Anne Frank Reflection

Question:
In her diary Anne opined: “…if you’re wondering if it’s harder for the adults here than for the children, the answer is no…Older people have an opinion about everything and are sure of themselves and their actions. It’s twice as hard for us young people to hold on to our opinions at a time when ideals are being shattered…” (July 15, 1944.) Do you agree or disagree with this quote? When was the last time that you experienced the “shattering” of an ideal?

Answer:
I both agree with Anne Frank and disagree on this topic. I believe she is correct in thinking children are unsure about their beliefs, while adults know what they believe in. Children like to believe the best, but in this situation that Anne Frank is in, it is impossible to see good in the world. These children had to deal with real problems during their youth, rather than getting to play and have fun(the way kids should). For example, I always adored the tooth fairy while growing up. But, my parents having thought i was to old for her stories and gifts, told me the truth. My ideal of the tooth fairy had been "shattered", and i was devastated. I can not imagine having to have lived my whole life with any of those types of childish ideals. They make childhood enjoyable, and lead to an enjoyable life. However, I also disagree with this Anne Frank on the difficulty for the adults in this situation. They may be confident in their opinions, but they have also known better times. They have grown up without the injustice towards their religion, a fascist dictator, and overall worse quality of life than Anne has. Children on the other hand, are not accustomed to equal rights, stable government, and a better quality of life. This life is almost all the children have ever known, as opposed to the adults. In this way, the situation her family is in may be even harder for adults.

Image: http://www.annefrank.org/upload/Kinderjaren/P8AnneFrank16.jpg