Anne+Frank+8-2

Insaf Chibane 8-2 Lit Circles My group and I are reading the autobiography about Anne Frank. She writes in her diary most of the time. Most of what she says is about her and having bad relationships with her family and the other family living with her. She talks about mostly what happened during the day, what happened to people around her, but mostly what happened to her. She was given this diary on her 13th birthday from her father. Today in our groups we had many questions:
 * Why did Anne mostly focus on writing about the interactions between Mrs. Van Daan and not about the World War II as much? Anne Frank speaks about how her family isn't really getting along with the rest of the people who are sharing the Secret Annexe. I think that their family should get along with the other family because if they don't then they would cause even more bigger questions.
 * Why are so many negative accusations put on Anne Frank? Why doesn't she tell them how she feels? Well i think that many people don't like listening to her because she speaks way too much and they get tired. I still think that if she does speak so much that it isn't her fault. She is just expressing herself. I think that she should tell someone how she feels. We also said that her family should also listen to her, since they are living in a very dangerous environment and it could have been the last time that they were listening to her speak. Anne Frank probably does try to tell them how she feels but they don't listen to her and probably dont believe her.
 * Why are the people quarreling about ideas, revolving around beliefs and culture?
 * How exactly are they going to continue with their secrecy and hiding away from the world? They are probably going to stay so quiet and will not be able to go out in the real world for a very long time. This would be a bit hard but they could still try. It would be really sad not to actually be able to go out to the real world. But once they do go out to the real world all they have to do is be hurt and work all the time. People were so cruel just because of gaining more power.

We discussed how come the Jewish people didn't do anything to stop it? WE thought that it was because they didnt really have that much power to do something to stop the war. I am still a little confused because the Jews just thought that if they sit there in that secret annexe then the war would be over. They thought that if they forget about what was happening and kept their head out of the problem then it would eventually end.

Ideas discussed from the book Anne Frank by Elisavet Makridis

While reading Anne Frank, my group discussed many interesting ideas. We first came to talk about how the Jewish people didn't change their own identity, so that they could survive death from the Germans. It was a very irritating and strong question, and as a result we concluded with two reasons as to why. FIrst of all, Jewish males had physical evidence proving otherwise if they insisted upon the idea that they weren't Jewish. During their younger years, they had to experience a ceremony called a "bris" in which the male's penises were circumcised (the skin around the male baby's genital organ was cut off). So, even though females had it easier for them selves, the idea of leaving back fathers, brothers and sons was what enchained them to stay with their true identity. We also came to find that, these Jewish people were experiencing enslavement and death all because of their beliefs, for what they are. Changing their true identity would be going against their beliefs, their religion, and most importantly themselves.

In class we were told that Hilter has created a believable form of hierarchy, Aryans (Germans) were the best, slavic people came next (were in the middle) and then the worst race was the Jewish race (located at the bottom). Is there really a perfect race in the world? Of course not, but because Hitler was a huge extremist he wanted to back up his thirst for power, with unrealistic beliefs that sounded good to those who wanted to be known as the best race (the germans). His own form of hierarchy seemed to me to be just a stupid excuse to conquer all of Europe. He tried to get rid of all Jewish people, and did not succeed in the end. You cannot wipe out an entire race. Manipulation and political power definatley without a doubt bring out the worst in people, and sometimes, large goals are supported upon a foundation of inhumane and weak beliefs. This is a quote said by Hitler himself and indicates what he was willing and trying to do:

"If I can send the flower of the German nation into the hell of war without the smallest pity for the spilling of precious German blood, then surely I have the right to remove millions of an inferior race that breeds like vermin ..." Adolf Hitler

So, right after getting more information about this idea (above) in class, we gained a much clearer idea about why people decided to fall into the ideas Hitler had created. The Nazi organization spread ideas that basically appealed very much to German citizens, the promises made by Hitler about a "glorious national future". The way Hitler blamed every political, economical, social problem upon the Jews, increased the amount of people that began to believe that they truly were the inferior race. The people thought that there was something to gain, when Hitler was just trying to gain the most (power) through these kinds of promises and cruel beliefs.

In class we also connected the idea posted in the wikispaces by Insaf, to the new EQ in humanities class, "How do people respond to injustice?". Most of the group held on to the idea that even if they were Jewish, they would do anything and risk their lives just to react to the injustice against them. However, reality closed in and the idea of how Germans maintained the most power, and how the Nazi and Hitler beliefs and ideas had appealed to Germans and to people in other nations (Jews were hated in other European nations as well) which made the hate towards jews continue to expand and grow. They were truly helpless, but nothing like this had ever happened to them before and they always thought that, they shouldn't react against the law but go with what events are happening, without protest. Protesting would immediately cost them their lives, they always thought that they should be patient, that this is just another cruel hardship that has to be overcome, that they will be free someday no matter what. That is basically what made them surrender into the hands of the Germans, but they never surrendered their will to suffer and battle for freedom waiting in the end.

Insaf and I saw the movie, Anne Frank :The whole Story, given by Seong Ae in the wikispaces discussion, and we connected the events in the movie with the book. In the movie, you are able to see the total emphasis placed upon character, and being judged within Anne's mind, also shown through her entries, when she talks about how unfairly she is criticized by others in the Secret Annex. Also, it is very obvious when watching to see the discrimination and all the racial theories that were adopted against Jews, which is included within Anne's writing as well. The difference however between reading the book and watching the story unfold visually, is that in the movie you have the ability to see what happens after Anne's last entry. It doesn't only stop there, but it brings you into the concentration camps, the enslavement and the scathing and inhumane system of death placed upon the Jewish race. That is what makes all the difference, and it gives you a much better understanding of life as a slave ready to die.

One thing that we discussed a lot within the group was how, in the movie the first concentration camp that Anne's family and friends were taken to, was made to look like a decent and "nice" place. In the movie, you hear germans say "oh ,yes. We are sure you will be able to find everything you need here, it maybe a little dirty etc." and the Jews seem to believe that idea. They seem to think that everything will be the same, even Anne's father says that "It's not that bad". However, as soon as they arrive in the second concentration camp they are sent to work at in Auschwitz, things get very ugly. Families are seperated, starvation, illnesses, vermin and insects, weather, horrible working conditions all become major threats and obstacles that in the end kill the Jews, as well as Anne and her family, except her father. Why was the illusion of good concentration camps made in the first place? That question was answered when Ms, Sarah told us about, how the Red Cross would visit only the concentration camps that were made to seem "decent" so the Germans made sure to create good camps, and then "hell" camps. But, how could people live with the idea of concentration camps in the first place? It was wrong, it was cruel, it was inhumane..and yet it was continued and it was kept throughout the war, until the end.

This is a good link that can help you understand more about who Hitler really was: http://www.auschwitz.dk/Hitler.htm -By: Elisavet Makridis

This is a picture of the house that Anne Frank lived in before her and her family had to go to hiding. They were living in a reasonable house, with everything they actually needed but then they had to go because the germans wanted to get Margot. Anne's mother told Margot that they were leaving because of their father but it was not really that. This is the yellow star that all the jewish people had to wear on their clothes. We discussed why they don't just take of the star when they want to go out. We all spoke about that and came on some ideas. Well first it would be difficult for the men because of physical appearance. They did something to their body that the rest of the religions/race didnt do. And for the girls, we thought that it would be really difficult for them too. It would have been hard for the jews to hide their identity. Even if the women were to hide their identity then some girls would be saved but what about the brothers and the fathers? What will happen to them? SO if the women were able to do that what about the men? Were the women supposed to just leave their husbands and sons to get killed?

This is a picture of Anne Frank, when she was young before she had to go to the concentration camps.

This is a picture of anne frank's dad Otto. The only one to survive the war. When Anne Frank and her family went into hiding they went to a building behind Otto's work. They went up the stairs and behind this book shelf. That is where Anne and her family and some other people stayed until they were found. This was part of what they had to live in. This was the kitchen.

[|Anne Franks House]- and much more information that you can get about Anne Frank and the rest of her family

Our group was discussing this the other day && I found it very interesting. We wondered with all the Jews scattered everywhere and in hiding, would have they been stronger if they were together as one && faced Hitler in an actual battle? -Melissa

look at thiss!! =/ webb wisz !

ohla [=. my && my group is reading the book Anne Frank. The discussion we had was about the confusions of what happened and tried concluding it all to one result.

me && my group was talking about how the scariest of circumstances may birng out the best thoughts in a persons mind, but beleiving in something that seems very unfortunaty untrue seems like a solace for many trying to escape the terrible outcome in the end. We think that the way he was raised might have an affect on what he did. What happened in his childhood && all the anger that he had inside of him got out later in his years as a dictator. =/

__ yuhrsz truelyy ;; fitoreee [: