In Anne Frank's Diary of a Young Girl, Anne describes the advice her father gave to her regarding Peter van Daan. Peter is a teenage boy who is living in the attic of an annex building with the Frank family, his own parents, and Fritz Pfeffer, as they are Jewish families hiding during World War II.
At the start of their experience, Anne views Peter as lazy and shy. However, as the two spend more time together, Anne develops a crush on Peter.
When Anne tells her father of this new romance, Otto Frank is worried. He discusses with his daughter that she and Peter should be very cautious about their relationship. He tells her that because they are in hiding, there is no way for them to have space from each other. Unlike other teenage couples, Anne and Peter will be forced to be together at all times, which is not healthy for any relationship. Otto's advice is still relevant today for many young people. He tells his daughter that she, as the woman, needs to make sure she is setting limits for Peter.
Although Otto does not support a romantic relationship between Peter and his daughter, he does view Peter as a friend and somewhat of a son. He protects him during their imprisonment together. Unfortunately, Otto could not completely protect Peter, as he died while in the Mauthausen concentration camp.
After Anne tells her father that she and Peter have physical contact, he tells her it's not wise for them to be more than friends. He advises her to behave cautiously and make sure she and Peter don't get too involved with each other. Assuming that Peter, the male, must be the pursuer, he says that Anne, as the female, needs to "set the limits." He tells her that she shouldn't encourage Peter too much and, specifically, that she shouldn't go upstairs to be alone with him so often.
Mr. Frank says he is concerned about Anne and Peter becoming too close, because they are in hiding. He points out that boyfriends and girlfriends who live freely can go outside, engage in group activities, and date other partners. He also reminds Anne that if she and Peter start spending too much time together, they have no way to get away from each other when they need to.
To examine Mr. Frank's advice about Anne's "growing friendship with Peter," you can reread Anne's diary entry from Tuesday, May 2, 1944.
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