CBSE · Class 10 · English · First Flight: From the Diary of Anne FrankWhat was the significance of the third essay assigned to Anne, and how did it change Mr. Keesing?

The third essay assigned by Mr. Keesing was titled 'Quack, Quack, Quack, Said Mistress Chatterbox.' This was intended to be a joke on Anne for her persistent talking. However, Anne decided to turn the tables on Mr. Keesing by writing something truly original and funny. With the help of her friend Sanne, who was good at poetry, Anne wrote the entire essay in verse. The poem told a story of a mother duck and a father swan with three baby ducklings who were bitten to death by the father because they quacked too much. This was a clever satirical take on Mr. Keesing’s own behavior. Fortunately, Mr. Keesing took the joke in the right spirit. He read the poem aloud to the class and even to other classes, adding his own comments. From then on, he stopped punishing Anne for talking and even started making jokes himself, showing a significant shift from his previously strict and grumpy demeanor.