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

Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Alborn Literature imitates reality. It provides a mirror of life from which people can view their struggles and mistakes. In particular, Mitch Alborn’s nonfiction novel titled, “Tuesdays with Morrie” depicts a person’s struggle to find truth in life. Based on the author’s personal encounters with his college professor named Morrie, the story provides readers with sound advice on how to live a good life in spite of struggles and pains. This paper discusses the themes of the novel to draw out personal reflections about life. The central ideas presented in the novel are life and death. These two ideas are strongly contrasted, hence the two characters are placed in juxtaposition. Mitch is young, while Morrie is old. From this, readers can immediately perceive the binary opposition between the two. Alborn’s youth suggests fallibility while Professor Morie’s old age implies wisdom. The former has strength and life while the professor is ill and dying. With these contrasting ideas, the author uses their conditions to show how both of them complement each other, with him giving the professor some strength to carry on despite severe illness, and the other instilling in him some wisdom, at the time he needs it most. The author allows the readers to see life from the two characters’ perspectives. Living in the limelight as a journalist, Alborn is exposed to social controversies, which leads him to hate the present world. On a different perspective, Professor Morie lives a simple and solitary life, away from the hustles and hassles of life. From his little world, the professor demonstrates a more profound view of life characterized by simplicity, joy, and contentment. Based on this, the author provides readers some secrets to attaining happiness, which the professor reveals to him. One of which is needing people in one’s journey through life. As Morrie reveals, "In the beginning of life, when we are infants, we need others to survive, right? And at the end of life, when you get like me, you need others to survive, right?" His voice dropped to a whisper. "But here's the secret: in between, we need others as well." (Alborn, 1997, p. 157) These lines of the novel are very striking. Prof. Morrie reveals that people are in constant need of each other. As the saying goes, “No man is an island.” Babies need their parents to watch over them while elders need their children to care for them. In between infancy and old age, people still need others because they need to feel loved and accepted. As Maslow’s (1978) Theory of Hierarchy of Needs suggests, people have emotional needs such as the need to be loved and appreciated. If left unfulfilled, the person will feel some void within. In the story, Alborn experiences the void as his uncle dies. Further to the juxtaposition presented, the author presents opposing themes about life. He shows the ugly and the beautiful faces of life. The first one is revealed through the struggles that Alborn faces. As a journalist, he is exposed to the hatred and violence that media explores. He confronts the material world, which despite luxury and physical comfort, is empty and ugly due to the alienation people feel towards each other, their work, and their own existence. His relationship with his wife demonstrates his inability to connect with others. Morrie also shows the ugly reality about life related to death. However, considering that the professor dies in peace and joyful acceptance of his fate, the ugliness of death transforms into beauty, an end which the living has yet to achieve. Seeing this, I realized the true essence of life, which is not found in material things nor in the length of one’s life, but in the way a person lives no matter how short life is. Death in the story is also very significant because it teaches the main characters about the importance of life. It teaches both characters to be strong. Alborn faces the truth that his uncle’s life must end, and in doing so, he finds it easier to accept the struggles he has to bear. On a different note, as Morrie faces death, we are exposed to the way death puts our moral strength to the test. Every person in the world will encounter death. Some will undergo peaceful death while others could have a painful one. In Morrie’s experience, death is painful yet he endures it. His experience of death is much more painful than Alborn’s reminiscence of his uncle but he remains strong. In life, we tend to be weak because we think that our experience is the most painful but if we look at others, we will realize that our pains will not measure up to how they feel. Death is a recurrent theme throughout the story. The two characters often exchange their ideas about it. In one of their conversations, Alborn claims, “When you’re in bed, you’re dead” (131). This means that without the ability to move, a person’s life is worth nothing. Morrie negates this thought as he writes advice for Alborn in his deathbed. Such act denotes that Morrie conquers death and physical disability. While many of us would fumble like Alborn in our encounter with death, Morrie takes his death as an opportunity to learn and pass on his learning. The theme of self-actualization is also present in the story. Again, the two characters are put in contrast with each other. Alborn is yet to reach actualization while Morrie has achieved it. Self-actualization, as Maslow (1978) describes it, is a person’s fulfillment of his dreams, his attainment of goals and realization of the reason for existence. Morrie possesses this as he happily faces death. He does not worry about material wealth or fame. He knows that he cannot bring those in death. He can die happily without even becoming wealthy or famous. Meanwhile, Alborn spends his time writing for a sports magazine that pays well. He leaves behind his music and his wife only to advance his career in writing. Despite his achievement, he is not content because there are things that he knows he should be doing instead like playing music, helping out his cancer-stricken brother, spending time with his wife and having a kid, etc. Alborn is too far from self-actualization because he denies what is important. Relating my experience with Alborn’s, I can say that I myself am seeking self-actualization. For me, self-actualization is being the best that one can be. In life, I usually do my best to be great. I work hard to achieve my dreams, treat other s well, eat healthy diet and feed myself with wisdom by reading. However, despite all my efforts, I still feel insecure. From the story, I learned that the key to self-actualization is being of service to others. As Morrie reveals, “When you learn how to die, you learn how to live!” (104). This is true because dying in oneself means giving life to others. In the story, Alborn tries to connect again with his brother to help him financially. Just like Alborn, I will try to find meaning in life by giving life to others. There are many ways I can fulfill my goal. First, I can help our church in its community outreach. Second, I will spend more time with my family to make up for lost times. Third, I will be content with the things I have in life but also do my best in everything without putting pressure on myself. “Tuesdays with Morrie” is not a typical story. Despite its simple plot, characterization and setting, the story is permeated with life values from which readers can draw out their personal philosophy of life. The lessons it gives about life, death and self-actualization are very practical. They can serve as our guide to wisdom and happiness. Reference Alborn, Mitch. (1997). Tuesdays with Morrie. NY: Random House. Read More