By Ethan Brooker

During my junior year of high school, I took an AP language course with the wonderful Ms. Hale. This class was rather quite different, as we focused on the values and lessons taught in literature instead of the basic curriculum taught. This class is where I was gratefully introduced to the masterpiece that is Tuesdays With Morrie. The many lessons that we learned from reading Tuesdays With Morrie revolved around the ideas and values introduced. As I reflect on the book nearly 3 years later, I have come to value the lessons that the book has taught me.

Mitch Albom first encountered Morrie Schwartz during his time at Brandeis University. Their relationship grew as Mitch took nearly all the sociology courses that Morrie taught. After Mitch’s graduation ceremony he makes a promise to the emotional Morrie that they will stay in contact with each other; this promise, however, is not kept. Years later while scrolling through the television, Mitch hears a familiar voice. It is his old professor being interviewed on Nightline by Ted Kopple. In the three-part interview, Morrie discusses his battle with his newly developed disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Shocked about this, Mitch contacts his old professor and decides to leave his home in Detroit to visit Morrie at his home in Massachusetts. During this time Mitch is struggling in his life. He has recently gone through a divorce and has been forced to get a job as a news editor, and give up his dream as a musician. During his visit with his old professor, Mitch is tasked with what Morrie calls their “last thesis together.” Together the two decide to meet every Tuesday where they discuss the many issues that Mitch has faced in life and the many issues they both face in society. Each Tuesday when they meet, they discuss a new topic, they do this until Morrie is unable to function due to his ALS. Morrie tells Mitch that he wants to share his stories with the world, so Mitch creates his story, Tuesdays With Morrie.

When I think of the story introduced to me by my late English teacher, I see the similarities that I have faced in my own life. Much like the plot of the story, my own life has changed. I too feel like Mitch at times. I have started a new life and grown apart from those who were most important in my life, but I have met new friends and I have come to peace with what was and realized the great things I have in life today. I believe that in life, everyone should have a Morrie, and for me, I know that I am grateful to have had many Morries.

A major theme throughout the story is dealing with death. As we know, Morrie is cursed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, which will wither away at his body until he can no longer support himself. Throughout the story, Morrie emphasizes accepting things in life for what they are, including death, in the chapter titled “The Fourth Tuesday: We Talk About Death.” In this chapter Morrie states, 

“Like I said, no one really believes they’re going to die.” 

But everyone knows someone who has died, I said. Why is it so hard to think about dying? 

“Because,” Morrie continued, “most of us all walk around as if we’re sleepwalking. We really don’t experience the world fully, because we’re half-asleep, doing things we automatically think we have to do.” 

And facing death changes all that? 

“Oh, yes. You strip away all that stuff and you focus on the essentials. When you realize you are going to die, you see everything much differently. He sighed. “Learn how to die, and you learn how to live.’” 

I find this passage to be compelling and powerful due to its relevance toward the theme of death. I believe that Morrie’s views on death pertain to the denial that many people have about dying. We all know that with life there will be death, and we all know someone who has died. But, when we think about ourselves dying, it seems like a fantasy. This passage sheds light on exactly what Morrie valued in life and the way that he chose to live his life. While facing an inevitable death Morrie still chose to focus on living his life to the fullest. Morrie describes to us how many people would choose to live the remainder of their life in self-pity.

The narration used throughout much of the book is in first person, while also being dramatized. By choosing to tell his story using first-person narration Albom can provide us with inside views on what happens to Mitch throughout the story due to him living through it. Albom provides the reader with a different level of depth about the story than a third-person narrator would. Throughout the story, Albom also uses commentary to help provide the readers with various insights and details that resonate with the reader more effectively than just providing the story as it is told. Albom uses a dramatized author throughout his story to allow the reader to view himself as more than just the author but also to help identify himself as part of the story. By identifying himself as a dramatized first-person narrator, Albom can help mediate the story to the reader by giving us firsthand accounts while also giving us a descriptive analysis when needed. This also helps by allowing the reader to understand how Mitch is able to apply Morrie’s lessons to his own life. 

While the story is mainly told using first-person narration, there are portions of the story where Albom uses third-person narration to project different aspects. A section where Albom uses this aspect is in the chapter titled “The Professor”. In this chapter, we learn about the struggles that Morrie faced in his early life. Albom uses third-person omniscient narration in this chapter in which he is the narrator. By using third-person omniscient narration, Albom can provide us with insights on the feelings and beliefs that Morrie has in his reflection about his early life. In this chapter Albom reflects on a story that Morrie has told him about his stepmother. Albom writes, “She had a glow that warmed the otherwise murky atmosphere his father created. She talked when her new husband was silent, she sang songs to the children at night. Morrie took comfort in her soothing voice, her school lessons, her strong character.” (Albom). Since third person omniscient is used in this section, Albom can project the ideas and feelings that Morrie had on his new stepmother. This creates a new dynamic in the story as we now learn the thought and feelings of Morrie from a narrator, instead of learning them directly from Albom.

The central problem and theme that is present throughout the story is learning to live with death. Morrie shows us the true passion and attitude that it takes to be able to live with death. While Morrie is approaching the end of his career and retirement, his life only gets harder as he is diagnosed with ALS. For many people, this would be the point where they would live in self-pity and be hateful toward the world. However, Morrie has shown us not to live our lives in spite due to the things we can not control. Morrie emphasizes celebrating life and celebrating death. Morrie reminds us when he states, “Learn how to die, and you learn how to live.” (Albom). This statement from Morrie directly relates to the theme of death throughout the book. This lesson that Morrie teaches us is relevant and applicable to everyone in everyday life.

The many lessons that we receive from Morrie Schwartz throughout Tuesdays With Morrie are meaningful towards all aspects of life. I believe that the relationship between Morrie and Mitch is one that many individuals would benefit from hearing. Morrie teaches us that if we live our lives without the fear of death, and Mitch teaches us to learn to deal with tough times in life. Personally I have learned many life lessons and values from reading the book and I feel others should also read it so they may experience it. I feel that the lessons taught to us in Tuesday’s With Morrie are lessons that will stick with me for the rest of my life. The wise lessons taught to us by Morrie Schwartz and Mitch Albom are ones that many people, young and old, would greatly benefit from hearing.