Anne Frank

Six million Jews, both adults and children, had died during the Holocaust merely because they did not fit the "perfect" image of a German. One of those children being a 13 year old girl named Anne Frank. Frank stands out of those millions of people because she had kept a diary with her in which she has recorded her vivid experiences that had happened during this period. Within her diary, Frank depicts a more serious side to her. Her diary holds her dearest secrets and feelings. Anne Frank is one of the most discussed teenage holocaust victims. Nazis take over most of Holland causing Frank and her family to leave their home in Amsterdam to go straight into hiding. For two years, the Franks and another family live together in the "Secret Annex" of her father's old office building. Together, the two families must face their fears of being captured and living in a confined area.

To earn the title of being a hero, you should possess the qualities of being courageous and having a positive attitude. Courageous because that even though it will risk your life, you're willing to continue on with what you're doing. Having a positive attitude can always lessen down the pressure of things. Anne figured that being mad and negative you slowly start to become distant from enjoying the little things in life. What makes Anne a hero is that she was always positive about most things even when she was going through a difficult time. Even at a young age, Frank knew that she had to be brave. She had always kept her hopes up. Despite suddenly moving, especially with another family, Frank still looked on to the brighter side.

In the middle of a dangerous war, Anne and her family stay quietly hidden in the old office building in the attic. They hear news that more people are being taken away by the dozen, but they still manage to believe that they will make it through and survive. Stuck in a room, Frank begins to write in her journal. Most of the time, she would write in her journal, hoping that one day, when the holocaust was over, she would get her diary published so she could share with the world her experiences during this time. "In 1942, after receiving a diary for her 13th birthday, Anne wrote about how the Netherlands had changed after the Nazis took over, "Jews were forbidden to ride in cars, even their own... Jews were forbidden to be out on the streets between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m.; Jews were forbidden to attend theaters, movies, or any other forms of entertainment.... Jews were forbidden to visit Christians in their homes." (Current Events) This quote was written during the beginning of the holocaust. Frank states that being a Jew, you had most of your rights taken away. She wasn't able to do much and was forbidden to do many things that normal people could do. Her experiences with these types of problems make me wonder how she could possibly put up with these types of rules. While in hiding, the Franks still had to know what was happening outside. Using a radio, they were able to discover that maybe they will make throughout this war and survive. "Every day I feel that I am developing inwardly, that the liberation is drawing nearer and how beautiful nature is, how good the people are about me, how interesting this adventure is! Why, then, should I be in despair? "(Frank). She keeps looking towards the bright side. Frank is a very open-minded girl. Instead of being ungrateful for the life she has, she twists things around to make her life seem more of an 'adventure' than a life or death problem. Anne's ability to keep positive is very difficult thing to do especially with the situation she is dealing with. Constantly having to be quiet and sharing a terribly small room with another family, her being positive in life motivates me to be thankful for the life that I have.

At any second, Frank and her family could be discovered and taken away, but Frank still looks on the brighter side. Even when things around her became very depressing, she still keeps a positive attitude. "What I'm experiencing here is a good beginning to an interesting life, and that's the reason--the only reason--why I have to laugh at the humorous side of the most dangerous moments... I'm young and strong and living through a big adventure."(Frank) Frank knows that what's happening to her now will affect the way she will live afterwards. She knows that both she and her family will either make it through the war by either hiding or by being discovered which is why she keeps trying to make the best out of everything. I would make this one of her best qualities for making her a hero. No matter how bad the situation gets, Frank still keeps that positive attitude of hers. "In spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart" (Frank). This quote is one of Anne's most famous lines. Through all that she has been through, she believes and sees the good in people. I think it takes a lot of understanding and patience to see things the way Anne did. Not everyone is very generous with giving second chances. Although, for her age she seemed to be a very mature girl, but I think that with all the horrible events happening, she learns to appreciate what she has and to not take it for granted. Her diary reveals that living with another family was quite frustrating but she learned to just accept the fact that although they sometimes get on her nerves, she will just have to put up with it.

With the help of Anne's diary, we can get a better understanding of what her experiences were and what she thought of them while in the holocaust. Being at a young age and having to go through a series of events that is beyond her control is a hard thing to accept. Forced to hide so suddenly and saying goodbye to a life that is gone forever, is probably one of the hardest things that any person would have to go through. Frank is an inspiration to not only me, but others around the world because of how she had faced the horrors of the holocaust. When she had everything taken away from her, she never thought negatively. Being able to live during the holocaust, I find that it takes a whole lot of strength and courage to try to get through it. Her courage and strength to keep her moving forward is truly something very inspiring.