Upload a One-Page Freewrite, Tentative Outline, or Bubble Map/Mind Map for Essay Three Here
- Once you have read the Essay Three Assignment, start doing some brainstorming about how you might approach this assignment. There are many ways you might do this – you might even know already which methods work best for you. Select one of the following on Essay Three:
1. Do a freewrite of at least one doublespaced page. Click here to find out what a freewrite is and to see a sample freewrite.
2. Draft a tentative outline (tentative thesis statement and tentative topic sentences) for the essay. You might use this worksheet
to help you with it.
3. Draft a bubble map or mind map to help you figure out what you might write about and how you might organize your thoughts. Click hereLinks to an external site. to see a You Tube video on how you might use a bubble map to brainstorm.
This assignment is just graded on thoughtful completion, so just do the kind of brainstorming and prewriting that is most useful to you and show me what you’ve got!
Final Essay Exam for Humanities 105 – Giving Gary Advice Based on
Man’s Search for Meaning
Your friend Gary comes to you for advice. Here’s what he says:
Hey there, I remember you mentioning that you were taking a course in The Human Struggle and
that you just read a book called MAN’S SEARCH FOR MEANING. When I talked to you about
it, you said, it’s a Holocaust memoir, but it also is about how to deal with life’s struggles, even
ones that aren’t nearly as horrifying as surviving a concentration camp. I’m definitely dealing
with some life struggles right now, and I was wondering if you could give me advice based on
what you read in Frankl’s book. If I tell you my problems, could you give me some suggestions
about how to deal with them based on what you’ve been reading?
Like I said, nothing going in my life is anywhere near as horrible as what Viktor Frankl dealt
with. I guess my worst problem is that my girlfriend dumped me. She’s been telling me for a
while that she was unhappy and that if we were going to stay a couple, I needed to make some
changes in the way I treated her, and I just didn’t make those changes. Now, I’m just filled with
guilt all the time. One of my friends says I should do things to take my mind off it like go to a
movie or read a book, but some of my other friends say I should think about what I did wrong so
that I don’t make the same mistake next time. But when I think about it a lot, I get so upset that I
can’t eat or sleep. How should I handle this? I feel like I can’t just tune out reality, but
sometimes it’s hard to think about what you did wrong all the time.
Another thing is I just found out I got accepted to a really good nursing program, but I can’t
decide if I should go. The thing is, for the last four years, I’ve been working as a bartender at a
resort in the mountains in Colorado. Basically, because of my job, I can sleep late every day, do
a lot of fun activities like hiking or rock climbing in the summer or skiing in the winter, then
party with my friends every night after work. I have fun every day and never feel stressed out,
but sometimes I feel like I’d like to do something more important than serve someone a beer,
which is why I applied to the nursing program. I remember when my little brother had cancer
when he was a teenager (he survived!) how amazing the nurses were and how they helped all our
family through that tough time, and part of me wants to give back. Sometimes it seems like even
though I’m having fun as a bartender, I’m not really happy because my work seems kind of
pointless. But I know if I go to nursing school, I’ll have to start getting up early in the morning.
I’ll have to study and take exams, and I’ll be under a lot of pressure at times, and maybe I’ll even
screw up and flunk a class or find out I’m not cut out for nursing. Even if I get through the
program, I’ll probably like helping people as a nurse, but it probably won’t be fun every single
day, and it will definitely be stressful at times. I’m not sure I want a lot of tension in my life, but
sometimes my life seems empty. What do you think Frankl would say?
And while all this is going on, the girlfriend who just dumped me is dating a guy who lives in
the same apartment complex as me, a guy I thought was my friend. He didn’t even bother to
tell me he started dating her – he just let me find out from other people, which made it worse.
Sometimes I just want to go take all the air out of his tires as revenge. Do you think this would
make me more happy? Or would just taking the high road make me more happy? I think about
Viktor Frankl being in the concentration camps. He must have felt rage all the time at the evil
people around him. He must have wanted to take revenge all the time. And this guy I’m talking
about isn’t even evil, just maybe kind of a jerk. How would Frankl tell me to deal with people
who just are not very considerate or insensitive?
Man’s Search for Meaning
Your friend Gary comes to you for advice. Here’s what he says:
Hey there, I remember you mentioning that you were taking a course in The Human Struggle and
that you just read a book called MAN’S SEARCH FOR MEANING. When I talked to you about
it, you said, it’s a Holocaust memoir, but it also is about how to deal with life’s struggles, even
ones that aren’t nearly as horrifying as surviving a concentration camp. I’m definitely dealing
with some life struggles right now, and I was wondering if you could give me advice based on
what you read in Frankl’s book. If I tell you my problems, could you give me some suggestions
about how to deal with them based on what you’ve been reading?
Like I said, nothing going in my life is anywhere near as horrible as what Viktor Frankl dealt
with. I guess my worst problem is that my girlfriend dumped me. She’s been telling me for a
while that she was unhappy and that if we were going to stay a couple, I needed to make some
changes in the way I treated her, and I just didn’t make those changes. Now, I’m just filled with
guilt all the time. One of my friends says I should do things to take my mind off it like go to a
movie or read a book, but some of my other friends say I should think about what I did wrong so
that I don’t make the same mistake next time. But when I think about it a lot, I get so upset that I
can’t eat or sleep. How should I handle this? I feel like I can’t just tune out reality, but
sometimes it’s hard to think about what you did wrong all the time.
Another thing is I just found out I got accepted to a really good nursing program, but I can’t
decide if I should go. The thing is, for the last four years, I’ve been working as a bartender at a
resort in the mountains in Colorado. Basically, because of my job, I can sleep late every day, do
a lot of fun activities like hiking or rock climbing in the summer or skiing in the winter, then
party with my friends every night after work. I have fun every day and never feel stressed out,
but sometimes I feel like I’d like to do something more important than serve someone a beer,
which is why I applied to the nursing program. I remember when my little brother had cancer
when he was a teenager (he survived!) how amazing the nurses were and how they helped all our
family through that tough time, and part of me wants to give back. Sometimes it seems like even
though I’m having fun as a bartender, I’m not really happy because my work seems kind of
pointless. But I know if I go to nursing school, I’ll have to start getting up early in the morning.
I’ll have to study and take exams, and I’ll be under a lot of pressure at times, and maybe I’ll even
screw up and flunk a class or find out I’m not cut out for nursing. Even if I get through the
program, I’ll probably like helping people as a nurse, but it probably won’t be fun every single
day, and it will definitely be stressful at times. I’m not sure I want a lot of tension in my life, but
sometimes my life seems empty. What do you think Frankl would say?
And while all this is going on, the girlfriend who just dumped me is dating a guy who lives in
the same apartment complex as me, a guy I thought was my friend. He didn’t even bother to
tell me he started dating her – he just let me find out from other people, which made it worse.
Sometimes I just want to go take all the air out of his tires as revenge. Do you think this would
make me more happy? Or would just taking the high road make me more happy? I think about
Viktor Frankl being in the concentration camps. He must have felt rage all the time at the evil
people around him. He must have wanted to take revenge all the time. And this guy I’m talking
about isn’t even evil, just maybe kind of a jerk. How would Frankl tell me to deal with people
who just are not very considerate or insensitive?
Your essay should include:
An introductory paragraph that introduces the topic of struggles in life, Gary’s
problems, and Man’s Search for Meaning. At the end of your introduction, you should
have a thesis statement that gives Gary advice on the three problems he mentions
here. Remember that it’s fine if your thesis may be more than one sentence.
Distinct supporting sections with clear topic sentences that address each of Gary’s
problems and how he should deal with them based on your interpretation of Frankl.
To support your points, you should use details and examples from the book including at
least three quotations overall with the page number in parentheses. You may also use
your own personal experience to support your points.
A conclusion which restates your thesis and also addresses Gary’s larger question of
how to approach our problems and approach happiness. Can we expect problems
to ever fully go away? If not, how do we “pursue happiness?” And how do we
pursue it in a world where there is often injustice and cruelty?
Points to Remember:
You may write this essay directly to Gary – e.g. “To deal with these problems, you
should …” (you could even write the essay as a letter to Gary if you want) or you could
write it in third person – e.g. “To deal with his problems, Gary should …”
This essay should be around 3 typed double-spaced pages long.
Keep in mind your advice to Gary may be different from your classmates’ advice to him
based on how you interpreted Frankl’s book. What’s most important, is that you
support your reasoning with details, examples, and quotations from the book which
will serve as evidence about what might Frankl might say. If you wish to point out
areas where you disagree with Frankl as you give Gary advice, you can do that and
explain your reasoning for disagreeing with Frankl.
Also, although this essay might be well-suited for a five-paragraph essay structure, please
don’t feel bound to that structure. You might have 2 paragraphs about advice to Gary on
one of his problems, but only 1 paragraph to write about another problem – that’s fine!
**OR YOU MIGHT CONSIDER THIS ALTERNATE ASSIGNMENT: If you would
prefer to write about 3 problems YOU’RE facing in your life and what advice Frankl
would give to YOU, that is also okay. In that case, just make sure to use specific details,
examples, and quotations from Frankl in the same way you would if you were doing the
assignment about Gary. Also, this alternate assignment would require you to be specific
about some personal challenges, so make sure you are comfortable doing that (It would just
be between you and me, though!).**
An introductory paragraph that introduces the topic of struggles in life, Gary’s
problems, and Man’s Search for Meaning. At the end of your introduction, you should
have a thesis statement that gives Gary advice on the three problems he mentions
here. Remember that it’s fine if your thesis may be more than one sentence.
Distinct supporting sections with clear topic sentences that address each of Gary’s
problems and how he should deal with them based on your interpretation of Frankl.
To support your points, you should use details and examples from the book including at
least three quotations overall with the page number in parentheses. You may also use
your own personal experience to support your points.
A conclusion which restates your thesis and also addresses Gary’s larger question of
how to approach our problems and approach happiness. Can we expect problems
to ever fully go away? If not, how do we “pursue happiness?” And how do we
pursue it in a world where there is often injustice and cruelty?
Points to Remember:
You may write this essay directly to Gary – e.g. “To deal with these problems, you
should …” (you could even write the essay as a letter to Gary if you want) or you could
write it in third person – e.g. “To deal with his problems, Gary should …”
This essay should be around 3 typed double-spaced pages long.
Keep in mind your advice to Gary may be different from your classmates’ advice to him
based on how you interpreted Frankl’s book. What’s most important, is that you
support your reasoning with details, examples, and quotations from the book which
will serve as evidence about what might Frankl might say. If you wish to point out
areas where you disagree with Frankl as you give Gary advice, you can do that and
explain your reasoning for disagreeing with Frankl.
Also, although this essay might be well-suited for a five-paragraph essay structure, please
don’t feel bound to that structure. You might have 2 paragraphs about advice to Gary on
one of his problems, but only 1 paragraph to write about another problem – that’s fine!
**OR YOU MIGHT CONSIDER THIS ALTERNATE ASSIGNMENT: If you would
prefer to write about 3 problems YOU’RE facing in your life and what advice Frankl
would give to YOU, that is also okay. In that case, just make sure to use specific details,
examples, and quotations from Frankl in the same way you would if you were doing the
assignment about Gary. Also, this alternate assignment would require you to be specific
about some personal challenges, so make sure you are comfortable doing that (It would just
be between you and me, though!).**