Class 10 . English . First Flight . From the Diary of Anne Frank
Chapter 4: From The Diary Of Anne Frank
Ch 4
English
Class 10
Lecture 1
Reference video · Lecture 1Anne’ s Feeling About Writing A Diary
Anne’ s Feeling About Writing A Diary
Background
- Anne Frank (12 June 1929–1945) was a German-born Jewish girl who wrote her diary while in hiding in Amsterdam during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands.
- Hiding: Anne’s family went into hiding in July 1942 in rooms in her father Otto Frank’s office building, along with four other people.
- Fate: After about two years, the group was betrayed and sent to concentration camps. Anne died of typhus at Bergen-Belsen, within days of her sister Margot.
- After the war: Otto Frank, the only survivor of the group, returned to Amsterdam and found that Anne’s diary had been saved. He arranged its publication as *The Diary of a Young Girl*.
- The diary: Given to Anne for her thirteenth birthday, it records her life from 12 June 1942 to 1 August 1944 and was translated into many languages.
Types of Personal Records
| Record | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Journal | A book with a separate space or page for each day to record thoughts, feelings or daily events. |
| Diary | A full record of a journey, period of time or event, written every day. |
| Log | An usually official record of events, with their times and dates. |
| Memoirs | A record of a person’s own life and experiences, usually written by someone notable. |
Why Anne Begins Writing
- A strange experience: Anne has never written before and wonders whether anyone will care about a thirteen-year-old schoolgirl’s thoughts.
- A need to express herself: She wants to write and needs to get her feelings off her chest.
- Paper as a listener: When she feels low and lonely, she thinks that paper has more patience than people.
- A missing confidante: Anne has loving parents, a sister, a home and many friends, but no one with whom she can share her deepest thoughts.
- Kitty: Anne decides to address the diary as a close friend named Kitty, rather than record facts in an ordinary way.
Anne Frank
- Reflective: She recognises the difference between having friends and having a true confidante.
- Honest: She openly admits her loneliness and uncertainty about writing.
- Imaginative: She turns her diary into an imagined friend called Kitty.
Theme
Loneliness and Self-Expression
The diary offers Anne a patient, private space to express thoughts she cannot share in ordinary friendships.
Word meanings
- Listless
- Having little energy or interest.
- Confide
- To share private thoughts with someone trusted.
- Brooding
- Thinking deeply, often sadly or anxiously.
Why does Anne find writing in a diary a strange experience?
Answer: She has never written before and doubts that anyone will be interested in the thoughts of a thirteen-year-old girl.
Why does Anne want to keep a diary?
Answer: She needs a private place to express her feelings because she has no true friend with whom she can share her deepest thoughts.
Why does Anne think she can confide more in her diary than in people?
Answer: She sees paper as more patient than people, and the diary gives her a private space to share her thoughts.
Quick recap
- Anne Frank was born on 12 June 1929 and went into hiding with her family in Amsterdam in July 1942.
- The group was betrayed after about two years; Anne died of typhus at Bergen-Belsen, and Otto Frank was the only survivor.
- Otto found Anne’s diary saved and arranged its publication; it records 12 June 1942 to 1 August 1944.
- A journal, diary, log and memoir each refer to a different kind of personal record.
- Anne finds writing strange, but needs a place to express feelings she cannot share with friends.
- She imagines the diary as a trusted friend and names it Kitty.
Lecture 2
Reference video · Lecture 2A Brief Sketch Of Anne’s life
A Brief Sketch Of Anne’s life
Anne's family and childhood
- Anne gives some background so readers can understand the stories she writes to Kitty.
- Her father married her mother, Edith Hollander Frank, when he was 36 and she was 25. Margot was born in Frankfurt in 1926; Anne was born there on 12 June 1929.
- Anne lived in Frankfurt until she was four. In 1933, her father moved to Holland; her mother joined him in September.
- Anne and Margot stayed with their grandmother in Aachen. Margot went to Holland in December, and Anne followed in February, arriving as a birthday present for Margot.
School, grandmother, and the diary
- Anne began at a Montessori nursery school and stayed until age six, when she entered the first form.
- In the sixth form, her teacher was Mrs Kuperus, the headmistress. They both cried when they said farewell at the end of the year.
- Anne's grandmother became ill and had an operation in summer 1941, so Anne's birthday was celebrated only a little.
- Her grandmother died in January 1942. Anne continued to think of and love her; a candle was lit for her at Anne's 1942 birthday celebration.
- Anne says her family of four is doing well and dates the diary dedication to 20 June 1942.
Anne Frank
- Reflective: gives readers background before beginning her diary entries.
- Affectionate: describes her father warmly and remembers her grandmother with lasting love.
- Sensitive: shares her emotional farewell with Mrs Kuperus and the sadness surrounding her grandmother's death.
Theme
Family love and remembrance
Anne's account shows the importance of family bonds. Her memories and the candle lit for her grandmother express her continuing love.
Word meanings
- plunked down
- Put down casually or suddenly.
Why does Anne provide a brief sketch of her life?
Answer: She gives readers the background they need to understand the stories she writes to Kitty.
What tells you that Anne loved her grandmother?
Answer: Anne says she still thinks of and loves her grandmother. She also has a candle lit for her at the 1942 birthday celebration.
Quick recap
- Anne shares her background to help readers understand her diary stories to Kitty.
- Anne was born in Frankfurt on 12 June 1929; her sister Margot was born in 1926.
- Their mother was Edith Hollander Frank; the family moved from Germany to Holland in 1933, while Anne and Margot first stayed with their grandmother in Aachen.
- Anne attended a Montessori school and was deeply moved by her farewell to Mrs Kuperus.
- Her grandmother died in January 1942, but Anne continued to remember and love her.
- Anne dedicated her diary on 20 June 1942.
Lecture 3
Reference video · Lecture 3Anne At School
Anne At School
Waiting for the Results
- Anne’s class is anxious because teachers are deciding who will move to the next form and who will repeat the year.
- Some students bet on the results. Anne thinks many classmates may be held back, but she finds teachers unpredictable.
- Anne expects to pass, though she is uncertain about mathematics. She and her friends try to encourage one another.
The Chatterbox Essays
- Anne gets along with her nine teachers, but Mr Keesing, her mathematics teacher, is annoyed by her frequent talking.
- As punishment, he asks her to write essays titled “A Chatterbox” and then “An Incorrigible Chatterbox.”
- Anne argues that talking is a student’s trait and that her talkativeness is inherited from her mother, so it is difficult to change.
The Poem and Mr Keesing’s Response
- When Anne continues talking, Mr Keesing sets a third punishment: an essay called “Quack, Quack, Quack, Said Mistress Chatterbox.”
- With her friend Sanne’s help, Anne writes a humorous poem about a mother duck and a father swan whose three ducklings are bitten to death by the father for quacking too much.
- Mr Keesing enjoys the joke, reads the poem to the class and several other classes, and stops assigning Anne extra work. He now jokes with her.
Anne Frank
- Witty and imaginative: she turns Mr Keesing’s punishments into humorous writing.
- Confident and thoughtful: she gives a reasoned defence of her talkativeness.
- Sociable: she gets along with her teachers and works with Sanne on the poem.
Mr Keesing
- Initially strict about classroom talking: he gives Anne extra essay assignments.
- Has a sense of humour: he appreciates Anne’s poem and shares it with other classes.
- Good-natured and flexible: he later jokes with Anne and no longer punishes her for talking.
Theme
Humour and Understanding
Anne uses creativity and humour to respond to discipline. Mr Keesing’s amused reaction turns their conflict into a friendly understanding.
Word meanings
- Quaking in its boots
- Shaking with fear or nervousness.
- Old fogey
- An old-fashioned person.
- Ramble on
- Talk or write aimlessly for a long time.
- Convincing argument
- A reason or statement that is likely to persuade others.
- Inherited traits
- Qualities passed from parents to their children.
- Incorrigible
- Impossible or very difficult to correct.
- Ingenuity
- Originality and inventiveness.
Why was Mr Keesing annoyed with Anne, and what did he ask her to do?
Answer: He was annoyed because Anne talked too much in class. He assigned her extra essays as punishment, beginning with “A Chatterbox.”
How did Anne justify being a chatterbox?
Answer: She argued that talking was a student’s trait and that her talkativeness was inherited from her mother, making it hard to cure.
What made Mr Keesing allow Anne to talk in class?
Answer: Anne’s humorous poem about a mother duck and a father swan, whose three ducklings are bitten to death for quacking too much, amused him. He understood the joke and stopped assigning her extra work.
Quick recap
- Anne’s class anxiously awaits the teachers’ decisions about promotion to the next form.
- Anne expects to pass but is unsure about mathematics.
- Mr Keesing punishes Anne’s frequent talking with three essay topics.
- Anne defends her talkativeness by linking it to an inherited family trait.
- With Sanne’s help, Anne writes a humorous poem about ducklings killed by their father for quacking too much.
- Mr Keesing enjoys the poem, and their relationship becomes friendlier.
Lecture 4
Reference video · Lecture 4Amanda! (Poem)
Amanda! (Poem)
Amanda!
1Don’t bite your nails, Amanda!
2Don’t hunch your shoulders, Amanda!
3Stop that slouching and sit up straight,
4Amanda!
- An adult corrects Amanda’s habits and posture.
- The repeated instructions suggest close supervision.
5(There is a languid, emerald sea,
6where the sole inhabitant is me—
7a mermaid, drifting blissfully.)
- Amanda imagines herself alone as a mermaid in a calm, green sea.
- Her fantasy offers escape and freedom from instructions.
8Did you finish your homework, Amanda?
9Did you tidy your room, Amanda?
10I thought I told you to clean your shoes,
11Amanda!
- The adult reminds Amanda of her homework and household tasks.
- The questioning tone adds to the sense that she is constantly monitored.
12(I am an orphan, roaming the street.
13I pattern soft dust with my hushed, bare feet.
14The silence is golden, the freedom is sweet.)
- Amanda imagines being an orphan who can wander alone.
- She values the silence and freedom of this imagined life.
15Don’t eat that chocolate, Amanda!
16Remember your acne, Amanda!
17Will you please look at me when I’m speaking to you,
18Amanda!
- The adult warns Amanda about chocolate and her acne, then demands her attention.
- Amanda’s imagined worlds contrast with the adult’s repeated corrections.
19(I am Rapunzel, I have not a care;
20life in a tower is tranquil and rare;
21I’ll certainly never let down my bright hair!)
- Amanda imagines herself as Rapunzel, peaceful and free from worries.
- She rejects the familiar fairy-tale rescue by deciding not to lower her hair.
22Stop that sulking at once, Amanda!
23You’re always so moody, Amanda!
24Anyone would think that I nagged at you,
25Amanda!
- The adult calls Amanda sulky and moody, while denying that they nag.
- The final line highlights the gap between the adult’s view and Amanda’s experience.
Poetic Devices
| Device | Example | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Repetition | “Amanda!” at the ends of the adult’s instructions | Emphasises the adult’s constant calling and correcting. |
| Contrast | Adult’s commands versus Amanda’s imagined worlds | Shows the difference between control and the freedom Amanda longs for. |
| Imagery | “emerald sea”; “soft dust”; “bare feet” | Creates vivid pictures of Amanda’s peaceful fantasies. |
| Allusion | Mermaid and Rapunzel | Connects Amanda’s daydreams with figures from stories and fairy tales. |
Theme
Freedom and Control
The poem contrasts an adult’s repeated instructions with Amanda’s desire for quiet, independence and escape. Her daydreams suggest that constant nagging can make a child withdraw into imagination.
Word meanings
- languid
- Relaxed and unhurried.
- drifting
- Moving slowly and gently.
- pattern
- Make marks or designs.
- tranquil
- Calm and peaceful.
- hunch
- Bend the upper body forward.
- slouching
- Sitting or standing with a drooping posture.
- orphan
- A child whose parents have died.
- sulking
- Showing displeasure through silence or an unhappy manner.
Who is speaking to Amanda, and why are some stanzas in parentheses?
Answer: An adult, probably a parent or guardian, gives Amanda instructions. The parenthesised stanzas express Amanda’s private daydreams, which contrast with the adult’s words.
Why does Amanda imagine being an orphan or Rapunzel?
Answer: She longs for solitude and freedom from constant instructions. These imagined lives let her escape the restrictions she feels at home.
Is Amanda necessarily sulking in the final stanza?
Answer: Not necessarily. The adult calls her sulky, but the poem suggests she may simply be withdrawn in her own thoughts because of the constant nagging.
Quick recap
- An adult repeatedly corrects Amanda’s posture, chores, eating habits and attention.
- Amanda escapes the instructions through fantasies of being a mermaid, an orphan and Rapunzel.
- The parenthesised stanzas reveal Amanda’s thoughts rather than the adult’s voice.
- Amanda’s imagined worlds represent her wish for peace, privacy and independence.
- The poem contrasts adult control with a child’s desire for freedom.
Lecture 5
Reference video · Lecture 5Exercise
Exercise
Understanding Anne’s Diary
Why does Anne introduce her family, and how does she treat Kitty?
Answer: The family sketch gives Kitty context about Anne’s life. Anne treats Kitty as a trusted friend and confidante, not as an outsider. Anne’s diary was originally written in Dutch and is personal and reflective, rather than simply a record of facts.
What does Anne’s attitude to people and school reveal about her?
Answer: She is observant, affectionate, humorous, outspoken and self-aware. She admires her father, feels affection for her grandmother and Mrs Kuperus, and wants closer relationships. Her comments about Mr Keesing show her wit and confidence.
How does Anne respond to the subject Mr Keesing gives her?
Answer: Anne writes an essay on being a chatterbox and argues that talking is a student’s trait and difficult to control. She says she will make sure the joke is on Mr Keesing by giving convincing arguments. He is unpredictable: he repeatedly assigns her extra essays, then responds playfully to her humorous poem.
Compound Words
Definition
Compound word — A word formed by joining two or more words into one unit.
Types and examples
| Type | Examples |
|---|---|
| Nouns | headmistress, homework, notebook, outbursts |
| Adjectives | long-awaited, stiff-backed |
| Verbs | sleep-walk, baby-sit |
Meanings of selected compound words
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Heartbreaking | Causing great sadness |
| Homesick | Longing for home and family |
| Blockhead | An informal word for a very stupid person |
| Law-abiding | Obeying and respecting the law |
| Overdo | Do something to an excessive degree |
| Daydream | Think pleasantly while forgetting the present |
| Breakdown | A failure or stoppage of a vehicle or machine |
| Output | Something produced by a person, machine or organisation |
Phrasal Verbs
Definition
Phrasal verb — A verb combined with an adverb or preposition; some phrasal verbs have three parts—a verb, an adverb and a preposition—and the full phrase may have a special meaning.
Common phrasal verbs from the lesson
| Phrasal verb | Meaning |
|---|---|
| plunge in | Begin speaking or writing directly, without preparation |
| keep back | Prevent someone from moving to the next grade |
| move up | Advance to the next grade |
| ramble on | Speak or write at length without focus |
| get along with | Have a good relationship with someone |
| calm down | Become or make someone quieter |
| stay in | Remain indoors |
| make up for | Compensate for something |
| hand in | Submit work to someone in authority |
| get on | Succeed or make progress |
| run away with | Win easily |
| run out of | Have none left; three-part phrasal verb |
| reach out to | Make contact with or offer support to; three-part phrasal verb |
⚠ Common mistake
A phrasal verb’s meaning may not equal the meanings of its separate words; use the whole phrase in context.
Idioms
Definition
Idiom — A fixed expression whose meaning differs from the literal meanings of its individual words.
Idioms and meanings
| Expression | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Quaking in one’s boots | Very frightened |
| Lose heart | Become discouraged or lose hope |
| For ages | For a very long time |
| The joke was on him | The person who planned the joke became its target |
| Catch someone’s eye | Attract someone’s attention |
| Have had enough | Be unable or unwilling to tolerate more |
| Laugh oneself silly | Laugh a great deal |
| Can’t bring oneself to | Be unable to make oneself do something |
| Break somebody’s heart | Cause someone great emotional pain |
| Close or dear to heart | Very important or greatly loved |
| From the bottom of one’s heart | With complete sincerity |
| Have a heart | Show compassion |
| Have a heart of stone | Be cruel or unfeeling |
| One’s heart goes out to someone | Feel sympathy for someone |
Finding Idioms in a Dictionary
Dictionary lookup
- Look under the first meaningful word in the expression; ignore opening words such as “a” or “the.”
- Use the base form of an inflected word: look up “caught” under “catch.”
- Check the idiom list in the relevant dictionary entry.
Contracted Forms
Definition
Contracted form — A shortened form of words, marked with an apostrophe where letters have been omitted.
Examples and expansions
| Contracted form | Full form |
|---|---|
| can’t | cannot |
| I’ve | I have |
| she’s | she is |
| we’re | we are |
| didn’t | did not |
| I’d | I had or I would |
| he’d | he had or he would |
Using contractions
- Context determines whether a contraction such as “I’d” means “I had” or “I would.”
- Style: contractions are common in speech, diaries, plays and novels; avoid them in formal writing unless appropriate.
Diary Writing and Spoken Dialogue
Features of diary language
- Voice: Write as if speaking to someone, while expressing personal thoughts and feelings.
- Style: Keep entries brief and use vivid words that convey emotions and paint a picture.
- Sentence forms: Diaries may use subjectless sentences (“Got up late”) and fragments (“Too bad. Boring.”).
- Informality: Everyday expressions and contractions make diary writing sound natural.
Making dialogue sound natural
- Speech: Contracted forms can make written dialogue sound more like real conversation.
- Examples: “He is” becomes “he’s”; “you would” becomes “you’d”; “we will” becomes “we’ll”; “you have” becomes “you’ve.”
Listening: Samuel Pepys and the Great Fire of London
Key facts from the diary extract
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | September 2, 1666 |
| First report | Jane woke Pepys at about 3 a.m. to tell him of the fire. |
| Pepys’s first response | He thought the fire was far away and returned to bed. |
| Later news | By about 7 a.m., he heard that over 300 houses had burned and the fire was spreading along Fish Street by London Bridge. |
| Where he went | He walked to the Tower and viewed the fire from a high point with Sir J. Robinson’s young son. |
Quick recap
- Compound words combine two or more words and can function as nouns, adjectives or verbs.
- Phrasal verbs often have meanings that cannot be worked out from their separate parts; some have three parts: verb + adverb + preposition.
- Idioms have fixed forms and figurative meanings; look them up under a meaningful base word.
- Contractions use apostrophes and commonly occur in diaries, plays and informal speech.
- Diary writing is personal, concise and expressive, and may use fragments and conversational language.
- Pepys’s account records the Great Fire of London on September 2, 1666, and its spread near London Bridge.
English — ALL CHAPTERS
1
A Letter To God
2
Nelson Mandela Long Walk To Freedom
3
Two Stories About Flying
4
From The Diary Of Anne Frank
5
Glimpses Of India
6
Mijbil The Otter: Gavin Maxwell
7
Madam Rides The Bus
8
The Sermons At Benares
9
The Proposal
1
A Triumph of Surgery
2
The Thief’s Story
3
The Midnight Visitor
4
A Question of Trust
5
Footprints without Feet
6
The Making of a Scientist
7
The Necklace
8
Bholi
9
The Book That Saved the Earth