The Diary of a Young Girl

Miep celebrates Albert’s birthday by bringing food, books, and writing paper. However, Anne is angry when the rest of the people in the Secret Annex find that Albert has been hoarding food. She mentions having to wash Edith’s hair using liquid cleanser because there is no shampoo.

Anne muses that while they “live in a paradise compared to the Jews who aren’t in hiding” (86), after the war is over, they might look back on their situation in the Secret Annex with disgust. For example, she describes how they reuse the same dishcloth and the same bedsheets, how their clothes have frayed or become too small, and how all their possessions are worn out. Next, Anne interviews the other inhabitants on their attitudes toward the war. Mr. van Daan believes the war will be over by the end of the year. Anne is skeptical that they can hold out that long. However, she admits to thinking there must be many people in hiding or with fake IDs.

Mrs. van Daan wants to get fake IDs, but Anne thinks neither the van Daans nor the Franks can afford them. Otto “is a big optimist, but he always has his reasons” (87). Of Albert, Anne just says, “he makes up everything as he goes along, and anyone wishing to contract His Majesty had better think twice” (87).