The Diary of Anne Frank Family

Anne’s "family" expands the year she turns thirteen to include four other people who are not related to her by blood. Throughout The Diary of Anne Frank, the family is at times healthy and at times dysfunctional. However, Anne herself never seems to recognize anybody outside her own blood relations as family.

Questions About Family

1. How does Anne define "family"? How do you define "family"?
2. Are the van Daans and Mr. Dussel part of Anne’s family? Why or why not?
3. Are Bep, Miep, Mr. Kleiman, and Mr. Kugler part of Anne’s family?

Chew on This

Although the Franks continue to see themselves as a "nuclear family," in fact, their family actually extends to include all of the inhabitants of the Secret Annex and to their protectors as well.

Under normal circumstances, the Franks might have been a healthy, fully functioning family, but in hiding, all their faults and foibles are exposed and they are a dysfunctional family.