their circumstances and did not become creatures of their environment. Therefore, these prisoners, who elevated themselves above these difficult living conditions to hold on to their fragile sense of humanity, exemplified the spirit of human freedom. The human spirit can remain unfettered by its environment and weave its own universe of beauty. Thus, Frankl celebrates the triumph of freedom over oppression in his book.
The first passage selected to describe the way human beings are conditioned physiologically is "I would like to mention a few surprises on how much we could endure… "Yes, a man can get used to anything, but do not ask us how""(36).
Living in the dirtiest conditions, the prisoners were able to escape from diseases and illnesses for half a year and somehow survived in ways they had never imagined possible before. Thus, human bodies can endure a high level of deprivation and suffering. Furthermore, die-hard habits can also be altered: Frankl mentioned prisoners who were once light sleepers sleeping through the night in spite of the loud snoring blaring into their ears.
Food takes on a high priority in conditions of starvation: "Because of the high degree of undernourishment which the prisoners suffered, it was natural that the desire for food was the major primitive instinct around which mental life centered… the sake of knowing that the sub-human existence, which had made us unable to think of anything other than food, would at last cease" (48-50).
After prolonged deprivation from a healthy diet of food, human beings are consumed by an obsession about food. The prisoners would even risk the guard hearing them to gather together to discuss recipes and favorite dishes. Apart from the fix
...