding.
8. Who helps the Franks while they are in hiding? Why is it important to have outside help?
9. Anne gives a fairly detailed description of the Annex, how it's laid out, and where rooms are located. After the description, however, there is also a floor plan included. What is the purpose of adding the floor plan to what you already know about the layout of the Annex?
10. Contrast Mrs. Frank and Margot's reactions of going into hiding with those of Mr. Frank and Anne.
11. Think about how Anne describes her relationship with her mother. How do the differences you examined in question #10 foreshadow what we later learn about Anne's relationship with her mother?
12. Formulate one way the Franks have tried to keep life as close to normal as possible in the Annex.
13. How does Mrs. Van Daan act at the beginning of their time in hiding? Infer what these actions tell about her character.
14. Infer why the Franks left their home in disarray with an address written on a notepad.
15. Examine Anne's relationship with Peter. How is this relationship different from her relationships with other people in the Annex?
16. Analyze what Anne means when she says, "Hitler took away our nationality a long time ago."