We want to take time to reflect on how to see the good in the world around you, in the little things and in the big. Maybe it's the peanut butter and jelly sandwich, with the crusts cut off, that your mom takes the extra time to make you in the morning. Maybe it's saving a baby bird that fell out of its nest. But maybe it's even bigger things, like standing up for someone who can't stand up for herself.
In a nutshell, it's doing the right thing when nobody's looking. Nobody was looking at Anne Frank—especially not the Nazis when they destroyed her life, nor the rest of the world as she became one of the six million casualties of the Holocaust. But she still strived to be good. She wanted to make a difference, and that kind of thought process—as reflected in the play—is truly powerful.
Questions About Goodness
- What kind of goodness does Anne see in the people around her?
- What can we take from Anne's outlook on life and apply to our own lives?
- Why does Otto Frank feel ashamed by his daughter's ability to see the world in a positive light?
- Do any of the other characters see "goodness" the way Anne sees it? How can you tell?
Chew on This
Anne's diary, and the play written about it, are more concerned with goodness than with the negative consequences of WWII.
Goodness is never an absolute. It's something, though, to always strive for—as Anne demonstrates for us in the play.