The Diary of Anne Frank Dramatic License Info

Hey Essay Forums,

I am currently writing a piece on The Diary of Anne Frank by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett (play based on The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank). In my essay, I am using an article which uncovers the truth about the drastic dramatic license and the reasons for having the changes made from the original diary. However, in Ellen Feldman's article, "Anne Frank In America," she writes that "the attitude of the diary has been changed [in the play]." I am trying to use this as one of my core arguments in my essay, but I do not fully understand what Feldman means by the change of attitude towards the diary, as animate objects usually have 'attitude.' Any help is appreciated!

I cannot find the article you are talking about, but think of the attitude of the play and journal like the feeling you get from it. It does not mean attitude, as in someone has a bad attitude. It is the feeling and the chemistry between the characters that she is talking about.

For example, the attitude in the diary is very somber and thoughtful. It is sad, but not really that dark or morbid. Anne is, overall, very optimistic. If I remember correctly, they say it is because she looses her optimism that she dies in the camp ( I could be totally wrong though, it has been a very long time since I've read it)

I have not seen the play so I do not know about that but I'm guessing it is darker and more morbid. In that case The attitude of the play is more depressing and grim.

I hope that helped

By the word choice it sounds too me that Ellen Feldman means to say that the attitude of the writing in the diary has changes. By extension this would be the attitude of the author, or Anne Frank. This could also be the tone of the diary and the message that it sends. You should consider how the changes made in the play affect the message and the story. Are some characters portrayed differently? Are the essential messages the same? How does your vision of Anne and her story change between reading the book and reading or viewing the play?Consider why the authors of the play decided to make certain changes despite the fact that they are portraying a real story. Did the authors of the play tamper with history? In the diary, the voice is of Anne, but in the play the authors and directors will inevitably bring their own voices.