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Anne Frank vs. Dolley Madison

by Paige from San Mateo

www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php
 

Trust. Everyone needs to feel trust at some point in their life. Anne Frank was a teenage girl during the Holocaust, and her need for trust in such a cramped place full of people she wasn't the closest with, was often expressed in her diary to her imaginary friend Kitty. However, Dolley Madison was one of the US's first ladies, and was loved and trusted by many people. When the British set fire to the White House, Dolley sent many letters to her sister, which was her way of finding trust in a very life changing and chaotic time. No one ever handles life altering events the exact same way.

 (clio.missouristate.edu)
(clio.missouristate.edu)

Unlike Dolley Madison, Anne Frank dealt with her life altering event by writing in her diary. In her diary, she wrote to her imaginary friend Kitty. It was her substitute for confiding in a friend. "I have two things to confess to you today, which will take a long time. But I must tell someone and you are the best one to tell, as I know that, come what may, you always keep a secret."(pg 128 of "The Diary of Anne Frank") Writing to Kitty kept Anne very calm and collected when faced with the everyday troubles and worries of living in a very small space with seven other people. Seven other people who were constantly stressing about the same things as Anne. Anne dealt with the holocaust through words in her diary.

On the other hand, Dolley Madison was very popular and loved in her society. She dealt with the burning of the White House by talking and sending letters to others. Dolley was very outgoing and loved others, and obviously felt that any problem could be helped with the advice of loved ones. "And now, dear sister, I must leave this house or the retreating army will make me a prisoner in it by filling up the road I am directed to take."(http://www.great-quotes.com/quotes/author/Dolley/Madison) Dolley had managed to stay grounded around the time of the fire by letting in on all the details of the event to her sister. Dolley learned to deal with the fire through conversations with loved ones.

Both of these people were able to seek out and find trust in their lives some way or another. Anne wrote in her diary and Dolley Madison talked to close family members and friends. The two ladies were very similar in that they both grew up happily and safely, they both found at least one love in their life, and spent a lot of their life surrounded by family. But, they were also very different as well. Although the two were both well-born, Anne had very quickly lost all that good-fortune as soon as the Holocaust began. For Dolley, her life was able to resume peacefully after the fire of the White House had been extinguished and the British had left.

No matter how similar or close two people are, they won't handle a life altering event the exact same way. These two people had very different life fates, and events happen to them. Anne's was much less fortunate in the end than Dolley's. But, they both died in peace. Dolley had died surrounded by loved ones, and Anne died feeling peaceful and knowing that it was her time to go. Both women are heroes of modern society for their perseverance, positive outlooks, bubbly personalities and mental strength. "Good things come to those who wait." (An old English phrase, unknown source) Anne and Dolley, both found peace before they had to go.

Page created on 3/15/2011 12:00:00 AM

Last edited 8/25/2021 4:15:26 PM

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