Motifs In Mitch Albom's Tuesdays With Morrie

“It's a big theme in my life, learning about myself and being a better person. I'm a work in progress; I have revelations every day.” (Rick Rubin). Themes are important aspects in our lives many people go out and look for some kind of theme to stabilize themselves into a pattern. Life, nature, art, and literature are all examples of the need of themes or repeating patterns. In Tuesdays with Morrie there are many repetitive motifs throughout the book that show and strengthen the connections between Morrie and Mitch; the repeats of media, friendship, and food that are found in the book Tuesdays with Morrie.

One of the main motifs in Albom’s novel is the constant repeats of Morrie being on the late night show for example the first show that “aired

“Mitchell?” Morrie says, reading from the attendance list. I raise a hand. “Do you prefer Mitch? Or is Mitchell better?” I have never been asked this by a teacher. I do a double take at this guy in his yellow turtleneck and green corduroy pants, the silver hair that falls on his forehead. He is smiling. Mitch, I say. Mitch is what my friends called me. “Well, Mitch it is then,” Morrie says, as if closing a deal. “And, Mitch? ”Yes? “I hope that one day you will think of me as your friend.” (24, 25). Shows how their friendship developed quite quickly and how their souls almost connected right away. The repetition the theme of friendship shown in Albom’s Tuesdays with Morrie travels through many lines and boundaries it shows that teaches and students can have close meaningful positive relationships. The way Morrie is often very understanding and compassionate of people is not like most teachers especially college professors. Most college professors cannot even match a face to the paper they are reading, let alone ask for a nickname and take the time to remember and memorize it. The fact that Morrie took the time to ask Mitch what he would prefer shows his want to become close to people or in this case his open want to try to create a relationship with Mitch. How this one instance bloomed a beautiful meaningful lifelong friendship between the two