Tuesdays with Morrie: Key Facts

full title Tuesdays With Morrie: An Old Man, A young Man, and Life's Greatest Lesson

author Mitch Albom

type of work non-fiction

genre Autobiographical documentary

language English

time and place written Detroit, Michigan, mid-1990's

date of first publication 1997

publisher Doubleday

narrator Mitch Albom

point of view The narrator speaks in the first person for the majority of the novel, with the exception of a few passages in which he had not been present. With the exception of these passages, the narrator provides a subjective view of all other characters introduced.

tone Mitch's narration uses very basic language, as most of the book is composed of dialogue between him and Morrie, word-for word conversations he has transcribed after having tape recorded them prior to Morrie's death. Mitch's attitude towards Morrie is nothing less than sweet and adoring.

tense Frequently shifts in tense from present to past; description of past events is relayed through a series of flash backs interspersed throughout present tense narrations.

setting (time) Early-mid 1990&Otidle;s

setting (place) West Newton, Massachusetts

protagonist Mitch Albom (and/or Morrie Schwartz)

major conflict Morrie grapples to accept his impending death from ALS and is visited each Tuesday by his former star student, Mitch, who has become disillusioned by the popular culture.

rising action Mitch grows increasingly unhappy with his occupation as a journalist and sees Morrie featured on "Nightline" one night as he is watching television.

climax Morrie is visited by Mitch for what will be the last time, and finally, after years of trying, gets Mitch to cry openly.

falling action Mitch attends Morrie's funeral and conducts a conversation with him in his head as he had promised he would, even after his death.

themes The rejection of popular cultural mores in favor of self-created values; Love or perish; Acceptance through detachment

motifs Food; Reincarnation and renewal; The media

symbols Pink hibiscus plant; Morrie's bed; Waves on the ocean

foreshadowing One of Morrie's last aphorisms is, "When you're in bed, you're dead." On what will be his last visit to with Morrie, Mitch knows that death is fast- approaching, as Morrie has, after a long battle with ALS, moved from his study to the confines of his bed. Days later, Morrie dies in his bed.

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