17.

Why did Anne like her father more than she liked her mother ?

Anne adored her father; she refers to him as the most adorable father she had ever seen. Her father loved Anne for being the person she was, defending his daughter but also reprimanding her when it was necessary. He was also quite protective towards her and interested in the little things that she was interested in. Her father had brought Annes entire postcard and movie-star collection to the Anne without waiting for his daughter to ask him to do. He was very concerned about their lives in the annex, especially in their personality development and education. They worked on projects together like making the family tree and also took a keen interest in supplying her with all the paraphernalia required to continue her studies. She called him Pim which was the pet name for her father. Anne admired her father for handling situations and people with patience, whether in the family or outside it and also for being so supportive of her. Her father believed in her and had it not been for him then she would have given up on herself a long time ago. He would intervene and uphold her right to refuse a dish if she did not wish to eat it; he would defend his daughter’s upbringing when it was brought to question saying that she had learned not to respond to other people’s interminable taunts and sermons. Anne engaged in a lot of activities with her father but she was not quite comfortable when it came to unburdening her heart to her father. The level of intimacy was as father and daughter and not that of friendship which could enable her to say anything to him. There was a sense of alienation she felt because of the gap in understanding between them. Her father was an honest and simple man who could not understand the intricate nuances that defined the personality of a growing young woman, especially one so astute, perceptive and mature as Anne.