March 18, 2004

ON MY BOOKSHELF

“The Diary of Anne Frank”

Written by Anne Frank, translated by B.M. Mooyaart

Kasey O'Connor , 11, Bret Harte Middle School sixth grader

Almaden's Kasey O'Connor is living proof that morality is winning after all, in society's epic battle pitting sexist pop culture against unabashed justice.

Recently, O'Connor detected sexism while playing pass-ball in her sixth grade P.E. class at Bret Harte Middle School.

“It's really very sad,” said O'Connor, commenting on the state of the pass-ball games that she's experienced. “The boys don't pass to the girls.”

Maybe more significant than the incident itself, are the ramifications. How does one respond to an injustice so that the problem is fixed rather than expanded, becoming “OK” in the eyes of those who were originally opposed?

O'Connor remains searching for the answer.

“Some people get mad at the boys, but that doesn't work” said O'Connor. “Personally, I'm not a good catcher, so I don't really say anything. But it's still not right.”

In her quest for justice, O'Connor has found a symbolic mentor after reading “Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl.”

“I admire Anne Frank because she was brave,” said O'Connor. “If I had been in her situation, I probably would have just totally perished. I hope to become brave.”

Frank's classic documents the events experienced by a 13-year-old Jewish girl hiding with her family in Nazi-occupied Amsterdam. Frank documents 25 months of her life, detailing her observances as her family attempts to remain undetected from the German Gestapo, who are attempting to find Jewish families, including Frank's, and send them away to concentration camps.

The work is extremely riveting for readers of any age. Frank's candid explanation of her adolescent emotions and unbearable circumstances connect with readers on a deeper level than most books written today.

Ultimately, Frank and her family are discovered, but what happens to Frank epitomizes the madness and atrocity of the Holocaust.

“It was a touching story,” said O'Connor. “It was about struggle and triumphs. Anne had to get through life in a small space with little food. She had to be brave. This book can actually change your life. It teaches you not to be prejudiced because it can hurt someone.”

—By Justin Petersen