Read the novel, The Diary of a Young Girl, and write a brief character sketch of Anne Frank.

Anne Frank is the daughter of Edith and Otto Frank. She has just turned thirteen years old when she gets a diary for her birthday. Because she feels she does not have the one true friend whom she desires, she writes her journal in a form of letters to an imaginary girl named Kitty. Anne and her family live in Holland during the time of Hitler’s Nazi reign in Germany. In the book, she describes the way they, as a Jewish family, are not allowed to ride on public transportation or shop in certain stores just because of their religious beliefs. Shortly after Anne begins her diary, her sister receives her call up papers to go to a Nazi work camp. The family had already planned to go into hiding, but their plans are pushed forward in an attempt to save their daughter.

Anne’s diary details what life was like in hiding. It tells about the people who risked their lives to help hide the families, get them food and supplies, and try to keep their spirits up while in hiding. Anne writes of the guilt she feels knowing her friends and schoolmates have been arrested and sent to concentration camps. She also details air raids, the noise of guns and fighting in the night, and the sounds of bombs being dropped on the city. She writes of her fear, and she writes about hope.... always thinking that if only they can survive until the war is over.... she will be able pursue the career in journalism that she wants. Anne never lost her faith in people and always believed that people are truly good at heart. Her diary ends on Aug. 1, 1944. The people in the annex were arrested four days later. Anne died in a concentration camp sometime in early 1945. She was only fifteen-years-old.