As some of you may know, I am currently doing a course in Speech and Drama + Communication skills that the Trinity College of London offers. Every year, I appear for an exam that gets me to the next level. One of the parts in my exam this year has me to talk about a book or a movie that I read/liked. I'm sure most of us teenagers remember the story Hana's Suitcase. I had really liked that book and, soon after, I read the Diary Of A Young Girl by Anne Frank. It is about this book that I am going to speak. I would really appreciate your views about my talk. Please read it.
The Diary of a Young Girl – Anne Frank
The Diary of a Young Girl is a collection of letters that young Anne Frank wrote to her diary, Kitty. Anne was a normal, cheerful, popular, inquisitive 13 year old. She was also a Jew. Let me remind you, this was the time of the Jewish Holocaust. Anne’s family knew that they were not safe anymore. They too decided to go into hiding, shortly after Anne’s 13th birthday. They were soon settled in a safe place, that is, the attic of Anne’s father’s office building. Very few people were aware of this. For the next two years, they lived here hidden from the rest of the world, with just one other Jewish family for company. It was here that Anne wrote in her diary. She wrote about their day to day life, the problems they faced and the small fun they sometimes had. Anne felt very lonely sometimes, and she confided in her diary completely. Reading her diary is like peeping into her mind. Soon, from sympathizing with her, I began to empathize with her.
Sometimes Anne wrote about more serious topics. She would write about her distress over the condition of Jews around the world. She sometimes felt guilty because she found it unfair that while they were so safe, other Jews were dying like flies. Sometimes, she would write in despair about her loss to understand Hitler’s hatred for people like them. She even wondered at times if it was bad that they were Jews.
She always wrote with optimism. Her sentences nearly always began with, “When we get out…”, and not “if”. If nothing else, her love for writing would compel her to write stories and poems in different languages she was learning in the Secret Annex (that is what they called their hideout).
She was a very spunky girl. She would put up with a smile with whatever hardships they had to bear, may it be meager rations, living like mice in silence, not having enough space for herself, etc. She had, however, thought her mother did not understand her and often had violent fights with her. She loved her all the same.
About two years had passed in their Secret Annex. The british troops were advancing, and the Franks were counting the days to the end of their imprisonment. There was hope all around. Suddenly, one day, the Secret Police got the wind of the Secret Annex, and they broke in. After that, it was over for the Frank family. Everyone was captured.
Otto, Anne’s father, was the only survivor from their family. After the war was over, he distributed copies of Anne’s diary among family and friends. He was urged to get it published. He did. After that, there was no looking back. Her diary was translated into 71 different languages and was adapted for television, theatre and film. Two of Anne’s biggest wishes were fulfilled. She wanted to be a writer, and live after death. Anne’s book also changed my perspective of life a little. I learnt to be happy with what I have. I think every youngster should read this book atleast once.
The Diary of a Young Girl is a collection of letters that young Anne Frank wrote to her diary, Kitty. Anne was a normal, cheerful, popular, inquisitive 13 year old. She was also a Jew. Let me remind you, this was the time of the Jewish Holocaust. Anne’s family knew that they were not safe anymore. They too decided to go into hiding, shortly after Anne’s 13th birthday. They were soon settled in a safe place, that is, the attic of Anne’s father’s office building. Very few people were aware of this. For the next two years, they lived here hidden from the rest of the world, with just one other Jewish family for company. It was here that Anne wrote in her diary. She wrote about their day to day life, the problems they faced and the small fun they sometimes had. Anne felt very lonely sometimes, and she confided in her diary completely. Reading her diary is like peeping into her mind. Soon, from sympathizing with her, I began to empathize with her.
Sometimes Anne wrote about more serious topics. She would write about her distress over the condition of Jews around the world. She sometimes felt guilty because she found it unfair that while they were so safe, other Jews were dying like flies. Sometimes, she would write in despair about her loss to understand Hitler’s hatred for people like them. She even wondered at times if it was bad that they were Jews.
She always wrote with optimism. Her sentences nearly always began with, “When we get out…”, and not “if”. If nothing else, her love for writing would compel her to write stories and poems in different languages she was learning in the Secret Annex (that is what they called their hideout).
She was a very spunky girl. She would put up with a smile with whatever hardships they had to bear, may it be meager rations, living like mice in silence, not having enough space for herself, etc. She had, however, thought her mother did not understand her and often had violent fights with her. She loved her all the same.
About two years had passed in their Secret Annex. The british troops were advancing, and the Franks were counting the days to the end of their imprisonment. There was hope all around. Suddenly, one day, the Secret Police got the wind of the Secret Annex, and they broke in. After that, it was over for the Frank family. Everyone was captured.
Otto, Anne’s father, was the only survivor from their family. After the war was over, he distributed copies of Anne’s diary among family and friends. He was urged to get it published. He did. After that, there was no looking back. Her diary was translated into 71 different languages and was adapted for television, theatre and film. Two of Anne’s biggest wishes were fulfilled. She wanted to be a writer, and live after death. Anne’s book also changed my perspective of life a little. I learnt to be happy with what I have. I think every youngster should read this book atleast once.
hey! saniya, i simply loved ur speech. i felt like reading the book at the earliest. maybe,i will borrow it from you after the exams.
ReplyDeletehere are some suggestions : the beginning of the speech can be catchy / dramatic, you may choose some lines or an incidence from the book. also, think of using a defferent word for `SPUNKY', it is too slang for a speech.
wish you all the best wishes for the speech.