Everyone has inside of him a piece of good news. The good news is that you don't know how great you can be! How much you can love! What you can accomplish! And what your potential is!
Anne FrankRead
They mustn't know my despair, I can't let them see the wounds which they have caused, I couldn't bear their sympathy and their kind-hearted jokes, it would only make me want to scream all the more. If I talk, everyone thinks I'm showing off; when I'm silent they think I'm ridiculous; rude if I answer, sly if I get a good idea, lazy if I'm tired, selfish if I eat a mouthful more than I should, stupid, cowardly, crafty, etc. etc.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects the struggle of hiding one's true feelings from others while feeling misunderstood and judged.
In this quote, Anne Frank captures the profound internal conflict of dealing with despair and the desire to conceal one's pain from those around. She expresses the fear of being misunderstood and the emotional turmoil that comes with trying to navigate the perceptions others have of her, revealing a poignant critique of how individuals often feel trapped by societal expectations and misinterpretations of their behaviors. This highlights the isolation that can accompany suffering and the longing for genuine understanding and acceptance.
Themes
DespairSocietyUnderstandingMisunderstoodPainIsolationExpectations
In practice
Example use cases
During a discussion about mental health awareness, this quote can illustrate the complexity of hiding one's feelings.
More from Anne Frank
All quotes →People who give will never be poor.
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Think of all the beauty still left around you and be happy.
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Don't condemn me, remember rather that sometimes I, too, can reach the bursting point.
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The Annex is an ideal place to hide in. It may be damp and lopsided, but there's probably not a more comfortable hiding place in all of Amsterdam. No, in all of Holland.
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I feel the suffering of millions. And yet, when I look up at the sky, I somehow feel that every-thing will change for the better, that this cruelty too shall end, that peace and tranquility will return once more.
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