“Love each other or die.” These are the words spoken by Morrie that give the readers a glimpse of the theme of the novel, Tuesdays with Morrie. Morrie believes that the highest sense of accomplishment an individual can achieve is showing love and compassion.
Mitch Albom’s “Tuesdays with Morrie”, took place in 1995, in Morrie’s study, in Newton, Massachusetts. Tuesday’s with Morrie tells about a man, diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), a progressive, fatal disease caused by the degeneration of motor neurons. As he gets older, he suffers a life of indignities. Mitch Albom, the main character and narrator of the novel, questions himself how his life would go on whenever he comes across a series of obstacles such as finding his old professor and friend, Morrie. Tuesday’s with Morrie is a remarkable novel that imparts Morrie’s outlook in life through flashbacks and his character.
The book utilizes two characters, Morrie and Mitch, talking about their lives in order to pass the messages of life to the readers through the novel. The story itself narrates a dying man and leaving a legacy behind. The flashbacks, a literary device used by the writer, keep the story moving, and giving the reader a more comprehensive look on their lives. Mitch Albom’s use of flashbacks made the readers understand Tuesday’s with Morrie better. Moreover, it makes one feel closer to the characters as one comes across the novel. The conclusion of the novel was somewhat predictable but the excellent pacing of the novel made up for it.
Mitch Albom also uses other literary devices to tell the story to the reader such as the usage of symbolism of the brief case and hibiscus plant. The brief case is a symbol of the friendship Morrie and Mitch share as well as the significance of the friendship to Mitch. The hibiscus plant was not only a symbolism but also gives a glimpse of what may happen to Morrie. It may reflect that Morrie’s life is about to end because