Mitch Albom is the author of the book “Tuesdays with Morrie”. His favorite professor, Morrie Schwartz is also an outstanding doctor of sociology. However, he suffers from a no cure illness named amyotrophic lateral sclerosis(ALS). Doctor guesses he only had two years left. “You lose control of your thigh muscles, so that you cannot support yourself standing. You lose control of your trunk muscles, so that you cannot sit up straight. By the end, if you are still alive, you are breathing through a tube in a hole in your throat, while your soul, perfectly awake, is imprisoned inside a limp husk, perhaps able to blink, or clunk a tongue” (10) this is ALS.
The author dreamed to be a musician when he was young. But now he is a famous sports columnist in Detroit. He married Janine after a seven-year courtship soon they divorced. Nevertheless Mitch sees Morrie on a TV show－“Nightline” in 1995. Thus he decides to visit Morrie in West Newton, Massachusetts. This is his first time to come to Morrie’s house after sixteen years. However, Morrie must be in a wheelchair full time and he also has a helper named Connie. Morrie gives himself less self-pity although he is going to die. Mitch astonishes about this.
After a few weeks, when Mitch is confused about his life he remembered what Morrie said, “The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning” (43). Afterwards, Mitch decides to visit Morrie on every Tuesday. They always been together on Tuesdays twenty years ago because of the courses, Morrie’s office hours and Mitch’s senior thesis.
Morrie tells to Mitch what he learns from the disease on the first Tuesday. He says “The most important thing in life is to learn how to give out love, and to let it come in” (52).
On the second Tuesday Mitch asks Morrie if he feels sorry about himself. And then Morrie says “I give myself a good cry if I need it. But then I concentrate on all the good things still in my life. On the people who are coming to see me. On the stories I’m going to hear. On you－if it’s Tuesday” (57).
On the third Tuesday Mitch brings Morrie a Sony tape recorder. He really wants to remember all nostalgic happiness moments with Morrie. In fact, Mitch is afraid to lose him so he writes down a list. The list is about “Death, Fear, Aging, Greed, Marriage, Family, Society, Forgiveness, and A meaningful life” (66).
Eventually, the purpose of the class they meet on Tuesdays is the meaning of life. This is what Morrie wants to teach Mitch from his experiences.
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