NAME:________________________________________________________________________________________________
The Diary of Anne Frank by Goodrich and Hackett:
A Close Reading Activity
Look closely at Act 1 of the play. Pay attention to the stage directions. Answer the following
questions in short answer format (topic sentence, concrete detail, commentary, closing
sentence) when an example is necessary. If not, answer in complete sentences.
1) Why is flashback an effective technique to pull an audience into a play? What is learned
in the first part of the scene? Use an example from the text.
2) Why would Mr. Frank want to burn the writing? Use your knowledge of the
circumstances to imagine why Mr. Frank would want these old papers burned.
3) Why might reading the writing, particularly the diary, bring him comfort after the war?
4) Why are the characters shown as they are in the opening scene (Mr. Frank frail and old,
Miep pregnant) and then shown differently during the bulk of the play?
5) Describe Anne’s relationship with each member of the Annex and use a specific example
from the text that shows that relationship:
Mr. Frank:
Mrs. Frank:
Margot:
Mr. van Daan/van Pels:
Mrs. van Daan/van Pels:
Peter:
Mr. Dussel/Pfeffer:
6) Describe each character and use an example from the text to support your answer:
Character
Mr. Frank
Mrs. Frank
Personality Traits
Example from text
Character
Margot:
Mr. van Daan/van Pels
Mrs. van Daan/van Pels
Peter:
Mr. Dussel/Pfeffer
Personality Trait
Example from Text
Read the following excerpt from Act 1 Scene 3:
Dussel (rising). Mr. Van Daan, you don’t realize what is happening outside that you should warn me of a thing like that. You don’t realize what’s
going on. . . . (As MR. VAN DAAN starts his characteristic pacing, DUSSEL turns to speak to the others.) Right here in Amsterdam every day
hundreds of Jews disappear.... They surround a block and search house by house. Children come home from school to find their parents gone.
Hundreds are being deported . . . people that you and I know . . . the Hallensteins . . . the Wessels . . .
Mrs. Frank (in tears). Oh, no. No!
Dussel. They get their call-up notice . . . come to the Jewish theater on such and such a day and hour . . . bring only what you can carry in a
rucksack. And if you refuse the call-up notice, then they come and drag you from your home and ship you off to Mauthausen. The death camp!
Mrs. Frank. We didn’t know that things had got so much worse.
Dussel. Forgive me for speaking so.
Anne (coming to DUSSEL). Do you know the de Waals? . . . What’s become of them? Their daughter Jopie and I are in the same class. Jopie’s
my best friend.
Dussel. They are gone.
Anne. Gone?
Dussel. With all the others.
Anne. Oh, no. Not Jopie!
[She turns away, in tears. MRS. FRANK motions to MARGOT to comfort her. MARGOT goes to ANNE, putting her arms comfortingly around
her.]
Mrs. Van Daan. There were some people called Wagner. They lived near us . . . ?
Mr. Frank (interrupting, with a glance at ANNE). I think we should put this off until later. We all have many questions we want to ask. . . . But
I’m sure that Mr. Dussel would like to get settled before supper.
7) What does this excerpt show about the members of the Annexe’s understanding of the
outside world before and after Dussel’s arrival? Why would Mr. Frank and Mr. Kraler
have shielded them from this information? Is it better that they know they truth or have
remained ignorant of the real situation outside the walls of the Secret Annex?