Man's Search for Meaning

The author himself is the only major character in the book. It is his autobiography and an outline of his theory of psychotherapy.

In classical Greek times, the great philosopher Aristotle (384-322 B.C.) wrote about character as it is presented in drama. He stated that the most important way to judge a fictional character is to look at his actions, and, in particular, to look at his decisions.

This approach works very well in describing and analyzing the real life Victor Frankl as he presents himself in this volume. Frankl begins the Preface by describing his critical decision to give up his opportunity to escape to America. He chose to stay in Nazi-occupied Austria with his aging parents, knowing full well that the Nazis were persecuting Jews all around him.

Years later, Frankl made a similar decision when he decided to stay and care for his patients in the camp rather than escape with his friend. In that instance, Frankl says he had a bad feeling about deserting those who needed his help and who could not escape because of illness. He was guided by his conscience, by his professional ethics, and by his deep courage.

It is very easy to label Frankl a self-sacrificing and compassionate man. In his categorization of the wide range of human beings he encountered in the camps, he separated the decent men from the indecent. Frankl was clearly a decent man. An exceptionally decent man in fact, one he might have labeled a saint. We would certainly call him a hero.

He was also extremely intelligent, talented, and dedicated to his profession. In the first part of the book, when describing life in the camps, Frankl demonstrates his skill at observation and analysis. The second part shows his gifts for creative thinking, problem solving, and leadership. Any patient would have been fortunate to have him as a doctor treating his typhus in the camp, or as a therapist treating his neuroses after the war.