Literary Analysis Essay of Mitch Albom’s ‘Five People You Meet in Heaven’
Mitch Albom’s ‘Five People You Meet in Heaven’ is the author’s second work after his memoir. The book is a novel that talks about the life of Eddie, who died in an accident. The focal point of the story examines his experiences meeting five individuals in heaven. Each one had influenced his life either directly or indirectly. Based on these interactions, readers are able to recognize important insights surrounding life and the connections that people have with other people. Written using simple language, the piece remains to be rich with dialogue and conveys a deeper meaning about concepts such as love, death and forgiveness.
One theme that stood out upon reading the book is how Eddie’s encounters with people all remain to be connected. Even if Eddie does not know all five, each one remains to be significant because they were instrumental to how the protagonist lived his life. Specifically, Albom mentions that "It is because the human spirit knows, deep down, that all lives intersect. That death doesn't just take someone, it misses someone else, and in the small distance between being taken and being missed, lives are changed” (48). As Albom pieces together these encounters, it gives readers important lessons that justify each one’s connections and the manner it shapes and influences the development of Eddie’s character in the story.
Readers are also able to recognize the enduring love of Eddie to his deceased wife. That is why when she died earlier, the protagonist felt empty and barren. When he was given the opportunity to Marguerite, he was very happy because he learned that despite her death, she continued to love him (Fadl 1). Arguably, this theme remains to be a valuable component in highlighting the notion that love overcomes boundaries even in death. Allowing Eddie to once again feel the love of his wife brought fulfillment to his being and enabled Albom to convey a sense of completeness to the protagonist in the story.
Also evident in Albom’s work are the different lessons exemplified by the characters Eddie meets in heaven. Each one remains to be significant because it emphasizes on his journey through life and how each of these individuals have influenced who he was until his eventual death. Themes related to love, forgiveness, sacrifice and connectedness are depicted by these characters as Eddie slowly understands his life as it unfolds to other people whom he either directly or indirectly touched (Baiocchi 1). As Albom tries to convey these different meanings, readers are able to recognize the development of Eddie’s character and appreciation for all the things that happened in his life.
Lastly, Albom’s use of simple language remains to be important in helping readers understand the theme further. Fadl specifically contends that "like many short novels, The Five People You Meet in Heaven, relies greatly on the ingenuity of its plot and the honesty of its message as opposed to the strength of the language used” (1). Using this as medium, Albom is able to create a character that readers can easily associate to. As the book touches on universal themes such as love, death and personal connections, it becomes a powerful tool in conveying meaning to audiences.
Overall, Mitch Albom’s ‘Five People You Meet in Heaven’ is a simple novel that conveys a deeper meaning to readers. Utilizing the simple life of Eddie, the book is able to promote universal themes that continue to influence the lives of many. Taking into consideration Eddie’s interaction with five people, they remain to be significant in providing answer to his questions, hesitations and disappointments while he was alive. It is through these interactions that he is able to find peace and connectedness he continued to seek.
Works Cited
Albom, Mitch. The Five People You Meet in Heaven. New York: Hyperion Books. 2003. Print.
Baiocchi, Don. ‘Book Review: The Five People You Meet in Heaven’ Blog Critics, 2 May 2006. Web. Accessed 22 August 2014.
Fadl, Shrief. ‘The Five People You Meet in Heaven’ ANMAG Issue 27, 2008. Web. Accessed 22 August 2014.
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