"Tuesdays with Morrie, a Non-living Teacher"

Summary:
Mitch recalled his graduation in Brandeis University wherein he promised Morrie, his favorite professor who was crying that he would keep in touch with him even though he didn’t fulfill this promise. After many years, Morrie had been diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Disease which caused him to forfeit dancing, his favorite hobby. Charlotte, wife of Morrie, wanted to take care of him but he insisted that she should continue her job teaching. While Morrie was suffering from his disease, Mitch was frustrated with the path he chose. Mitch wanted to be a musician but after his uncle died from pancreatic cancer, he gave up his dream and chose to be a well-paid journalist. He also promised his wife, Janine, that they would also have children, though he spent most of his time working to gain materialistic possessions.

One night, Mitch was flipping the channels on a television when he had heard the voice of Morrie from it. He felt numb when he saw him being interviewed by Ted Koppel, a famous newscaster whom had been friends with Morrie for a short time. He then contacted his beloved professor and went to visit him in West Newton, Massachusetts. At his first visit, he drove using his car and a producer called him. He arrived in front of Morrie’s house and he saw him waiting in front but instead of running and hugging the professor, he finished first the call with the producer which he regretted after it.

After he visited Morrie, he had many realizations in life. He would usually read tabloid about gossips of celebrities but he stopped reading for he sought the meaning of life and he realized that he would not find that from reading gossips about celebrities. A group of reporters chasing two celebrities had also knocked him over and after that incident; he realized that he chased the wrong thing. Again, he went to Boston to visit Morrie.

            Since that day, he always visited Morrie every Tuesday. They had discussions about life and Mitch created a list about things that they would talk about every week. They would have session about Death, Family, Love, Money, Culture and many more. Every time Mitch visited Morrie, he would bring foods for him. Morrie’s condition got worse too so he can’t no longer eat solid foods.       In Morrie’s childhood, he had been very poor. His father, Charlie, had been very cold and aloof to them. He didn’t provide Morrie and his brother, the love they need during the time their mother died. Charlie married Eva who was kind that she let Morrie and his brother feel the love and affection they had longed for. Because of lack in affection and love during Morrie’s childhood, he sought it out in his old age with his family and friends. One time, he said that he was trying to “enjoy being a baby again” for he was nearing to death and he had been very dependable in his situation.  One Tuesday, Janine went with Mitch in his visit to Morrie. There she granted the request of Morrie to sing for him. She is a professional singer but she sang for Morrie which moved him to tears. Mitch continued his visit with Morrie and he learned many things from it. He also brought a tape recorder so he can compile their discussions and he could create the book, “Tuesdays With Morrie”, their last thesis project. At their 14^th Tuesday, Mitch felt something was different. Morrie was very week that he can’t even go to face Mitch. Mitch talked to him and for the first time, he cried for he thought that it would be the last time he would be able to hear Morrie’s voice. At Saturday, Morrie died.  Through Morrie’s insistence, Mitch called his brother, Peter, in Spain to reunite with him. After so many years, he responded and their relationship was getting better. At Morrie’s grave, Mitch talked to him like what he had said and he felt natural with it.

          Characters:

Mitch Albom  -  he was a former student of Morrie at Brandeis University wherein he considered Morrie as his favorite professor. He had been working hard because of his desire in material wealth even though he was not happy of what he was doing. After he heard the news about his favorite professor having Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, he decided to visit him. Every Tuesday, he visited Morrie and they had  sessions about life, death, people, love, family, culture, money and many more

Morrie Schwartz  -  suffered from ALS, a devastating and incurable disease which damages his body. He taught sociology at Brandeis and he continued to teach it to Mitch every Tuesday.  He liked dancing, and he usually cry especially since the time he knew about his disease. He shared his emotions and his own system of beliefs. Mitch described him as a man of ultimate wisdom.

Ted Koppel  -  a famous interviewer who conducted three interviews with Morrie in his show “Nightline”. He became friends with Morrie because of their one in one conversation before their first live interview wherein Morrie had asked him personal questions.  Morrie also told him that his first impression about him in the show was that he was narcissistic.

Charlotte -  a caring wife of Morrie who continued her job as a professor as insisted by Morrie.

Janine -  wife of Mitch who sang for Morrie even though she was a professional singer which moved Morrie to tears.

Peter -   younger brother of Mitch who was living in Spain. He has pancreatic cancer but he refused any help from his family. . He was unwilling when Mitch first tried to rebuild their relationship but at the end, he agreed.

Charlie -  Morrie's unemotional father who showed Morrie and his brother David little attention. He told Morrie to keep his mother's death a secret from his younger brother, David, because he wanted his son to believe that his biological mother was her step mother, Eva.

David -  Morrie's younger brother was sent with Morrie to a small hotel in the woods of Connecticut. He had polio and he experienced paralysis so Morrie was blaming himself for what had happened to him.

Eva -  step mother of amorrie who was kind and caring. She gave Morrie and his brother David the love and affection they had wanted to experience.

Maurie Stein -   Morrie's friend who sent some of Morrie's aphorisms to a Boston Globe reporter who eventually published a feature story on Morrie. The article encouraged Ted Koppel to conduct an interview for Morrie.

Connie -   health aide of Morrie who was always there doing things for him like when  going to the bathroom, getting into his chair, and eating  meals.

Rob and Jon - sons of Morrie who lived far but often traveled to Boston to visit him.

Settings:

The novel happened during 1995, in Morrie’s house, in West Newton, Massachusetts. Mitch visited him every Tuesday from Detroit to Massachusetts and they have discussions about the meaning of life. The sessions reached fourteen Tuesdays.

Conflict:

Mitch had been working almost near to death for the past ten years to create much money and to gain materialistic possessions. He had changed and he seemed to be taking the wrong path. He chose to value unnecessary things and ignored other things that should really be cherished like spiritual things.

            Morrie suffered from a debilitating disease, the amyotrophic lateral disease which forfeited him from doing dancing, walking, swimming and many more. He was dying and the time left for him was very short. He needed to accept this fact and at the same time, make the most out of the time left for him.

Plot

Exposition:

            At the beginning, Mitch recalled his graduation day in Brandeis University wherein he gave Morrie a briefcase with his initials on it. He saw Morrie, his favourite professor crying so he promised to keep in touch with him even though he didn’t fulfill it. After so many years, Morrie had been diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Disease which caused him to stop some of his hobbies like dancing while Mitch had been confused with the path he had chosen.

Rising Action:

            Mitch saw the interview of Ted with Morrie in the show “nightline”  in a television and he started visiting him after he knew about his sickness. Every Tuesday, they would have sessions about the meaning of life. As Mitch struggled with life, Morrie fought his disease and they both learned something from their sessions.

Climax:

            Mitch visited Morrie on the fourteenth Tuesday and he somewhat felt that it would be their last session. Morrie was stuck in his bed feeling very weak and can’t breathe properly. Morrie’s goal was to make Mitch cry and at last, Mitch cried when he had thought that it would be the last time he can speak to Morrie.\

Falling Action:

            Morrie’s death can be predicted and he died on Saturday, 4 days after their last visit. Mitch went to his funeral.

Resolution:

            Mitch talked to Morrie in his grave like what Morrie told him and he found a new perspective in life. He also called his brother in Spain to reunite with him and he told him that he loves him. At the end, you could say that Mitch and his brother would keep in touch.