tuesdays with Morrie

Essential Questions Why do people fear living? Why do people fear dying? Why do people fear silence? How do we live life with a purpose?

“Morrisms” Once you know how to die, you know how to live. Why does silence make people so uneasy? Why do people only find comfort when they're filling the air with words? How do you spare people's feelings by denying them? Death ends a life, not a relationship. Dying is the only one thing to be sad over. Living unhappily is something else.

“Morrisms” Love wins. Love always wins. Money is not a substitute for tenderness. Invest in the human family. Invest in people. Forgive yourself. Forgive others. Don't wait. You're not a wave, you're part of the ocean.

“Morrisms” What's wrong with being Number Two? Imagine there's a bird on your shoulder and every day you ask it, "Is today the day that I die? Am I ready? Am I living the life I want to live?

“Morrisms” Am I being the person I want to be? Never do work that uses, hurts or degrades people. Never make money off the sweat and pain of others. The tension of opposites. We learn from what hurts us, as much as what loves us.

Morrie Schwartz with Mitch Ablom Characters Morrie Schwartz with Mitch Ablom

Primary Characters 30-something Sportswriter with a failing career Mitch Albom 30-something Sportswriter with a failing career Graduate of Brandeis University Wanted to be a musician but gave up the dream Fast-paced life Morrie Schwartz 70-something Former sociology professor Recently diagnosed with ALS Insists on living out each day to its fullest

Secondary Characters Charlotte Morrie's caring wife Professor at M.I.T. throughout Morrie's illness Janine Mitch's wife Joins Mitch on a Tuesday visit Professional singer Sings for Morrie and makes him cry Peter Mitch's younger brother who lives in Spain Has pancreatic cancer Refuses any help from his family Reluctantly allows Mitch to reestablish a relationship with him

Secondary Characters Ted Koppel Famous living television interviewer Conducts three interviews with Morrie for Nightline Surprised by Morrie’s questioning during interview Eventually they become fast friends Morrie deconstructed what he called Koppel’s “narcissistic” TV persona almost moving Koppel to tears during the last interview

What is ALS? Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) Progressive neurodegenerative disease Affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord Motor neurons reach from the brain to the spinal cord and from the spinal cord to the muscles throughout the body Degeneration of the motor neurons lead to death The ability of the brain to control muscle movement is lost Patients in the later stages of the disease may become totally paralyzed

Quotes “After you have wept and grieved for your physical losses, cherish the functions and the life you have left.” “Because if you've found meaning in your life, you don't want to go back. You want to go forward.” “Everything that gets born dies.” “Grieve and mourn for yourself not once or twice, but again and again.” “It's not too late to... ask yourself if you really are the person you want to be, and if not, who you do want to be.”

Themes The Rejection of Popular Cultural Mores in Favor of Self-created Values Each of Morrie's lessons contributes to a larger, all-encompassing message that each individual, Mitch especially, should reject popular cultural values, and instead develop his own. Love Or Perish References to W.H. Auden quote, Morrie’s favorite Love is the essence of every person, and every relationship, and that to live without it, as Auden says, is to live with nothing. Love brings meaning to experience, and that without it, one may as well be dead. Acceptance Through Detachment In his quest to accept his impending death, Morrie consciously "detaches himself from the experience" when suffering becomes too much Morrie does not intend to stop feeling or experiencing in his detachment He detaches so that he may accept the impermanence of his life and embrace his death, which he knows may come at any moment.

Motifs The Media Sucks us dry of passion Destroys goodness and peace Reincarnation and Renewal Facets of both life and death Morrie teaches that a person is ever-changing Morrie reveals that despite his old age, he is still changing, as every person does until their dying day Food Each Tuesday, Mitch brings with him a bag of food Food is central in their classes and to indicate the decline

Symbols Pink hibiscus plant As Morrie's body deteriorates, so does the condition of the hibiscus plant. Used as a metaphor for Morrie's life and for life itself Represents the natural life cycle, which inevitably ends in death Waves on the ocean Metaphor compares Morrie’s life to a small wave crashing onto the shore Morrie is comforted that he will soon return to something larger in the afterlife Morrie's bed Morrie's aphorism, "When you're in bed, you're dead," eventually comes true Used as a symbol of surrender and death

There will always be a quiz after every reading assignment. Always. Reading Guide There will always be a quiz after every reading assignment. Always. Date Day Read Chapter Name Day 1 Xv – 25 (26) Acknowledgments, The Curriculum, The Syllabus, The Student, The Audiovisual Day 2 26-59 (33) The Orientation, The Classroom, Taking Attendance, The First Tuesday, The Second Tuesday Day 3 60-89 (29) The Third Tuesday, The Audiovisual, Part Two, The Professor, The Fourth Tuesday Day 4 90-121 (31) The Fifth Tuesday, The Sixth Tuesday, The Seventh Tuesday Day 5 123-151 (28) The Eighth Tuesday, The Ninth Tuesday, The Tenth Tuesday Day 6 152-180 (28) The Eleventh Tuesday, The Twelfth Tuesday, The Thirteenth Tuesday Day 7 181-199 (18) The Fourteenth Tuesday , Graduation, Conclusion, Afterward