Summary:- From the Diary of Anne Frank - English Class 10

DETAILED SUMMARY-

This chapter is a part of Anne Frank’s diary. Here she tells us about the early days of her life. She says that she decided to start writing a diary because she did not have a friend. Anne was born on the 12th of June. 1929. She had a sister three years older to her. She lived in Frankfurt until she was four. Her father immigrated to Holland in 1933.
Anne Frank was sent to the Montessori school and stayed there until she was six. She started in the 1st form. When Anne was in the sixth form, her teacher was Mrs Kuperus, the headmistress. Both had a great love for each other.
Anne had no one in whom she could confide the feelings of her heart. So she decided to make her diary to her friend. She called it ‘Kitty’. On Saturday 20th June 1942, Anne Frank made her first entry in her diary. It was in the form of a letter and was addressed to her diary ‘Kitty’. Anne describes her experiences with her Mathematics teacher, Mr Keesing.
Anne writes that one day, Mr Keesing punished her for talking in class. He gave her extra homework. He asked her to write an essay on ‘A Chatterbox.’ Anne wrote it, but she again talked in the class. Now Mr Keesing asked her to write an essay on ‘An Incorrigible Chatterbox.’ Mr Keesing liked the essays written by Anne Frank.

SHORT SUMMARY (2)

1. Diary Writing—A Strange Experience: Anne Frank thinks that writing a diary is a strange experience for her. She has never written anything like this before. She feels that no one else, except her, will be interested in the musings of a thirteen-year-old schoolgirl. She writes it for herself. She wants to get all kinds of things off her chest.
2. Paper has more patience than people: Anne feels that paper has more patience than people. There was a time when she was a little depressed and sat at home. She doesn’t want anyone else, except her, to read her ‘stiff-backed’ notebook unless she finds a real friend. She keeps a diary as she doesn’t have a friend.
3. Her Diary—Her Friend ‘Kitty’: Anne writes that outwardly there are about 30 people whom she can call friends. She has a family, loving aunts and a good home. She has loving parents and a sixteen-year-old sister. But still, she feels all alone. She can only talk about ordinary things with them. They are not able to come closer. This is the problem. They can’t confide in each other. Maybe it is her ON, on fault. This is why she has started the diary. She wants her diary to be her friend. She calls her diary, her friend ‘Kitty’.
4. Brief Sketch of Family: She calls her father, the most adorable father. He married at 36 when her mother was 25. Her sister Margot was born in 1926 while she was born on 12th June 1929. They emigrated to Holland in 1933. She got her education there. In 1942 her grandma died. Anne started writing her diary on 20th June 1942.
5. Class shaking with fear: The entire class is shaking with fear. The teachers will decide in the next meeting who will move up and who will be kept back. She realises that at least there are about a quarter of students who are totally worthless and should be kept back. But it is difficult to predict the decision of the teachers. She is not much worried about herself and her girlfriends. She is not very sure about maths. She has good relations with her teachers. Mr Keesing, the Maths teacher is an old-fashioned teacher. He doesn’t like her because she talks too much.
6. Essay — A Chatterbox: The Maths teacher gives her some extra work to write an essay on ‘A Chatterbox’. She writes three pages. She argues in the essay that talking is a student’s trait. She promises to keep it under control. She feels that she will never be able to cure herself of the habit. Her mother also talked as much as she does. It is an inherited trait. Mr Keesing has a good laugh at her arguments in the essay. He assigns her a second essay on ‘An Incorrigible Chatterbox’ Finally, as punishment for talking in the class, he gives her another essay on “Quack, Quack, Quack, said Mistress Chatterbox”. The class gives a roar of laughter. Her friend, Sanne, is good at poetry. She offers to help her. Anne wants to turn the table on Mr Keesing. She finishes the poem about a mother duck and a father swan with three baby ducklings. They are bitten to death by the father because they quack too much. Mr Keesing understands the poem and its message in the right way. Since then she has been allowed to talk. She has not been assigned with any extra homework.

Main Points of the Story

1. Writing in a diary is a strange experience for Anne Frank.
2. She writes only to lighten the burden on her heart.
3. She feels that paper has more patience than people.
4. She wants to keep a diary as she doesn’t have a friend.
5. She wants the diary to be her true friend, and she is going to call this friend, ‘Kitty’.
6. She got her education in Amsterdam.
7. She started writing her diary on 20 June 1942.
8. She feels that a quarter of students are worthless and deserve to be kept back.
9. The maths teacher, Mr Keesing, is an old-fashioned teacher.
10. He is annoyed with Anne as she talks too much in the class.
11. He gives her extra homework to write an essay on ‘A Chatterbox.’
12. She writes that she has inherited the habit of talking from her mother.
13. Mr Keesing has a good laugh at her arguments and gives to write another essay on ‘An Incorrigible Chatterbox’.
14. Mr Keesing was trying to play a joke on Anne by giving such an essay.
15. She finished the essay in verse with the help of her friend Sanne.
16. Mr Keesing reads the poem and the message in the right way.
17. After that, he has allowed Anne to talk in class.
18. Since then a change has come in Keesing and he has started making jokes.