The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank details approximately two years of the life a Jewish teenager during World War II. During much of the time period covered by her journal, Anne and her family are in hiding in an attempt to escape Hitler’s anti-Jewish laws and genocidal desires. Anne’s diary ends abruptly in August, 1944. On that day, she and her family are taken into custody by the Germans and transported to concentration camps.

Shortly after Anne gets her diary as a gift on her thirteenth birthday, her sister Margot gets call up orders by the German army. These call up orders force her Jewish family into hiding from Hitler and his men. Anne and her family are joined in the “Secret Annex” — a portion of Otto Frank’s office building — by the three members of the van Daan family and a dentist named Albert Dussel.

Anne’s diary entries are written to a fictitious girl named “Kitty” whom Anne treats as her best friend. She initially writes mostly her thoughts, interactions, and occurrences that she believes might entertain her friend. In her March 29, 1944 entry Anne’s emphasis changes as she hears that Mr. Bolkestein, the cabinet minister, speaks of his desire to put together a collection of diaries and letters about the war. Anne starts detailing the news she gets about the war and the way the war is affecting them. She tells what they eat and what they talk about during their days in hiding.

Anne spends most of her life in a terrible time when Jews were persecuted; yet, her belief in the goodness of people is amazing. She states several times in her journal, even when the family is in hiding from those who want to kill them, that she still believes that people are inherently good. Perhaps, it is the resiliency of Anne’s positive nature that is the most memorable theme in her writing. In addition to news of the war and everyday occurrences, Anne gives details about her relationship with her mother. She also journals about love and her desire to be a better person.