Repression

The Franks, the Van Daans, and Mr. Dussel are compelled to go into hiding due to the Nazi occupation of Holland. In her diary, Anne documents how the Nazis began stripping away the rights of Jews. Mr. Frank lost his business. Jews were barred from attending schools with non-Jews, going to the movies, or riding streetcars. After they go into hiding, the Franks and Van Daans learn from Mr. Dussel that the Nazis have deported all Jews in Amsterdam to concentration camps. Their greatest hope for liberation comes from the Allied invasion of the continent, led by the Americans.

The harsh reality of living under such oppressive conditions is evident daily. The atmosphere in the cramped and crowded attic rooms becomes increasingly tense. They cannot step outside or breathe fresh air. Anne cannot run, shout, or jump. Succumbing to these natural urges only gets her into trouble, such as when she spills milk on Mrs. Van Daan’s coat while dancing around the room. Anne’s growing friendship with Peter is also stifled by their unnatural situation. When she wants to spend time alone with Peter, she can do so only under the watchful eyes of six people, observing her as she crosses the room to Peter’s door. The strain of these living conditions affects everyone. In act 2, scene 4, when tensions peak with Mrs. Frank's insistence that Mr. Van Daan leave the attic, Mr. Frank remarks, ‘‘We don’t need the Nazis to destroy us. We’re doing it ourselves.’’

Adolescence

Anne is a precocious thirteen-year-old when her family goes into hiding, but she matures into a young woman while living in the attic. Despite the unnatural and frightening circumstances, Anne experiences typical adolescent issues, developments, and joys. Like many teenagers, Anne has a challenging relationship with her mother. Anne feels that her mother does not respect her opinions and makes little effort to understand her. ‘‘Whenever I try to explain my views on life to her,’’ Anne tells her father, ‘‘she asks me if I’m constipated.’’ Unable to stop herself, Anne often lashes out at Mrs. Frank. Although she regrets causing her mother pain, it happens repeatedly.

Anne's evolving relationship with Peter highlights her transition into young womanhood. She goes to the extent of dressing up to visit him in his room at night. The bond they form grows so close that both sets of parents begin to worry about its potential sexual implications. With Peter, Anne finds a confidant, sharing her deepest emotions to the point where she contemplates sharing her diary with him. They even share their first kiss. In her diary, she enthusiastically writes about this budding relationship: "I must confess that I actually live for the next meeting.… Is there anything lovelier than to sit under the skylight and feel the sun on your cheeks and have a darling boy in your arms?"

Identity

During her time in hiding, Anne embarks on a journey of self-discovery. In conversations with Mr. Frank, she expresses her internal conflict about her identity. "I have a nicer side, Father, a sweeter, nicer side," she confides. Anne feels like she embodies two personas: the "mean Anne" that everyone sees and the "good Anne" that remains hidden. Part of her struggle with these identity issues, which are common among teenagers, stems from having no peers to confide in. Margot is too serious and always behaves well, making her an unsuitable confidant. Initially, Anne dismisses Peter because he is a boy. She turns to her diary, writing, "I feel utterly confused. I am longing … so longing … for everything … for friends … for someone to talk to … someone who understands … someone young, who feels as I do." Anne is left to rely on herself to navigate these conflicting feelings and issues. While she explores her identity through her relationship with Peter, she also delves into it through her writing. Her diary reveals her passion for writing, leading her to decide that she wants to become a writer when she grows up.

The Diary of Anne Frank receives its power from several sources. It is similar to a Bildungsroman, the poignant vision of a young woman’s coming of age, though in a place where her life is threatened. Anne understands her plight but still hopes for a future when the war is over, when she will be able to develop her talents, study art in Paris, fall in love, and have children. She confides to her diary that she longs for fame, to be always remembered. There is irony in this wish. Though she will die a short time later, in the misery of the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, she is destined to become one of the most famous women who ever lived.

The values of friendship and loyalty are celebrated in the play. Two Gentiles, Miep and Mr. Kraler, assist those hidden in the annex, despite the hazards to themselves. In a sad world, these loyal people maintain a humane bond across economic and ethnic lines. Anne also lovingly remembers her friends on the outside and listens attentively when Miep brings any news of this now forbidden arena.

Although the chief action of the play takes place in wartime and all but one of its characters will not survive, the final mood is not despair. Anne’s last disembodied words, affirming the goodness of humanity, are a quote from her real-life diary, though they are rendered out of context. They became the motto of the Anne Frank Foundation, which now operates in many nations to promote peace and fight intolerance.

Throughout the world, the primary audience for this play about Jewish persecution has been Gentile. The playwrights made a conscious decision to stress a universal spiritual message. In one scene where Anne is sharing with Peter some of her most intimate thoughts, she commends the values of a spiritual life. A religion need not be Orthodox, she insists, nor need it be concerned with traditional images of an afterlife. However, a strong confidence in the divine can drive out fear and provide an awareness of a larger pattern in history that makes present trials bearable. Anne goes on to observe that Jews are not the only people who have had to suffer throughout history. She wonders if the world may be going through a phase from which it will eventually pass, as from darkness into light.

Perhaps the ultimate lesson of this play is the necessity of finding voice. In order to preserve painfully earned wisdom, especially of those who have had the misfortune to live in “interesting” times, it is essential to clothe experiences with words. Through her diary, the thoughts, feelings, and impressions of Anne Frank have been unforgettably shared with the entire world.