I watched him now, his hands working gingerly, as if he were learning to use them for the first time. He could not press down hard with a knife. His fingers shook. Each bite was a struggle; he chewed the food finely before swallowing.. The skin from his wrist to his knuckles was dotted with age spots, and it was loose, like skin hanging from a chicken soup bone.
In Mitch Albom's "Tuesdays with Morrie," the author describes Morrie's physical struggles as he grapples with the effects of aging and illness. Morrie's hands are shaky and seem unfamiliar to him, indicating a profound loss of strength and dexterity. Each act of eating becomes a challenge, illustrating his frailty and the effort required just to consume a meal. The imagery of his hands emphasizes the toll that time and disease have taken on his body.
The additional detail about the age spots on Morrie's skin serves to highlight the inevitability of aging and its consequences. His skin, loose and fragile, further underscores a sense of vulnerability. Through these vivid descriptions, Albom portrays Morrie not only as a mentor but as a human confronting the realities of life, with all its struggles and imperfections.