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Anthony Williams

English 98

Dr. Van Blaricom

October 7, 2010

Essay # 1

The Five People You Meet in Heaven

Elements of Purpose

Word Count 335

In the book The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom, the main character is

an adamant man named Eddie. Eddie plays a war hero, who dies in an accident at an amusement

park. He discovers that his pretty banal life has meaning; for instance, the five people he meets in

heaven tells him specifically that his life is for a reason. The five people will explain that his life

has a purpose, and the elements of purpose are sacrifice, forgiveness, and love.

Eddie first meets the Blue Man in heaven who tells him his life has a purpose. The Blue

Man plays in a sideshow at the amusement park; however, Eddie learns that he actually killed the

Blue Man. The Blue Man helps Eddie understand that he dies for a reason, and Eddie lives for a

reason. Next, Eddie meets his captain who shows him that they all make sacrifices. The captain

tells Eddie that he saves his life; however, the captain meets an untimely death. Next, Ruby, the

third person he meets in heaven, shows him what really happened to his father. Shock hits Eddie

becauseof what Ruby tells him, and he ends up forgiving his father. Then, he meets his amiable
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wife, Marguerite. Marguerite, the fourth person he meets in heaven, shows him that love can

happen even when a person is gone. Finally, the fifth person in heaven, Tala, who is a little girl

he burned in the Phillipines, teaches him that he can be forgiving.

The lessons, that he goes through, teach him that he has meaning in his life.

Consequently, he learns that he made sacrifices in his life, he learns that he has love in his life,

and he learns to have forgiveness in his life. Eddie understands his lessons and obtains peace

within himself because of the elements of purpose.