Tuesdays with Morrie

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, â€Å"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 himse lf to love the others around him, Morrie was able to create â€Å"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 an d 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 â€Å"love is the only rational act† (52). Tuesdays with morrie Mitch Album July 12, 2014 â€Å"My old professor, meanwhile, was stunned by the normalcy of the day around him. Shouldn't the world stop? Don't they know what has happened to me? † ;Mitch (pig 8) Morris's death sentence came in the summer of 1994. This meant an end to Morris's dancing. Following that came Memoir beginning to walk with a walker, the end to driving, swimming and most of all teaching. Memoir was diagnosed with ALLS, which is a brutal illness of the neurological system. 1 . What does this quote mean or suggest to you? Peoples problems range from bad to not so bad.Many In the world don't know what others have to go through on a dally basis. I feel people should take that Into consideration when making decisions and/or dealing with their problems. Memoir was diagnosed with ALLS, a terminal sickness, meanwhile there are people who are taking their lives and becoming depressed for silly reasons. Memoir has every right to be upset but he looks at his sickness as a new beginning, to look at life a different way. I believe that's how everyone should look at life no matter what the situation is. 2. What is the authors attitude toward the ideas, events, or characters he/she is resenting?Explain your reasoning. The author has a positive attitude toward the events in the story. One of Memories students, Mitch, eulogies him. When Mitch found out about his sickness, he contacted him immediately. However, when he arrived he didn't even want to get out of the car. Visiting Memoir became a ritual, he would fly to see him every Tuesday. As each Tuesday passed, Match's attitude toward Morris's situation changed for the better. Each Tuesday he would bring food from the market and even though as time passed Memoir couldn't eat food unless it was mushy, he still brought it.Memories costive outlook on life and his happiness influenced Mitch and made him realize there is so no reason to be negative and unhappy. July 132014 â€Å"In fact, I lost contact with most of the people I knew in college, including my beer drinking friends and the first woman I ever woke up with I the morning. â€Å"-Mitch (pig Match's life after hugging his professor last wasn't that Interesting. His dream was to be a musician, but after several unsuccessful gigs that dream faded. Mitch had his first encounter with death, his uncle that taught him many things, who he looked up to, died from cancer at a young age.HIS uncle asked him one night If he would be year. After his funeral, time suddenly became precious and he didn't want to Joke around anymore. What does this quote mean or suggest to you? This quote suggests to me that people leave, you move on and things that was once important don't mean as much anymore. Although you move on, you shouldn't loose touch because something so deadly can come out of no where and hurt a loved one. For example, Match's uncle. Mitch looked up to his uncle, he taught him how to drive, throw a football and teased him about girls. He wanted to be him exactly when he grew up and sadly he wasn't around for long.In conclusion, moving on is fine but don't move on to the point you loose touch completely with a loved one because you will regret it. 2. What are the implications of this idea, I'm the story and/or beyond it? This quote represents the idea of moving on, how it has it pros and cons. This ideas implied in the story because Mitch moved on and forgot about his dear professor and all of a sudden he found out he was diagnosed with a terminal disease. Mitch reunited with his professor, no and they began to meet every Tuesday to catch up and for Memoir to teach his last lesson about life.Like I said in my revises answer, when moving on don't detach completely because a loved on May not be with you for long. â€Å"Yeah he refused to be depressed. Instead, Memoir had become a lightning rod of ideas. He Jotted down his thoughts on yellow pads, envelopes, folders, scrap paper†¦ â€Å"Learn to forgive yourself and to forgive others†; â€Å"Don't assume that it's too late to get involved. â€Å"†-Mitch/Memoir (pig 18) Morris's health isn't getting any better; he has to use a wheelchair full time; his legs were dead. Yet he refused to be depressed.He began to Jot down every idea that came to mind. One of his friends, Maurice Stein, was so taken by his words that he .NET them to a Boston Globe reporter, who came and wrote a story on him. It was called, The Professor's Final Course: His Own Death. How does the quote connect to other ideas in the story? Memoir is faced with a lot of obstacles throughout the book, however he doesn't let it stop him. This quote connects to other ideas in the story because Memoir is constantly thinking positive. After a while, he has had over fifty â€Å"aphorisms†.Since Maurice Stein showed the world Memoir, and Copper reached out to him; he has now fame in his life. Fame is constantly showing up in his life, for example, he gets letters, p eople want to meet him and he has been on Gospel's show more than once. 2. Why do you think this quote is important, to you personally and/or characters he/ she is presenting? Explain your reasoning. I think this quote is important to the character Mitch is presenting because if Memoir didn't have positivist during this roller coaster, then it would be a lot harder to are dying, you begin to live your life.Although Memoir can't live his life actively, he is living his life emotionally talking to people, sharing his story and most of all helping them. July 14, 2014 â€Å"The eighties happened. The nineties happened. Death and sickness and getting fat and going bald happened. I traded lots of dreams for a bigger paycheck, and I never even realized I was doing it. † -Mitch (pig 33) Mitch is thinking to himself about how he would of felt if he didn't see Memoir before he died. He said he only had one excuse, it was a good excuse, but he became wrapped up in his own life.Memoir ke pt talking to him as if it has Just been a long vacation but during that vacation Mitch found Jobs and got married. Mitch feels bad, he felt that he became someone he never wanted to become. His days were full, but he spent the day doing things that left him unsatisfied. This quote suggests to that Mitch only cared about money, and luxurious objects. Rather than love, family and friends. He never wanted to end up like this, he never expected to loose contact with Memoir. But time began to fly by; his dreams disappeared and his world became revolved around money and his Job. . Elaborate on how or why the characters remind you of anyone else, in fiction, history, or your own life. Mitch reminds me of a majority of today's society. Many teens and adults are only worried about money and what they have. Yet, the car they drive or their salary isn't going to keep their loved ones around. Sometimes you realize when it's too late. Many peoples dreams become unrealistic when they get caught up in their ego. They could of achieved their goals if they weren't too busy worrying about money and more about what matters, such as family, friends and school.July 15, 2014 â€Å"The discussions give me an excuse to talk to him, fatherly conversations I cannot have with my own father, who would like me to be a lawyer† -Mitch (pig 47) Memoir and Mitch became very close which was unusual for Mitch because he wasn't a relative yet, he didn't mind. Mitch and his father don't really get along cause he has a different future planned for him. Match's dad wants him to be a lawyer, Mitch is in luck because Memoir doesn't like lawyers. Instead he wanted to. Be a musician, and Memoir supported that; which made him feel like a father.Elaborate on how or why the characters remind you of anyone else, in fiction, history, or your own life. Mitch reminds me of my own life because my dad and I don't really get along either. I have a person that is like a father figure to me and he supports me more than my own dad does. Unlike Match's dad having different goals for him, my dad college and how much stress comes out from it. . Why do you think this quote is important, to you personally and/or the whole story? Since Mitch doesn't have a great bond with his father, it influences his relationship with Mitch and Memoir.It makes their relationship stronger. Mitch isn't afraid to tell Memoir what he is feeling and what he wants in life. If Mitch were to have these kind of talks with his dad, it wouldn't go over so well. July 16, 2014 â€Å"Because it's the ultimate sign of dependency. Someone wiping your bottom. But I'm working on it. I'm trying to enjoy the process. Enjoy it? â€Å"Yes. After all, I get to be a baby one more time. â€Å"† -Memoir (pig 49) Mitch and Memoir are Tuesday people, therefore Mitch only visits him on Tuesday. On the first Tuesday they talk about the world. Talking to Memoir was similar to their old college dialogues.Memoir asking questions and listening to Match's responses. During one of marries interviews with Ted Copper, he told him that his lowest point in life will be when he has to have someone to wipe his ass. He thinks that because it is the ultimate sign of dependency, and Memoir doesn't like to depend on people. What is reveled about the character(s) through this quote? Q This quote reveals that Memoir has a positive outlook on everything he is going to o through. Although he doesn't like the idea of depending on someone to wipe his ass, he take s the negativity and turns it into positivist.Memoir thinks that he is getting another chance to be a baby, which is a weird but good way to look at it. If Memoir focused on the fact that he is getting weaker, he would become unhappy. It's impossible for Memoir to be unhappy about anything. 2. How does this quote connect to other ideas in the story? This quote connects to the other disadvantages Memoir is being handed through the story. Such as, using a walker, danci ng, swimming and so on. No Neater how setting stopping what used to be an everyday activity, he keeps his head up. Memoir is always positive when normally he should be upset.Nothing can stop Memoir from smiling. July 17, 2014 â€Å"The next Tuesday, I arrived with the normal bags of food- pasta with corn, potato salad, apple cobbler- and something else: a Sony tape recorder,† -Mitch (pig 62) On the third Tuesday, Mitch and Memoir talk about regrets. Since Memoir is getting sicker and time is going very fast; Mitch decided to bring a tape recorder so he could remember what they were talking about. Memoir has patience, courage, humor and pennies; he is looking at life from a very different place than anyone else. The tapes were like photographs, a desperate attempt to steal something from death's suitcase.Mitch has a positive attitude when dealing with the tape recorder. He doesn't want to forget about the countless amount of Tuesdays he spent with his favorite professor. Mitch wants to be able to listen to Morris's voice after he passes; although he denies that when confronted. Memoir wants to be able to tell him his story before he runs out of time, and Mitch is perfectly fine with that. 2. Why do you think this quote is important to you personally and/or the whole story? I think this quote is important to the whole story because it represents the fact that Memoir is an influential person.He impacts many lives and decisions. The tape recorder proves to Memoir that he will never be forgotten. A part in the story, Memoir talks about if he will be forgotten when he passes. He will not. Too many love and care for him as a person and his personality to forget him. â€Å"We all need teachers in our lives. And mine was sitting in front of me† -Mitch (pig 65) Mitch is worrying about if he should be consumed with sad thoughts and regrets of what he has missed. Memoir says that's what everyone is worried about, they are all rapped up in their family, caree r, money, meeting the mortgage and so on.Yet, they don't stand back and say, â€Å"Is this all? â€Å". People need to probe you in the right direction and that's what Memoir is doing. What works of art, music, dance or film does it remind you of? How? How does making the connection help you get more out of the question? This quote reminds me of the film, Mantilla. Mantilla was adopted into a very discouraging family, who didn't care for her. When she met her teacher Ms. Honey, she began to realize what life has to offer. This is the same situation with Memoir and Mitch, Memoir opened up Match's and made him realize what's right in front of him. . What does this quote mean or suggest to you? This quote suggests that you should always have an intelligent, influencing person in your life you can always go to to help point you in the right direction. Having that second option makes decision making a lot easier, and I feel everyone should have a person like Memoir. I've had several fr iends in my life, that always point me in the right direction and I'm very thankful to have them. July 18, 2014 â€Å"†Everyone knows they're going to die,† he said again, â€Å"but nobody believes it. If we id, we would do things differently. † -Memoir (pig 81) On the fourth Tuesday, they talked about death. Memoir is now on a machine, helping him breath and Mitch hates it. Yet, once again Memoir looks at it differently. He says that everyone needs to accept that they are going to die one day and that they should've prepared at any time. Therefore, you can be more involved in your life ask it if today's the day and if they are ready. Memoir then turned to his shoulder and asked the bird if today is the day I die. What are the implications of this idea, in the story and/or beyond it? The idea of accepting death is implied throughout the story.Memoir accepts the fact that he will be dying soon, therefore he lives his life differently. He lives his life to the full est, and doesn't let negativity and unhappiness prevent him. Although, Memoir has hit his lowest point, dependency, he doesn't allow that to prevent him from sharing his life story and his optimism with visitors and Mitch. If the quote suggests a conflict, what might have caused the problem? What solution(s) might exist? This quote suggests the conflict of internal vs.. Acceptance of death. The idea of believing you're invincible causes this problem.The only solution that exists, is to accept that you will die one day. Accepting that idea will result in a better life. You will begin to live life to its fullest, and you will achieve more things. â€Å"You know what the Buddhists say? Don't cling to things, because everything is impermanent. † -Memoir (pig 103) It is the sixth Tuesday and Memoir and Mitch are talking about Emotions. Memoir is beginning to struggle much more as the days pass, but no matter what he will be happy to see Mitch. Mitch still brings a bag of food ever y time he visits, but Memoir would never hurt his feelings and tell him he can't chew it.Memoir begins the Tuesday by telling Mitch that he has to detach himself from experiences. Instead of letting the experience penetrate you, on the contrary, you let it penetrate you fully. Why do you think this quote is important to you personally and/or to the whole story? I think this quote is important to me personally because this is something I have trouble with daily. Whenever someone comes into my life, I get attached very easily. Therefore, when it's time to detach I get hurt. I need to accept the fact that everyone will be temporary, and I can't let myself get hurt over that.Instead of thinking about the future together, I need to enjoy the experience with that person now and let the experience penetrate me fully. History or in your own life. As I stated in the last question, it's very difficult for me to detach from someone. I don't think I am the only one who deals with this problem. Some get extremely attached and when that person leaves they go insane and do something incredibly crazy things themselves or to the person. I read an article where a girl was arrested for stalking her boyfriend, sending an extraordinary amount of texts, emails, calls, voiceless and so on to him.This is the problem, some believe that it won't happen again; therefore they put all their trust into one person. When that person ends up being what they didn't expect they go crazy. Facedown on the tile floor, stayed there for hours†¦. What she mostly wanted, he learned was the same thing many people want-someone to notice she was there. † Mitch (pig 109-110) Memories inspirational and positive attitude was shaped by the years he spent working at a mental hospital. Morris's Job was to observe mental patients and record their treatments. This quote suggests the conflict of internal conflict vs.. Society.This conflict has been caused by a selfish society. The only solution that mi ght exist is if society would cake time to care about the people surround them. This quote represents a simple issue. She would lay on the floor everyday and everyone would walk all over her. All it took for her to get off the floor was for someone to notice her; and that person was Memoir. 2. Elaborate on how or why the characters remind you of anyone else, in fiction, in history or your own life. The character Memoir reminds me of a close friend of mine. Both of them are hardly negative and sad, and they will always put others before them.I admire her greatly. She is always there to help me and give me advice, which is exactly what Memoir does. People like Memoir don't get enough thanks, and they deserve the recognition. July 19, 2014 Memoir had aging in better perspective. Listen, I know what a misery being young can be, so don't tell me it's so great. All these kids who came to me which their struggles, their strife, and their feelings of inadequacy, their sense that life was mi serable,so be they wanted to kill themselves†¦ † -Memoir (pig 117) The seventh Tuesday, Memoir and Mitch talk about the fear of aging. Surprisingly Memoir isn't Aids of aging.Adapt first he felt letting someone wipe his behind would influence his mood for the worse, yet it didn't. He now enjoys his dependency, he enjoys someone rolling him over to his side and rubbing cream on his behind. Then they talked about the fear of aging. Mitch made the observation that on billboards on young and beautiful people are featured. None of the models could pass over 35. Why do you think this quote is important to you personally and/or the whole story? This quote is important to the whole story because It gives Memoir more of a reason to accept the fact he is growing old.Being young isn't fun anymore, it's all about how much money you have, what car you drive, who you are dating, how much you weigh and so on. Also the young are not wise and hardly understand life. The older you get, the wiser you are and the more you understand. People that are 2. If the quote suggests a conflict, what might have caused the problem? What The conflict of internal vs.. Society is represented through this quote. Judgmental people, high standards and high expectations causes this conflict. Teens are desperately trying to escape people's expectations.Life shouldn't be about what you have and who you talk to. This causes teens to be ignorant. The only solution to this problem is to live life to your fullest and forget about what others think. He smiled, you know what that reflects? Unsatisfied lives. Unfulfilled lives. Lives that haven't found meaning. Because if you've found meaning in your life, you don't want to go back. You want to go forward. You want to see more, do more. You can't wait until you're sixty-five. † -Memoir (pig 118) The seventh Tuesday, Memoir and Mitch talk about aging. Aging is a very valuable and ignorant people don't understand that.Memoir states that if a ll young people are battling getting older, they will always be unhappy. Turning a year older opens a new door for all. Mitch doesn't understand how Memoir doesn't new young and healthy people. Memoir does new them being able to go to the health club or swimming but he detached himself. He envoys them, but he doesn't let it prevent him from living his life. This connection help you get more out of the question? The quote reminds me of the movie 17 Again. Each Effort is unsatisfied with his life, he was getting divorced, he kids wouldn't speak to him and he wasn't the hot Jack he used to be.This depression was very obvious, which resulted in a â€Å"Janitor† letting him go back in time to be 17 again. Although he was able to relive his teen life, no did fix certain problems he couldn't help but think about his wife. Each has to choose teen two choices, going to college and play basketball or go back to his age and win his wife back. He chose his wife. Even though staying young is fun, growing old is better and that can be represented in this movie. I feel that this quote can represent Mitch a little bit. Mitch is a very busy person, he is always doing something; yet he isn't happy doing it.Mitch obviously wishes he could go back to college, considering all the questions he is asking Memoir. However, Mitch makes Memoir realize how much of an advantage they both have. They may have wrinkles or bald spots but they are both getting more insightful as time passes. July 20, 2014 â€Å"You need food, you want a chocolate sundae. You have to be honest with yourself. You don't need the latest sports car, you don't need the biggest house. † -Memoir (pig 126) values in the wrong things which leads to broken lives. Memoir has good and sometimes bad days but no matter what, his love for music strengthens.Memoir then begins to talk about how the country is brainwashing everyone. For example, they say â€Å"Owning things is good. More money is good. More proper ty is good. More imperialism is good† and so on. Mitch and Memoir make their way towards marries study, everything is the same. When Memoir was told about his terminal illness, he lost interest in purchasing new items. This quote suggests to me that the world is revolved around money. It's always about what you have, not your personality. It shouldn't matter what car you drive, or the house you live in or what you look like.The materialistic things in life doesn't matter and people take that for advantage. Mitch was so caught up in his own life, worrying about his Job and how much money he was making instead of contacting his professor. Thankfully, he woke up from his nightmare and Memoir talked some sense into him. Now they spend every Tuesday having instructed conversations. Mitch reminds me of several people in my own life. They are all caught up in the materialistic things rather than the love in his life. The only thing to blame for this is society, and to break through f rom it you would have to become your own person.Break the standards and expectations the world has set. Focus on what really matters and that's your family. July 21, 2014 â€Å"So many people with far smaller problems are so self-absorbed, their eyes glaze over if you speak more than thirty seconds. † -Mitch (pig 136) The ninth Tuesday, Mitch and Memoir talked about how love goes on. Mitch kept trying to get in touch with his brother that lives in Spain, yet he kept ignoring his calls. Memoir now isn't able to go to the bathroom on his own! A catheter was inserted. As each visit passed, his spine began to melt into the chair and take shape.Although he was becoming his weakest, he insisted on being wheeled to his study. This was represented by his new aphorism, â€Å"When you're in bed, you're dead. † So many people takes things to granted and don't understand that life can be worse, Memoir could Just sit in his bed and feel himself dying, yet he doesn't let death cause him to be selfish. The quote suggests internal conflict vs.. Self. Most are self-absorbed. Acting as if they are listening to what you're saying, but actually waiting for you to end so they can start talking. They don't care about other people, and sadly that's a majority of today's society.Only worried about their issues, but need to realize there are healthy they do. 2. How does this quote relate to others work of literature? In the novel, Ordinary People, the protagonist Conrad is going through a lot. He feels he was the cause of his brothers death and he doesn't feel good enough for his parents, therefore he turns to cutting. His mother, Beth Garret is very self-absorbed. She only cares about what others think of her. For example, she flipped when she found out from a friend that her son quit the swim team and not from her own son.This represents selfishness, her son is in pain and she only cares for her reputation. â€Å"Although she had never met Memoir, she took the phoneâ € ¦ † -Mitch (pig 143) The tenth Tuesday, Mitch and Memoir talk about marriage. Memoir has always heard about Match's wife, Jeanine, but never met her. One day Mitch was on the phone with Memoir and Jeanine surprisingly took the phone from him. Instead of rejecting Morris's request, she decided to come with Mitch next Tuesday to see Memoir. As stated in this chapter, marriage is a very complicated thing and many have problems with it.However, many don't realize that having a loved one is very important to have. When you're in a situation like Memoir, going through it without a loved one is very hard. Going through it with friends is fine, but they won't be there when you're ill and coughing at night. But your soul mate will be. This quote makes me very happy because it represents kindness and peace towards everyone. Jeanine has never met Memoir, all she knows is stories Mitch has old her and that makes her more eager to meet such a man. All it takes to influence and be ones hero is a positive attitude when going through the worst.Memoir accepts the fact that he is dying, and he isn't depressed one bit. He may have his moments and days, but it doesn't let that stop him. This quote suggests that no matter what you are going through, it doesn't hurt to be positive; also it doesn't hurt to give people a chance. 2. What is reveled about the character(s) through this quote? I think this quote is important to the whole story because it represents the genuine characters. Not only Match's wife, but Mitch, Memoir, Morris wife and the handful of people that visit Memoir daily.Jasmine's actions and feelings forwards Memoir surprised Mitch very much. I feel that her characteristics made Mitch feel extremely happy and proved to Mitch that Morris's personality influences not Just him but people he didn't even meet. July 22, 2014 â€Å"Yes. For all the things we didn't do. All the things we should have done. You can't get stuck on the regrets of what should have happ ened. That doesn't help you when you get to where I am. † -Memoir (pig 166) On the twelfth Tuesday, Mitch and Memoir talk about forgiveness. A friend of