The Diary of Anne Frank Play
Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett
Act One, Scene 1 pages 281 - 283
Cast of Characters
Directions: Add any important details below each character’s name.
Secret Annex Residents
Anne Frank: the central character, a girl in her early teenage years
Otto Frank: Anne and Margot’s father
Edith Frank: Anne and Margot’s mother
Margot Frank: Anne’s older sister, in her late teens
Peter Van Daan: the son of Mr. and Mrs. Van Daan
Mr. Van Daan: Peter’s father
Mrs. Van Daan: Peter’s mother
Mr. Dussel: an irritable former dentist
Workers in Mr. Frank’s Business:
Miep Gies: the annex resident’s link to the outside world
Mr. Kraler: the annex resident’s link to the outside world
Directions: Notice how the playwright provides information through dialogue and stage
directions in the drama, The Diary of Anne Frank. Use the chart below to note important
information about Anne and about the Nazi occupation.
Act One, Scene 1
Information About Anne
Information About Nazi Occupation/Historical Context
Directions: Read pages 280 - 283 to answer the following text-dependent questions.
Text-Dependent Questions page 280
1.Reread the stage directions that appear below the listing of characters.
A.
During what years does the play take place?
B.
In what city does the play take place?
C.
Why do you think the stage directions include a description of the sounds outside the
Annex?
Act One, Scene 1
pages 281 - 283
Notes: An act is a major section in a play, similar to a chapter in a book. An act may be
divided into smaller sections called scenes.
Text-Dependent Questions page 281(fill-in details about characters above, in the Cast of
Characters, as you read.)
2. Reread lines 1 - 25 to identify different types of information found in these stage
directions.
A.
What does the audience see on the stage when the curtain rises?
B.
What kinds of information do the stage directions give about Mr. Frank?
C.
What does the description suggest about Mr. Frank?
Text-Dependent Questions page 282 (fill-in details about characters above, in the Cast of
Characters, as you read.)
3. Reread lines 26 - 37 to identify Mr. Frank’s thoughts and feelings.
A.
How does the white glove affect Mr. Frank?
B.
What does this reveal about him?
4.Reread lines 91 - 103
A.
What do these stage directions say that Miep does?
B.
What do the stage directions indicate that Mr. Frank does?
C.
Why is important to know that Mr. Frank saves the glove but wants his papers to be
burned?
5.Reread lines 124 - 138.
A.
What shift takes place in who is saying the words from Anne’s diary?
B.
What is the impact of this shift in speakers?
C.
How does this affect the tone, or feeling of the scene?