From the Diary of Anne Frank
This lesson is an extract from the famous diary of Anne Frank, a young Jewish girl who recorded her thoughts during the Second World War. The page covers a clear summary, Anne's character, the Mr Keesing episode, and exam-style questions.
Learning objectives
- Recall the contents of the extract.
- Understand why Anne wrote a diary.
- Describe Anne's character.
- Explain the episode with Mr Keesing.
Key concepts
Summary
In this extract, the young Anne Frank explains why she has started keeping a diary, which she treats as a trusted friend she names 'Kitty'. She feels that, although she has family and friends, she has no one to share her deepest thoughts with, so the diary becomes her confidante. She gives a brief account of her family and school. The main episode concerns her talkative nature: her maths teacher, Mr Keesing, annoyed by her constant chatter, punishes her by setting essays on the topic of being a chatterbox. Anne writes witty, clever essays arguing her case, and in the end she so amuses Mr Keesing with a humorous poem that he takes her talking in good humour and allows her to talk.
Theme
The extract explores the loneliness of adolescence and the comfort of writing. It shows a young girl's need to express her innermost feelings, the universal experiences of school life and teachers, and Anne's spirited wit. Behind the lighthearted episode lies the larger, tragic history of the Holocaust.
Anne's character
Anne is intelligent, witty and observant, with a lively sense of humour. She is talkative and confident, able to argue cleverly in her essays. At the same time she is sensitive and reflective, feeling a deep need to confide her true thoughts, which is why she turns to her diary as a friend.
About Anne Frank and the diary
Anne Frank was a Jewish girl who, with her family, hid from the Nazis during the Second World War and later died in a concentration camp. Her diary, published after her death, became one of the most widely read accounts of the period. Anne addresses her diary as 'Kitty', writing to it as though to a close friend.
Key definitions
- Confidante
- A trusted person (here, the diary) to whom one tells secrets.
- Chatterbox
- A person who talks a great deal.
- Incorrigible
- Not able to be corrected or reformed (used about her talking).
- The Holocaust
- The Nazi persecution and mass murder of Jews during the Second World War.
Solved examples
Q1. What name does Anne give her diary?
Solution: She calls it 'Kitty' and writes to it as a friend.
Q2. Why did Mr Keesing punish Anne?
Solution: Because she talked too much in class.
Q3. How did Anne win Mr Keesing over?
Solution: By writing clever, witty essays and a humorous poem that made him laugh.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Thinking the diary is fiction (Anne Frank was a real girl).
- Forgetting that Anne names her diary 'Kitty'.
- Confusing Mr Keesing's subject — he taught maths.
- Missing that the punishment was to write essays on talking.
From the Diary of Anne Frank — MCQ Quiz
10 questions with instant feedback. Use number keys 1–4 to answer.
Anne Frank treated her diary as a:
Practice questions
Short answer
What does Anne call her diary?
She calls it 'Kitty' and writes to it like a friend.
Why did Anne begin writing a diary?
She had no one to share her deepest thoughts with.
What was Anne's punishment from Mr Keesing?
To write essays on the subject of being a chatterbox.
Long answer
Why did Anne Frank decide to keep a diary, and what does this reveal about her?
Anne decided to keep a diary because, although she had loving parents, a sister and many friends, she felt she had no one with whom she could share her truly personal thoughts and feelings. She believed that paper had more patience than people, and so she chose to confide in her diary, which she treated as a close friend and named 'Kitty', writing to it as though to a companion. This decision reveals several things about Anne: she was a sensitive and reflective girl with a rich inner life, she felt a degree of loneliness despite being surrounded by people, and she had a strong need to express herself honestly. It also shows her thoughtfulness and maturity, as she turned to writing as a way to understand and record her own experiences.
Describe the episode of Anne and her teacher Mr Keesing.
Anne was a talkative student, and her maths teacher, Mr Keesing, grew irritated by her constant chatter in class. To curb it, he punished her by setting an essay on the subject of being 'a chatterbox'. Far from being discouraged, Anne wrote a clever and witty essay arguing, with good humour, that talking was a part of her nature and that she could not easily change it. When her talking continued and he set further essays on the topic, she kept up her spirited, amusing arguments. Finally, with the help of a friend, she composed a humorous poem in response, which so amused Mr Keesing that he began to take her talking in good part and even allowed her to talk. The episode shows Anne's wit, confidence and likeable personality, and how humour can ease a difficult situation.
HOTS (Higher Order Thinking)
Why might writing in a diary be comforting for someone in Anne's situation?
It offers a private, judgement-free space to express fears, hopes and feelings, providing companionship and relief when one cannot confide in others.
What does the Mr Keesing episode show about handling conflict?
It shows that wit and good humour can turn a tense situation into a friendly one, winning over even a strict teacher.
Quick revision
Revision notes
- Anne keeps a diary named 'Kitty' as a confidante.
- She feels she has no one to share her deepest thoughts with.
- Maths teacher Mr Keesing punishes her talkativeness with essays.
- Her witty essays and a funny poem win him over; real WWII/Holocaust context.
Key takeaways
- Writing can be a comfort and a friend.
- Anne is witty, sensitive and intelligent.
- Humour eased her conflict with Mr Keesing.
Frequently asked questions
Is the diary real?
Yes — Anne Frank was a real Jewish girl during the Second World War.
Why did she name the diary 'Kitty'?
To treat it as a close friend she could confide in.
What subject did Mr Keesing teach?
Mathematics.