Section Nine: April 27, 1944 through August 1, 1944
Summary:
Anne is reading a number of history books; she discusses them in detail in her diary. She and Peter are more emotionally intimate than ever, but Anne admits with disappointment that she could never marry him; he "hasn't enough character yet." She and Peter agree that she should discuss their relationship with her father. She does, and her father says that it is not a good idea for them to carry on a relationship in the house. Anne, he says, must be the one to show restraint as she is the woman. Meanwhile Dussel has apologized to the Van Daans.
Anne despairs about the war, wondering what the point of it all is. She thinks that "the little man is just as guilty" as the big politicians and businessmen, because "otherwise the peoples of the world would have risen in revolt a long time ago!" Despite her despair, she is confident that the invasion is coming soon. Her father reprimands her for going upstairs too often; in return she writes him a letter. In the letter she explains that she has been tormented by loneliness since she moved into the annex and hinting that he did nothing to help her with her loneliness. They have a long talk and her father is very upset. Anne feels ashamed and vows to improve her character.
Anne tells her diary her parents' biographies. Both Mr. and Mrs. Frank came from rich families and tell grand stories about wealth and privilege. "One could certainly not call us rich now," Anne says, "but all my hopes are pinned on after the war." She then writes again about her desire to be a famous writer and mentions that she wants to publish a book called "The Secret Annex"; she expects her diary to be of great help to her in this regard.
Her father's birthday comes and goes; the Franks have been married nineteen years. On May 20, Mr. Frank loses five bottles of yogurt to Mrs. Van Daan. They had made a bet regarding the date of the invasion. Anne contemplates the differences of Dutch and English responsibilit, and notes with disappointment that anti-Semitism has grown among the Dutch population. She wonders why people feel this way, "is the Jew once again worth less than another?" Their vegetable man is arrested for hiding Jews in his attic, another blow. Fresh fears bloom among the residents. Anne wonders if it would not have been better for all of them to have not gone into hiding, "if we were all dead now and not going through this misery."
On June 6, the D-Day invasion finally comes. This excites everyone and Anne dares to wonder if they might be liberated that year, 1944. Margot says that she and Anne may be able to go back to school in September. Anne records new developments in the invasion with great excitement. Her fifteenth birthday passes, and she is feeling happier. She talks about her relationship with Peter, noting that although they are not like lovers they have a deep emotional bond. She also writes about her love for nature; wondering if she feels the pull of the clouds and the trees so strongly because she cannot go outside.
The invasion goes along well, even though for three weeks the troops have been operating in heavy rains. Anne is concerned about Peter; she believes him "weak" and notes that it is very difficult to be completely in someone's confidence. She then thanks God for her own strength of character, and is grateful that, unlike Peter, she feels religion deeply. July 15 is another important entry; Anne goes in-depth about herself and what she believes. She talks about her parents and admits that she has pushed her father away from her. She also says, that it's "really a wonder that I haven't dropped all my ideals, because they seem so absurd and so impossible to carry out." She keeps them, she says, "because in spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart."
The war continues to turn in the Allies' favor. On July 21, Anne writes that an attempt has been made on Hitler's life by a German general. In her last entry, on August 1, Anne talks again about how there are "two Annes," the public Anne and the private Anne. She wonders what she could be like "if...there weren't any other people living in the world."
Analysis:
The end of the book is all the more devastating because of the war developments and Anne's optimism. The invasion finally comes, and it is a smashing success. Further evidence that the Germans are losing their hold comes with the assassination attempt. Even the German people, it seems, no longer believe in Hitler's dream.
Anne grows by leaps and bounds during this final section of the book. She develops the ability to see others clearly. Her father, for example, is no longer a man who neglects her emotions. Instead, he is a fully-fleshed man, with weaknesses and strengths, and a fine character. She also scrutinizes Peter anew. No longer is he the sweet boy with whom Anne is hopelessly infatuated. He is weak, lacking energy, and short on character. Anne admits to herself that he is not what she would like him to be. Her love for him cools, especially after she has the argument with her father.
Much comment has been made about the final entries of Anne's diary. Many people champion the sentiments Anne says about believing in man's innate goodness and cherishing her ideals. This is remarkable since Anne was never in a position to have her ideals tested, and it is not until her family is captured that she may really have had the opportunity to question the nature of man. This does not detract from the power of Anne's sentiments, instead it shows how mercifully preserved her innocence was until the unfortunate fact of her capture.
The reason why Anne's diary is still read today is because Anne is fully human--foibles and all. Commenting on the expanded version of Anne's Diary, David B. Green notes that the new version "presents a more cynical and critical Anne, but considering her age and the conditions she was living under, this only makes her more sympathetic." As an example, Anne's comment that her diary could have been called "The Musings of an Ugly Duckling" shows her intelligence, vulnerability, and fragile sense of self--her humanity, after all.
