Author Sharon Dogar talks about the controversy surrounding Annexed (Houghton, 2010), her fictional account of Peter van Pels's life in the attic with Anne Frank.
Are you surprised by the controversy sparked by the Sunday Times article that says you sexed up the relationship between Anne and Peter?
Yes, I am surprised by the controversy. I'm surprised that a newspaper article designed to court controversy and elicit hate, as well as to misrepresent the book itself, could be taken so seriously without anyone bothering to research the truth of the claims it made. That untruth went right around the world, was repeated over and over without a single journalist or stringer bothering to verify it. That shocks me. It should shock all of us. It reminds me of the mindless repetition of propaganda during the very war the book is about. We should be worried, and angry, and do more to counter irresponsible, sensationalist journalism. I have no problem at all with being asked to justify my writing of Annexed; but I have a question in response: why doesn't the journalist who wrote that article have to justify what he has done?
Tell us about your correspondence with Buddy Elias, Anne Frank's only surviving relative. Were you disappointed that he called the book racy?
Mr. Elias read Annexed and made some helpful suggestions. Our correspondence was in the nature of a private exchange and should remain that way. As is often the case, the quote used in the press was, I suspect, taken out of context, and expressly designed to try and stir up controversy between us. In our final exchange, Buddy wished the book well.
The truth is there's no sex scene, and there's very little that's graphic in terms of the sexual feelings between Peter and Anne. You did a fantastic job of getting into the head of a teenage boy. Was that hard?
Thank you. I have two teenage boys, so that helped. I often wonder why I enjoy taking on a boy's persona quite so much. I suspect it's because as much as my father longed for a boy he never had one, and so I used to gamely watch soccer with him, climb trees, and generally do my best to oblige—perhaps I'm still trying.
Was it hard not to write a sex scene? No, it's always a relief not to have to write a sex scene, they are unbelievably difficult to get right. What was challenging was trying to pace the development of the relationship, to always have in mind the social mores of two children during the war, whilst also remaining aware of the intensity of trapped hormonal adolescent desire, placed alongside the fear of death, and lack of time. I hope that these conflicts are expressed through the character of Peter.
You've grappled with the idea for Annexed for 15 years. What is it about Peter van Pels's story that you found so compelling?
My interest in Peter began as a 12 year old. Even then I didn't really agree with Anne's view that he was lazy. Miserable and unhappy maybe, but not lazy. I felt he was just the type of big brother I would have liked, and as I read Anne's descriptions of him I fell a little bit in love with him.
As a writer, the fascination lies in imagining what might have been going on inside Peter's head during his time in the annex, and exploring how Anne's own descriptions can lead to interpretations of Peter's character that are very different from her own.
The idea I "grappled with" for so long was not really to do with writing about Peter, but more about whether it was possible to give an "ending" to the story of what happened to the occupants of the annex. For me, Anne's diary only tells half the story. What happened next simply falls off the page. Anne is arrested and then...in fact what happened next explains what they were hiding from, and is the true horror of the holocaust.
SLJ starred Annexed, saying that it's a "superb addition to Holocaust literature, and should not be missed." But some have asked what is the value of a fictional interpretation of an already compelling nonfictional account.
I understand peoples' concern. I think it comes out of a fear of the power and fluidity of the imagination. If we begin to imagine that this or that "happened" then what defense do we have against those who imagine that it never happened at all; the holocaust deniers.
However, my own view is that it is a mistake to limit ourselves to pure fact; fact tells us what happened, and the minute we read those facts our imagination works upon them, and it is that process which allows us to empathize. Annexed uses the facts as we know them to imagine how it might have felt to be a boy in hiding, who then became one of the anonymous millions who died. As I said earlier, it tries to make the link between being in hiding and the reality of what came next. I used a real story precisely for the very reason that I wanted the story to be rooted in reality, undeniable.
Would it have been far easier to write about a fictional teen?
Yes, but perhaps not as interesting.
Were you concerned that the book would seem exploitative?
No, I wasn't concerned because at the time of writing it I was fairly sure it would never be published. I was writing it for myself and my daughter. I had personal concerns about whether it was an arrogance to assume the right to imagine such a huge and recent part of history, but I tried not to engage with that too much, because I wanted to make the attempt, and to see whether I could write something worthwhile.
The truth is that writing happens in the present. If a part of you is busy imagining what critics or reviewers or publishers will say, then the story will just wilt and die. There's no space in writing for a projected future. That sort of thinking just results in paralysis.
You obviously did a ton of research and were meticulous about getting the facts just right. Can you talk a bit about your research? How much did you rely on Anne's diary to write Annexed?
I wanted Peter's world to meld with Anne's, to be accurate and for his thoughts to stem from the same events and occurrences that she experiences, but with Peter's own twist. So it required several close readings of the diary.
The second section required an understanding of the actual structure of the Nazi death camps, how they operated and the place of Jewish inmates within that structure, as well as an attempt to understand how it might feel to make the attempt to survive. It was a painful process to both research and write.
How did you decide on the tone of Annexed?
One of the many miracles of writing, and one I cannot explain, is that the characters themselves set the tone, not the writer. I can't take any credit at all.
Did your training as a social worker help you write this book in any way?
Yes, I'm sure it did. Therapy happens in a very claustrophobic setting, and it relies on a minute analysis of seemingly small events or happenings in a person's life. This mirrors the process of creating Peter's character.
What were your hopes for the book's reception?
Given the controversy, my first hope is that people will actually read Annexed and make up their own minds about whether it works for them, or not.
What's been the response from kids?
It's early days, but the response from children in the U.K. has been very positive, as it has from teachers and librarians.
What would you like people to take away from it?
For myself, Annexed is no longer mine. I've lived and breathed it for three years, and I'm very much looking forward to letting it go. I hope it finds a place for itself on bookshelves, in bags, and if it's very, very lucky, in the memories of those who read it.
This article originally appeared in the newsletter Extra Helping. Go here to subscribe.
It is perfectly legitimate for writers to take real figures and to write them into fiction. Isn't this what most historical fiction is all about? Why the author of ANNEXED should be criticized for a book that transforms the relationship between Anne Frank and Peter van Pels into an imagined story - when something similar has been done several times before but less skillfully - is pure sensationalism on the part of the Sunday Times. I hope the Times article will be utterly ignored and that ANNEXED will be judged on its own merits, as historical fiction.
Posted by Linda Silver on October 14, 2010 02:31:22PM
hello, i am a middle school student and i am looking for a video interview of Sharon Dogar. i read the book waves, i thought it was AMAZING. my friends sister actually died surfing, she was attacked by a shark... this happened 2 years ago, she was 12. i really need to find this video for a project! please help me!
thanks. xo
-A
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