By Anika Bhasker
A life less ordinary and persons par excellence are always remembered no matter how long they live. Some people come and go without being noticed, no one remembers what they did because they are the crowd. While some people have an impact so great that they are remembered and talked, even when they have consigned to the pages of history.
Exuberant and sweet innocence flowing out of her eyes, the smile which was lively enough to awaken the dead who would have ever dreamt that this girl would write words that will shake this world in entirety.
The diary of Anne Frank is the book, which hits you with full force. How would it feel living under a constant fear, then one day, your entire life could be gone? Today we often get irritated over minor things. But what of this young girl, who finds her dream breaking away? You feel depressed, that such a lovely young girls lifes being shattered. Yet at the same time you are inspired by her courage to face life as it comes. She does not go into self pity; she faces death with a tremendous sense of equanimity.
Anne Frank was a brave Jewish-German girl who went into hiding during the Holocaust. As the persecutions began, her father was forced to hide his family in an annexe of rooms above his office in Amsterdam. They were joined by another family, the Van Daans and Mr Dussel.
It is during their stay there that Anne discovered the joys of confiding in her diary. The diary became her best friend and emotional anchor through the turbulent period. Anne poured out her heart to the diary about her life. It is only the diary that she trusted because in the cloistered environment, she did not feel comfortable sharing her thoughts with another person.
Her writings tell us about the nature of the house members. Instead of concentrating on the behaviour of these people, Anne focuses on the real people behind the external facade. Although she gets to see the death at close quarters, Anne tries her best to avoid getting depressed and writes, as if the tragedies around her were a part of a horrible dream that would get over soon.
In her diary she explains about her liking towards Peter, the Van Daans son. Peter appears to be an introverted soul in whom Anne discovers a kindred spirit. She starts to spend time with him and begins to understand how both of them are much same.
The diary reveals her frustration on being misunderstood by her parents. There is also a good amount of anger that Anne feels towards her mother because of her mothers indifferent nature. A lot of her writing essentially relates to isolation, teenage angst, her fears of being discovered and her hopes and dreams for the future in a free world.
She also had an imaginative bent of mind. One of her fondest dreams was that, one day someone would find her diary and she would become world famous. Ironically this wish of hers became true but she was no longer alive to see it when it happened. After being in hiding for nearly two years, their whereabouts were revealed and Annes family was deported to a concentration camp. Anne died there.
Anne Frank made the last entry in her diary on August 1, 1944. In 1947, the first Dutch edition appeared. Since then the diary has been published in many languages.
To survive for 25 months in a cramped hiding, with the constant fear of being discovered, is a harrowing way to live. Even today, her writings continue to inspire and astonish people and serve as a poignant reminder of the horrors of war and violence. Its a book worth reading.
A book which touches the heart and soul, Anne Franks diary is one book thatll take you through all; the experiences of her life, making you cry and smile at times. I salute Anne Frank for standing out from the rest of the world and portraying her feeling to her best friend, her diary.
The author is a first year student at the esteemed Shri Ram College of Commerce, and is pursuing Bachelors with Honors in Commerce under the FYUP (sigh!). Her interests vary greatly from Indian classical dancing to reading all kinds of literature. She likes to think of herself as a socially aware person. Loves movies and TV shows. Catch up with her at anikabhasker@gmail.com