Literary Devices in The Diary of Anne Frank
Symbolism, Imagery, Allegory
For Anne, Peter Schiff serves as a symbol of desire and love. She pins all her longings on memories of him. When Peter Schiff and Peter van Daan become "one" in her head, she finally admits that sh...
Setting
The early entries of the diary, before Anne and her family enter into hiding, take place in Amsterdam, Holland. We don't learn much about the city or surroundings, only that the movement of Jews wi...
Narrator Point of View
The story is told through Anne Frank’s eyes, and is told with Anne’s voice. We are completely situated within Anne’s viewpoint throughout the book—it was, after all, her honest-to-goodness...
Genre
So we know what you’re thinking: this isn’t exactly an autobiography. Anne is writing it herself and about herself, but she’s not really telling her life story per se. A diary is a very diffe...
Tone
No shocker here: the tone of the diary of a thirteen-to-fifteen-year-old girl is youthful. To be fair, Anne does have many surprisingly mature insights into life, war, interpersonal relationships,...
Writing Style
When reading Anne Frank’s diary, it’s possible to feel both intrusive and honored at the same time. You are, after all, reading a girl’s diary, in which she has clearly entrusted all of her i...
What’s Up With the Title?
The title describes the book, literally. No frills or Shakespeare quotes here. This is a diary written by a young girl. Keep in mind that Anne Frank didn’t title her diary—that part came after...
What’s Up With the Epigraph?
"I hope I will be able to confide everything in you, as I have never been able to confide in anyone, and I hope you will be a great source of comfort and support."This epigraph is pretty basic, but...
Plot Analysis
Because Anne Frank: Diary of a Young Girl is, well, a diary, it doesn't follow the classic plot pattern. Nevertheless, it is possible to see multiple conflicts and multiple complications throughou...
Booker's Seven Basic Plots Analysis
Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl does not fit any of Booker’s Seven Basic Plots. It might be possible to stretch the plot into the Tragedy structure; however, considering that this diary r...
Three Act Plot Analysis
Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl does not fit the Three Act Plot Analysis. Since the contents of the diary regard real life events which were in no way planned, we don't think that analyzing...
Trivia
Anne Frank’s diary has become a favorite target for those who would rewrite history and deny the Holocaust. These individuals often claim that a New York scriptwriter (Meyer Levin) wrote the...
Steaminess Rating
There’s no actual sex in The Diary of a Young Girl. There isn’t much more than kissing, in terms of the physical action. Still, Anne is very curious about sex and sexuality, and writes openly a...
Allusions
Van Hildebrand, Camera Obscura (June 14, 1942)Dutch Sagas and Legends (June 14, 1942)Daisy Goes to the Mountains (June 14, 1942)Cissy van Marxveldt, Joop ter Heul series; The Zaniest Summer (Septem...