Character analysis

Morrie Schwartz

Morrie, who the book is written about, spent most of his life as a college professor at Brandeis University. He continues to teach as long as he could even after being diagnosed with ALS. He realizes that he is dying and learned to accept his death he wanted to share his philosophies, on the meaning of life, with everyone. He is able to do this in two ways, through the “Nightline” show with Ted Koppel and through Mitch Albom and this novel. He and Mitch met every Tuesday to do their “final thesis” together, which was published into Tuesdays with Morrie.

Morrie’s most significant characteristics is his ability to draw human sprit and genuine emotion from everyone he talked to. Morrie believes that love and compassion are crucial in living a happy life. He is determined to see Mitch return to his caring self that he was in college when in Morrie’s class. During their meetings, he tells Mitch stories about his life and about his personal beliefs. He teaches him to reject the materialistic things in life and to create his own values. Through their weeks together Morrie is also successful at drawing emotion out of Mitch during their last lesson, as they are hugging goodbye, Morrie sees Mitch begin to cry.

Morrie is adamant about rejecting the “norms” and values that so many people believed and maintaining his own. He has learned to accept his death and manages to continue offering everything he had, love and compassion until he dies.

Morrie also accepts and does not become ashamed of his disabilities. When he became so sick and could no longer do his daily tasks without help from others, he embraces this and enjoys feeling like a baby again. Since he was so deprived of love in his childhood, he now lived for the affection and love from others. It’s as if he has returned to his childhood and is finally getting the love he wanted as a child.

Characteristics

- Intelligent - compassionate
- wise - loving
- unique - happy
- accepting - optimistic
- realistic