Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl

For the past 8 years (wow, I just did the math, it's really been 8 years), I've been somewhat of a Holocaust enthusiast. OK, that sounds bad. I enjoy reading memoirs and learning about the Holocaust, as well as the events of WWII surrounding it. That sounds better. And yet I haven't read the diary of Anne Frank, the most popular piece of literature to come out of the Holocaust, since I was in the 7th grade. I even own the book, for crying out loud. So I decided it was high time that I re-read it.

In the 7th grade, I was 12 years old. Anne Frank's diary chronicles her life from ages 13 to 15. I think my English teacher (and probably many other Jr. High English teachers) decided that the book was written by someone who was so close in age to her students, so we would probably relate very well to her. But this was not the case. It turns out that a 12 year old girl living her cozy life in Utah doesn't have a lot in common with a 14 year old girl living in hiding in Nazi occupied Holland. Because of the war, Anne had to grow up pretty fast, and a lot of her entires were just over my head. I did not enjoy reading this book back then, in fact I don't think I ever finished it.

But this time around, I loved this book. Having an adult perspective makes all the difference in the world. It probably helps that I can look back on the rest of my teenage years now, and I can remember what it was like to be so upset with your parents one day and so happy to have them around the next. I can remember how it feels to like a boy and wonder if he likes you back. I can remember the "infatuation" stage of a relationship, and what it feels like when that wears off. And I can remember how it is possible to be around people all the time, and yet feel so alone because you have no one to confide in. But I hadn't had these experiences yet at the age of 12. It all is so much more familiar to me now.

I think it also helped that I know a lot more about WWII now, and so I have a little better idea of what was going on in the world surrounding the Secret Annex. A lot of her comments about the pending invasion made a lot more sense to me, and by looking at the date, I knew how the war was going, when D-Day was coming, etc.

It was a much more enjoyable reading experience this time around. I feel a lot more connected to Anne than I did before, and I have a lot more sympathy/empathy for what she went through. It made me think a lot about how it would be to live in fear of discovery every day, to have to eat rotten vegetables (and to be grateful that you have them!), and to be so confined for such a long time. And it made me remember how it feels to be a teenager, and what it's like to transition from a child to an adult. All in all, an excellent book.