Question 5B

What do you think would be the hardest part of life in the Secret Annex: the fear of discovery, the need to keep silent for hours at a time, the sharing of cramped quarters with strangers, or some other aspect? Explain.

I think that the hardest part of living in the secret annex is the fear of discovery.  You are living in constant terror, and you never could let that down, because once you do, you think about all the things that may lead you to discovery.  You would be always worrying about what could happen to you if you got discovered such as the concentration camps.  By this time, the residents of the secret annex would have probably known the punishments for those who had helped the Jews, and those Jews in hiding.  The Franks and the Van Daans were risking other people's lives as well.  Everyday you would constantly have to wonder if you would be caught or not.  Every time you hear boots approaching, the bookcase knocking, you would wonder if you ever get caught or not.  And i guess, the scariest part of the secret annex was when they knew that they were going to be caught.  When the guards were knocking on the door, and while i was watching the movie, the fear that were in their eyes was really sad to watch.  It was like they knew it was over, and after all the time that they had survived, they were being caught.