Brief Summary:

For One More Day by Mitch Albom is a work of Psychological Fiction. The novella deals with the story of a man who meets his mother after she dies. The author is concerned, ‘Have you ever lost someone you love and wanted one more conversation, one more chance to make up for the time when you thought they would be here forever? If so, then you know you can go your whole life collecting days, and none will outweigh the one you wish you had back.’

Charles Benetto commits a pretty serious act and consequently meets his dead mother. He gets a chance to spend one more day with his mother who behaves as if nothing has happened. But she discusses the things with him which he wanted answers for when she was alive.

Plot Analysis of For One More Day:

Mitch Albom divides the day Charley meets his mother in spans of time, Midnight, Morning, Noon, and Night. The plot also has a prologue and an epilogue which gives a sense of completion to the novella.

The story also has flashbacks from Charley’s past. The plot is neither linear nor chronological. It is quite haphazard and irregular. But it serves the purpose of the author and tells the reader how time would feel if they also get a lost one for one more day.

Characters in For One More Day:

The main character of the novella is Charles Benetto also called Charley at times. He is an ordinary man with an ordinary childhood. He has the problems and issues of every man. The only thing extraordinary about him is his psychological breakdown which leads him to meet his deceased mother.

Pauline Benetto is Charley’s mother. She is a compassionate and kind woman. She always takes care of the people around her. But after her death, Charley realizes that he has never really stood up for his mother on any occasion. She is an important character because she resolves the conflict in the novella.

The minor characters include Charley’s father Leonard Benetto, his sister Roberta, his wife Catherine, and their daughter Maria.

Themes in For One More Day:

Parental Love:

The novella discusses parental love in different forms. It reveals that the love of a mother and a father can be different for the kids but it is often hard for kids to track it. Charley admits that ‘I also believe that parents, if they love you, will hold you up safely, above their swirling waters, and sometimes that means you’ll never know what they endured, and you may treat them unkindly, in a way you otherwise wouldn’t.’

 The focus however is on maternal love and affection, Charley says by the end, ‘But there’s a story behind everything. How a picture got on a wall. How a scar got on your face. Sometimes the stories are simple, and sometimes they are hard and heartbreaking. But behind all your stories is always your mother’s story, because hers is where yours begin.’

Suicide:

Suicide and self-harm is a very important theme in the novella. The author tries to track down the reason for depression and anxiety. He is not concerned if the reason is big enough or not. He simply wants to portray the thoughts of a suicidal man before the reader.

Lost Love:

The novella discusses the idea of lost love. It depicts the misery of those who lose people they love without realizing their love for them. It discusses that sometimes man is so deeply engrossed in material things that he fails to understand his true emotions. By the time he realizes what he loves the most – the demon of time has swiped away every chance to make it up for.

Concluding Remarks:

For One More Day by Mitch Albom is a book for those who love to contemplate without giving heed to logical reasoning. It is for the people who dare to peek over the edge. The novella clearly states the mental instability of the main character but the author is not concerned about the reality of events. He merely wants readers to see how guilt and regret can play with the human mind. He wants his reader to know that ‘You can go your whole life collecting days, and none will outweigh the one you wish you had back.’

It is a very short read and still, Albom manages to give his reader enough to think about.

Get your copy of For One More Day from amazon.

If you want to know about other Mitch Albom Books, read my review on The Five People You Meet in Heaven.

Read More Book Reviews