Tuesdays with Morrie: Graduation 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.

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.