Bruno Bettelheim's Criticism of The Frank Family

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In the essay "The Ignored Lesson of Anne Frank," the author Bruno Bettelheim, distributes a different point of view on the Frank family. Bruno Bettelheim came to the United States in 1939 after spending a year in the concentration camps in Buchenwald and Dachau. He then spent the rest of his career working at the University of Chicago. Although in his essay Bruno Bettelheim says his intention is not to put down the Frank family, the majority of his essay shows him criticizing the Franks.

Bettelheim states that the Frank family did not plan and prepare properly. Bettelheim explains:

"By eulogizing how they lived in their hiding place while neglecting to examine

first whether it was a reasonable or an effective choice, we are able to ignore

the crucial lesson of their story – that such an attitude can be fatal in extreme

circumstances," (79).

This example expresses that Bettelheim believes the Frank family did not pre think their situation and that their actions created their own fate. Bettelheim claims, "The Franks' hiding place had only one entrance; it did not have any other exit. Despite this fact, during their many months of hiding, they did not try to devise one. Nor did they make other plans for escape," (80). Bettelheim obviously feels that the Frank family did not choose their hiding place well. He feels they were not making an effort to survive because they had no escape. Again, Bettelheim repeatedly criticizes the Frank family for not having planned and prepared themselves better.

Bettelheim canvases that Mr. Frank did not do all he could to protect his family. Bettelheim suggests:

"There is little doubt that the Franks, who were able to provide themselves with so

much while arranging for going into hiding, and even while hiding, could have

provided themselves with some weapons had they wished.

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