Tuesdays With Morrie

Tuesdays with Morrie is a short narrative dealing with the last few months of an amazing man’s life, Morrie Schwartz. Mitch Ablom, the author, has written this novel documenting his experience of spending every Tuesday, of Morrie’s last months, with him. It is a sad, yet inspiring chronicle concerning the great relationship built between the two men, an everlasting one that will last forever. In Tuesdays with Morrie, Mitch learns from his college professor, Morrie, that he needs to reassess his life, to value love over money and happiness over success. Essentially, the Tuesdays represent the days that Mitch used to visit his ailing professor after being diagnosed by the terminal ASL. Hence, the days were full of lessons about life. The book epitomizes the final days of Morrie Schwartz and how the days transformed the life of Mitch through the lessons. Mitch learnt a lot from the professor.

Morrie Schwartz was a smart professor who was struck with ALS. He believed in many things and his aphorisms are what kept him on his feet. He taught Mitch about love, death, and life and how to live it to the fullest. He also taught him how to appreciate life and everything that comes with it. In the novel, Morrie’s aphorisms are his everyday life lessons. The meetings included discussions on everything from the world when you enter it to the world when you say goodbye. From the relationship that these men had with each other, a love is revealed like no other love resembles. This is the love of friendship and of respect. Such a bond between people is difficult to achieve. Their relationship consists of an “unembarrassed love” that is constantly present. Morrie Schwartz was a man of great wisdom who loved and enjoyed to see and experience a simplicity of life, something beyond life’s most challenging and unanswered mysteries.

“The most important thing in life is to learn how to give out love, and to let it come in.” (Morrie 52) Morrie tells this to Mitch during the first Tuesday. Throughout the novel, Morrie emphasizes the importance of giving out love and showing affection. He thinks that a lot of people feel that they do not deserve love and if they let love in, they become too soft. He quotes Levine in saying, “love is the only rational act.” (52) Morrie’s mother died when he was very young and his father was often working and not interested in showing affection toward Morrie and his brother. When Eva came into their house she provided them with all the motherly love of which they had been deprived. Morrie realized just how important it is to be compassionate towards others and emphasized that for the remainder of his life.

In order to epitomize the inherent lessons that he leant from Morrie, Mitch invokes the past through the use of flashbacks. “…we’ve had thirty-five years of friendship. You don’t need speech or hearing to feel that,” (Mitch 71). The flashbacks used not only take the reader back to the background of the story but also exposes the true connotation of Mitch’s experience. At a certain point he states that “I’ve learned this much about marriage. You get tested. You find out who you are, who the other person is, and how you accommodate or don’t,” (Mitch 149). Perhaps this was a very significant lesson for Albom who was struggling with the issue of family. At a certain age the author had ignored his family for work thinking that his final happiness will come from work.

The professor further consolidates his lesson by stating that, “So many people walk around with a meaningless life. They seem half-asleep, even when they’re busy doing things they think are important. This is because they’re chasing the wrong things. 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,” (Mitch 43).

As one of the major themes in the novel, Morrie discusses that if we do not have love, we do not have anything at all. “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 91) He then quotes Auden in saying, “Love each other or perish” (91). Morrie feels that if he did not have his family around him, during his sickness, it would be much harder for him. He feels safe knowing his family will never leave and always be watching out for him. He feels that the love between family members goes hand and hand with letting someone know that there will always be someone there for them, someone always watching over them. This is also one of the things Morrie missed after his mother died. He refers to this as “spiritual security” (92) knowing that your family will constantly be watching over you.

“The truth is, you don’t get satisfaction from those things. You know what really gives you satisfaction? … Offering others what you have to give.” (Morrie 126) Morrie says this during the eighth Tuesday when he and Mitch discuss money. “…those things”, to which Morrie is referring, are money and materialistic possessions. He feels that living a full life and being satisfied means offering other people what we each have to give. By this Morrie means giving your time and concern to others. He several examples such as playing cards with an elderly person in a hospital and donating some time to teach a skill at the senior center. Morrie feels that there are so many people who are in need of some compassion and if we all offer some time to give it, we will find a new respect for ourselves. He states that devoting ourselves to loving others, and to the community gives us purpose and meaning.

“Forgive yourself before you die. Then forgive others.” (Morrie 166) On the twelfth Tuesday Morrie and Mitch discuss forgiveness. Morrie sees no point in holding any kind of vengeance or stubbornness. He then admits that he has had some pride in his life and regrets it. He recalled a story about his old friend Norman with who he used to spend much time. After Norman and his wife moved to Chicago, Morrie’s wife, Charlotte, had to undergo a serious operation. Norman never contacted Morrie or Charlotte even though they knew about the operation. This hurt Morrie and Charlotte so much that they decided to drop their relationship with Norman. Norman tried to apologize and reconcile but Morrie never accepted his apology. After Norman died, Morrie regretted how he never forgave him. Morrie therefore, feels that we need to also forgive ourselves for the things we should have done. He explains that we can’t get stuck on regrets of what should have happened. He advises to make peace with yourself and those around you.

“Death ends a life, not a relationship.” (Morrie 174) Morrie states that as long as we can love each other and remember this feeling of love, we can die without ever going away because all of the love we have created will still remain. He states that after we die, we live on in the hearts of everyone we have touched and nurtured while we were on earth. This also emphasizes and expands on Morrie’s concept of always giving love and compassion; if we are able to form these loving relationships while we are on earth, not only will we live more fulfilled and substantial lives, but when we die our love and relationship will remain in the hearts of those who we love. At the end of the novel, during Morrie’s funeral, Mitch has an internal conversation with Morrie. He feels very comfortable and serine in the conversation. This is because he and Morrie had expressed their love and compassion for one another during Morrie’s life, and now their relationship is in each others hearts.

Morrie believed that love meant immortality. Even if your physical body is gone, if people can remember the love you gave them, they will feel it, and you’ll still be here in the form of that love. You will live on in their hearts and memories. So give as much love as you can when you are here. You will feel good at the time, and people will remember it long after you are gone.

Tuesdays with Morrie Sparknotes, is a true story about a sports writer, Mitch Albom, who found him self, restoring an old friendship. It leads him into looking after his old College professor, Morrie Schwartz and before he knew it, he was learning life’s lessons. Morrie has been diagnosed with Lou Gehrigs Disease and is actively dying.

This story is about the compassion and insight of a man who knew good in his heart and tried to lived his life to the fullest, until the day he died at home, autonomy. I found it difficult to summarize this touching story.The book has not only left me with a new insight to my own life, but more importantly, how I treat others. It made me reexamine my own ethical principles that I believe in. Tuesdays with Morrie has left me humbled. It appears as though he had a complete peace and wisdom of humanitarianism as we know it and all strive to achieve. May it be the passage to our heaven? Ethical theories and principles are the foundations of ethical study from which points of view can be established as decisions are made.

Each theory emphasizes different points and each principle has common goals that each theory tries to define (1,2,3,4). As I read this story, I learned that Morrie Schwartz’ has related some of the most familiar theories we use, to his life’s greatest lessons. Some of Morrie’s greatest insights are his views on how culture plays into our lives. He explains to Mitch throughout his story that he has spent his life creating his own culture, listening to his heart and doing what was right for him, instead of worrying about what was right by society’s standards.One problem he sees is that we tend to see each other as dissimilar rather than alike. The ethical principle of autonomy states an ethical theory should allow people to have control over them selves and to be able to make decisions that apply to their lives. This means that people should have control over their lives as much as possible because they are the only people who completely understand their chosen type of lifestyle.

Each man deserves respect because only he has had those exact life experiences and understands his emotions, motivations and body in such an intimate manner.In essence, this ethical principle is an extension of the ethical principle of beneficence because a person who is independent usually prefers to have control over his life experiences in order to obtain the lifestyle that he enjoys (1,4). I believe Morrie had complete autonomy of his life in a libertarian view and tried to teach Mitch the importance of respect for other peoples decisions. A similar ideal, was defined by Social activist, Corliss Lamont in his book, The Philosophy of Humanism. The philosophy of Humanism constitutes a profound and passionate affirmation of the joys and beauties, the braveries and idealisms, of existence upon this earth. It heartily welcomes all life-enhancing and healthy pleasures, from the vigorous enjoyments of youth to the contemplative delights of mellowed age, from the simple gratifications of food and drink, sunshine and sports, to the more complex appreciations of art and literature, friendship and social communion. Humanism believes in the beauty of love and the love of beauty.

It exults in the pure magnificence of external nature. (The Philosophy of Humanism, Corliss Lamont. Eighth Edition, March 2001), “ Invest in the human family. Invest in people. Build a community of those you love and who love you. Learn how to live. Everyone knows they’re going to die, but nobody believes it.

If we did, we would do things differently. ” (Morris Schwartz, personal communication, p. 157 and p. 81) These words Morrie spoke to Mitch exudes these two principles of ethics. Morrie also points out that everyone should be prepared for death. That way you can actually be more involved in living. Until I read further I didn’t fully understand.

Morrie states, “ Do what the Buddhist do. Every day, have a bird on your shoulder that asks ‘ Is today the day? Am I ready? Am I doing all I need to do? Am I being the person I want to be? ’ ” The principle of beneficence which is to “do good” and to achieve the greatest amount of good because people benefit from the most good would explain the words Morrie spoke. He strived to respect and give the most good to the most people he encountered through his life. The excerpt was a reflection of reminder to himself and our self to live each moment to it’s fullest without regret. Most of us walk around as if we we’re sleepwalking. We really don’t experience life fully, because we’re half-asleep, doing the things we think we have to do. Facing death however, changes all of that”.

(Morrie Schwartz, personal communication, p. 81) His words point out that a meaningful fulfilled life, is not measured on material possessions. But on how many lives you have touched, by giving someone an ear to talk to, a kiss, a hug, a wave, a thank you, a wink, a positive affirmation, or just a simple hi, how are you. Once again, beneficence.In simple Morris states, “Love each other or perish”. (Morrie Schwartz, personal communication, p. 91 and p.

125) Right up till Morrie died, he gave what seemed 100% of himself to all the lives he had touched, which could be act of act utilitarianism. He spread more love in a few short months by sharing his life lessons, than most of us do in a lifetime. He tried to benefit the most people regardless of personal feelings or societal constraints. The presence of the media being continuously portrayed in the story as evil would be an example of one of the societal constraints he spoke of.Morrie described it as an , sucking the passion and ambition from Mitch Hence, allowing a negative appearance of the world’s goodness and community. (SparkNotes Editors). He faced all his emotions and worked all the way through them and then let them go.

“That way when we are faced with an emotion we can identify it, feel it, and let it go”. (Morrie Schwartz, personal communication, p103-104) Another reoccurring theme of this story is food. Throughout Mitch’s visits to Morrie he brings along bags of food from Morrie’s favorite deli’s.Despite knowing that Morrie is too sick to eat, he continues to bring them. The ethical principle here may be seen as a paternalistic view. Mitch could be viewed as the authority in a sense. Although he knows the food is no longer food Morrie can ingest or manage, the gesture depicts the need for Mitch to sustain a sort of control in fear of losing Morrie.

It can be seen as an attempt to prolong Morrie’s life. The main idea of personal autonomy is freedom to control personal values without interference by others. A person such as Morrie has had some of his autonomy taken away and in some aspects of his self control.I believe his wife for example, being his personal caregiver, would hold the position of beneficence, combining the two views would be paternalistic. Although she respected his autonomy she had a significant perspective of what was good for her husband. She kept her job throughout Morries illness. The general concept of this story reflects moral value.

What a good attitude, responsibility and good conduct can result in. For Morrie, “ 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. ( Albolm, p. 43) I believe that Mitch’’s outlook on life made him rethink his own values and rethink his priorities.References: 1)Albom, M. (2007). Tuesdays with Morrie.

New York: Random House Inc. 2)Lamont, Corliss. (2001). The Philosophy of Humanism, Half-Moon Foundation Inc. 3) SparkNotes Editors. (n. d.

). SparkNote on Tuesdays with Morrie. Retrieved December 16, 2010, from http://www. sparknotes. com/lit/morrie/ 4) “Ethical Principles.

” Online. Accessed December 20, 2010.

Christina An Weiss AIC September 9, 2010 Tuesdays with Morrie Love is a powerful emotion and an essential human need. Without loving the ones around them and their community, people are unable to live their lives to the fullest. In Mitch Albom’s Tuesdays with Morrie, love is a most meaningful and dominant message. We feel comfort and connection with love in our lives. As Morrie says, if we devote love into our lives, we are able to fulfill our lives. In reality, many people work up until their last breath to have more and more money. However, when they look back, they realized they never lived their lives with fulfillment.

Money may buy them materialistic needs but love and affection are able to bring purpose and meaning. According to Morrie, “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). By devoting himself to love the others around him, Morrie was able to create “a cocoon of human activities – conversations, interaction, affection – and it filled his life like an overflowing soup bowl” (43).

The humans believe only money can compose accomplished lives. However, they do not notice how powerful love can be; love itself is able to aid them into creating their own world, a world they wanted. If they devote their love to their community and the ones around them, they will be surprised how fulfilling their lives can become. Love is not only just pouring affection to others; understanding, guidance, comfort are also needed. These are small step people must take to create their own world.

Humans need connection and comfort from the ones around us. Despite the far distance, love is still possible. I lived in 2 different places. I was born in Korea and lived for 8 years. Then I moved to Toronto, Canada, and lived for about 4 years. Now I live in Naperville, Illinois. We are still able to feel love among us because we created our friendship deep enough that where ever we are, we still feel the connection and comfort. If this world did not have love among people, the humans would be nothing but heartless robots.

One of my favorite books is The Great Gatsby. This novel talk about how a man, Gatsby, becomes rich just for the girl, Daisy, he fell in love with. Even though he has a lot of money and throws ravishing parties every day, nothing can fill his life except for the love from his girl. Gatsby has a huge, exquisite house. It was big yet empty. His house was always full of people who came to his party. Gatsby does not mind random people coming to his party. He just wanted his life to be filled with people. However, that never happened.

He house was filled, but never his life. His life only chased his love for Daisy, and never for the people around him. Gatsby’s materialistic things never satisfied his life. He never tried to make friends and therefore, he was never happy. Gatsby’s ravishing yet empty life shows us, that his outer shows others wealth and power. Nonetheless, his inside was just a hollow body. We can learn that even when people have the money they can spend on anything, money does not create a fulfilled life that everyone dreams of.

People can fulfill their lives if they just took the time to look back and created more deep relationships. Love is not just for couples, or marriages. It is also significant in the communities and the ones who are always there. People around the world want so many materialistic things. But when they look back again, they want more friends and more relationships. Everyone will soon realize how much time they might have wasted running toward for materialistic things. If the humans let love come in, they realize that “love is the only rational act” (52).