The Existential Crisis of the Protagonist in Ahmad Rabie's Waswas: A Logotherapy Perspective

Abstract

This study aims to examine the forms of existential crisis and the process of the protagonist’s search for meaning in Ahmad Rabie’s novel Waswas by employing Viktor Frankl’s logotherapy within the framework of humanistic psychology. The study adopted a descriptive qualitative method using a library research design. The research data consisted of narrative excerpts, dialogues, and monologues of the protagonist that represent various aspects of existential crisis and the search for meaning in life. The primary data source was the novel Waswas by Ahmad Rabie, while the secondary data were obtained from books, scholarly articles, and previous studies related to Viktor Frankl’s logotherapy. Data were collected through close reading and note-taking techniques, whereas data analysis was conducted using Miles and Huberman’s interactive analysis model, which includes data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing. The findings reveal that, first, the protagonist’s forms of existential crisis, based on the concept of will to meaning, are characterized by feelings of existential emptiness and inner dissatisfaction, leading to a loss of direction and purpose in life. Second, the process of discovering meaning in life (meaning of life) is manifested through the three value dimensions proposed in Frankl’s logotherapy, namely creative values, experiential values, and attitudinal values. The findings further demonstrate that experiences of suffering, inner conflict, and existential emptiness are not merely negative psychological conditions but also serve as a means of self-reflection that guides the individual toward the discovery of meaning in life.