Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Tuesdays with Morrie, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Teaching and Learning
Death
Culture and Religion
Movement and Change
Love, Family, and Community
Summary
Analysis
Morrie died the following Saturday morning. He fell into a coma two days after Mitch's last visit. Both Rob and Jon were there with Charlotte and Charlotte's cousin. Morrie's family slept in shifts around his bed, and the one time everyone left the room to get coffee, Morrie died. Mitch tells the reader that he believes Morrie died like this on purpose, so that none of his family members would be haunted by his last breath like Morrie was haunted by the memories of his parents' deaths.
While we can't know for sure if Morrie died exactly the way he wanted to, he was able to create the environment for his family that he wished for. Remember how haunted Morrie was by both of his parents' deaths—the way Morrie dies eliminates surprise, shock, and the sense of cold that he himself had to experience.
Themes
The following week, Mitch attends the funeral. It's a damp and windy morning, and the sky is the color of milk. It's a small gathering, although hundreds of people wanted to attend. As Morrie's ashes are placed in the ground, Mitch looks around and thinks about Morrie talking about how beautiful this spot in the cemetery is. Mitch remembers Morrie telling Mitch to talk while Morrie listens, and Mitch tries it out in his head. Mitch thinks that the imagined conversation feels relatively natural, looks down at his watch, and sees that it's Tuesday.
The comparison of the sky to milk is perhaps a last nod to the symbol of food. The place that Morrie chose to be buried is a beautiful, natural spot, so his connection to nature can continue in death. The teacher/student relationship is brought to a conclusion as Mitch hears Morrie's voice in his head. He's internalized Morrie's lessons, and Mitch can now go on to be the teacher to others.
Themes
