Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl Essay -- concentration ca

The concentration camps that were run by the Nazis during World War II can easily be labeled as one of the well-nigh grotesque examples of cruelty in the entire world. The people that were sent to these concentration camps were treated as less than human by the power hungry leadership of the camp. As we have all learned in history classes throughout our lives, the narrow downs of these camps were blatantly abhorrent, and it is a surprise that people made it out of these camps alive. In his book, patchs Search for Meaning, Viktor E. Frankl uses his experiences in a concentration camp as an example to his readers that bearing holds a potential importation no matter what condition a person is in. In the two parts of his book he analyzes his experiences and the experiences of his comrades in the concentration camps, and then he discusses his personal psychological theory of logotherepy. unneurotic these two sections make up a novel that gives insight to the intellection that man can preserve a vestige of spiritual freedom, of independence of mind, flush in such terrible conditions of psychic and physical stress (65).In the first section of his book, he describes his experiences in the concentration camps by breaking up the incident into three separate stages that deal with the inmates mental reactions to the concentration camps. The first stage inevitably describes the mental reactions that occur immediately after being admitted to the camp. When a first person entered they were either immediately killed by a gas chamber or incinerator, or they were stripped of their every possession, besides their body, and forced into dreadful living conditions. According to Frankl, all of the people in the camp felt two initial emotions while entering the camps- humor a... ...t impetus. He proves this idea by saying a man who becomes conscious of the responsibility he bears will never be able to throw away his life (127). This statement emphasizes the idea that as lo ng as a person has a will to meaning in their life, something to live for, that they will never be so forlorn that they will give up on life. Finally, Frankls last main point of logotherapy is that every person has the freedom to find a meaning for their life and then change their life according to this will to meaning. Frankl makes it known that a person can find their meaning by performing an endeavor, being subjected to a value, or by suffering. Overall, Frankls theory of logotherapy can be used to help a person overcome the anxiety associated with finding a meaning to their life.Works CitedFrankl, Viktor. Mans Search for Meaning. Boston Beacon Press, 2006.