Tuesdays with Morrie By Mitch Albom INTRODUCTION

Morrie’s Aphorisms Throughout the novel Morrie will say several aphorisms. Aphorisms are defined as having some general truthful advice or being a stated observation. Once you know how to die, you know how to live. Why does silence make people so uneasy? Never do work that uses, hurts or degrades people. Never make money off the sweat and pain of others.

The MAIN CHARACTERS

MITCH ALBOM (right) is a 30-somethingsports writer and graduate of Brandeis University. While he always wanted to be a jazz musician, Mitch instead leads the fast-paced life of a sports journalist, enjoying the success and adventure of being very good at what he does. MORRIE SCHWARTZ (left) is a 70-something former professor of Mitch’s, recently diagnosed with ALS. Despite the terminal nature of his condition, he insists on living out each day to its fullest instead of just dying quietly.

CHARLOTTE - Morrie's caring wife, who, at his insistence, keeps her job as a professor at M.I.T. throughout Morrie's illness. JANINE - Mitch's patient wife who willingly takes a phone call from Morrie, whom she has never met, and insists upon joining Mitch on his next Tuesday visit. PETER- Mitch's younger brother who lives in Spain. Peter flies to various European cities seeking treatment for his pancreatic cancer, though he refuses any help from his family, who he has for the most part seperated himself from.

TED KOPPEL -- One of the most famous living television interviewers, Koppel conducts three interviews with Morrie for the news show "Nightline."

Just what is ALS? Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that 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. The progressive degeneration of the motor neurons in ALS eventually lead to their death. When the motor neurons  die, the ability of the brain to initiate and control muscle movement is lost. With voluntary muscle action progressively affected, patients in the later stages of the disease may become totally paralyzed.

Themes Definition: The main idea or meaning of a literary work. 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" Morrie recites a quote by his favorite poet, W. H. Auden, to encompass one of his most important lessons to Mitch: in the absence of love, there is a void that can be filled only by loving human relationships.

Symbols Definition: An object or action that represents more than its actual meaning. Pink hibiscus plant As Morrie's body deteriorates, so does the condition of the hibiscus plant. Waves on the ocean Morrie thinks about a story he had heard about a small wave seeing the waves ahead of him crash on the shore, disappearing into nothingness. He suddenly brims with fear upon the realization that he too will soon 'crash on the shore' and, die as the wave fears he will. Morrie's bed Morrie's aphorism, "When you're in bed, you're dead," eventually comes true. Throughout Morrie's struggle with ALS, he refuses to stay in bed, as he sees it as a form of surrender, and instead opts to rest in the chair in his study.