When You’re Looking For Hope, Phrasing Matters

As a high school English teacher, I have utilized the play “The Diary of Anne Frank” as an educational tool for many years. One year, I was tasked with teaching a small class of students, and as we read the play aloud, we discussed Anne’s story, the history of the persecution of Jewish people, and World War II. I am a strong believer in teaching the importance of empathy to young people because it enables students to understand their classmates, as well as others in the world around them. One of the many purposes of teaching this play is to reduce instances of bullying and conflict. Anne’s detailed prose allows readers to feel as if they have been transported to the summer of 1942 and are living with her in the annex.

After we finished the play, I gave a test, and one of the questions read, “What role does hope play in this story?” I anticipated responses describing Anne’s hope that light would dispel darkness and her hope that evil would come to an end.

However, during the test, I noticed that one of my students looked particularly troubled while taking the test, tapping his pencil with a furrowed brow. I was surprised by this because he had been an active reader and had regularly participated in our class discussions. I quietly walked over to check in with him to see what was troubling him.

Me: “Hey, How’s it going? You look a little confused. What seems to be the trouble?”

I was careful to speak in a soft tone, not wanting to single him out in front of the other students in the otherwise silent classroom.

Student: “Mrs. [My Name], I’ve been sitting here wracking my brain about this question.”

He pointed to the question about the role of hope in the story.

Student: “I thought I knew this story pretty well, but this question has me stumped.”

Me: “How so?

Student: “Well, I can tell you anything you want to know about Anne’s family, Peter’s family, and the dentist guy, but I’ve got to ask you an honest-to-goodness question.”

Me: “Of course. What’s your question?”

Student: “Who in the world is Hope?”