Class 10 NCERT Solutions English Chapter 4 - From the Diary of Anne Frank

Diary

Even though she disliked doing so, Anne provides a brief sketch of her life in her diary ‘Kitty’ since no one would understand a word of her musings if she were to jump right in.

Writing in a diary was a strange experience for Anne Frank not only because she had never written anything before, but also because it seemed to her that later on, neither she nor anyone else would be interested in the musings of a thirteen year old schoolgirl.

Anne's grandmother had fallen ill and had to be operated upon. Therefore, Anne's birthday passed with little celebration. Her grandmother died the next year. Anne wrote in her diary that no one knew how often she thought of her grandmother and still loved her. On her next birthday Grandma’s candle was lit along with the rest.

Anne wanted to keep a diary because she did not have a  'real'' friend. She thought that paper had more patience than people especially when one is feeling depressed and is sitting at home with ones chin in hand, bored and listless wondering whether to stay in or go out . She had loving parents, a sixteen year old sister and about thirty people whom she could call her friends. However, she did not have that one true friend. She did not confide in any of her friends. She knew the situation would never change. That is why she decided to keep a diary.

Anne did not have a true friend. She had many friends, but she only talked to them about ordinary everyday things. She had a great need to get all kinds of things off her chest but she did not seem to get any closer to her friends . She felt that maybe it was her fault that she could not confide in them. Knowing this situation would not change and believing a paper to have more patience than people, she decided to write and confide in a diary.

Mr. Keesing was annoyed with Anne because she talked too much in the class. He assigned her extra homework, asking her to write an essay on the subject, 'A Chatterbox'.

In her essay, Anne wanted to come up with convincing arguments to prove the necessity of talking. She argued that talking was a student's trait and that she would do her best to keep it under control. She further wrote that she would never be able to cure herself of the habit since her mother talked as much as she did if not more. There was not much that one could do about inherited traits. This was how she justified her being a chatterbox in the essay.

Mr. Keesing was a strict but extremely understanding teacher. However, he was not rigidly strict. He expected discipline and silence in his class while he was teaching, which is acceptable. He punished Anne by asking her to write an essay on 'A Chatterbox'. When Anne wrote a convincing essay on it, he received it with a good laugh. However, when Anne continued with her talking, he punished her again by asking her to write another essay; this time the topic was 'An Incorrigible Chatterbox'. Even after this when she kept talking, he asked her to write on the topic "Quack Quack Quack, said Mistress Chatterbox". He was trying to play a joke on her. However, she came up with a brilliant poem, and he read this poem in the class, acknowledging its content. Therefore, in regard of these events, Mr. Keesing cannot be entirely labelled as a strict teacher. He was fun-loving too.

Anne was able to justify her talkative nature every time she was punished by Mr. Keesing. On three occasions, as punishment, he gave her topics to write essays on. However, on each occasion he was impressed by the manner in which she presented her arguments. Finally, Mr. Keesing accepted the fact that Anne would always be
that way. Hence, she was allowed to talk in class and never assigned any extra homework.

No, Anne was not right when she said that the world would not be interested in the musings of a thirteen year old girl. Her diary was published under the name 'The Diary of a young girl'. It was translated from its original Dutch into many languages and it became one of the world's most widely read books. There have also been several films, television and theatrical productions, and even an opera based on the diary. It was described as the work of a mature and insightful mind. It provides an intimate examination of life under Nazi occupation. Anne Frank became one of the most renowned and discussed of the Holocaust victims.

Anne's diary was originally written in Dutch. Her diary is different from the others in many aspects. Facts were not just jotted down in her diary like most people do. She had named her diary 'Kitty'. She thought of it as her only true friend whom she could confide in. She treated it as another person who was listening to her daily accounts. She wrote all her stories in it. She started by writing 'Dearest kitty' and ended the account by writing, 'Yours, Anne'. Her diary was a lot more personal than other diaries.

Anne gave a brief sketch of her life since no one would understand a word of her stories to her diary if she were to plunge right in. She, therefore, wrote a brief sketch of her life, even though she disliked doing so. She treated Kitty as an insider because she called it her best friend and was ready to confide in it.

Anne felt that her father was the most adorable father she had ever seen.

Anne remembered her grandmother even after her death. She wrote in her diary that no one knew how often she thought of her grandmother and still loved her.

In the sixth form at the Montessori nursery school, her teacher was Mrs Kuperus, who was also the headmistress. At the end of the year, they were both in tears as they said a heartbreaking farewell.

Mr Keesing was her Maths teacher who was an old fogey. He was always annoyed with her because she talked too much. However, Anne was able to justify her talkative nature every time she was punished by Mr. Keesing. On each occasion he was impressed by the manner in which she presented her arguments. All these incidents show how lovable and smart Anne was. Everybody was attached to her, and even Mr Keesing could not help but laugh at her essays and acknowledge her smart mind.

In her first essay, titled 'A Chatterbox', Anne wanted to come up with convincing arguments to prove the necessity of talking. She began thinking about the subject. She wrote three pages and was satisfied. She argued that talking was a student's trait and that she would do her best to keep it under control. She further wrote that she would never be able to cure herself of the habit since her mother talked as much as she did if not more. There was not much that one could do about inherited traits. Mr Keesing too had a good laugh reading her arguments.

Anne felt that a quarter of her class was dumb, and should be kept back and not promoted to the next class. However, she also felt that teachers were the most unpredictable creatures on earth. Mr Keesing could be termed as unpredictable. The way Anne always talked while the class was going on, any teacher would lose his temper. However, after several warnings, all Mr Keesing did was to assign her extra homework. She had to write an essay on 'A Chatterbox'. In this way, he tried to play a joke on her. Each time that he asked her to write such essays, she wrote very well. She kept countering his jokes. One could not have predicted that he would take all the jokes in the right spirit. Finally, when she wrote an entire essay in verse he accepted her talkative nature and actually allowed her to talk in class. He did not even assign her any more extra homework. That is why it can be said that Mr Keesing was unpredictable.

(i) These lines show that Anne had no true friend whom she could confide in. She even put the blame on herself that the fault might be hers.
(ii) This line shows that Anne really considered her diary as a friend whom she could trust and narrate all her stories to. She did not want just a diary in which she could write down the facts like others did. She considered it to be her long awaited imaginary friend and named her Kitty.
(iii) This statement shows that Anne was a fun-loving person. She was witty and knew how to present things in a funny way. She narrated this incident with a lot of fun. The use of 'plunked down' shows her sense of humour.
(iv) This statement shows that she had an opinion on everything. She thought that a quarter of her class was full of dummies, signifying that she herself was intelligent enough to make it to the next class. She thought of teachers as the most unpredictable creatures on earth because nobody could say which students they would fail and which students would be passed on to the next class.
(v) This statement shows that Anne knew a lot about writing. She was given the task of writing an essay as a punishment. She took it on with full vigour. She did not want to write it like others who merely left big spaces between the words to make the essay look voluminous and complete . She knew that the trick was to come up with a
convincing argument to prove the necessity of talking. She was different in her approach from everybody else.

(i)Our entire class is quaking in its boots. Shaking with fear and nervousness
(ii) Until then, we keep telling each other not to lose heart. Not to lose hope
(iii) Mr. Keeping was annoyed with me for ages because I talked so much. Since a long time
(iv) Mr. Keeping was trying to play a joke on me with this ridiculous subject, but I'd make sure the joke was on him. He was outwitted by her

(i) plunge in - go straight to the topic.

 Since no one would understand a word of my stories to Kitty if I were to plunge right in, I'd better provide a brief sketch of my life, much as I dislike doing so.
(ii) kept back - not promoted
The reason, of course, is the forthcoming meeting in which the teachers decide who'll move up to the next form and who'll be kept back.
(iii) move up - go to the next grade
The reason, of course, is the forthcoming meeting in which the teachers decide who'll move up to the next form and who'll be kept back.
(iv) ramble on - speak or write without focus
Anyone could ramble on and leave big spaces between the words, but the trick was to come up with convincing arguments to prove the necessity of talking.
(v) get along with - have a good relationship with
I get along pretty well with all my teachers.
(vi) calm down - make (them) remain quite
Even G.'s pleading advances and my angry outbursts can't calm them down.
(vii) stay in - stay indoors
I thought of this saying on one of those days when I was feeling a little depressed and was sitting at home with my chin in my hands, bored and listless, wondering whether to stay in or go out.
(viii) make up for - compensate
This birthday celebration in 1942 was intended to make up for the other.
(ix) hand in - give an assignment (homework) to a person in authority (the teacher)
I handed it in, and Mr Keesing had nothing to complain about for two whole lessons.

(i) caught my eye
The beautiful diamond necklace placed in the shop caught my eye.
(ii) he'd had enough
He'd had enough of the bullying that he faced everyday and finally decided to put a stop to it.
(iv) laugh ourselves silly
John and I laugh ourselves silly each time we watch the new cartoon show.
(v) can't bring myself to
I can't bring myself to eat anything but sweets.

(i) I've - I have
(ii) Doesn't - does not
(iii) Won't - would not
(iv) I'm - I am
(v) Don't - do not
(vi) Can't - cannot
(vii) it's - it is
(viii) That's - that is
(ix) I'd - I would
(x) Didn't - did not
(xi) Who'll - who will
(xii) You're - You are
(xiii) We'll - We will
(xiv) There's - there is
(xv) He'd - he had
(xvi) Who's - who is
(xvii) Haven't - have not

(i) I'd - I had or I would
(ii) He'd - He had or he would

1. break somebody's heart - to upset somebody deeply
It has unfortunately become very easy these days to break somebody's heart.
2. close/dear to heart - something or someone who is near and close to you
The drawing given to me by my little daughter is very close to my heart.
3. from the (bottom of your) heart - genuinely meaning or feeling something
He loved his son from the bottom of his heart.
4. have a heart - to evoke the feeling to help someone in distress
The poor beggar asked the rich man to have a heart and give him something to eat.
5. have a heart of stone - to not feel anything or any sentiment
The cruel landlady must have a heart of stone to beat up her children.
6. your heart goes out to somebody - to sympathise with someone else and understand his feelings and distress
My heart goes out to the little girl who lost both her parents in a car accident.