A Man’s Search for Meaning
Logotherapy
– By Viktor Frankl
Viktor Frankl
Author of the book
Written as a vivid portrayal of his personal
suffering and tragedy in the concentration camps
The book is written to reflect the horrors of all
who experienced imprisonment rather than
Frankl’s individual experiences
He is a Psychiatrist; his professional experience
is a relevant component to his character
Capos
Prisoners who acted as trustees to the Nazi
officers in return for special treatment and
privileges within the camp.
They were spared beatings and malnourishment
A psychological factor in that they betrayed
fellow citizens for favor from their captor
They are presented to describe prison life and
as an example of the evil that exists in humans
SS Officers
Official soldiers of the Nazi government
They held in their hands decisions
regarding a prisoner’s life or death
Concentration Camps
They are most relevant due to their impact
on the human psyche rather than as
specific places
They are discussed collectively to reflect
the human state of mind and behavioral
responses to the captivity and brutality that
was common to all concentration camps
Auschwitz, Dachau and an unnamed
Bavarian camp receive individual mention
Three Phases of Psychological
Reactions
Three psychological reactions were
common to all prisoners, which occurred in
a sequential manner: shock, apathy and
readjusting to freedom
Logotherapy
A meaning-centered psychological
approach designed to help people
accomplish what Frankl believes is the
primary source of human motivationfinding meaning in life.
Ways of Discovering Meaning
Doing a deed
Experiencing something or encountering
someone
A person’s attitude toward suffering
Undernourishment
10(?) ounces of bread
1 (?) pint of thin soup
Prisoners watch themselves disintegrate
into emaciated beings
This creates a primitive desire for food of
which mental life centered
Death in Teheran
Parable referenced several times
Used to illustrate the concept that fate is
often beyond the control of individual
actions
Humans cannot control all things
It is important to choose honorable
attitudes and behaviors toward those
things that cannot be changed
Choice of Action
A central theme to the book: humans have the
psychological freedom to select their own
thoughts and behaviors no matter what variables
define the situation
In the camps there were enough heroic
examples to indicate that even in conditions of
horrible stress humans control the
independence of their mind, and are capable of
overcoming whatever negativity is thrust on
them.
Existential Frustration
Human’s search for meaning is a
fundamental motive of their existence
Meaning is not something that comes
easily to people
It requires deep personal understanding of
one’s own history and goals and can be an
aggravating process
Existential Vacuum
The inability to find meaning in life, leading
to boredom and distress
Frankl attributes many psychological
afflictions such as depression, aggression,
and addiction to the existential vacuum.
Tragic Optimism
Genuine optimism even in the face of
extremely negative circumstances
Optimistic mindset allows people the
opportunity to turn suffering into
achievement, improve oneself and act to
take responsibility
Themes
Choosing one’s feelings
The need to discover the meaning of one’s
existence
Ways of discovering meaning
Point of View
Autobiographical
Begins by discussing Frankl’s personal
experiences
He then moves to a more clinical style
where he interjects his professional beliefs
of human psychology in the third person.
Language and Meaning
Format reminiscent of a journal
Creates a distinct picture of the
environment and allows the reader to
empathize with him
He also writes about the psychology of this
traumatic experience; with this language
the reader identifies with the injustice,
despair, fear and sense of hopelessness