Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom Thematic Discussion...

Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom

Thematic Discussion Questions

Love

o What is love? How do you define it?

o Are there different kinds or types of love? If so, what are they, and

how do you differentiate between them?

o Are humans capable of loving unconditionally?

Friendship

o What are some good “rules” of friendship?

o Does age factor into a friendship? Explain why or why not.

o What elevates someone to “best friend” status?

Family

o How do you define “family”?

o What is the “perfect” family? Explain your answer.

o What is the best thing about your family? What is the worst thing

about your family?

Aging

o What is the best thing about aging? What is the worst thing about

aging?

o Why does society seem to have such a fixation on remaining young?

o Does wisdom come with age or experience? Explain your answer.

Forgiveness

o What do you believe about forgiveness?

o Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? “Forgive and

forget.” Explain your answer.

o Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? “Forgive

yourself before you die. Then forgive others.” Explain your answer.

Death

o Do you fear death or dying? Explain why or why not.

o What do you think happens when you die?

o Have you ever had to deal with death? If so, how did you handle the

situation?

Grief

o How and when do you grieve?

Acceptance

o What is acceptance?


What a Character!

Literary Terms to Know

Define the following literary terms.

1. antagonist __________________________________________

2. character __________________________________________

3. characterization __________________________________________

__________________________________________

4. protagonist __________________________________________

Characters to Know

Write a brief description about each of the following characters.

1. Al Axelrad __________________________________________

2. Charlie __________________________________________

3. Charlotte __________________________________________

4. Connie __________________________________________

5. David __________________________________________

6. Eva __________________________________________

7. Janine __________________________________________

8. Lou Gehrig __________________________________________

9. Maurie Stein __________________________________________

10. Mitch Albom __________________________________________

__________________________________________

11. Morrie Schwartz __________________________________________

__________________________________________

12. Peter __________________________________________

13. Rob and Jon __________________________________________

14. Steven Hawking __________________________________________

15. Ted Koppel __________________________________________

16. Ted Turner __________________________________________

Skills Practice

Using complete sentences, respond to the following prompts. Be sure your response

contains part of the prompt.

1. Find an example of direct characterization. Write the text in the space

provided. Identify the character it describes.

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

2. Find an example of indirect characterization. Write the text (or part of the

text) in the space provided. Explain how you interpret the author’s

characterization.

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

3. Select one of the characters listed above. Identify the motivation behind

his/her actions.

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The Curriculum—The Syllabus

Vocabulary

Define the following terms.

1. amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

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_____________________________________________________________

2. demise

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3. inexplicably

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4. sociology

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5. syllabus

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6. theology

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Study Questions


contains part of the prompt. (Note: You may be able to answer multiple parts of the

prompt in a single sentence.)

1. a) Where does Mitch Albom’s last class with Morrie Schwartz take place?

b) When do they meet, and what is the subject they study?

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

2. Identify at least three of the topics Mitch and Morrie cover.

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

3. a) Identify Morrie’s fatal illness. b) Give the date of diagnosis and the

prognosis. c) For what famous person is the disease named?

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

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4. a) What is the first “loss” Morrie experiences to the disease? b) How do you

think this affects him emotionally? Provide direct textual evidence to support

your answer.

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5. Identify at least two examples of the following rhetorical devices: simile,

metaphor, personification, or rhetorical question. Then, explain why the

author chose to use each example in such a manner.

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

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The Student—The Orientation

Vocabulary


1. aphorisms

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2. deferment

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3. gaunt

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4. insatiable

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5. insidious

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6. narcissist

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7. philosophies

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Study Questions




1. a) How does Mitch’s life change after his uncle dies? b) Why do you think he

makes these changes?

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

2. Describe Morrie’s physical and mental condition the first time Ted Koppel

interviews him.

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

3. a) Quote one of Morrie’s aphorisms. b) Explain what you think it means.

_____________________________________________________________

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4. During Koppel’s interview, how does Morrie explain his philosophy about

living with a terminal illness?

_____________________________________________________________

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5. Compare and contrast Morrie Schwartz to Mitch Albom (the sports writer).

_____________________________________________________________

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I Need a Change of Pace

Literary Terms to Know

Define the following literary terms.

1. flashback __________________________________________

2. pacing __________________________________________

3. periodic sentence __________________________________________

__________________________________________

4. style __________________________________________

5. syntax __________________________________________

Skills Practice


contains part of the prompt.

1. The following is an example of a periodic sentence on page fifteen.

“My favorite uncle, my mother’s brother, the man who taught me music,

taught me to drive, teased me about girls, thrown me a football—that one

adult whom I targeted as a child and said, ‘That’s who I want to be when I

grow up’—died of pancreatic cancer at the age of forty-four.”

Explain the significance of the author’s decision to use this type of sentence

at this point in the story.

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

2. Pages fifteen and sixteen supply the reader with examples of distinctive shifts

by the author in sentence length and complexity, subsets of style. Identify

at least one of these examples by writing the text (or part of the text) in the

space provided. What purpose did the author have for adjusting his style at

this point in the story?

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

3. Reread the two flashbacks in this section (pages fourteen through thirty-

one). Why did the author include them?

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

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_____________________________________________________________

4. Identify at least one use (there are several) of an em dash (—) in this

section (pages fourteen through thirty-one). Write the text (or part of the

text) in the space provided. What purpose did the author have for including

it?

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

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The Classroom—Taking Attendance

Vocabulary


1. gingerly

_____________________________________________________________

2. lamented

_____________________________________________________________

3. paparazzi

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

4. tabloids

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Study Questions




1. a) How does Mitch analyze his life during the past sixteen years? b) Explain

whether or not you think he is happy with his life.

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

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2. Why does Morrie describe himself as “a bridge”?

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

3. a) Explain what Morrie means by the “tension of opposites.” b) How does this

phrase exemplify Mitch’s life since college? c) Identify some of the tension of

opposites in your own life.

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

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4. a) How does Mitch react to the news about the strike at the newspaper?

b) Why does he react in such a manner?

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

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5. Why do you think Morrie and Mitch have such a connection, even when Mitch

is in college?

_____________________________________________________________

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The First Tuesday—The Second Tuesday

Vocabulary


1. atrophied

_____________________________________________________________

2. cynical

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

3. thesis

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

4. time warp

_____________________________________________________________

Study Questions




1. What does Morrie mean when he tells Mitch they are “Tuesday people”?

_____________________________________________________________

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_____________________________________________________________

2. a) State Morrie’s aphorism about the most important thing in life. b) Explain

why you agree or disagree with this aphorism.

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

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3. a) What does Morrie plan to teach his college students by silence? b) Explain

why you are more comfortable with silence or noise.

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

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4. How far does Mitch travel for his Tuesday visits with Morrie?

_____________________________________________________________

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5. a) Why does Mitch describe Morrie’s students in the “Group Process” as lab

rats? b) How would you react in a class like this?

_____________________________________________________________

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The Third Tuesday—The Professor

Vocabulary


1. ambivalence

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_____________________________________________________________

2. communal

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3. exploited

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4. grapple

_____________________________________________________________

5. hawked

_____________________________________________________________

6. murky

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7. nostalgia

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8. opiate

_____________________________________________________________

9. Yiddish

_____________________________________________________________

Study Questions




1. a) Mitch identifies what subjects as important enough to discuss with Morrie?

b) Explain which of the subjects on Mitch’s list is most important to you.

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

2. What “pain” has Morrie retained for seventy years?

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

3. Why does Morrie feel responsible for David’s illness?

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

4. What significance did Eva hold in Morrie’s life?

_____________________________________________________________

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5. a) How does Morrie feel about the fur factor? b) What vow does he make

because of this feeling?

_____________________________________________________________

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The Fourth Tuesday—The Fifth Tuesday

Vocabulary


1. agnostic

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_____________________________________________________________

2. conservative

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3. fates

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4. lavaliere

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5. prophet

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6. transcend

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Study Questions




1. a) How does Mitch react to the newest addition to Morrie’s house on the

fourth Tuesday? b) Explain what Mitch’s reaction reveals about him.

_____________________________________________________________

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2. Explain what Morrie means by the following aphorism: “Once you learn how

to die, you learn how to live.”

_____________________________________________________________

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3. Explain the following metaphor: “He [Morrie] was a religious mutt.”

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4. Explain Morrie’s philosophy about family.

_____________________________________________________________

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5. a) What is the state of the relationship between Mitch and Peter? b) What is

the author’s purpose in including the flashback on pages ninety-eight and

ninety-nine?

_____________________________________________________________

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The Sixth Tuesday—The Seventh Tuesday

Vocabulary


1. diffused

_____________________________________________________________

2. entails

_____________________________________________________________

3. levitate

_____________________________________________________________

4. reincarnation

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5. revel

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Study Questions




1. a) How does Morrie think a person should approach emotion? b) How does

this contrast with Mitch’s thinking? c) Explain which approach is closest to

your own manner of coping with emotion.

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

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2. a) What is Morrie’s first work experience after receiving his Ph.D.? b) How

does this affect his future?

_____________________________________________________________

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3. What effect does the Vietnam War have on Morrie’s department at Brandeis

University during the 1960s?

_____________________________________________________________

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4. How would you react to becoming as dependent as Morrie—needing others

for everything but breathing and swallowing food?

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5. Briefly summarize Morrie’s view on aging.

_____________________________________________________________

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The Eighth Tuesday—The Ninth Tuesday

Vocabulary


1. a cappella

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2. engender

_____________________________________________________________

3. ironies

_____________________________________________________________

4. stagnated

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Study Questions




1. a) What does Morrie mean when he refers to the “brainwashing” taking place

in the United States? b) Explain why you agree or disagree with Morrie.

_____________________________________________________________

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2. What is Morrie’s philosophy about money and power?

_____________________________________________________________

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3. a) What does Morrie believe is the key to a meaningful life? b) Explain

whether you agree or disagree.

_____________________________________________________________

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4. Interpret and explain the quote from Mahatma Gandhi (page 129).

_____________________________________________________________

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5. Explain whether or not “A Teacher to the Last” portrays Morrie’s life.

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The Tenth Tuesday—The Eleventh Tuesday

Vocabulary


1. alabaster

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2. calisthenics

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3. inherent

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4. intuitive

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Study Questions




1. a) What does Mitch think is his generation’s primary struggle with marriage?

b) How does Morrie respond to Mitch’s concerns?

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

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2. What are your views on what makes for a successful marriage?

_____________________________________________________________

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3. a) For what reason does Mitch mention the biblical character, Job, to Morrie?

b) What is Morrie’s response?

_____________________________________________________________

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4. How has Mitch evolved during the months he has been visiting Morrie?

_____________________________________________________________

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5. a) What does Morrie mean about people building their own little subculture?

b) Explain why you agree or disagree.

_____________________________________________________________

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The Audiovisual, Part Three—The Thirteenth Tuesday

Vocabulary


1. exotic

_____________________________________________________________

2. mantra

_____________________________________________________________

3. nurtured

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4. patriarch

_____________________________________________________________

5. raspy

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6. stoic

_____________________________________________________________

7. tenor

_____________________________________________________________

8. whimsical

_____________________________________________________________

Study Questions




1. a) What does Morrie tell Koppel living means to him? b) Explain whether or

not you agree with Morrie.

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

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2. a) Quote Morrie’s aphorism about dying. b) How does Morrie want to die?

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

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3. a) Quote Morrie’s aphorism about forgiveness. b) Explain how this applies to

himself and to others. c) Why do you think may people struggle with

forgiveness?

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

4. What are two regrets Morrie has about his life?

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

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5. a) Who is Norman? b) Why is he significant to Morrie?

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

6. How does Morrie apply the “tension of opposites” to himself?

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

7. a) What does Morrie ask Mitch to do after his death? b) Why is this

significant?

_____________________________________________________________

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8. a) What does Morrie consider to be the important questions in life? b) Which

of these is the most important to you? c) Why?

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

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9. a) What conclusion does Mitch draw from Morrie’s depiction of a perfect day?

b) What is your idea of the perfect day?

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

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10. a) What does Morrie tell Mitch about his brother? b) Speculate how Morrie’s

words might have impacted Mitch.

_____________________________________________________________

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The Fourteenth Tuesday—The Conclusion

Vocabulary


1. buoyant

_____________________________________________________________

2. hospice

_____________________________________________________________

Study Questions




1. a) Briefly summarize Morrie and Mitch’s farewell visit. b) How has each

changed since their first visit began?

_____________________________________________________________

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2. For what purpose did the author title the chapter about Morrie’s death and

funeral “Graduation”?

_____________________________________________________________

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3. a)Which of Morrie’s words does Mitch recall as he watches Morrie’s ashes

being placed into the ground? b) Why is this significant?

_____________________________________________________________

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4. What does Mitch want to tell the person he was before he rediscovered

Morrie?

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5. Predict the nature of Mitch and Peter’s future relationship since reestablishing

contact.

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6. What does Mitch say about Morrie in the conclusion of the book?

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Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom Thematic Discussion...

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