Student Question
What does Anne Frank claim would benefit her more than ten Valerian pills in her diary?
Quick answer:
Anne Frank wrote that a "good, hearty laugh" would benefit her more than ten Valerian pills, reflecting her desire for relief from the oppressive atmosphere in the "Secret Annex" where she hid during World War II. Despite taking Valerian pills daily to combat depression, Anne recognized that laughter and simple joys could provide more effective relief from the constant fear and discomfort of her living conditions.
On Thursday, September 16, 1943, the entry in Anne Frank's diary reads,
a good, hearty laugh would help more than 10 Valerian pills, but we've almost forgotten how to laugh.
This is all due to the hard, stuffy, and heavy atmosphere that poor Anne is living under, as part of her living conditions in the hiding space where she lives with other people: the "Secret Annex".
This space she shares with another family, plus two more individuals. None of the people in the annex wants to be there. Moreover, they are there to save their lives and in constant fear that those very lives will be taken by the enemies that lurk everywhere. To live under those conditions is already inhuman; to thrive under those conditions would be superhuman.
Keep in mind that the annex where Anne lives is comfortable to a minimum, and gross at worst. There were times...
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when everyone who lived there had to use the one bathroom and not flush for hours in fear of being heard. Yes, it was that bad. It is no wonder that Anne, who, on top of all of this, was growing up with the typical adolescent issues that arise with the hormones versus growth debacle, is twice as vexed as anyone would be to be living under those circumstances.
To counteract what was becoming a crippling depression, Anne would take Valerian pills every day. Valeria root is meant to be a natural muscle and tension relaxer. When taken in excess, however, the effects are (now) known to be contradictory, and more depression may arise from a bad dosage. Since Anne takes the pills "every day" without any effect, chances are that she was either taking too many, or too few of them.
Regardless, she is 100% correct in that sometimes nature can take care of us with the simple things. A hearty laugh, a short-lived infatuation, a new passion, and even a new way of thinking can all undo the harmful effects of depression. Sadly, we know that Anne could do very little with what was coming, and perhaps feeling upbeat and positive would have made things even worse for her.