What is the significance of the tape recorder Mitch brings to his sessions with Morrie?

The third Tuesday, Mitch arrives with the usual food and something new, a tape recorder. He says he wants to remember Morrie's voice, and he wants to be able to tell his story. The voice on the tape will become a personified version of Morrie long after he is gone.

After a few visits with his friend Morrie, Mitch realizes that his time with his friend is limited, so he starts bring a tape recorder to their meetings. The tape recorder is significant for a couple of reasons. To begin with, it represents Mitch's mindfulness. The tape recorder shows that Mitch is not just going through the motions in life, he is tuning in, not just to his friend, but to the events around him. In addition, it shows Mitch's literal mind. Since he knows his time is limited, Mitch wants to have a record of their meetings so that he can go back and reexamine them at his leisure. This shows that Mitch is trying to actively engage in his time with Morrie and his life.