Tuesdays with Morrie Aphorism Project

Tuesdays with Morrie Aphorism Project

It is no secret that the novel Tuesdays with Morrie contains a surplus amount of sentiments that could be considered "inspirational". Whether it is a quote from Morrie, Mitch, or any other character, readers, such as I, can find ourselves fascinated beyond comprehension. However, one subset of quotes exist within the memoir that a majority of us can agree as immensely memorable, and they are Morrie's aphorisms. From “The most important thing in life is to learn how to give out love, and to let it come in" (52) to "Once you learn how to die, you learn how to live" (91), there was an abundance of aphorisms that could've been the center of this project, and I had chosen mine, or the aphorism, "Love is the only rational act" (52). In this blog, I plan to cover my thoughts on this aphorism, it's meaning, and how it connects to many other facets of life.

When this aphorism came about, I was curious as to what Morrie had meant by this. Of course, is was before I started to analyze it further, but still, I knew that it had a much deeper meaning than others. I then started to put my mind to work, and discovered it's meaning. "Love is the only rational act" implies that if an act isn't done out of love, compassion, or empathy, then it could be considered irrational. Many others would consider, for example, saving an animal from a fire, or helping a child with their homework rational, but if these acts are done solely out of anything other then a certain sense of empathy/sympathy towards them, then they are anything but rational, no matter who you are. My poster also tries to convey a similar message. Each human in the illustration seems to be at peace with each other while they admire the sentiment, and despite their differences, they are performing a rather rational act.

While analyzing the aphorism, not only was I able to navigate it's meaning, but also a connection to a popular tv show episode of The Simpsons. In this episode, Homer Simpson becomes part of a vigilante justice group in Springfield, which required him to physically harm those "up to no good". At first glance, the acts Homer had done seemed done out of love for his town, but he began to misuse his power, for he would harm anyone at later points just to gain power. This is what makes his acts irrational. He did not assault others out of love for his city, but more so a desire for power, which perfectly relates to this aphorism.

After analyzing the aphorism, I have found myself in close agreement with it. The foremost reason I agree with it is because of my previous thoughts. Because the aphorism implies that only rational acts are done out of love, which got me thinking about what acts I personally considered rational. Unsurprisingly enough, each one could be done out of love. This is what encouraged me to agree with this aphorism.

My aphorism: You learn more from you're immoral acts than your moral acts

Socratic Seminar Blog

Tuesdays with Morrie Seminar Reflections

During the course of reading and analyzing the memoir Tuesdays with Morrie, written by Mitch Albom in 1997, I, as well as my peers, were given a task to gather a plethora of questions, aphorisms, and observations from and pertaining to it, and we did not disappoint. The observations we were able to make were astute, creative, and even above grade level in some cases, but how could we have executed them? Well, a Socratic Seminar would be the answer. In fact, after the completion of the memoir, we were able to complete four seminars as well. In this blog, I will reflect on the Seminars in question, and discuss the strongpoints, weak-points, what could be improved in the future, for both myself and the group as a whole, and how they have contributed to my perception of the novel.

In one regard, the Socratic Seminars have made me realize the intersections between Morrie's aphorisms and where they can be useful in facets of everyday life. In our first Seminar, one of the very many topics discussed was "Why is happiness so hard to find?". Us as students were then given time to think about the answer to this complex question. A discussion about the items we take for granted, and how it can lead to a life of perpetual sadness then ensued. Prior to this, I hadn't been able to make such connections. I just read the aphorisms and applied it to the characters, not my life or current events, but the discussion really shaped the amount of connections I could make in the future.

In another regard, the Seminars were able to enhance my perception of Morrie and his struggle with ALS. While the memoir does cover Morrie's horrific illness quite a bit throughout, little information is given on the disease itself as opposed to how it has affected him. This then lead me into a trail of bemusement and wonder. Then the Socratic Seminars came along. Many of the students had shared more information on ALS with the group, such as its causes, symptoms, etc. This definitely assisted my progression in reading, as I was able to browse the memoir's contents with a newfound understanding of Morrie's suffrage.

When going into the Seminars, I had very high expectations of myself and my potential performance. I hoped to contribute a substantial amount of information to the discussion, while also bringing forth new points of view. I wanted to proceed with a mix of quantity and quality, and I believe that I had not disappointed. I always tried to grasp a moment to speak, (without cutting a peer off of course), and I managed to do this quite a bit over the course of the Seminar. I also believe that my perspective was made abundantly clear, to a point where the students could relate to it. However, I wish I was able to bring more students into the conversation. Despite participation being outstanding for most, others were a bit more timid or hesitant to share, and I did not lessen this issue. My goal for the future is to be more inclusive of my peers, which can lead to a discussion of more substance.

While I do believe my participation was beneficial for the most part, the discussion would have been absolutely empty without the points of view from my peers. In fact, they were the main reason the Seminars were as successful as they were. The students were patient, polite, and they brought a surplus amount of astute observations and questions to the table any chance they got. I particularly found them sharing their personal experiences as a way for us to connect with the book on a greater scale. However, I do believe ideas were shared in an uneven ratio. For example, one student would contribute more ideas than anyone would know what to do with, while another stays as silent as a rock throughout the Seminar. In the future, I hope students who contribute too much can share their ideas briefly, while the ones who contribute too little can become a sensational source of information for the group.

The Perfect Day

My Perfect Day

At around 8:30 a.m, I hope to wake up from a long, soothing sleep. Uninterrupted, and unquestioned. I spring out of my bed, dash down to stairs, and take an enormous leap into the living room to find my two favorite people. My mother, Marisa, and my younger brother, Anthony. They are not the only ones welcoming me with open arms as I approach, for I am also treated to a hardy breakfast of pancakes, oatmeal, and a fruit smoothie made in our kitchen. All three of us sit down on the couch, my brother and I observing individual Seinfeld episodes on the television. We eventually settle on "The Bizarro Jerry". One of my favorite episodes. I proceed to eat and talk with my family as the episode plays for around 20 minutes. The episode eventually ends and my breakfast is now nonexistent, which signals me to go upstairs and get ready for the day.

As soon as I am fully clothed, I run downstairs once again, but this time, I am greeted to my grandfather, Robert Sr, my uncle, Robert Jr, his fiancé, Alison, and my aunt, Victoria. We immediately head to Dave & Buster's in Addison, where we meet the rest of Alison's family. Up until noon, we play some arcade games, laugh, and discuss our lives. My grandfather and I then leave the area to meet my mother for a joint lunch and dinner at The Melting Pot. As fondue trays come in and out of our table, we discuss our lives once again. I feel no guilt as I feast on the trays of food, which would normally be the case.

After this event, I get back in the car with my mother and we go shopping once more. We have little worries about money, as my mother had been saving up for this day. We visit stores as casual as Five Below and Target, to more upperclass ones, such as Bevello and Kate Spade. I do not intend to by copious amounts of items, and neither does my mother, but we still manage to pick out a few items of interest. After this event, we return home to Anthony, who was being babysat by a neighbor.

Around 6:30, I am ready to have a night out at Six Flags with friends from school. Our parents were skeptical about letting us walk around the park on our own, but we convinced them that our phones were fully charged and we would call or text if we were concerned in any way. They agreed to lounge in a restaurant in the park. My friends and I were able to purchase fast passes, for we had saved a surplus amount of money to do so. For the rest of the night, we rode thrill rides that were exciting enough to make our skin develop goosebumps. Once we get to the point where we can hardly run due to exhaustion, our parents and ourselves exited the park, where we would return to our houses and take a good night slumber.

I believe that this day could become a reality if I planned, saved, and negotiated well enough. Days like the one I had stated above are ones that cannot be planned on a whim, so I must contact the people involved and get dates, times, and prices sorted out. The next step is saving. It would be very difficult to have a day such as this one for free, so I must forget about frivolously spending money on low want items and start budgeting. The last step to achieving the perfect day is negotiation. Many of the people involved, including myself, would have to cancel or postpone certain events to make this one a reality, so this would imply that I must negotiate with others about what I can do to make up for the time, if anything at all.

"Tuesdays with Morrie" Inspiration Blog

The Most Inspiring Tuesday

If you have been perpetually reading my blogs for the past few months, it would be no secret that I have reading and analyzing the memoir Tuesdays With Morrie, written by Mitch Albom in 1997. While the book may include interesting anecdotes, including Morrie's developed friendship with television host Ted Koppel and the heartwarming classes taught by him, it became clear to me that the most inspiring aspect of the memoir was the many Tuesdays Mitch and Morrie spent together. Some discussed Morrie's methods of coping with the ALS disease, and others discussed the difficulty of discovering happiness for the majority of people. However, there was one Tuesday that really stood out to me as inspiring. This was the second one, in which they discuss how little Morrie feels sorry for himself, and why it isn't necessary for him to sulk about his misfortunes. In this blog, I will be discussing why this particular topic has caught my interest, and what it entails to me.

One of the very first reasons that this Tuesday stuck out to me was due to it's relation to my struggles with feeling sorry for myself, and how little I seem to refrain from it. After Mitch arrives to Morrie's humble abode, bearing Food as well, he asks Morrie if he ever seems to feel sorry for himself. Morrie then states that "I give myself a good cry if I need it. But then I concentrate on all the good things still in my life. On the people who are coming to see me. On the stories I’m going to hear." (57). This quote ties back to my life because it describes how I wish I can approach the sorrow I often feel for myself. Despite the immense privilege I have been granted, I still cannot seem to be satisfied. I may not want to admit this, but it is true. I could be having a completely amazing day, but one mistake or mishap can cause a great deal of stress for me. That's when the self-pity ensues. I ask myself questions such as "Why do I deserve this?" and "Can I please be someone else right now?". This is extremely problematic for, not only my peers, but also myself, and Morrie's approach is exactly what I would like to take. I do not want to completely eliminate sulking, but I do indeed want to keep it to a minimum.

Another reason that I found this Tuesday rather memorable was because of it's demonstration of how Morrie differs from many others struggling with disease or illness. Once Morrie shared his aphorisms with the audience, we were dumbfounded by them. How could such a disadvantaged man be so optimistic? Mitch even appears to be surprised by his words, stating "I thought about all the people I knew who spent many of their waking hours feeling sorry for themselves. How useful it would be to put a daily limit on self-pity. Just a few tearful minutes, then on with the day. And if Morrie could do it, with such a horrible disease ..." (57). Because of this large contrast, the audience is more easily inclined to view Morrie as a unique mentor, rather than a disease-stricken man grieving daily.

The final reason that I found the second Tuesday extremely memorable was because of the release of Morrie's views on his disease. While this could be tied back to the the previous reason, I do feel as if it was significant enough to be mentioned separately. While it's clear to us that Morrie's condition is fatal, this line of thinking does not seem to apply to Morrie. After Morrie states his thoughts on self pity, Mitch asks how it was possible with such a horrible disease. Morrie then replies, stating "It’s only horrible if you see it that way. It’s horrible to watch my body slowly wilt away to nothing. But it’s also wonderful because of all the time I get to say good-bye.” (57). This quote illustrates how little Morrie seems to care about the downsides of his illness, and how he would rather focus on how it has contributed to his life for the better.

 

"Tuesdays With Morrie" Book Blog

Tuesdays with Morrie Initial Reactions

I recently began reading the memoir Tuesdays with Morrie alongside many other students in my Accelerated Language Arts class, and I have paid my upmost attention to it's contents. From the moods/tones the author creates with their language, to the imagery that could be appreciated by even the toughest critic, I have put my full dedication into assuring myself that I understand the reading, and I, not for one word, have been sorry. Tuesdays with Morrie is the book I had been hoping we would eventually read for the longest time. A lighthearted, simple memoir with a good message of enjoying the life you are given. In this blog, I will be sharing my first impressions of the novel and how it has inspired me to cherish my life and the future ahead of me.

One thing that really stood out to me when reading was how simple and nonchalant the author's writing style is. My standards for simplicity may have been lowered, as our class just completed reading the memoir Night, which details a boy's dreadful experience in Auschwitz. I highly doubt this however, as many others who are also reading the novel seem to feel the same. Mitch Albom, the author of Tuesdays with Morrie, speaks to the audience as if they are an acquaintance, rather than an unknown reader. The second reaction I was able to notice was how entertained I was by Morrie's humor. Before reading the memoir, I had low expectations for humor in the novel, in fact, I imagined the Morrie to be an overall somber person, but I was completely wrong. His sense of humor had me laughing throughout and I always found myself wanting to read more.

Tuesdays with Morrie has not only entertained me for hours, but it has also inspired me to create something. Something that I hope to carve in my mind for life. And that is a Bucket list. A bucket list that not only covers goals I plan to achieve within the next 5-10 years or so, but for my entire life. The following is my complete Bucket List as of age 13:

• Receive a Leading Role in a High School Musical
• Have at least One Honor Roll Report Card under my Belt
• Be Accepted to UNLV
• Study Religion, Philosophy, and Psychology at UNLV
• Graduate College
• Become a Flight Attendant (When Younger)
• Successfully Raise Children as a Single Mother (Through Adoption or Sperm Donor)
• Become a Middle or High School Guidance Counselor
• Go on a Trip to Italy

40BC: Characters Blog

An Abundance of Katherines Characters
In my Accelerated English Language Arts, I am currently reading the novel An Abundance of Katherines, written by John Green, and so far, I am very pleased with the contents of the book. Not only are they plots and subplots relatable to it's demographic and rather realistic, but it also delivers to us a very memorable set of leading characters. These characters include former child prodigy and lover of all girls named "Katherine", Colin Singleton, his brash, tongue and cheek acquaintance Hassan Harbish, and the newly-met tour guide turned friend of theirs, Lindsey Lee Wells. These characters have shaped the novel a great deal, making the overall tone a mixture of comedy, joy, and at times, mystery. In this blog. I will be presenting my observations about the characters mentioned earlier and how they have shaped my overall view of them.

After witnessing the various actions and events involving the characters listed above, I have been able to put thought into a character I would like to have a personal conversation with. This character would be Colin Singleton. I would find a conversation with him particularly interesting due to his past as a child prodigy. Very little people in the world are born with an ability to comprehend complicated mathematics, languages, etc. at an early age, but Colin is a rare exception. In light of this, his upbringing was rather unique. Questions I would ask Colin would include the following:

- When did your family realize your early intelligence and how did they approach it?
- When did you realize your own intelligence?
- How did perform when placed in an environment with kids who possessed average intelligence?
-  How did perform when placed in an environment with kids who possessed your level of intelligence?
- How did your peers react to your early intelligence?


While An Abundance of Katherines may have a pretty innocent set of characters communicating with each other throughout, they still tend to act in certain ways as to where the reader forms a strong like or dislike for them. I am no different. As I flipped through the book page by page, I began to observe how the characters acted, inciting one of two reactions:
- "That was immensely admirable!"
- "Why would they do/say such a thing?"
One character that seemed to constantly invoke the former was Lindsey Lee Wells. Despite her occasional remarks of displeasure towards her mom, such as her sighs of annoyance when asked to close up her shop, that had me rolling my eyes, I overall found Lindsey to be a character who I was in agreement with her words. From approaching Colin and Hassan in a mature, pleasant manner, even when Hassan made rather questionable remarks, to scrapping her former "boring" tour script to a more lighthearted, nonchalant talk, the reader notices her humbleness and likability.

In lieu of this, there was a particular character who never failed to make me wish for their disappearance at times. This character would be, surprisingly, Colin Singleton. While I have stated in the past that I found his upbringing intruiging, I still cannot fathom the annoyance he provokes in me. This is primarily due to his perpetual infatuation with his previous girlfriends. From relating nearly any event to one involving a "Katherine" he had dated, to comparing the looks of those to them, I become mournful of a time where he hadn't spoken of a "Katherine", which became nearly nonexistent.


Despite my subjective views that I have just expressed, I often am able to forget about these feelings and ponder one characteristic in the characters. Importance, and after deep analysis of their actions, I have concluded which character I believe is most important to the plot. This character would have to be Hassan Harbish. While the novel may not revolve around him and his outlook, I still firmly believe that he could shape the events for the better/worse. From his tongue and cheek approach to various situations to his occasional brashness, I have found myself bemused as to his innocence. It is often hard to tell whether Hassan is the potential protagonist or antagonist, and this uncertainty incites the reader to keep a bird's eye on almost all of his dialogue/actions.

Life is Beautiful Reflective Blog

Life is Beautiful

Very recently, I had been granted the  opportunity to view the 1997 film Life is Beautiful, directed and produced by Roberto Benigni, and I was thoroughly amazed by the various attributes of it. From the charismatic nature of our characters, to the atmospheric effects used, I found it difficult to take my eyes off of the screen. But, in spite of my infatuation with the movie, I also put the contents of Life is Beautiful into further analysis, and what I found was intriguing. Not only did the movie exhibit a variety of different examples of humor, Struggle, and most importantly, life's beauty, but it also bared striking similarities to the book Night, written by Holocaust Survivor Elie Wiesel. I managed to gather a surplus amount of demonstrations of these qualities, and I will objectively discuss them in this blog. Not only will I present my findings, but also how they pertain to the theme of Life's Beauty.

One of the very first comparisons I was able to make between Life is Beautiful and Night was the Father-Son bonds established in both pieces of media. In Life is Beautiful, Guido, A Jewish shop-owner, his wife, Dora, and son, Giosue, are sent to a concentration camp by Nazi officers. Despite automatically being separated from Dora, Guido and Giosue manage to stick together all the way to liberation. During this time, the two, despite their already strong relationship, become closer and closer each day. From convincing his son that the Holocaust was simply a game to spare him from fear, to the son following each and every one of his father's instructions to survival, the two seemed to develop a bond that could compare to no other.

Let's look at Night now. In this memoir, 15 year old Elie Wiesel is sent to Auschwitz Concentration Camp, and much like in Life is Beautiful, he is separated from his mother, but proceeds to join his father in an attempt to survive the horrors of the camp up until liberation. In this excessive period of time, the two become heavily connected to each other, devoting a majority of their heart to helping each other remain sane. From Elie defending his father when he is perceived to be dead, to his dad comforting his son abundantly, it is apparent that the two would not possess the same level of hope if they were separated from the start. The relationship between them also remained during the passing of Elie's father, stating that he could never feel the same now that he was gone.

Judging by the descriptions, these two bonds are heavily correlated with each other. This is because of the strong attachment that the father felt to the son and vice Versace that was prevelant in both pieces of media. The second similarity between the two bonds was the apprehension of death. From Guido to Giosue, from Elie to Elie's father, it is immensely difficult to look past their fear of each other passing. This only increases as time goes by, causing each family to become protective over each other.

The second similarity to take into into account was the hope of unreality of the Camp and/or the Holocaust as a construct. In Life is Beautiful, Guido carries his son through the Concentration Camp, (going through certain procedures in an effort to not be caught of course). While doing this, Giosue expressed his concern about their safety which is quickly followed by Guido responding, stating its all "just a dream". After audiences caught a listen of this line, it was apparent that he was trying his upmost hardest to protect his son from inheriting a negative outlook on the situation. But this was not the only time a similar line was stated in a piece of media pertaining to the Holocaust.

In Night, the main character states almost a direct reiteration of this line. When first arriving the Birkenau, Elie is in absolute shock. He had never been to such a frightening place. In light of this fright, Elie begins to question the events around him. At one point, Elie asks the reader "Was it all just a dream?'. It is abundantly obvious that this line is nearly synonymous with our previous one, and despite perspectives contrasting, both cannot believe the severity of their situations, causing the characters to lose sense of reality.

In Life is Beautiful, the audience can witness a large variety of contrasting characters and atmospheres throughout, which incite different moods and tones. This has become a widely known fact to millions of viewers. From the carefree, upbeat persona carried by father Guido, to the worrisome Dora, the audience senses the chemistry, (or lack there of), between characters whenever they appear on screen. These characters and/or their chemistry can also incite various moods throughout the movie. Guido's humor and positive outlook on life can cause the movie to appear upbeat and comedic, while the frightening conduct of the Nazi Officers at the camp can cause the mood to become more negative and moody.

Another observation one can make about this movie is how true it stays to it's title, Life is Beautiful. Throughout the film, characters display actions and emotions that can incite the reader to conquer with the film's title. One of which is sacrifice. From Dora potentially risking her own life to reunite with her husband and son, to Guido allowing a Nazi officer to take his life in an effort to protect his son from the officers in question, the characters truly make us believe that those who love you will make such tremendous sacrifices to save you from harm's way. Life is also portrayed as beautiful through the positivity maintained by Guido throughout. Despite being just inches away from potential death at every second, Giosue's father cannot let go of the positivity he holds, which incites the audience to believe that they themselves can also due the same, which can make their lives much less stressful and more joyous.