In the Face of Prejudice: Exploring the Perspectives of Anne Frank and Scout Finch

If someone were to compare the dialogue and views of Anne Frank from the famous play The Diary of Anne Frank by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett, to Scout Finch, the leading lady in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, it is very unlikely they would find many differences between the two girls. Both are rambunctious, spirited young women with high aspirations and dreams for the rest of their lives. But, both girls are also in situations of prejudice and neither girl understands what is going on. It is difficult for the girls to process the information about their situations, which spikes the curiosity in their minds. Anne and Scout have very similar thoughts and opinions on prejudice, yet they also have some very distinguishable differences.

Being so similar, Scout and Anne are both curious about their situations with prejudice. For example, as Anne writes in her diary, she wonders about the Nazis. “I asked Father what would happen to them if the Nazis found out they were hiding us. Pim said that they would suffer the same fate that we would. . . . Imagine!”(791). Anne often asks her father about the Nazis, which shows her curiosity to learn more about why she is hiding with her family, because she does not fully understand. At this point of the play, Anne starts to wonder what might happen if the Nazis knew that Miep and Mr. Kraler were hiding Anne and the families in the Annex, which worries her. She does not understand why the Nazis would take Christian people to the concentration camps, like the Jews.  Furthermore, like Anne, Scout is curious about the prejudice she is experiencing, and the racism.

During a conversation with Atticus, Scout asks her father why he defends a black man, even though people are very rude to him because of it. She knows black people are not treated the same as white people, so she has the same opinion as the adults, being a child. Scout was raised in a community in which racism was not uncommon, so she treats the black people the same way, because that was how she was raised. “‘Do all lawyers defend n-Negroes, Atticus?’” (100). Scout makes sure to ask Atticus about the black/white controversy when she can. Unlike Anne, however, Scout is on the opposite side of the prejudice in her situation. The prejudice, in Anne’s case, is directed at her, whereas Scout is just a bystander to the whole situation.

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Both Anne and Scout are optimistic in their own ways. As Anne tries to talk to Peter to get him to open up, she reminds him that they are not alone. “We’re not the only people that’ve had to suffer. There’ve always been people that’ve had to . . . sometimes one race . . . sometimes another . . . and yet . . .” (866).  Anne keeps in mind that other people like her have gone through similar situations, which helps her keep an open mind about her life. She believes her family and friends living in the Annex with her are fortunate, compared to some Jews who were taken to concentration camps. Like Anne, Jem and Scout try to keep their spirits up by keeping their heads high throughout the taunting about their father defending a black man in court. “As it was, we were compelled to hold our heads high and be, respectively, a gentleman and a lady” (326). The people of Maycomb stare and whisper about the Finch family, which really irritates Scout, so she believes if she holds her head up high and ignores them, the gossip will stop. Scout and Anne hope very much that their situations may get better, which shows optimism and strength.

Anne and Scout have similar yet very different views about the adult world. “We’re young, Margot and Peter and I! You grown-ups have had your chance! But look at us . . . If we begin thinking of all the horror in the world, we’re lost! We’re trying to hold on to some kind of ideals . . . when everything . . . ideals, hopes . . . everything is being destroyed! It isn’t our fault that the world is in such a mess! We weren’t around when all this started! So don’t try to take it out on us!” (843). Anne is very distraught about the war and how they are living at the moment, which makes her angry and causes her to lash out. Anne believes the war is a waste of time, and she knows innocent people are dying because of it. She is afraid that if the adults involved in the war do not change their current ways of life, like treating Jews terribly, Anne and the other children of the Annex will not have their chance at making a difference in the world. She believes that the adults are to blame for the war, and she now knows how judgmental they can be. Unlike Anne, however, Scout has to learn throughout the book that all people are equal, no matter what all the adults say. In the very last chapter of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Scout finally realizes how kind and misunderstood Boo Radley actually was, unlike what the adults around town were saying. “‘When they finally saw him, why he hadn’t done any of those things . . . Atticus, he was real nice. . . .’

His hands were under my chin, pulling up the cover, tucking it around me. ‘Most people are, Scout, when you finally see them.’”(281). Scout, after a very long time of believing racism was normal, finally realizes how awful it really is. She finally realizes the adults that she has listened to in the past had been wrong the whole time. Like Anne, she finally realizes how the prejudice started; through the adults. Anne and Scout’s views on the adult world are different, yet also very similar.

Being adolescents going through one of the hardest times of their lives, Scout and Anne's views on their lives are extremely typical. During a conversation during dinner, Anne bursts out in anger, blaming the adults for putting their unfair situation on her young shoulders. “It isn’t our fault that the world is in such a mess! We weren’t around when all this started! So don’t try to take it out on us!” (843).  She believes the whole world is out to get her (well, part of it is). As an adolescent, everything bad seems ten times worse than it really is, so Anne sounds just like a typical teenager. However, she has experienced much worse events than any modern teenager, as did Scout. "I told Calpurnia to just wait, I'd fix her: one of these days when she wasn't looking I'd go off and drown myself in Barker's Eddy and then she'd be sorry. Besides, I added, she'd already gotten me in trouble once today: she had taught me to write and it was all her fault" (29). Even though Scout is not quite a teenager, she still has melodramatic moments like any adolescent. Instead of taking the blame for something she has done wrong, she blames Calpurnia for her mistake.

Anne and Scout may be typical adolescents, but they certainly are not living typical lives. Both girls face prejudice every day and they have to suffer with it, even though they are just kids. As they both age, they form their own ideas and opinions instead of just having an opinion thrust upon them by their peers. Along the way, neither girl loses her lust for life and fun, but both girls mature and understand their lives more than they did before, which helps them find themselves and find what they truly believe in. Anne and Scout could have been great friends, if they ever crossed paths. However, they were different girls living different lives with similar situations of prejudice.

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