Student Explanatory Essay
The Ying and the Yang of Anne Frank
The character I choose in making my mandala was Anne Frank. I believe Anne possessed many
fine characteristics, but at the same time a few negative ones. On the positive side, Anne was a
good writer. She was optimistic, thoughtful, loving, and outgoing. On the negative side, she
displayed signs of being feisty, disrespectful, impetuous, critical, and she talked a little too much.
When it comes to her characteristics, I believe her positive characteristics outshined the negative
ones.
On the positive side, Anne displayed a loving nature that is represented by a heart. Throughout
the play, she displayed love for her family and also displayed affection for Peter. She was
optimistic. Even when they were found and were taken away, Anne wrote in her diary that she
hoped that someone would keep her diary until her return, therefore the happy face. Anne found
a way to stay positive and kept people in good spirits. On Hanukah, Anne made gifts for
everyone in the Secret Annex. These gifts displayed thoughtfulness and creativity. These traits
are represented by the light bulb.
Maybe Anne’s most important trait was her writing skills, symbolized by the pencil. By using
her writing skills, Anne painted a vivid picture of the daily lives of those in the Secret Annex.
Last, Anne showed an outgoing nature by sharing facts about herself with Peter and the others in
the Secret Annex. I represent this with the phrase In & Outgoing.
A bookcase separates the two sides. This represents the bookcase that hid the entrance to the
Secret Annex.
On the negative side, Anne displayed a very feisty nature, symbolized by fists. Throughout the
play, Anne got into several quarrels with assorted members of the Secret Annex. Anne also was
disrespectful, especially toward her mother. Anne continually talked back to her mother and
raised her voice at her. The butting heads represents this disrespect. Next, Anne displayed an
impetuous nature. By far the biggest example of this was when Anne was dancing around and
spilled the milk on Mrs. Van Daan’s fur coat, which is symbolized on the mandala by the fur
coat and the spilled glass of milk. Anne seemed to lack the ability to think ahead.
Anne’s worst negative trait is that she talked too much, therefore the lips on the mandala. Her
mouth got her into many arguments and also caused problems with her mother. Anne’s mouth
created great tension in the Secret Annex and put people on edge. Finally, Anne was very
critical of people, thus the pointing fingers on the mandala.
Anne was a normal teenage girl during her years in hiding. Overall, I believe that Anne’s
positive qualities dominated her negative ones.