In her diary, Anne portrays herself as an energetic, playful tomboy who initially feels she can do nothing right. By the end of the story, she has grown in maturity and confidence. Uprooted from her home and friends, Anne endures a nightmarish ordeal, constantly under the threat of concentration camps and death. In this tense environment, Anne is surrounded by the same adults, leading to frequent conflicts. She prefers her father's company over her mother's. "Mother doesn't understand me," she complains when her mother tries to talk to her. Jealous of the frequent comparisons to her sister Margot, Anne strives to overcome sibling rivalry. Her relationship with Mrs. Van Daan fluctuates between friendly and antagonistic. An incessant talker, Anne often clashes with Mr. Dussel, her roommate, who craves quiet. Despite the constant personality clashes, heightened by the group's claustrophobic living conditions, Anne manages to adapt to her situation.

Anne is very much aware of the outside world and listens to radio reports about the war's progress. She fears for her best friend Lies, who has been taken to a concentration camp, and for herself and her companions as the sounds of air raids and gunfire reach their shelter. To cope with her fears, Anne confides in her diary, which she names "Kitty" and treats as a personal friend.

Anne's writings reveal her strength and courage, as she retains her faith in humanity: "In spite of everything, I still believe in the goodness of man." Her optimism contrasts with Peter Van Daan's initial pessimism. Quiet and bewildered by the sudden changes in his life, Peter spends much of his time secluded in his room. Anne gradually develops a romantic interest in Peter and encourages him to reject pessimism and hope for a better future. Their dates, limited to moving from room to room, involve sharing ideas and supporting each other.

Anne describes her family with a sympathetic tone. She portrays her mother as a quiet woman who struggles to connect with her. Mrs. Frank is perplexed by Anne's lack of natural affection and respect, qualities that Margot readily shows. Margot's kind and intelligent, yet reserved and obedient nature, stands in stark contrast to Anne's rebellious spirit. Anne's father takes on the role of leader, making decisions, enforcing rules, and providing encouragement.

Despite the bravery and selflessness of some, such as the Dutch who provide food and shelter to Jews, a recurring theme in Anne's writings is man's inhumanity to man. Anne is confined and lives in constant fear of death solely because of her religious beliefs. Tragically, she eventually dies, along with over six million other Jews during World War II.

The theme of imprisonment is also significant. Confined to a small space for more than two years, the eight individuals are trapped by a society filled with hate. They must adhere to strict rules to avoid detection by the workmen in the warehouse below: during the day, they must walk in stocking feet and cannot flush the toilet. They are never able to leave the building, and every unexpected phone call or suspicious noise from below fills them with fear and anxiety. That Anne continues to grow mentally and emotionally under these conditions highlights the resilience of the human spirit to transcend physical confinement.

As the diary chronicles Anne's emotional development, shifting from childish behaviors and attitudes to a more mature perspective on life, Anne Frank is a classic coming-of-age story. This theme is popular in literature, with other notable examples being J. D. Salinger's Catcher in the Rye and Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn. Additional themes explored include loneliness, romantic and familial love, and optimism and hope.

Anne's father, Mr. Frank, came from a long line of German Jews. His work in Frankfurt as an independent businessman involved promoting and selling high-end goods, and at the time when he moved his family to Amsterdam, he was a successful managing director of a company that manufactured products used in making jam. It is his business' building in which the group hides, and it is he who makes all the arrangements.

Mr. Frank was an excellent judge of character, as evidenced by his ability to choose which associates he could take into his confidence as he made plans to go into hiding. His plan allowed him to protect his family and friends from the horrors of Nazism for two years, while continuing to play a secret role in running his business. He was a man of foresight, strength, and wisdom, calm in the face of danger. He was also an educated man who oversaw the studies of the three teenagers in the Secret Annex.

Mr. Frank, though from a well-to-do background like his wife, is worldlier than she. His maturity is evident in the course of events detailed in Anne's diary. He had been a soldier in World War I, fighting for Germany as a member of an artillery company. Confronted with the threats to Jews, he reacts rationally and sensibly. Mr. Frank gets along well with the members of the Secret Annex because he strives to treat everyone justly and sensitively.

After the hideaway was raided, Mr. Frank remained calm and rational as he and the others gathered together a few belongings. He was reasonably content as long as the family stayed together, but the men and women were separated when they reached Auschwitz. In January 1945, the guards at Auschwitz fled when they heard that the Allies were approaching. They took most of the prisoners with them but left those who were in the sick ward. Mr. Frank was there at the time, so he was spared the march through the harsh winter. When the Russians arrived in February, Mr. Frank was liberated. He was the only one of the Secret-Annex hideaways to survive the war. He lived into his nineties, dying in Amsterdam in 1980.

Edith Frank is Frank's mother. The two have a very strained relationship, stemming from the typical struggles between teenage daughters and their mothers. Mrs. Frank does not understand her daughter's willful ways any better than Frank understands her mother's compliance.

Learning to live in cramped quarters is difficult for Mrs. Frank, who comes from a privileged background and a comfortable lifestyle. She married Mr. Frank in 1925 and is eleven years his junior. Her views on parenting are progressive in comparison to the traditional approaches of the time. She prefers to think of her daughters as friends rather than as subordinates, and she believes in allowing them to express themselves freely. She is frustrated by Frank's open defiance and seeming dislike of her, and she reacts by becoming more critical. Mrs. Frank is like Margot in that they both bear the hardships of their situation in silence, rarely complaining, rarely dreaming of life after the war.

After the raid on the Secret Annex, Mrs. Frank was able to stay with her daughters until their separation at Auschwitz. Once she was alone, the effects of her experiences during the war began to take their toll. Mrs. Frank began to fall apart mentally, hoarding moldy crusts of bread for her husband. She died in her bed on January 6, 1945, only ten days before the guards abandoned the camp.

Peter is an awkward, self-conscious sixteen-year-old boy. In contrast to Frank, Peter is quiet and generally keeps his thoughts and feelings to himself. In his patrol duties, Peter demonstrates that he is brave and dependable. His tender side is evident in the way he takes care of his cat, Mouschi, and the office cat, Boche.

Peter enjoys his relationship with Frank, but he never fully opens up to her. He prefers solitude and has little in common with Frank beyond their unusual living situation. Where Frank thrives on engaging her mind in writing and studying, Peter finds studies to be a chore. The two also have widely different plans for their futures. Although Frank remarks that she wants to do something great, like become a writer, and see the world, Peter plans to be a gambler or a loafer. This is very disappointing to Frank. Eventually, the two agree to abandon romantic pursuits in favor of a caring friendship.

Peter and Anne's friendship remained strong even after their hiding place was discovered. At the reception camp in Westerbork, the two were often seen together. Once they got to Auschwitz, however, they were separated. When the Auschwitz prison guards fled the camp to avoid the oncoming Allies, they took most of the prisoners with them. Those in the sick ward, however, were spared. Mr. Frank was ill at the time and tried to convince Peter to hide in the sick ward with him until the guards were gone, but Peter was too afraid. He went with the group of prisoners led by the guards through the bitter winter weather. Many died along the way—of cold, hunger, or gunshot—and Peter was among them.

Mrs. Van Daan is vain, flirtatious, and challenging to get along with. She places a high value on material possessions. According to her husband, her unwillingness to part with her belongings delayed their departure from Holland to resettle in Switzerland or America. In the attic, she is often seen caressing the fur coat her father gave her, which she treasures above all else. She becomes upset when her husband insists on selling the coat to buy food and other necessities and does not spare Anne’s feelings when the girl accidentally spills milk on it. Although Mrs. Van Daan and her husband frequently argue, she still looks out for him, such as by giving him the largest portions of food. Mrs. Van Daan dies in the concentration camps.

Mr. Van Daan helped Mr. Frank when he first moved to Holland, which is why Mr. Frank invited the Van Daans to share their hiding place. However, Mr. Van Daan’s selfish nature causes issues in the attic. He opposes allowing Mr. Dussel to join them because it means less food for everyone. It is later revealed that Mr. Van Daan has been stealing food from the household. He is also openly critical of Anne, saying things like, ‘‘Why aren’t you nice and quiet like your sister Margot? Why do you have to show off all the time?’’ Mr. Van Daan dies in the concentration camps.

Mr. Dussel is a dentist who joins the Franks and the Van Daans in hiding about two months after they go into seclusion. He is a neighbor of Miep’s boyfriend, and when the Nazis start rounding up and deporting Jews, he has nowhere else to go. Initially meant to stay for just a few days, Mr. Dussel ends up living in the attic until the Gestapo arrests everyone.

In his fifties and set in his ways, Mr. Dussel is challenging to get along with. He struggles to adjust to the cramped living conditions shared by many people. He also incites worry, for example, by making everyone anxious that the thief might report them. Additionally, he makes his disdain for Anne evident. For instance, when Mr. Van Daan reacts to Anne’s nightmare screams by saying, ‘‘I thought someone was murdering her,’’ Mr. Dussel responds, ‘‘Unfortunately, no.’’

Miep Gies, a Christian, is around twenty years old when the Franks go into hiding. She worked as a secretary in Mr. Frank’s business and, along with Mr. Kraler, becomes a crucial lifeline for the attic residents, providing them with food, essentials, and even luxuries like books. Miep is also the one who discovers and preserves Anne’s diary, which she later gives to Mr. Frank upon his return to Amsterdam.

Mr. Kraler, a Dutchman, was an employee of Mr. Frank before the Nazis seized the business. Now, Mr. Kraler manages the business and bravely risks his life to assist his friend and former employer. Either he or Miep visits the attic daily to deliver food to the families. The pressure takes a toll on Mr. Kraler’s health; he is hospitalized for ulcers and eventually undergoes surgery.

Margot, Anne’s older sister, is eighteen when they first go into hiding. She is a reserved young woman and epitomizes a well-brought-up lady. Margot is obedient and respectful, diligently studying with her father and helping her mother with household chores. She even lends her high heels to her younger sister. Margot rarely voices disagreement, but she shocks her mother when she says, “Sometimes I wish the end would come... whatever it is.” Margot also perishes in the concentration camps.