DO NOT WRITE ON THIS OR REMOVE FROM THIS ROOM.
(A copy will be available on your teacher’s website.)
Over the next four weeks we will be reading aloud “The Diary of Anne Frank” Drama by Frances Goodrich
and Albert Hackett. Each student must participate by reading aloud the lines of a select character as this
will be a participation grade. We will change participants each scene. Completion/accuracy of this
assignment will be broken into multiple grades determined by the teacher. (Students will receive
advanced notice of when assignments are due.)
The Diary of Anne Frank by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett
ACT ONE
Read the drama The Diary of Anne Frank by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett. Then, reread the lines
indicated with each question below. Answer each question in complete sentences, citing text evidence.
Must be written neatly.
Scene 1 pages 280-283
1. Lines 1–25: What different types of information are found in these stage directions? What does the
audience see on the stage when the curtain rises? What kinds of information do the stage directions
give about Mr. Frank? What does the description suggest about Mr. Frank?
2. Lines 26–37: What are Mr. Frank’s thoughts and feelings? How does the white glove affect Mr. Frank?
What does this detail reveal about him?
3. Lines 91–103: What do the various stage directions in these lines say that Miep does? What do the
directions indicate that Mr. Frank does? Why is it important to know that Mr. Frank saves the glove but
wants his papers to be burned?
4. Lines 124–138: What shift takes place in who is saying the words from Anne’s diary? What is the impact
of this shift in speakers? How does it affect the tone, or feeling, of the scene?
5.
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7.
8.
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10.
11.
12.
13.
Scene 2 pages 283-292
Lines 171–173: Explain why a new scene begins at line 171.
Lines 180–193: Note the physical appearance of Mrs. Van Daan and her son, Peter. What does Mrs. Van
Daan look like? How does Peter Van Daan look? What do these details reveal about Mrs. Van Daan?
about Peter?
Lines 196–207: What two characters are having a dialogue here? What do the ellipses in the dialogue
indicate? What does the dialogue reveal about Mrs. Van Daan?
Lines 291–306: Why is Mrs. Frank concerned about the legality of the ration books? What is the impact
of Mr. Kraler’s distinction between the “black market” and the “white market”?
Lines 334–337: What does this comment by Mr. Kraler reveal about Mr. Frank?
Lines 453–456: Why does Mrs. Van Daan think Peter might be afraid? What does Peter mean when he
says “Please, Mother”?
Lines 498–516: Pay particular attention to the stage directions in these lines. What do the stage
directions indicate about how the performers should interact with Peter’s cat? What do these
directions reveal about Peter?
Lines 530–540: What does Peter mean when he says he is “a lone wolf”? What contrast do the
playwrights reveal between Anne and Peter in this passage?
Lines 570–586: What does the Star of David symbolize? What do Peter’s and Anne’s views about the
star reveal about them?
14. Lines 631–656: Examine these lines to discover more about Mr. Frank’s nature. What surprises does Mr.
Frank have for Anne? What can you infer about Mr. Frank from this part of the script?
15. Lines 748–759: What instructions do the stage directions give about lighting? What happens to the
stage curtain? What does this signal? Why does the beginning of line 753 say “Anne’s Voice” instead of
just “Anne”?
Scene 3 pages 292-309
16. Lines 907–917: What does Anne mean when she responds to Mrs. Van Daan by saying, “Where would
he be!” Which expression used by Mrs. Van Daan is hyperbole? What does this expression reveal about
Mrs. Van Daan?
17. Lines 976–993: What direct comments by the playwrights show Peter’s and Anne’s thoughts and
feelings? What conclusions can you draw about Anne and Peter based on their actions, speech, and
comments by the playwrights?
18. Lines 1110–1111: Who is “Pim”? How does each character’s use of the word vile impact their exchange?
19. Lines 1145–1147: What do the stage directions in these lines imply about the story that Mrs. Van Daan is
about to tell?
20. Lines 1203–1237: What are Mrs. Van Daan’s attitudes toward her husband and Mr. Frank? What are her
thoughts about Mr. Van Daan? about Mr. Frank?
21. Lines 1268–1273: How are the connotations of the words discussion and quarrel different? Why is the
distinction between the words important to Mr. Van Daan?
22. Lines 1349–1370: How does Mr. Van Daan think women and girls should behave? What do Mr. Van
Daan’s words reveal about him? What does Anne’s response reveal about her?
23. Lines 1414–1432: Anne doesn’t want the Van Daans to “walk all over” her. What variation of the idiom
does Mrs. Frank use in her response to Anne? What does the idiom “walk all over” or “walk on” mean?
What is the impact of the use of the idiom on readers’ understanding of the characters?
24. Lines 1509–1514: What word do the playwrights use to explain how Mr. Frank and Mr. Kraler should
look? What does the description signal to the audience?
25. Lines 1752–1773: Examine this description of Mr. Dussel’s welcome to the Annex. What does the word
bolt mean in this context? What does this word suggest about Mr. Dussel? Mr. and Mrs. Van Daan
“murmur” their welcome. What are the playwrights indicating by using the word murmur? Peter is
“humiliated” by his father’s comment to Mr. Dussel. What is the impact of the playwrights’ use of the
word humiliated instead of a word such as upset or embarrassed?
26. Lines 1875–1954: What clues in the text reveal what Mr. Dussel is like? What do Mr. Dussel’s words and
behavior, along with notes in the state directions, reveal about him?
Scene 4 pages 309-314
27. Lines 2000–2004: Explain why the playwrights begin a new scene here. When does this scene take
place?
28. Lines 2040–2066: Contrast the ways Mr. Dussel and Mrs. Frank communicate with Anne. What does
this dialogue reveal about the characters?
29. Lines 2151–2168: Why do you think the playwrights have Mr. and Mrs. Frank speak German in this part
of the script?
30. Lines 2233–2274: Examine Anne’s thoughts about herself. What do Anne’s thoughts tell the audience
about her nature?
31. Lines 2320–2328: Based on these stage directions, what will the focus of Scene 5 be? Who is leading the
Hanukkah celebration? Why might the playwrights have chosen to focus on this celebration?
Scene 5 pages 314-323
32. Lines 2359–2378: Why is most of this text shown within quotation marks? What is the impact of the
ancient prayer that Mrs. Frank reads?
33. Lines 2451–2459: Who is the author of this poem? What pun does Anne include to make the poem
humorous? What is the impact of Anne’s pun?
34. Lines 2532–2551: How is the action in this scene connected to Scene 1? Why is this detail in the stage
directions important to know?
35. Lines 2668–2699: What can you infer about Mr. Van Daan from the words he speaks to Peter and to
Mr. Dussel?
36. Lines 2720–2736: What is the most significant event that occurs at this point in the play? Why is this
event such an important part of the plot?
37. Lines 2906–2922: What can you infer about Mr. Frank from the words he says to all the residents of the
Annex? Why does Mr. Frank want the “family” to sing the Hanukkah song?
38. Lines 2923–2952: What analogy are the playwrights making between the ancient Jews and the
residents in the Annex? What is the impact of their analogy? Which words in the Hanukkah song bring
out the idea of victory through unity?
ACT TWO
Scene 1 pages 325-334
39. Lines 1–10: How much time has passed since the end of Act One? What does this suggest about the
suspected thief who may have heard noise from the Annex?
40. Lines 123–141: How does this passage help the audience and readers understand the order of events?
How do these events propel the story?
41. Lines 145–200: Determine character traits based on these lines. What does the dialogue about cutting
the cake reveal about Mrs. Frank? Mr. Frank? the Van Daans?
42. Lines 241–278: Analyze the conflict described in this scene. How does Peter explain the conflict?
According to Mrs. Van Daan, why is the coat so important to her? What decision does Mr. Van Daan
make?
43. Lines 279–291: Compare Mr. Van Daan’s words here with his comment to Anne in lines 1271–1273 of Act
One. What is the impact of Van Daan again using the word discussion rather than quarrel? What is ironic
about Mr. Van Daan’s use of the word selfish?
44. Lines 350–380: What problem does Mr. Kraler describe to the group? Why is the bookcase important?
How does this dialogue move the plot forward and provoke a decision?
45. Lines 500–546: Examine these lines to draw conclusions about the relationship between Peter and
Anne. What does Peter do to show his concern for Anne? What does he say to encourage her? What
does Peter think about Anne’s presence in the Annex? What is the impact of the incident on their
relationship?
46. Lines 638–657: Note three similes and a metaphor in these lines. What comparisons does Anne make
using a simile? What is the impact of these similes? What does Anne compare in a metaphor? What does
the metaphor mean?
Scene 2 pages 334-341
47. Lines 692–705: Analyze events in the plot. What is Peter doing? What is Anne doing? Which detail
shows that Anne wants her appearance to be just right? What do the events in these stage directions
suggest will happen next?
48. Lines 792–832: What parts of the dialogue show that Margot is an understanding daughter? What
statements by Anne show that she is a caring sister?
49. Lines 854–868: What is Mrs. Van Daan’s tone in these lines? What words does Mrs. Van Daan use to
suggest the tone? What is the impact of her tone?
Scene 3 pages 341-347
50. Lines 1150–1186: What conflict arises in this scene? Who reacts most strongly to the theft? How does
this event propel the action of the plot forward?
51. Lines 1222–1264: What does Mrs. Frank mean when she says “you sacrifice your child to this man”?
What is ironic about Mrs. Frank’s language in this section? Why is Mrs. Frank’s statement “He steals
once! He’ll steal again!” an example of irony? What is the impact of Mrs. Frank’s anger?
52. Lines 1306–1310: What do Mr. Frank’s words reveal about him? What do his actions reveal?
53. Lines 1408–1450: Why do the residents of the Annex go “crazy” and have a “wild demonstration”? How
does the mention of D-Day help establish the chronology of events and propel the action of the story?
54. Lines 1535–1566: How have the playwrights used Anne’s diary to structure their play? What phrases and
sentences in this diary entry are time clues?
Scene 4 pages 347-351
55. Lines 1611–1612: How does Mr. Van Daan refer to Anne? What tone do these words create, and what is
the impact of that tone? How has Mr. Van Daan’s attitude changed from the previous scene?
56. Lines 1718–1734: What evidence of good does Anne see in the world? What does this part of the
dialogue reveal about Anne?
Scene 5 pages 351-352
57. Lines 1863–1872: How does the setting of Scene 5 complete the structure of the play? What sentences
show that some time has passed since that first scene?