Definitions of Terms INTRODUCTION

These sentences mean that Morrie is the same as an ordinary people who also experiences death. However, the difference is in his point of view about death. For common people, death is a scary thing but for Morrie, death is a lesson on how to live. It is also a lesson to more appreciate his life. In his view, Morrie considers death as an opportunity to seek what meaningful life is and realizes that death is a part of nature so he handles it bravely, compassionately, and wisely. Bowen also adds that Albom’s life has changed dramatically because of the discussion about life in “Tuesday’s classes” with Morrie. In a true testament, Albom tells that now he spends more time with his wife, taking more time off work, and he is investing in the relationship with people in his life that he cares about most. He faces life with less fear than before and realizes that life only comes around once. Reunion with Morrie brings him to do the best thing in life so there is no regret turning back time http:edition.cnn.combooksreview980506index.html accessed on 20 September 2006. Another opinion comes from Charles Derber, a Boston College sociology professor. As quoted by Jim Suhr, an Associated Press writer, in his article “Sick Professor, Ex-student Talk of Life’s Lessons” in Chronicling Tuesdays with Morrie on February, 1998; Derber says, “The fact that Mitch’s is so widely read is testimony that he captured something valuable. Morrie would be smiling about this”http:www.s-t.comdaily02-9802-15-98e07li216.html accessed on 20 September 2006. Derber means that Albom’s Tuesdays with Morrie is a PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI successful book because it is widely read and this condition is a proof that Albom succeeds finding valuable lessons in life through Morrie. Other positive criticism comes from Chuck Salter in Issue 30. He criticizes the character Morrie as a wisdom teacher. He states: Why the enormous interest in what retired college professor had to say? The answer is simple: Morrie offered candid, heartfelt insight into many of the philosophical question that so many of us ask ourselves or should be asking ourselves about life, work, community, relationships, aging, and death. And he offered all of this insight from a unique perspective…The only way to live. Take in from Morrie, a teacher to the last 1999: 198. This quotation explains the fact why Morrie, an old retired college professor, attracts many people to read his words in Tuesdays with Morrie. It is because Morrie answers honestly for those questions of life elements that nowadays, people ask and look the answers for. Morrie offers a different perspective about living happily and wisely. Tuesdays with Morrie does not only attract its readers but also the popular TV show in America, Oprah Winfrey. As quoted by Gloria Hillard, CNN Entertainment News Correspondent, in her article “Tuesdays with Morrie: Winfrey Produces TV Film” in CNN on February edition, 1999; Oprah Winfrey comments that Tuesdays with Morrie is a lovely book. When she loves a book, she recommends it to her audiences. She says that she loves the book because of Morrie Schwartz. He is an extraordinary man who gives her inspiration to be a stronger woman and increase her conscious to help other people http:www.archieves.cnn.com1999SHOWBIZTV1202tuesdays.morrie.html accessed on 20 September 2006 However, positive comments are also accompanied with negative comment. The negative comment comes from Mark Krupnick, a professor of English at the University of Chicago and also an ALS sufferer, in his article “Revisiting Morrie: Were his Last Words Too Good To Be True?” in Issues on January, 2001. He says that: …The world has seen enough rivalry among victims. It’s more to the point that professionally I’m a literary critic, and criticism is what critics do. That Morrie is himself uncritical is, in fact, part of my objection to him. Morrie urges his owns nonjudgmental stance on everybody else-especially urging dying patients to think affirmatively-but there is a limit to the usefulness of such an upbeat message. I think that people suffering from fatal disease such as ALS are better served by straight talk than by Morrie’s homilies. Personally, I can deal better with extreme experiences- what is already here and what is to come- when it is described as objectively as possible that when it is rendered with a moralistic glow http:www.forward.comissues200202.01.25books6.html accessed on 21 September 2006. He means that Morrie’s wisdom is not all wise for ALS sufferers. For Krupnick, he think that other ALS sufferers are better to be served by a straight talk like how to come the progress of the illness or how to accept reality that it is useless to recover fully from ALS than by Morrie’s aphorism about life which is only homilies before he dies. There is a limitation in human ability to understand about morality when he or she faces death. Therefore, what is needed is only a reality that he or she must accept his or her condition and not a moralistic glow about life. Krupnick also adds that Morrie takes advantage of the authority with which ALS endows Morrie to teach other sufferers how to comfort themselves. Maybe the sufferers will comfort about Morrie’s lesson, but it is only temporary PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI