Friday, September 14, 2007

Anne Frank letter writing competition

Ellen and Nicola entered this competition. Here are their entries. Good luck girls.

NICOLA

Dear whoever finds this,

My name is Anne Frank and I am nearly 16. My family was hiding in an old Amsterdam warehouse during the second World War because we are Jewish. Now that I have been arrested, all I can do is pray for other Jews that they will not reach this fate which has fallen upon me.
An epidemic of typhus has spread throughout this concentration camp, but I am no longer scared for myself, but for Margot, who fell ill this morning. I hope, hope, hope she hasn't caught typhus.
My heart breaks when I think what might have happened to dear Peter.
Tears fill my eyes when I think of Mumsie. Although I could never confide in her, there was a small spot at the bottom of my heart for her. To think that we never even made up!
Even Mr Dussel and the van Daans. What became of them?
What will become of me and Margot?
Maybe some day, with the help of you, this letter can be published for all to see.
Oh Pim! If you are still alive, please publish my diary, for I don't think I will ever escape and be proud to be Jewish again.
No. I will never be free again.

Yours,
Anne M Frank.

ELLEN

Dear Anne Frank
My name is Ellen. I am 11 years old and live in New Zealand. War still haunts this planet but luckily not in my country. I have read your diary and am astonished by your living conditions and what happened to you. The year is 2007, 60 years after your diary was first published by your father. So many people have read your diary. I wonder what might have happened if you hadn’t been found by the Nazis. You might want to know what happened in the war. Hitler lost because he shot himself (or so it was said). Your concentration camp was freed a month after you passed away. At least now you are with your mother, father, Margot and Peter Van Pels. I have an older sister too so I know what it like!!! .I can’t stop thinking how young you were when you died far far too young. I bet the suffering and pain was agonising especially when Margot wasn’t with you anymore. You are no longer suffering and are free of fear. I am not Jewish but I am Christian so we believe in the same god. I have three cats at home (Arnold, T.C and Tiger) and I know how they can cheer you up any time!!!

Thank you for reading my letter

Your sincerely
Ellen

NICOLA

Dear Anne,

My name is Nicola and I am writing to describe to you our world today. (2007.) A lot of things have changed since your time. The second world war ended in 1945. Although it was meant to be a war to end all wars, there have been a few smaller wars since then, in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and other various parts of the world.
These days, a huge threat to the world is terrorism. Islamic militants have carried out random acts of terrorism in different places such as London, Bali (Indonesia) and parts of Africa. Some of these bombings have been suicide bombings, where the bombers have been prepared to kill themselves too. An example of this happened a few years ago when some planes were hijacked and the pilots flew into the Twin Towers – two extremely tall, strong towers in New York. Hundreds of people were killed.
Planes are much bigger now. Our normal, everyday ones usually seat a few hundred people. We call them jumbo jets.
One issue of our world today is global warming. We use so many products that aren't environmentally friendly these days, that the earth is heating up. Ice from the Arctic and Antarctica is gradually melting or breaking off and drifting away. This will cause the sea level to rise, and low-lying places could get covered by sea. Fortunately, people have noticed, and some people are doing something about it.
Another issue is poverty. In many poor countries, children go without many of the things we take for granted. Some do not get enough food or even clean water to drink. To help, World Vision (a charity organisation) sets up a 40 hour or 20 hour famine each year. Young people across the country go without food for 20/40 hours and ask their neighbours, friends and relations to sponsor them some money. It raises a lot of money for the children.
I live in New Zealand, and am very lucky to do so. New Zealand is a peaceful country. On April 25th, New Zealanders remember our soldiers that died in the World Wars. We call this day Anzac Day.
I go to Bucklands Beach Intermediate School, and for reading, we read your diary. I admire your bravery during the time you were hiding in the Secret Annexe. It must have been really scary! While we were reading your diary, we each got a task to do about what we had read, then we reported back to our reading group in a literature circle, where we discussed the story. One of my jobs as a correspondent was to write a letter from one character to another. I chose to put myself in your shoes, and write a letter from you to whoever found it. I pretended that you were writing it in the concentration camp, when you knew that you would never be free again. My teacher thought the letter was well written, so I have enclosed it for you to read.

Yours Sincerely,
Nicola

12 comments:

HB said...

Nice job guys.

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Anthony said...

NICE LETTERS GIRLS YA'LL ROCKZ AND THANK YOU FOR CARING FOR MY PEOPLE CAUSE I MAY NOT BE JEWISH BUT IM CHRISTIAN...THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS YALL ALOTZ!!!!!!!

will.i.am said...

To be honest, I really didn't like this book. I know that the Holocaust was horrible and everything, but I think Anne really thought too much of herself and not about others. She always thought she was the center of attention. For example, she thinks that everyone gangs up on her, but if she really did something wrong, she deserved it. Then she goes on writing and ranting about how everyone is talking about her. It's sick. She's really a victimizer. Also, she thinks that people like Peter and other boys always like her. That's probably not true. She never thought about how others were suffering too, and even when she did, she always put her own suffering first. I thought the Book Thief by Markus Zusak was much better, even though it was fiction.

Also, after such a horrible time, teachers are making students write fictional stories as if they were Anne! It's shocking. The Holocaust was real and nobody should write fiction about this.

erin said...

Will.i.am
Of course you're entitled to your opinion, but remember that Anne was a 12 year old girl, and they tend to be in a selfish stage of life. If she were a self centered 30 year old woman, I would wonder about her. I think her attitude in her diary is very normal. Great job on the project, girls!

Anonymous said...

sad.

anNEonymous franke said...

I think this is an amazing blog! I was profoundly influenced by her diary as a child. She was a direct influence for my current blog project. Check it out if you are interested, though it's probably best read by adults.

Anonymous said...

intereting letters.
good job on them

Brittany said...

A Beacon of Hope
Picture this: bomb raids, innocent people imprisoned, 72 million dead. “So much had been lost, but now Anne’s voice would never be lost. My young friend had left a remarkable legacy to the world” (Goldstein). The horrific World War II started when Anne Frank was only nine years old. At age thirteen she started to do what very few could, put the war into words. Eventually those words turned into the voice of the Holocaust victims because of her experiences, influences, actions, and interests.
For starters, the victims were, in a way, represented by Anne Frank through her experiences. Throughout Germany, Poland, and a few other countries there was a vast sense of fear because of the war. An online timeline referenced this remark, “‘...I’m terrified our hiding place will be discovered and that we’ll be shot.’ Anne Frank” (“Timeline”). Many of the victims first tried to escape the war by hiding, but as Anne said the terror followed them into their hiding places. In the afterword of Anne Frank’s diary it states, “The Franks, the Van Daans, and Mr. Dussel were sent to Westerbork.” A large part of the victims were sent to Westerbork and other similar concentration camps just like Anne. Ms. Frank’s enabled the innocent people’s voices to be heard because she wrote about her experiences.

Brittany said...

To add to that, because Anne Frank recorded her influences it gives generations to follow a picture in their minds of the persecuted people of the time. Like most others they were influenced by the people around them. Miep Gies, one of the Frank’s friends who helped the family hide, wrote this about the girl, “She knew every film star and pored over their beautiful dresses and glamorous hairdos” (“Uncommonly Beautiful Shoes”). Anne often dreamt about being famous like the film stars and was influenced by the way they dressed and looked. On March 28, 1944 she wrote about a conversation between her friend Peter and herself, “[Anne said]‘I know I’m not beautiful. I never have been and I never will be!’ [Peter van Pels replied] ‘I don’t agree. I think you’re pretty.’‘I am not.’‘I say you are, and you’ll have to take my word for it!’ So of course I then said the same about him” (Brandhorst). Even though the victims were going through hard times they still were influenced by other people; just like Anne was being influenced by Peter about the way she looked. Clearly, by writing about how she was influenced, it provided a window into the lives of those who could not speak up from the Holocaust.

Brittany said...

In addition, the actions of Anne eventually turned into the voice of millions because unlike others her story was exposed to the world. The way Anne went about the tough war situation was the same for a lot of that generation. In an interview Miep reminisced about Anne, “‘Watching Anne, I thought, now, here’s the kind of child I’d like to have someday. Quiet, obedient, curious about everything’” (Allison). Anne Frank was a curious one, just like the victims, asking question such as why us? Why now? An article written about Anne in NY Daily News stated, “During her final weeks of life in a German concentration camp, Anne Frank told fairy tales to the youngest inmates to lift their morale” (Black). She was a beacon of hope for those around her keeping her attitude positive even when the struggles worsened. People Magazine posted an online article/ interview with Miep Gies that mentioned Anne, “I don't believe Anne ever lost hope, though [she] worried. She always had so many questions and longings to be free” (Feerick). Everyone longed for freedom from all the dangers and fears, but again Anne kept her hope alive. The curiosity and hope she wrote about affected the people surrounding her and ultimately became the voice for the voiceless victims of the Holocaust.
Lastly, by recording her interests it gives others an inside look into Hitler’s targets. By studying Anne’s way of life and passion for writing it gives someone a better idea of the victims. Hannah Gosler, a friend of Anne, “tells of a young, funny, bright Anne Frank who had sleepover parties, and flirted, and wanted to be famous, a girl just like any other girl” (Gold). Before the victim’s lives were on the line they were a group relatable to most of a first world culture. They had friends, parties, and fun. In an article titled "Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl" the author stated, “Anne writes with renewed dedication because she dreams of becoming a journalist and knows she must hone her composition skills” (“Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl”). Anne had dreams of becoming published just like the Holocaust victims had their own hopes and dreams for their futures. Through sharing her interests she became a voice for the people targeted in the Holocaust.
In conclusion, although she didn’t know it at the time Anne Frank’s writing turned into a mouth for the Holocaust victims. Through her experiences one can understand the fear and hardship that they endured. Like most people, the victims were influenced by the people around them and celebrities. One can better comprehend this particular group through the way Anne acted by her curious ways and taking care of others. Lastly, by being interested in friends, sleepovers, hopes and dreams Anne gives people insight into the multitude of humans from the Holocaust. In a situation where there is tragedy, maybe death or heartache, what is your beacon of hope?

Brittany said...

I had to "publish" my paper somewhere so I thought this would be a good place since it is about Anne Frank. But for the record I agree with will.i.am. I didn't like the book or Anne's attitude.