The delusion of reprieve is a term that Frankl applies to prisoners who have just arrived at concentration camps. These prisoners firmly believe that they themselves will not be murdered and mistreated, even though they are familiar with the camps’ reputations.
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Delusion of reprieve Term Timeline in Man’s Search for Meaning
The timeline below shows where the term Delusion of reprieve appears in Man’s Search for Meaning. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Experiences in a Concentration Camp
Frankl attributes this relief to a phenomenon known as “ delusion of reprieve .” A man sentenced to die, for example, becomes convinced that he might be set...
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Walker, Lanier. "Man’s Search for Meaning Term: Delusion of reprieve." LitCharts. LitCharts LLC, 18 Jun 2017. Web. 29 Mar 2025.
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