Tuesday's with Morrie: An Old Man, A Young Man, and Life’s Greatest Lesson

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Morrie emphasizes the importance of relationships over material success. Have you ever had a moment in life that forced you to reconsider your priorities? How did your perspective shift, and what influenced that change?

2. Mitch Albom reconnects with Morrie after years of focusing on his career. Have you ever experienced a moment in which you reconnected with someone from your past who then impacted your life? What did that experience teach you?

3. Morrie openly discusses his declining health and impending death with honesty and acceptance. How does his approach compare to the ways in which illness and mortality are typically discussed in your culture or community? Do you think that society encourages or avoids these conversations?

4. One of Morrie’s central lessons focuses on embracing vulnerability and expressing emotions freely. How comfortable are you with showing vulnerability in your own life? Do you relate more to Mitch’s initial reluctance or to Morrie’s openness?

5. Morrie encourages Mitch to slow down and be present in life. In a world that often prioritizes productivity and success, do you find it difficult to focus on the present? What strategies have helped you (or could help you) to live more mindfully?

6. Throughout the book, Morrie serves as a mentor to Mitch, offering wisdom and guidance. Have you had a mentor, teacher, or elder who has shaped your perspective on life? What aspects of their advice have stayed with you?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. Morrie critiques many aspects of modern society, including materialism, workaholism, and emotional detachment. How do his views compare to societal values today? Do you think that modern culture has become more closely aligned with his philosophy since the book was published? Why or why not?

2. The book highlights the ways in which different cultures approach aging, death, and wisdom. Morrie draws inspiration from other traditions that honor the elderly, while Western culture often prioritizes youth and productivity. How do different cultural attitudes toward aging shape people’s individual views on death and the elderly? Do you see evidence of this pattern in your own community?

3. Both Tuesdays with Morrie and When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi feature individuals who are facing terminal illness and reflecting on the meaning of life and legacy. How do these narratives challenge cultural norms about how people perceive death and dying?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. Mitch Albom presents Morrie as both a real person and a symbolic figure of wisdom and guidance. How does the author balance Morrie’s personal struggles with the man’s as a mentor? Does Albom fully develop Morrie as a character, in addition to conveying his philosophical lessons?

2. The book often contrasts Mitch’s fast-paced, ambition-driven life with Morrie’s more reflective, relationship-centered philosophy. How does this contrast serve as a central theme? Does Mitch’s character arc convincingly demonstrate a transformation by the end of the book?

3. Morrie frequently uses vivid metaphors to convey his ideas, as when he compares emotions to waves in the ocean or life to a classroom. How do these metaphors enhance the book’s themes? Are there any particular symbols or recurring images that stand out for you?

4. The setting of the book is mostly confined to Morrie’s home, where he slowly deteriorates due to ALS. How does this limited setting affect the book’s tone and message? Would the story have been as emotionally powerful if it had included more varied locations?