Anne Frank

"I don't want to have lived in vain like most people. I want to be useful or bring enjoyment to all people, even those I've never met. I want to go on living even after my death!" (Anne Frank). These words come from a young Jewish girl named Anne Frank whose spirit will remain in this world, therefore, continue to change present and future generations. Anne Frank was born on June 12, 1929 in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. "However, [Anne] Frank was born on the eve of dramatic changes in German society that would soon disrupt her family's happy, tranquil life as well as the lives of all other German Jews"(Biography Channel). Around the time Anne was already four years old, Adolf Hitler had begun to influence the country of Germany with discrimination and injustice towards millions of Jewish people. "On June 12, 1942, [Anne's] Frank's parents gave her a red checkered diary for her 13th birthday"(Biography Channel). She continuously wrote entries about living in the Secret Annex which is where the Frank family hid themselves with family friends such as the Van Daan family and Fritz Pfeffer. "Anne Frank (1929-1945) achieved world fame after her death from typhus in March 1945 in the Nazi concentration camp Bergen-Belsen through the publication of her diary in which she described the lives of eight Jews in hiding in the city of Amsterdam between June 1942 and August 1944" (Encyclopedia of World Biography). Her diary reveals a normal teenager's thoughts about life during war and captures the attention of millions. Consequently, the diary marked the beginning of a change for the mindsets of people around the world. Through her incredible knack in writing, Anne exhibits courage to battle the detrimental effects of the Holocaust and her uplifting, optimistic attitude during dark times that enlightens many throughout the world.

Anne was restricted from the outside world, but her ability to stay sane and endure this confinement shows courage in her heart. People may define courage as acting risky and bold, but Anne's words display her fortitude throughout the Holocaust. "I must become good through my own efforts, without example and without good advice. Then later on I shall be all the stronger...in spite of everything, and find my own way through it all, and swallow my tears" (Anne Frank (November 7, 1942)). During that perilous era, Anne learned that she must seek her way through a life that was revolved around the execution of Jews.  She had to face the cold truth of what her world was becoming by bearing it with pure acceptance and without letting herself be discouraged.  There were times when "...the residents of the annex [were] are kept awake by air raids. Several times, break-ins at the business downstairs cause[ed] them to be especially fearful that they will be found and captured. Besides the possibility that the burglars will find them and turn them in for a bounty, they also fear[ed] that the police will discover them when they investigate the crimes" (Joan Hope). Anne had fear living within her for two years. When the horrifying thought of being found engulfed her mind, she was able to withstand it and learned how to mask that fear by writing. Knowing the police could come to arrest them any minute was a usual anticipation, but she did not see it as an excuse for hopelessness to interrupt her and her writing. Anne dealt with numerous times of sadness and doubt, but she stood her ground. By demonstrating the strength to move forward in a time of despair, Anne was capable of showing readers worldwide that she possesses courage.             

         Although Anne lived in a time filled with tragic deaths and the incessant fear of being found, she still maintained her optimistic attitude. A day during the Holocaust is a day not worth reliving, but Anne looks past the dreadfulness. "I don't think of all the misery, but of the beauty that still remains..." (Anne Frank). Anne is referring to the many Jews who suffered from Hitler's discriminating power that reigned over Germany. Despite the crucial behavior towards many Jews, Anne erases the ugliness of it from her mind and pays attention to things that make life more blissful. She did not want to dwell on the pain and torture; instead she replaced those negative feelings with thoughts of happiness. In many of her other diary entries, she wrote with hopes of the world she lived in to be rid of despair. Symbolically she writes, "I hear the ever approaching thunder, which will destroy us too, I can feel the sufferings of millions and yet, if I look up into the heavens, I think that it will all come right, that this cruelty too will end, and that peace and tranquility will return again" (Anne Frank (July 15, 1944)). Being a Jew herself, Anne knows the kind of torture and regulations that Jewish citizens lived by under Hitler's reign. Despite the intolerance that circled around Germany, Anne saw through it with contentment. The thought of a brighter future for her country lingered and she hoped for a change to be made, a change that would turn people's lives and her own life into something worth living for. Looking back at the horrific Holocaust, sustaining a healthy attitude seems impossible. An ordinary person would allow themselves to be swallowed by their own somber feelings, but Anne is quite the opposite of an ordinary person. She managed to turn the bad side of things around with her unbeatable optimism, which encourages many people to live with a positive mindset.

  Ultimately, Anne is a person of tenacity, incredible feats, and inspiration. Writing was her way of coping with the disastrous ways of the Nazi's, Hitler's unfair rules, and limitations. Sadness was all around her, but she always illuminated the significant things in life that made her full of joy. "The cheerfulness of Anne's writing in such dangerous circumstances, as well as her sensitivity and talent to describe difficult circumstances and the tragedy of her short life, made her diary an instant success" (Encyclopedia of World Biography). "The diary was first published in 1947 and has been translated into more than 60 languages. It became an international best seller and one of the most stirring documents to come out of the Holocaust, the systematic Nazi campaign to murder Jews" (World Book Student). The way Anne leaves a positive note upon each entry and sees the hardships of the many people suffering while still pushing forward is a triumph that will continue to be recognized. From reading her diary entries, I believe she holds the power to change people mentally. The positive attitude she has towards all of the despair inspires me to live on the bright side. She teaches me and other readers how to not dwell on negative things that would prevent anyone from being satisfied with a life full of great possibilities. "Everyone has inside of him a piece of good news. The good news is that you don't know how great you can be! How much you can love! What you can accomplish! And what your potential is!" (Anne Frank). There is enthusiasm embedded in her words and it shows the unbeatable effort she made to mentally survive the Holocaust while she gives hope for a better future. Anne became "a human voice to the unfathomable horrors of the Holocaust" (Joan Hope) and is now able to be heard and be an inspiration for children and adults throughout the world. Many people who did not witness the Holocaust may not be able to relate to Anne's experience as a Holocaust victim, but her insight on the situation has become useful throughout the world. People now have a better understanding of the dark past that is enlivened with Anne's tremendous charisma. Without her diary, her optimistic attitude and her courage, the world would be lacking a light that could shine through the darkness. Even after her death, her name will continue to live on forever as her spirit gives joy to the people reminding them of the hero she truly is.

      Works Cited

"Anne Frank." 2013.The Biography Channel website. Mar 21 2013, 07:49 http://www.biography.com/people/anne- frank-9300892

"Anne Frank." Encyclopedia of World Biography. Detroit: Gale, 1998. Biography In Context. Web. 21 Mar. 2013      

"Diary of Anne Frank." World Book Student. World Book, 2013. Web. 22 Mar. 2013.

Frank, Anne. Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl. New York: Bantam, 1993. Print.

Hope, Joan, and Hope Joan. "Anne Frank." Magill'S Survey Of World Literature, Revised Edition (2009): 1. Biography Reference Center. Web. 21 Mar. 2013.. 2013