NCERT Class 10 English Chapter 4: From Diary of Anne Frank – A Reflection of War and Innocence

The "Diary of Anne Frank", an emotional narrative from NCERT Class 10 English, tells the real-life story of Anne Frank, a 13-year-old Jewish girl living during World War II. As Anne had no true friends with whom she could share her thoughts and feelings, she turned to her diary, which she lovingly called Kitty. This diary became her most trusted companion, holding all her daily experiences and feelings.

The Story of Anne Frank

The backdrop of Anne’s story is one of the darkest times in history – World War II. Anne’s family, being Jewish, was forced to hide for two years in her father’s office building to escape Nazi persecution. Her famous diary was a gift from her father on her 13th birthday, and she began to pour her heart into it. She wrote about the challenges of being in hiding, her fears, her hopes, and her small joys.

In her diary, Anne expresses how she feels that "paper has more patience than people," a line that shows her deep emotional need to express herself, even when no one was listening.

Anne Frank’s School Life

Anne was deeply connected to her family, her school, and even her childhood friends. In her diary, she described her school days and the nervousness she felt on June 20, 1942, when the class was waiting for their results. Everyone was betting on who would pass and who wouldn’t, but Anne was only concerned about one subject – mathematics.

Anne’s math teacher, Mr. Keesing, often got frustrated with her talkative nature. After repeatedly warning her, he asked her to write an essay on "Chatterbox". Anne was initially confused but decided to write in her defense, explaining why she talked so much. Mr. Keesing was satisfied with her response, but her habit of talking didn’t change, and she was asked to write another essay on "An Incorrigible Chatterbox." Once again, Anne completed the task, showcasing her cleverness and ability to turn a punishment into a creative opportunity.

The Harsh Reality of War

The diary highlights the struggles of a young girl living through a war, but it also gives a glimpse of hope and innocence amidst the chaos. Anne’s thoughts were not just about the war; they were also about her life as a teenager, with all its confusion, excitement, and dreams.

However, her story also reflects the tragedy of the Holocaust and the terrible fate of Jews during World War II. Her diary stands as a powerful reminder of the injustices that took place and the strength of the human spirit during such trying times.

Lessons from Anne Frank’s Diary

Anne Frank’s story teaches us many lessons. It shows how writing can be a powerful tool for self-expression and how hope can survive even in the darkest of times. The diary is a testament to Anne’s resilience, courage, and the simple joys that can be found in everyday life, even when surrounded by fear.

Through "The Diary of Anne Frank," we learn about the power of faith and the importance of standing up against oppression. Anne’s words continue to inspire people all over the world, reminding us of the impact of war on innocent lives.

Summary

The NCERT Class 10 English chapter, "The Diary of Anne Frank," offers students a valuable lesson on history, war, and the importance of perseverance. It shows us how a young girl, despite being in hiding and facing unimaginable challenges, found solace in writing. Anne’s diary not only captured her thoughts but also became a historical document that gives us insight into the struggles of Jewish families during the war.

Key Takeaways from Anne Frank’s Diary:

1. Courage in Adversity: Anne’s story shows how bravery doesn’t always involve physical strength. Sometimes, it is about enduring hardships with grace.
2. The Power of Expression: Anne found comfort in writing, proving that even during the toughest times, expressing oneself can bring relief.
3. The Importance of History: Her diary reminds us to learn from history and to work towards a world without discrimination and hatred.

(You may look up the terms in a dictionary if you wish.)

Answer:

Question 2. Here are some entries from personal records. Use the definitions above to decide which of the entries might be from a diary, a journal, a log or a memoir.
1. I woke up very late today and promptly got a scolding from Mum! I can’t help it — how can I miss the FIFA World Cup matches?
2. 10:30 a.m. Went to the office of the Director 01:00 p.m. Had lunch with Chairman 05:45 p.m. Received Rahul at the airport 09 : 30 p.m. Dinner at home
3. The ride to Ooty was uneventful. We rested for a while every 50 km or so and used the time to capture the magnificent landscape with my HandyCam From Ooty we went on to Bangalore. What a contrast! The noise and pollution of this once-beautiful city really broke my heart.
4. This is how Raj Kapoor found me – all wet and ragged outside RK Studios. He was then looking for just someone like this for a small role in ‘Mera Naam Joker and he cast me on the spot. The rest, as they say, is history.
Answers:
(1) Diary
(2) Log
(3) Journal
(4) Memoir

Question 3. What makes writing in a diary a strange experience for Anne Frank?
Answer: Writing in a diary was a strange experience for Anne Frank as she never had a diary and it was a gift on her 13th birthday. She considered it her best friend on which she relied the most and with whom she shared all her ups and downs.

Question 4. Why does Anne want to keep a diary?
Answer: Anne always feels lonely and distressed so to get off all the burden and pain she wants to keep a diary in which she finds a true friend as she has hardly any friends whom she could confide in.

Question 5. Why did Anne think she could confide more in her diary than in people.
Answer: Anne felt that paper had more patience than people to listen to her plight. So, it was easier for her to write all kind of thoughts which she had in her mind. Her personal diary was not meant for any one else to read.

Question 6. Why does Anne provide a brief sketch of her life?
Answer: By providing the brief sketch of her life, Anne wants to give an overview of her family, relatives and her age. This helps the reader to develop a connection with the author.

Question 7. What tells you that Anne loved her grandmother?
Answer: Anne lived with her grandmother for sometime while her parents setded down in Holland. She was very close to her Grandmother. She writes in her diary . “No one knows how often I think of her and still love her”. On her 13th birthday by lightening up one candle for Grandmother she shows her love for her.

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Question 8. Why was Mr Keesing annoyed with Anne? What did he ask her to do?
Answer: Mr Keesing was annoyed with Anne because she was very talkative. He punished her by giving her extra homework to write essays to keep her silent and the topics always related to her nature.

Question 9.How did Anne justify her being a chatterbox in her essay?
Answer: Anne justified her being a chatterbox in her essay by explaining that it is due to her mother who was also very talkative and nobody could do anything about their inherited traits.

Question 10.Do you think Mr Keesing was a strict teacher?
Answer: No, Mr Keesing was not a bad or strict teacher because a teacher did something for the welfare of his students. Any teacher would be annoyed if children keep on talking in the class. Secondly, if he had been strict he would not have laughed at Anne’s funny arguments.

Question 11. What made Mr Keesing allow Anne to talk in class?
Answer: Anne’s last essay in the form of a poem showed Mr Keesing the lighter side of a naughty child. It helped bridge the generation gap between the teacher and the student.

Thinking about the Text

Question 1. Was Anne right when she Said that the world would not be interested in the musings of a 13 year old girl?
Answer: Yes, Anne was right when she said so because most of the people don’t want to give importance to a child’s perspective toward the world because they are too immature for the world. But Anne Frank has become one of the most discussed of all holocaust victims. Her ‘diary’ has been translated into many language

Question 2. There are some examples of diary or journal entries in the ‘Before You Read’ section. Compare these with what Anne writes in her diary. What language was the diary originally written in? In what way is Anne’s diary different?

Answer: Anne’s diary was entirely different from most of the examples given before the text. It was somewhere closer to the memoir in which the name of Raj Kapoor has been mentioned. It was originally written in Dutch. It has informal tone which exudes the careful nature of a teenager.

Question 3. Why does Anne need to give a brief sketch about her family? Does she treat ‘Kitty’ as an insider or an outsider?
Answer: Anne gave an introduction of her family in the ‘diary’ because it was hard to make other realise that a 13 years old teenager could write about her loneliness. Kitty was an ‘outsider’ which was gifted by her parents on her 13th birthday but she considered it her best friend and treated it as an insider.

Question 4. How does Anne feel about her father, her grandmother, Mrs Kuperus and Mr Keesing? What do these tell you about her?
Answer: Anne has fond of memories of her father, grandmother, Mrs Kuperus and Mr Keesing, who have left indelible impressions on her mind and affected her life a lot. The way she represents all of them in her diary reveals that Anne was very good at understanding people and at developing interpersonal relations.

Question 5. What does Anne write in her first essay?
Answer: Mr Keesing asked her to write an essay on the topic ‘A Chatterbox’ as punishment. In the essay : she accepted the drawbacks of being talkative but argued that it was in her genes as her mother was also very talkative. It was difficult to give up the habit and it was also a student’s trait. Even Mr Keesing laughed at the argument she had given.

Question 6. Anne says teachers are most unpredictable. Is Mr Keesing unpredictable?
Answer: Anne took perfect example of Mr Keesing as an unpredictable teacher because Mr Keesing seemed to be indifferent towards Annes’ behaviour. Earlier he laughed but later he allowed Anne to talk in the class post reading her essays.

Question 7. What do these statements tell you about Anne Frank as a person?
1. We don’t seem to be able to get any closer and that’s the problem. Maybe it’s my fault that we don’t confide in each other.
2. I don’t want, to jcft; down the facts in this diary the way most people would, but I want the diary to be my friend.
3. Margot went to Holland in December and I followed in February, when I was plunked down on the table as a birthday present for Margot.
4. If you ask me, there are so many dummies that about a quarter of the class should be kept back, but teachers are the most unpredictable creatures on Earth.
5. Anyone could ramble on and leave big spaces between the words, but the trick was to come up with convincing arguments to prove the necessity of talking.
Answers:
1.A. Anne is reserved.
2.A. She is self-confident and inventive.
3.A. She is humorous as well.
4.A. Anne is intelligent.
5.A. She has a sense of propriety and convincing attitude.

Thinking about Language

Question 1. Match the compound words under A with their meanings under ‘B’. Use each in a sentence.

Answers:
1. (d),
2. (g),
3. (f),
4. (a),
5. (h),
6. (b),
7. (e),
8. (c).

Question 2. Now find the sentences in the lesson that have the phrasal verbs given below. Match them with their meanings. (You have already found out the meanings for some of them.) Are their meanings the same as that of their parts? (Note that two parts of a phrasal verb may occur separated in the text.)

Answers:
1. (g),
2. (b),
3. (h),
4. (a),
5. (d),
6. (c),
7. (b),
8. (f),
9. (e).

Question 3(a). Here are a few sentences from the text which have idiomatic expressions. Can you say what each means? (You might want to consult a dictionary first.)
1. Our entire class is quacking in its boots.
2. Until then, we keep telling each other not to lose heart.
3. Mr Keesing annoyed with me for ages because I talked so much.
4. Mr Keesing was trying to play a joke on me with this ridiculous subject, but I’d make sure the joke was on him.
Answers:
1. Shaking with fear and nervous.
2. Not to think about negative side, but hope for the best.
3. For quite a long time.
4. Joke would be on him only.

Question 3(b). Here are a few more idiomatic expressions that occur in the text. Try to use them in sentences of your own.
1. Caught my eye
2. He’d had enough
3. Laugh ourselves silly
4. Can’t bring myself to
5. Break somebody’s heart
6. Close/Dear to heart
7. From the (bottom of your) heart
8. Have a heart
9. Have a heart of stone
10. Your heart goes out to somebody .

Answer:
1. Caught my eye While I was in the market, a beautiful purse had caught my eye.
2. He’d had enough The teacher said that they’d had enough and he wanted all the notebooks by Wednesday.
3. Laugh ourselves silly He laughed ourselves silly on his stupid jokes.
4. Can’t bring myself I can’t bring myself to terms with this tragedy.
5. Break somebody’s heart It is not a good habit to break somebody’s heart.
6. Close to heart I am very close to my father’s heart.
7. From the (bottom! of your) heart I thank you from the bottom of my heart for being my mentor.
8. Have a heart I request you to have a heart and look again at my application.
9. Have a heart of stone It is said that people like Hitler have a heart of stone.
10. Your heart goes out to somebody As I looked at shabbily dressed up children, my heart went out to them.

 The Diary of Anne Frank Class 10  PDF

Looking for a convenient way to access "From the Diary of Anne Frank"? You can easily download the PDF version to read this heartwarming and inspiring chapter from NCERT Class 10 English. The PDF contains Anne Frank's personal experiences, her thoughts during World War II, and her reflections on life as a young Jewish girl in hiding. It's a touching story of resilience, hope, and self-expression. Simply click on the download link to get your copy and explore Anne’s world through her diary entries.

Download From the Diary of Anne Frank Questions and Answers PDF

From the Diary of Anne Frank Important Questions

Que1: What is the main theme of "The Diary of Anne Frank"?
Ans: The main theme is the struggle for survival and hope during one of history’s darkest times, the Holocaust.

Que2: Why did Anne Frank name her diary "Kitty"?
Ans: Anne referred to her diary as "Kitty" because she treated it as her closest friend to whom she could confide her deepest thoughts.

Que3: What did Anne Frank fear the most in school?
Ans: Anne was most afraid of mathematics and often wrote about her challenges with the subject in her diary.

Que4: Why did Mr. Keesing ask Anne to write an essay?
Ans: Mr. Keesing, her math teacher, asked Anne to write an essay because he was frustrated with her constant talking in class.

Que5: What lesson does "The Diary of Anne Frank" teach us?
Ans: The diary teaches us about resilience, the impact of war on innocent lives, and the importance of expressing oneself, even during difficult times.