Anne Frank Act 1 - Study Guide
Characters
The Nazis – Are taking over Central Europe to make room for their master race. They promote nationalism and racism. They force the Jews to wear a yellow badge of shame called the Star of David.
Anne Frank – She is the author of the diary and is very intelligent with an outgoing personality. Anne sometimes irritates both Mr. and Mrs. Van Daan because she talks too much. Anne has an unflattering nickname, Mrs. Quack Quack.
Margot Frank – Anne’s older sister who she describes as being pretty, smart, responsible, and everyone’s favorite.
Otto Frank (Mr. Frank) – Anne’s father who she feels a special kinship with. He moved his family to Amsterdam after WWI to protect them from Nazi persecution. He is the only member of the family to survive the war. Mr. Frank invites the Van Daan family to go into hiding with them. He misleads the Nazis by leaving behind a Swiss address before they go into hiding.
Edith Frank (Mrs. Frank) – Anne does not have a very good relationship with her mother because she thinks she is too critical and sentimental.
Mr. Van Daan- He is a colleague of Mr. Frank who goes into hiding with the Frank family.
Mrs. Van Daan – Mr. Van Daan’s wife. She is very flirtatious with Mr. Frank.
Peter Van Daan–The Van Daan’s son. He is not a very good student and brings his cat into hiding in the annex. Peter is the teenager that is considered more of a loner.
Albert Dussel - A dentist and acquaintance of the Franks who hides with them in the annex. Anne finds Mr. Dussel particularly difficult to deal with because he shares a room with her, and she suffers the brunt of his odd personal hygiene habits. Mr. Dussel’s wife is a Christian, so she does not go into hiding, and he is separated from her; he is also very ignorant of Jewish traditions. Mr. Dussel brings the unwelcome news that Jews are disappearing.
Mr. Kugler - A man who helps hide the Franks in the annex.
Mr. Kleiman - Another man who helps the Franks hide
Miep Gies - A secretary at Otto’s office who helps the Franks hide. She is the link to the outside world for the families in hiding. After the Franks are arrested, she stows the diary away in a desk drawer and keeps it there, unread, until Otto’s return in 1945. She is still living in Amsterdam.
Vocabulary
Dialogue – when two or more characters in a play talk with one another
Stage Directions – written directions on how actors, props, curtains should move in relation to the play
Hanukkah – a Jewish holiday that begins December 1st and lasts for eight days
Flashback – a transition to an earlier event or scene. Most of Act I is a flashback.
Conspicuous - a person who is easily seen
Subdued – quiet, suppressed or controlled
Loathe – to hate
Jubilation – a celebration or other expression of joy
Unabashed – not ashamed or embarrassed
Who Said That
Anne to Mr. Van Daan: / “I’m going to be a famous dancer or singer…or something wonderful!”Anne to Mr. Dussel: / “Do you always live all alone? Have you no family at all?”
Peter to Anne: / “You can’t throw…? Something they branded you with? That they made you wear so they could spit on you?”
Mr. Frank to Anne: / “It’ll be hard, I know. But always remember this…There are no walls, there are no bolts, no locks that anyone can put on your mind.”
Mr. Frank to Anne: / “There’s so little that we parents can do to help our children. We can only try to set a good example…point the way. The rest you must do yourself. You must build your own character.”
Mr. Van Daan to Anne: / “Don’t you ever get tired of talking? Suppose you try keeping still for five minutes. Just five minutes!”
Mrs. Frank to Mr. Kraler: / “It’s illegal, then, the ration books? We’ve never done anything illegal.”
Mr. Kraler to All: / “I never thought I’d live to see the day when a man like Mr. Frank would have to go into hiding.”
Mr. Frank to Mrs. Van Daan: / “You don’t know how your husband helped me when I came to this country…I can never repay him for that.”
Mr. Van Daan to Mr. Frank: / “There’s no reason for you to consult anyone. This is your place. You have a right to do exactly as you please.”
Mr. Dussell to Mrs. Frank: / “Something must be done about that child…Yelling like that! She’s endangering all our lives.”