In A Man's Search for Meaning Dr. Frankl demonstrates how the "meaning of life" affects a person's drive and will. Frankl's main subject is the prisoner's struggle to find a purpose to his suffering within a concentration camp. However, this idea can be applied to everyday situations experienced by the average person. A man can endure any level of suffering, if only he has a reason to do so. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The author defines the “meaning of life” as a “‘why’ for its existence.” If a man discovers a reason to accept his suffering, he will be much more successful in doing so. A person who is aware of “why” they should endure this will be much better equipped to move forward and succeed. Needless suffering of any kind is almost unbearable for anyone. Long after Dr. Frankl was released from the concentration camps and returned to practice, an elderly gentleman was admitted into his care. The man had lost his wife and could not overcome the pain he felt. This man couldn't understand why he would try to deal with this tragedy. He didn't understand how much it was worth putting up with. The doctor began to argue with him. He steered the conversation toward the idea that, had he died earlier, the man's wife would have suffered similar depression. Having reached this point, Dr. Frankl offers the man a conclusion; "she was spared so much suffering, and this was you who spared her... At the price that you now have to survive and mourn her." This knowledge gave the gentleman a reason for having to suffer all this. He was saving his wife's happiness, so to speak. Without a purpose for his struggles, he was hopeless. He saw no silver lining in his situation, no silver lining. Once he found the reason, this fact gave him comfort. The idea that his struggle now seemed noble rather than pitiful was reason enough to accept his assignment. Frankl himself found purpose in his suffering, including within Auschwitz and other camps. She recalls a time when the act of walking was so painful that she was in tears, and her thoughts were focused only on focusing on surviving the rest of the week. He was shocked by his current difficulties, which followed him day after day. In an attempt to distract himself, he imagined himself giving a lecture on concentration camp psychology. He imagined a future beyond the field. This method worked for him: his pain became a tool to use in the future. When he imagined a future for himself, and therefore a goal to achieve, Dr. Frankl could hope for what went beyond his "temporary existence". Because, as he states, "the prisoner who had lost faith in the future... was doomed." This person would begin to quickly succumb to both physical and mental decay. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay “Man's Search for Meaning” provides many examples of the effects of purpose on an individual's personal drive. Without meaning, life becomes futile and unimportant. Whether it's a life-or-death scenario, or the more commonly felt loss of a loved one, meaning provides the necessary push for perseverance. A man can endure any level of suffering, as long as he has a reason to keep going.