From Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl, describe Anne's relationship with her mother.

Anne is the second of two daughters born to Mr. and Mrs. Otto Frank. Anne's older sister Margot is 16 years old in 1942 when the diary begins and Anne is just 13. Since Margot is more mature, and not the baby of the family, it seems as if Anne's mother treats her with more dignity. Anne's biggest complaint throughout the book is that her mother treats her like a baby and loves Margot more....

Anne is the second of two daughters born to Mr. and Mrs. Otto Frank. Anne's older sister Margot is 16 years old in 1942 when the diary begins and Anne is just 13. Since Margot is more mature, and not the baby of the family, it seems as if Anne's mother treats her with more dignity. Anne's biggest complaint throughout the book is that her mother treats her like a baby and loves Margot more. As a result, Anne refuses her mother's attempts to show affection or concern and she says that she loves her father the most out of anyone in the world. In the entry dated 7 November 1942, Anne reveals the following feelings about her mother:

"We are complete opposites in everything, so naturally we are bound to run up against each other. I don't pronounce judgment on Mummy's character, for that is something I can't judge. I only look at her as a mother, and she just doesn't succeed in being that to me; I have to be my own mother . . . because I have in my mind's eye an image of what a perfect mother and wife should be; and in her whom I must call 'Mother' I find no trace of that image" (45).

This passage is powerful because Anne basically declares that her mother is a failure at motherhood. Anne never truly feels as though she understands her mother; but by 1944, she at least starts to grow from her bitter feelings towards her mother and strives not to hold a grudge. She realizes that her mother has gone through many stresses and anxieties in life, and while in hiding, that she understands when her mother has not responded as she would have liked. Ann also comes to the understanding that her own responses to her mother may have been too serious at times. The relationship between Anne and her mother never turns into what she would call perfect, but she does say the following:

"The period when I caused Mummy to shed tears is over. I have grown wiser and Mummy's nerves are not so much on edge . . . so we appear to get on much better together" (128).

This is good for Anne to learn about how to show more maturity towards her mother; however, she never really loves her, either. At least Anne and her mother find a way to establish peace between the two of them and to stop the yelling and arguing that once plagued their relationship.