Twice

“As I watched them run, I was flushed with a new sensation, one that would shape my life going forward. Knowing what’s going to happen before it happens is more than a unique power. It’s godlike.”

This quote uses hyperbole and religious allusion to illuminate Alfie’s arrogance toward his gift when he was young. The first-person narration captures both awe and foreshadowing, hinting that attempting to interfere with the divine will lead to drastic consequences. The shift from innocence to a state of grandiosity shows the beginning of Alfie’s tragic downfall, which stems from his false belief that he can change his fate.

“The lion growled. I saw his ears flatten and his tail sweep from side to side. Then, just like that, he broke into a sprint, charging straight at me, head low, mouth open. I slapped my legs, yelled ‘Twice!’ and immediately was face down in my pillow that morning, my heart going like a drill.”

The scene uses vivid imagery and sensory detail to dramatize the first instance of Alfie’s power. The lion is used as a symbol of danger and mortality, and Alfie’s use of “Twice” symbolizes his rebirth through reversal. Each time he faces extreme change—or the risk of loss, even of his own life—he redoes his choices, trying to become a different man with a new life. He will later regret this habit he develops of chasing danger, as he is left with the fear and trauma of the memories despite reversing his actions. Albom’s visceral language and abrupt pacing mirror the chaos of newfound power.

“A boy may not do everything for his mother. But he’ll do anything for her memory.”

This line is an aphorism, a literary device used frequently by Albom. It uses antithesis to expose the enduring power of a mother’s influence. The juxtaposition between “everything” and “anything” emphasizes how memory becomes a substitute for presence and authenticity. Albom uses grief as a motivating paradox, as loss has a way of making love permanent.

“Now what I didn’t tell Wesley was that even if he did what I said, I couldn’t assure his survival.”

Alfie’s reflection includes dramatic irony and understated tone to heighten the emotional tension that Alfie feels regarding the limits of his power. The detached phrasing demonstrates his moral confusion and inability to use his power responsibly. Albom employs narrative restraint to reveal that Alfie’s authority over time cannot change fate.

“Looking back, I suppose I was depressed. I had lost Wesley as I had lost my mother. Both too young. Both too soon.”

The use of parallel structure amplifies the sense of cyclical loss that defines Alfie’s life. Albom’s minimalist language mirrors grief’s simplicity, as pain that cannot be rationalized. This moment deepens Alfie’s character development and connects his emotional trauma to his need to undo time, as he most deeply fears the sensation of powerlessness developed through the loss of his mother and friend.

“For the first time in a long time, whatever funk or depression or ennui I was suffering evaporated. It wasn’t that she was so beautiful, but rather, after all these years, still so familiar.”

Albom emphasizes the comfort of emotional familiarity over physical beauty, showing how enduring connections can restore a sense of stability and joy. The juxtaposition of lingering depression with the relief brought by recognition showcases Alfie’s need for continuity and grounding in his life. This moment reflects the idea of coming to terms with one’s life and finding solace in meaningful relationships.

“The afternoon I remet Gianna, all the other girls I had liked, dreamed about, or made a fool of myself in front of suddenly moved behind the clouds. She was the only star in the sky.”

Celestial imagery symbolizes Alfie’s idealized vision of love, positioning Gianna as the guiding force in his emotional development. The contrast between light and darkness reflects how his devotion obscures reality, emphasizing the tension between desire and perception. Through this symbolism, Albom conveys both the allure and the vulnerability inherent in first love.

“It’s usually a heartbreak that starts it. You want so badly to undo something. And then…it just happens.”

The ellipses mimics temporal slipping, mirroring Alfie’s ability to reverse events and the inevitability of heartbreak that he experiences over and over again. Albom blends a casual tone with reflective insight, showing that Alfie’s powers arise from pain rather than ambition. The structure used is a way of showing how emotional suffering leads to Alfie’s attempts to control fate, so naturally that it almost appears incidental. This implies that in his efforts to assert control, he actually lacks it.

“What we yearn for, deep down, is a heart that will embrace us after we make a fool of ourselves.”

This statement universalizes Alfie’s longing through the use of first person. It connects personal vulnerability to a broader human need for acceptance. The metaphor of an “embracing heart” reframes love as being based on forgiveness rather than perfection and demonstrates Alfie’s personal growth. Albom’s aphoristic style contains a central moral regarding the importance of compassion.

“We made love on the futon, not bothering to open it. Afterward, lying next to her, I felt as full as I’d ever felt after my best meal, as rested as after my best sleep.”

Albom uses simile to equate intimacy with physical satisfaction, creating a metaphor for emotional fulfillment. The first-person perspective emphasizes Alfie’s deepened connection to Gianna and his emerging self-awareness. This moment symbolizes completeness, contrasting with his prior isolation and unsuccessful relationships. The detail of the unopened futon demonstrates how he finds happiness not in luxury—which he could obtain with his powers—but in relationships.

“At some point, you get tired of reliving the past. You’re ready for what comes next.”

The declarative sentences used by Alfie reflect his transition from obsession with control to acceptance of his fate, illustrating emotional growth. The moment encapsulates the tension between memory and inertia, emphasizing the need to let go. The line marks a symbolic turning point, demonstrating his readiness to live fully in the present.

“For the first time in all the years of my magical undoings, I left everything as it was, because another truth in The Truth About True Love is that when it’s good, you don’t want to alter it.”

Albom contrasts Alfie’s interventions with the conscious choice to let events remain, emphasizing emotional restraint and maturity. The metaphor of leaving things unchanged mirrors the idea that love’s authenticity cannot be forced. This moment indicates a pivotal moral realization for Alfie, showing growth through acceptance.

“I learned another Truth About True Love: it doesn’t have to cost you anything. Even when it might cost you everything.”

Albom’s use of paradox communicates love’s nature as something that demands great sacrifice. The declarative structure mirrors Alfie’s newfound certainty about its worth beyond personal gain. This insight reflects his growing understanding of love’s moral and emotional underpinnings.

“We ordered through a window: two root beers and four hot dogs. Then I parked in the back, away from the other cars, and with the doors open and the sun beating down, we shoved the doughy rolls into our mouths and sipped noisily on the sodas through straws. Off in the distance someone was mowing grass.”

In this quote, detailed imagery is used to transform a simple meal into a symbolic moment of shared intimacy and grounding in the present. The juxtaposition between private enjoyment and the mundane emphasizes Alfie’s newfound mindful appreciation. Albom’s concrete diction reinforces Alfie’s shift from controlling the past to valuing the present; Alfie is not focused on what could be but rather the feeling of the sun, the texture of rolls, and the sounds of drinking soda and mowing grass.

“Life has been different in the present tense, I’ll admit that. You pay closer attention to things. You’re more appreciative. More accepting.”

Albom draws on repetition and parallel structure to emphasize the transformative effect of living fully in the present. Alfie’s reflective tone demonstrates growth in emotional awareness and mindfulness. The use of present tense effectively becomes a metaphor for clarity, authenticity, and acceptance.

“Some events in life you process as they happen. Others take a lifetime to understand.”

In this quote, Albom contrasts immediate understanding with lessons that take a lifetime, reflecting Alfie’s evolving perspective on time and consequence. The metaphor of cumulative experience emphasizes the wisdom Alfie has gained through multiple lifetimes of reflection. His declarative tone reinforces the narrative’s philosophical undertone.

“Did I think about jumping back to avoid that festival? Of course. But I knew the rules. Our baby had died, which meant no matter what I did, I couldn’t save it.”

Internal monologue is used to convey Alfie’s grief and the moral limits of his powers. The tragic loss of his and Gianna’s baby symbolizes the inevitability of fate and consequences beyond control. Albom emphasizes the tension between desire to alter the past and acceptance of reality.

“Was this what God wanted? My meandering life?”

Albom uses rhetorical questions to amplify Alfie’s existential doubt and struggle to figure out his purpose. The short, fragmented sentences mirror his internal conflict and uncertainty about divine will. The “meandering life” he has found himself living is a metaphor for the pointlessness he feels, as reliving many of his experiences didn’t bring him a sense of emotional satisfaction or closure. Despite his extraordinary circumstances, this sentiment is meant to mimic the longstanding human tradition of philosophically contemplating an individual’s purpose in life.

“Love is different, my grandmother had warned. It’s the only thing you can’t do twice.”

In this quote, direct dialogue conveys generational wisdom about the uniqueness of true love. The aphorism (frequently used by Albom) emphasizes irreversible choices, reinforcing experiences of loss and once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. Alfie’s understanding of love deepens through this lesson, though he must make mistakes in his relationships first to truly relate to his grandmother’s sentiments.

“Actually, that was just the start of LaPorta’s questions. This case was like a maze, where you can walk for hours and never know if you’re advancing or retreating.”

The simile comparing investigation to a maze conveys confusion and uncertainty in Vincent’s mind and in his life. He is resistant to believe Alfie’s fantastical story, but many of the experiences gained and lessons learned in Alfie’s life relate to Vincent’s own personal struggles. He feels his relationship with his wife is in dangerous decline, and he wants the opportunity to feel control and satisfaction in his choices again. This conflict between disbelief and empathy is the primary motivator for his actions.

“This time felt different. But not better. To be honest, I felt kind of empty.”

Fragmented sentences are used to express Alfie’s alienation and emotional desolation. Contrasting expectation with reality emphasizes the inevitable consequences of repeated choices. Alfie’s feelings of emptiness are the result of his failures to learn from the past, which left him with no satisfying or happy relationships to make him feel more fulfilled.

“I won’t bore you with the details of those many years, Boss. I lived. I worked. I slept. I drank with the locals. I played piano on Sundays in a nearby church, which would have made my mother happy.”

Albom uses anaphora to convey the monotony of Alfie’s life in exile. The mention of playing piano connects him to family and moral roots and to the innocent life he knew in Kenya. The passage reflects acceptance and character growth, showing reconciliation with a quieter, more intentional existence. Still, while this period allowed him time to reflect, he still lacked the fulfillment he was seeking, hence the repetitive, indifferent tone.

“Now, hurrying to meet a man she thought she knew so well, and realizing she didn’t know him at all, she wasn’t sure where one emotion ended and another began.”

Albom uses complex syntax to parallel Gianna’s emotional turbulence and internal conflict in these key moments of the story’s climax. The passage symbolizes uncertainty and revelation, emphasizing self-awareness. Albom captures the nuance of her evolving understanding of both Alfie and herself.