Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom - Book Report/Review Example

Tuesdays with Morrie” by Mitch Albom “Tuesdays with Morrie” is a narrative book about a which is the narrator, spending time with Morrie,his sick and dying professor. Mitch had lost contact with his professor for almost 16 years right after his graduation. One day, Mitch saw Morrie on television program “Nightline” and discovered that Morrie is suffering from ALS or Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis on the terminal level. He was reminded of his promise he made to the professor to get in touch with him after graduation. Morrie, moved by his professor’s situation decided to visit Morrie. He travelled from Michigan to Massachussets to meet with Morrie. Their first meeting went well. Mitch was deeply moved by the sentiments and lessons from Morrie and they decided to meet every Tuesdays of the week. For fourteen consecutive Tuesdays, Mitch enrolled in the last class of Morrie held at Morrie’s house. This class is about the meaning of life. Morrie spilled lessons from his life through his experiences. They discuss various topics during their meetings. “Tuesdays with Morrie” is a book about life in the perspective of a dying man. Morrie recalls his past and collects the morals he learned from them. He relays his scruples to Mitch. They discuss about love, death, the world, regrets, fear of aging, forgiveness, and life. These lessons are not just for Mitch to ponder. Rather, it’s richness of morals are relayed to any reader. The book evokes various emotions such as happiness, sadness, sorrow, fear, joy, regret, love and many more. It encourages readers to align with Morrie’s words and reflect about their lives. Mitch was greatly enriched by the words of Morrie. He inherits priceless treasures that he can apply for the rest of his life. Mitch Albom has embedded a great lesson as he recounts their moments with Morrie. Overall, the book is about love. Morrie stated, “The most important thing in life is to learn how to give out love, and to let it come in” (Albom, 52). This line can summarize all the other lessons tackled in the various chapters. Love is the key to living. Love is emphasized by Morrie. He relates forgiveness, death, fear, and other issues with love. Throughout the novel, love is the general theme that is emphasized during their conversations. Morrie reiterates to Mitch about the importance of love and affection to people. His life is lacking in love. He didn’t have a mother who nurtured him as he was growing. He just experienced love and be loved when Eva came into his life. Until then, he treasures love. Mitch learned so much from this. He had a skewed relationship with his brother. After Morrie died, Mitch got reunited with his long lost brother. He finally said I love you for the first time. He realized that life without love is empty. He reflected that the absence of love in his life made him feel lost, bored and burnt out. But when he came to realize the importance of love, life is again worth living. Morrie further stressed out , “Love each other or die”. During the last days of Morrie, he spent his days loving and giving affection to the people around him. Mitch was a recipient of Morries’ love. He cared for him like a son. He gave him lessons that he can treasure for the rest of his life. The various chapters of the book, Morrie touches topics such as forgiveness, regrets, family and others. These topics are interlaced with love. Ultimately, love is the theme for this book. As Morrie quoted, “If you don’t have the support and love and caring and concern that you get from a family, you don’t have much at all. Love is so supremely important”. Morrie emphasized that love is above everything. Morrie, being complete and loved by his family, shared these important things to Mitch. He wants Mitch to recognize the value of his family and how important it is to give love to them. Morrie went on to saying that the love of family members is a deep bond that will make a person feel secured. The chapter about forgiveness is also about love. On their twelfth Tuesday, Morrie said to Mitch, “Forgive yourself before you die. Then forgive others”. This statement reveals that Morrie holds no grudge on others. He sees no point on vengeance and hate for others. Admittedly, he accepts that he is a man of pride. He even related his side of the story about his friend Norman and how he regretted that he didn’t forgive Norman before he died. He advises Mitch to make peace with the people around him and not to dwell on the sins of other people. Forgiveness is a key to inner peace and peace with other people. This virtue still boils down to love. Love is still a great factor upon the act of forgiveness. Loving yourself is necessary to live life to the fullest. It is important to forgive one self and not to live with condemnation and regret. In the same manner, it is equally vital to forgive and love other people. Relationships can be mended through forgiveness and can be cherished for a life time through love. “Tuesday with Morrie” is a book highly organized for the author to relay his message. The book is about life, and how to live it with love. He gradually revealed the lessons during their conversations with Morrie. The lessons in life every Tuesday is related one by one in his chapters as he gradually connected emotionally with Morrie. The story started with mere introductions about the characters. Mitch stated who is Morrie. He also stated about himself. He revealed his success in his career after graduation. However, despite his success in life, he considers it to be empty and vain. He is bored and burnt out at the same time. When he met Morrie, slowly his perspectives about life changes. He learned the lessons deep. He got emotionally tangled with Morrie. At the death of Morrie, he cried out of sorrow. Every chapter of the book contributed to the general aim of the author, that is to move the readers in such a way that Mitch was moved by Morrie. Their story defies space such that their conversations do not stop on them. Rather, these lessons course through the readers reminding them bout life and love. From the beginning to the end, the author got what he aimed. He showed Mitch, the narrator, as a changed man. In the same manner, he wanted readers to be enlightened about life. The philosophical idea of the author about death is also explicitly shown in the book. Morrie, in facing his death reveals his feelings about it. He talks it freely with Mitch. In some way, the author relays his ideas about death through the words of Morrie. Morrie stated “ Once you learn how to die, you learn how to live”. This statement remarks how deep is the philosophical understanding of the author about dying. He relates love until the end of breath of human being. Love is still the primary reason to live. Morrie, in his younger days, refuses to believe that death will come upon his life. As he gets older, he is confronted with death as his days are inching towards end. He reveals his regrets on the things that he didn’t value when he still have the chance. He reiterates to Mitch the importance of appreciating life from the smallest reason to the bigger reasons of life. He repeats this quote over and over again to emphasize to Mitch that death is real and that one has to live his life without regrets. There is an intensified drama in the story when Morrie died. The fourteenth Tuesday was the last day of their class. Mitch meets with Morrie in his bedroom. Morrie is already very weak that he can no longer stand up. The two held hands. This act reveals their intimacy. Their love for each other overflowed and they showed it on the tightness of their holds. They consider each other deeply making each one as important parts of their lives. Morrie reveals that Mitch has deeply touched his heart. This scene is so touching. It is not easy to say goodbye. Mitch didn’t know if he has to bid goodbye to Morrie. Instead, he just told Morrie that he will see him next Tuesday. Morrie knowing that there would be no next time, coughed a laugh to signify that his statement is more of a joke than truth. I was greatly moved by their love for each other. Indeed, it is hard to say goodbye especially to someone who is very dear to you. I respected these two characters so much on their braveness to face the idea of death. Morrie is courages to identify himself that he is inded dying. Mitch showed braveness in showing control over his feelings that he will soon loose someone. He reacted so reservedly where he even made a joke to Morrie. Reading the book has touched me and moved me in many ways. It’s difficult to guess what the book is all about. I presumed that it is another biography of some great individual who walked on earth. As I start to read the book, I expected to see a plot all about a dying person and how his loved ones mourned for him, just like a television drama series. However, as I fumbled through the pages one by one, I was amazed by the treasures that each page contains. I thought that the stories shared by Morrie to Mitch are just for themselves, that I would just be another spectator of some dramatic scenes. There’s more in the book than one thinks. I got involved with their conversations. I felt like I am one of the students of Morrie, sitting down with them, and taking every lesson he shared with Mitch. I did some flashbacks about life on my own relating it to stories of Morrie and Mitch. At some point, my brows creased whenever I can’t relate with some of the issues. However, most of the time, I nod with agreement on many of his views. “Tuesday with Morrie” is a life enriching book. For me, it is filled with lessons that are necessary to partake to everyone. Life is too short to be lived aimlessly. As the book emphasizes, love is the key to living. It is important to spend your days with love. Relationships need to be mended and nurtured especially with family members. While reading this book, I am spending my time with Morrie. I rehashed his sentiments and recalled them one by one Like Mitch, I am student when it comes to knowledge coming from the elderly. People facing their end reflect life in a different way. It is amazing to note that their precepts and reflections are considered helpful and healthy to younger generations like me. As a student of Morrie, I realized how important every detail of life is. I take for granted many of the things in my life. Like Mitch, I learned many lessons. Like Mitch, I will treasure these lessons as I ponder through life and live as if tomorrow is the last. Read More