Frankl man’s search for meaning. “Heroes are quite rare. They quietly evolve, making their mark upon the world. When they are gone, humanity as a whole is never the same. Such is the case with Viktor E. Frankl, professor of Neurology and Psychiatry, author of 32 books, including Man’s Search for Meaning. This book is considered to be a classic. A survey done by the Library of Congress declared it to be among the top 10 influential books in America to date…” Pamela Jessica Runyon. Written in 1945 and first published in English in 1959, Man’s Search for Meaning has sold over 2.5 million copies in our language and has been translated into nineteen others. Viktor Frankl’s true account of his experiences at Nazi concentration camps during World War II and his insights into the question of meaning in life, collectively (Logotherapy), have aided millions around the world to find purpose in their lives. Choose 4 of these questions to answer. Please write a paragraph for each answer.. 1. Frankl describes the process of becoming a prisoner: the initial “delusion of reprieve”, the phase of “relative apathy”, then disgust, withdrawal and the “mortification of normal reactions.” (pg. 33) Do you see this pattern anywhere in our culture today? If so, to what are we becoming prisoners of? Have you ever felt yourself a “prisoner”? 2. Frankl cites the stripping away of all worldly possessions, including one’s name, as an important part of the process by which prisoners were dehumanized. What experiences in your life today diminish your sense of your own humanity? Can too many possessions create the same effect? 3. The author describes several antidotes to the brutal reality of life in the camps, such as cultivating feelings of love and a sense of humor. (p. 48-59) Successful “copers” also held onto themselves by deepening their inner life and realizing their connection to the natural world through the experience of beauty. How do you cope in dark times? What do you fall back on when all seems lost? 4. One dying woman found solace in a chestnut tree outside her window: “I am here- I am here- I am life, eternal life.” (pg. 78) Have you ever felt spoken to by nature? 5. On page 79 the author introduces the concept of “provisional existence”, or life without a sense of future. It has been said that we are the first people in human history who must live with the knowledge that there may not be generations after us due to the prevailing threat of nuclear and environmental disaster. Do you see signs of “provisional existence” in our society today? How do we combat it? 6. Frankl speaks of the last of the human freedoms–“to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way” (Pg.75). Discuss times in your life you have exercised this freedom and/or opportunities you now have to do so. 7. On page 85 Frankl proposes a radical shift in our concept of meaning in life, “It did not really matter what we expected from life, but rather what life expected from us.” Discuss this view of life; how does it sit with you? How can we know what life is asking of us? 8. What can you take from Man’s Search for Meaning and apply to your personal life? 9. What does the equation D=S-M mean in your life?