Why was Morrie able to have such an important impact on Mitch?

Relationships are a big theme in the book. The relationship (past and present) between Morrie and Mitch, between Morrie and his caregivers, between Morrie and his family, and between Mitch and his brother all play a big part in the story. Morrie becomes the catalyst for Mitch to discover what is important in life. Throughout his illness, Morrie displays a very positive mental attitude. He does not feel sorry for himself because his body is slowly deteriorating. He looks at the positives in his life and the things he is still able to do. His positive attitude inspires Mitch to examine re-himself, his motives for doing things and the joy of simply being alive. As he reflects back on his life, Morrie realizes he purpose was to educate and he does it until the day he dies. This pushes Mitch to realize he is fulfilling his purpose in life (journalism) and the purpose of re-connecting with his brother.