Morrie Levy (Chapter 17-18)

Morrie Levy was Peekay’s first close friends that is his peer. Before, Peekay had become close friends with a chicken, a train guard and boxer, a pianist and cactus collector, and a half-black prisoner. Most of these people were adults, and passed on value lessons based on their experience. Morrie provided equally valuable lessons, but more based on money, gambling and risk-taking. Because Morrie was a peer of Peekay, he was more able to understand and help Peekay with his problems. Morrie was able to go to all of Peekay’s boxing matches to get information about Peekay’s opponents because he was a student, making it a lot easier to attend. Morrie’s knowledge of business helped Peekay earn pocket money though betting, as a bank, and on the Miss Bornstein School of Correspondence Notes. Morrie was much more able to understand and give advice about Peekay’s peers because they were his peers as well.

While Morrie was in the same social group as Peekay, he had a vastly different background. Morrie was a Jewish boy from a successful family. Peekay was poor, and suffered the death of some of the few people important to him. Peekay wanted to fit others expectations, while Morrie wanted to defy them. Peekay’s ancestor persecuted others. Morrie’s ancestors were persecuted, especially in the recent world war. These differences led to their different interpretations of the same event or idea. Peekay believed that the Charge of the Light Brigade was one of England’s finest hours, won by brave English men. Morrie thought that the English were so successful both then and in other conquests because the generals didn’t respect their men. They used their men as cannon fodder, and the men were stupid enough to comply, until the English eventually won. Peekay was biased because of his constant exposure to the idea of British superiority, and that was the only version he knew. Morrie had a personal connection to the horrors of the Holocaust. After knowing of so much death, he considered human life more valuable. With his other close friends, Peekay molded himself to accept their values. Morrie clashed with Peekay’s values, opening his mind to new perspectives and ultimately, forcing him to decide what he valued.