Ooo la, la—someone's in love. We're just all a'flutter here. Our little Anneke is growing up. She's gone from teasing boys to having actual, deep conversations with them. Pardon us while we sniffle into our Kleenex.
We're hoping you can relate. Have you had a first date yet? A junior high dance? Even if you haven't had your first crush or even spoken to that certain someone, it's bound to happen sometime. Our lesson in love is that, oddly enough, the world doesn't stop because of war. Kids grow up, fall in love, and the planet just keeps spinning. And we are very grateful for that.
The writers of the play know just what to focus on to get the theme of love across to us. Even though Anne and Peter are scared out of their minds, and trying to deal with a very adult situation, there's still room for young love. They're typical teens trapped in an atypical situation and we're so proud of them for keeping things going while the world is stirring. Some things never change—and that's a good thing.
Questions About Love
- Is Anne really in love, or is Peter the most available guy out there?
- Think about love from a few different angles: loving someone as a friend or family member and passionately loving someone. In which way do Anne and Peter really love each other?
- How is the love between Mr. and Mrs. Frank different than the love between the Van Daans?
- How is familial love (between sons and daughters and mothers fathers) portrayed in the play?
Chew on This
Anne and Peter aren't really in love; instead they experience a deep, abiding friendship.
Anne loves her mother just as much as her father; she just struggles to understand it.