Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Man’s Search for Meaning, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
The Search for Meaning
Suffering and Hope
Freedom, Optimism, and Responsibility
Psychology and Logotherapy
Summary
Analysis
Frankl asserts that man is always free, and that his innermost self can never be taken away or damaged by an external actor—even by mental illness itself. In cases in which a patient is incurable, Frankl hopes to at least help them maintain their dignity and humanity.
Frankl believes that his theories apply to absolutely everyone, no matter how mentally ill that person might be. Even in the most severe cases, he believes that the patient can still retain his freedom to choose his path.
Themes
