Otto Frank In Margaret Atwood's The Man Of The House

Motivations- Throughout the play, Otto Frank’s goal is to protect the families and make sure that they are safe until the end of the war. Mr. Frank is what some people would call “The Man of the House” because he is always acting like a leader and takes care of everyone. When Anne passes out, Mr. Frank doesn’t hesitate to risk their concealment by getting water for Anne, which shows how committed he is to helping his family. He argues, “If they’ve found us, they’ve found us. Get the water...”(542). I chose the helmet of a knight to represent this because knights are the heroes that help others and make them feel secure.

Virtues/Vices- Mr. Frank’s best qualities are that he is both optimistic and compassionate. He constantly urges the families to stay calm and that the war will be over soon. When they all thought that they were going to be discovered, Otto comforts them by saying, “We’re alive, safe...”(543). Furthermore, when Mr. Dussel arrived and asked if he could

Frank seems content and ready to face what is coming up ahead. As the years pass by, though, everyone’s attitudes seem to become more restless and their hopes dim. Mr. Frank tries to remain positive but the reader can tell that towards the end of the story, it gets harder for him to keep everyone’s spirits high. An example of this is when Anne says, “Everyone is low. Even Pim can’t raise their spirits...”(561). Another change in Otto is noticeable in the last scene. As he is talking, his mood is tranquil and relaxed, and his tone is sorrowful when he describes what happened after they were caught. Additionally, his morale is lower, and he has a lot of reflective pauses in between sentences. He recalled, “I’d heard of a woman there… She’d been in Belsen with Anne… I know now...”(564). I drew a weeping willow for this personality change because a weeping willow’s droopy leaves make you feel somber, and they are usually located in peaceful, calm