Man’s Search for Meaning
is a book like no other. Frankl’s account of his experience during the
holocaust and his theory of logotherapy are extraordinary, and make the reader
sit back and really analyze what Frankl is writing. I believe that Frankl’s thesis
that meaning and purpose can help overcome challenges is true, and has been
proved time and time again, whether it be at a time of war or everyday life. Without the optimism of meaning and purpose,
it is hard for one to continue living.
Frankl’s thesis directly relates to one
of the passages that stood out to me while reading his book, “The prisoner who
had lost faith in the future –his future- was doomed”. This quote immediately had an impact on me
and made me think about why faith, from religion to just faith in a new day, is
so important. People are generally optimistic about life until they are faced
with a challenge. The people who give up and do not try to work through their
challenges are the ones who will fail quickly. Although its cliché, there is
always a light at the end of the tunnel, and there is always hope and purpose
to be found at the end of a challenge. Meaning and purpose alone wouldn’t help
someone during the holocaust, but it was definitely a huge factor that went
into whether or not someone came out alive.
