Teacher’s Notes         LEVEL 5 

The Five People You Meet in Heaven 
Mitch Albom future wife. Twelve minutes before Eddie’s
death, a little girl asks him to make an animal
for her out of a balloon. Then Eddie hears
screaming. There is a problem with ‘Freddy’s
Free Fall,’ a ride at Ruby Park. One of the cars
is leaning dangerously with four people inside.
On Eddie’s orders, Dominguez climbs a ladder
and helps to free the people. He then starts to
release the car. Eddie is trying to work out how
the accident has happened and suddenly realizes
that something has got caught in the machinery,
causing the cable to wear away. If the car is
released, it will fall. Eddie tries to get
Dominguez’s attention but fails. He screams for
the crowd to move back and they do but then he
sees the little girl from earlier. She has fallen at
the base of the ride. As the cable breaks, Eddie
About the author dives to save her and his days on earth are
ended. His last memory is two small hands in
Mitch Albom is a best-selling author, his.
screenwriter, journalist, musician and
broadcaster. His books have sold millions Chapter 2: Eddie finds himself floating through
internationally and have been translated into different colors. All his pains and worries have
forty-two languages. Some of them have also disappeared. He is back at Ruby Park but it’s the
been made into critically-acclaimed TV movies. way it was when he was a child. He is old but
His first novel, The Five People You Meet In he’s running like a young boy. He goes into the
Heaven (2003), advocates the value of love and Freak Show and meets a man with blue skin.
human life, before and after death. These themes run Eddie remembers the man vaguely from when
through much of his work. He is also a great he was a child. The Blue Man explains they are
philanthropist, having started four charities to help
in heaven and that when a person first arrives
those in need. He currently lives in Detroit,
Michigan, with his wife Janine. For more
there, they have to meet five people who will
information, see the introduction to the Penguin help them understand their lives on Earth. The
Reader. Blue Man is Eddie’s first person. Time goes
back to Eddie’s seventh birthday and then the
Blue Man explains how Eddie caused his death.
The Blue Man came from a poor Polish
Summary immigrant family. He was a very nervous child
and had many problems. Trying to cure his
nerves, he took some medicine that was
Chapter 1: Eddie is the maintenance man at
poisonous and eventually turned his skin blue.
Ruby Park, an old-fashioned American
Unable to find any other work, he ended up
amusement park. He has worked at the park for
working at the Freak Show. One day Eddie was
more than sixty years and today is his eighty-
playing with his friends and ran after a ball,
third birthday. It will also be the day he dies.
almost causing a car accident. The driver of the
Every week he goes on at least one ride and he
car went on his way in shock and this time he
often takes children with him. He works with a
crashed. He got out of the car but the shock was
Mexican man called Dominguez. Today Eddie
too much for him and he had a heart attack and
gives Dominguez some money to buy a present
died. The driver was the Blue Man. Eddie now
for his wife. Later he tells some teenagers off
thinks the Blue Man is going to punish him but
for climbing on a gate before going to sit on an
instead he explains that this story is just a lesson
old wooden beach chair. He has nineteen
to teach him that all lives are interrelated. The
minutes left to live. He reminisces about the one
Blue Man disappears and time goes back to
true-love moment in his life when he met a
Eddie’s seventeenth birthday celebration. It is a
woman called Marguerite at Ruby Park. That
short time after Eddie had met Marguerite.
night Eddie told his brother he had met his
© Pearson Education Limited The Five People You Meet In Heaven – Teacher’s
notes 1
Teacher’s Notes         LEVEL 5 

The Five People You Meet in Heaven 
Chapter 3: Eddie is now a young man during war, his father came home to find Eddie
the war. He hears the voice of the Captain he sleeping on the sofa. He began to shout at Eddie
served under when he was in the army. He is about being lazy and he tried to hit him. For the
Eddie’s second person. During the war, Eddie, first time in his life, Eddie defended himself and
the Captain and three other soldiers had been his father never spoke to him again. Suddenly
captured by the enemy. First they were an old woman appears in front of Eddie. She is
imprisoned in a hut and then they were taken to Eddie’s third person and her name is Ruby. In
work in a coal mine. They were treated badly life, her husband had built Ruby Park for her.
and given very little to eat. In the fourth month, She talks to Eddie about his father. One night
one of the soldiers, Robozzo, fell ill and was his father had arrived home with his clothes full
shot by one of the enemy soldiers. At this point of sand and completely wet. He caught a fever
Eddie started to concentrate on finding a way to and died some time later in hospital. Later Eddie
escape. One night the enemy soldier who was and his wife, Marguerite, had to move back in
guarding them was trying to juggle. Eddie, with Eddie’s mom and Eddie had to take a job at
having learnt this skill at Ruby Park, started to Ruby Park so that he could be near his mom.
show him how to do it properly and the other Eddie assumed that his father had been drunk on
enemy soldiers came to watch. Eddie used the the night he got ill, and blamed him for dying
rocks he was juggling with as weapons and the and trapping him into a life he didn’t want.
other soldiers took advantage of the situation to Ruby shows Eddie the full story. Eddie’s father
overthrow and kill the enemy soldiers. After had died bravely trying to save a friend from
escaping they decided to burn down the coal drowning despite the fact that this friend had
mine buildings in revenge. When everything previously attacked Eddie’s mom. Eddie’s
was alight, Eddie thought he saw the figure of a father had later died at a window in the hospital
young child crawling inside one of the burning calling out the names of his family, including
buildings. The other soldiers shouted at him to Eddie’s. Ruby knew this because her husband
leave but he moved toward the building, closer had been in the next bed. Ruby tells Eddie that
to the fire. He wanted to help the child and he he must lose his anger and his regrets and
got so close that his clothes began to burn. forgive his father. This he does.
Suddenly he felt a terrible pain in his leg and he
fell down. He had been shot. The other soldiers
Chapter 5: Eddie is in a small room. He goes
pulled him out of the fire and lifted him onto a
out of a door and experiences many wedding
vehicle and Eddie remembered little more. The
celebrations from around the world. At the last
Captain now explains that he had shot Eddie to
one, he sees a beautiful young woman. It’s
save him from dying in the fire. The Captain
Marguerite. She is his fourth person. Eddie cries
thought he was having a breakdown and that it
and tells her how much he has missed her. Time
was better to sacrifice the man’s leg rather than
goes back to Eddie’s thirty-ninth birthday. He
the man’s life. The Captain had also died a short
was gambling at the races with a friend.
time later when he had gone ahead of the
Marguerite was driving there to persuade him to
vehicle to check the way was safe and had stood
go home but she had an accident and ended up
on a bomb. The Captain now explains that the
in hospital. They had been trying to adopt a
second lesson is about sacrifice. Life is full of
child but now that Marguerite was so ill it was
sacrifices and everybody has to make them.
impossible. Eddie felt guilty and their
Sacrifice is not about what you lose but about
relationship wasn’t good for a while, but
what you and others gain.
eventually their love returned. Sadly,
Marguerite got a brain tumor when she was
Chapter 4: Eddie finds himself in a beautiful forty-seven and died, and Eddie was
mountain landscape. He is now in his thirties. heartbroken. Eddie and Marguerite spend time
He sees some flashing lights and walks toward together in heaven and she teaches him his
them. There is a café and his father is sitting fourth lesson. She explains that when she died
inside. Eddie’s father had caused him a lot of she continued to love him as he did her. She
pain during his life. When Eddie was a child, he explains that lost love is still love. Life has to
mostly ignored and neglected him. When he was end but love doesn’t. They dance and
drunk he would also beat Eddie and his brother. Marguerite disappears.
When Eddie was an adult, one night after the

© Pearson Education Limited The Five People You Meet In Heaven – Teacher’s
notes 2
Teacher’s Notes         LEVEL 5 

The Five People You Meet in Heaven 
Chapter 6: Eddie can only see white and he who lose their lives at war are making a
misses his wife. Then he hears a screaming sacrifice for their country. The Captain that
noise and sees a river full of children playing. Eddie meets in heaven actually saved the lives
One small beautiful girl calls to him and a wind of Eddie and two other soldiers who would have
pushes him to her. Her name is Tala and she is driven over the bomb if he hadn’t stood on it.
his last person. She tells him that he had burnt Eddie’s own life was sacrificed to save the
her when she was hiding from the soldiers and young girl from the falling car.
Eddie realizes that she is the figure he saw in the
burning building during the war. He cries and
The power of love and forgiveness: Albom
asks for her forgiveness. She gives him a stone
suggests that love is all powerful and reaches
and asks him to wash her with it. Eddie now
beyond death. Eddie’s love for Marguerite is
sees how her skin and body are completely
true and she can feel this even though she is no
burnt and he follows her to the river. As he rubs
longer on Earth. Albom also suggests that we
the stone over her body, the burnt skin drops off
have to forgive and conquer our feelings of
and she is beautiful again. She now asks him
anger and regret if we are to find real peace.
why he had been sad when he was on Earth and
he explains that he had felt his life was a waste.
She explains that in fact his life had a clear Nothing is what it seems: This is most clearly
purpose. He was meant to be at Ruby Park to represented in the story of Eddie’s father. Eddie
look after the small children. This is his final blames him and is angry because he believed he
lesson. Tala also explains that he had pushed the died because of drinking. In fact he died
young girl out of the way of the falling car heroically. He also thinks his father never spoke
before he died and saved her life. Tala had then to him after the night they fought, but in fact his
led him safely into heaven. The hands that father died calling his name.
Eddie had felt in his at the moment of his death
had been hers. Eddie now passes through the
many colors of heaven which are the emotions
of his life and ends up in his own heaven with
Discussion activities
his wife Marguerite. He will be one of the
people there waiting in heaven for the little girl Before reading
whose life he saved after she has grown up and 1 Discuss and research: Write the following
died and needs to learn five lessons that explain question on the board: What happens after
her life on Earth. death? Put the students in small groups to
discuss all the possible theories that exist
according to different religious or non-religious
Background and themes people. Get feedback from the whole class. Now
put them in pairs to do some research on the
All lives and acts are interlinked: The idea Internet to find out extra information about
that nothing is random runs throughout the particular theories, for example, Buddhism,
book. Although Eddie hardly knew the Blue Catholicism, etc., that they are not familiar with.
Man he was indirectly responsible for his death.
Eddie’s own death is also caused by a young
man who previously lost his key at the Chapter 1
amusement park as it gets lodged in the
machinery and causes the cable to break. While reading (page 2, after ‘… but he didn’t
Numerous events in Eddie’s life, such as the celebrate birthdays any more.’)
wounded leg or his father’s untimely death, lead
him to a seemingly unfulfilled life at Ruby Park, 2 Pair work: Put students in pairs to discuss the
following questions: How did you use to
yet Tala explains that this in fact was his real
purpose in life because there he could look after celebrate your birthday when you were a
the young and innocent. child/teenager? How do you usually celebrate
your birthdays now? How do the old people you
know celebrate their birthdays? Have you ever
Sacrifice is good: Although sacrifice at the time done anything unusual on your birthday?
may seem painful it has its fruits. Young men

© Pearson Education Limited The Five People You Meet In Heaven – Teacher’s
notes 3
Teacher’s Notes         LEVEL 5 

The Five People You Meet in Heaven 
3 Guess (p. 2, after ‘And if he had known, what them to discuss the following question: How
would he have done differently?’): Put students different is the role of a father now in the early
in pairs to answer these questions: What might years of their child’s life in comparison to his
Eddie have done if he had known he was going role 80 years ago?
to die? What would they have done in the same
situation? Get feedback.
9 Discuss (p. 13, after ‘I’ve been waiting for
you.’): Put students in small groups to discuss
4 Pair work: (p. 5, after ‘He told him he’d met the following questions: What kinds of people
the girl he was going to marry.’): Put students in were considered to be freaks in the past? How
pairs to discuss the following questions: Do you were these freaks treated? Do you think this was
believe in love at first sight? Why do two people fair? What kinds of people are sometimes
fall in love with each other? How do they know considered to be not ‘normal’ these days? Are
this love will last forever? Why do many people they treated more fairly than they were in the
get married and then divorced these days? Get past?
feedback.

After reading
After reading
10 Discuss: Remind students that the Blue Man
5 Discuss: Put the students in small groups to was a poor Polish immigrant and then put them
discuss the following questions: Do you think in small groups to discuss the following
Eddie had a happy life? Do you think he was questions: What are the causes of immigration?
happy just before he died? Do you think he was What kind of immigration has occurred in the
a good man? Get feedback. past and what kinds of immigration are
occurring today? Why do immigrants often have
a difficult life?
6 Role play: Put the students in pairs and tell
them they are journalists who are going to
interview one of the people who were rescued 11 Write: Tell the students to imagine they are
from the leaning car at Ruby Park. Get them to the Blue Man’s mother shortly after he lost his
write six questions they could ask. Now job at the factory. Tell them to write a letter to
rearrange the pairs and get one person to be the the boss of the factory explaining how difficult
journalist and the other the interviewee. They life is and begging him to give the child his job
ask and answer the questions and then switch back.
roles.
12 Pair work: Ask the students what the Blue
Man’s lesson is and elicit the answer (All
Chapter 2 acts/lives are connected.). Ask them to discuss
in pairs how true they think this is and get
Before reading feedback. Now ask them to individually write
7 Guess: Explain to the students that the people down five important things they have done in
Eddie meets in heaven are all going to teach him their lives. Tell them to discuss the following
something. Put them in pairs to talk about what questions about these things with a partner:
they might teach him. Get feedback from the Which other people/events influenced your
whole class. decision to do these things? What would be
different now if you hadn’t done them? How
would this have affected the lives of others?
While reading (p. 11, after ‘His.’)
8 Pair work: Put students in pairs to discuss
how the circumstances of Eddie’s birth are Chapter 3
different from those surrounding the birth of
many children today. Prompt them with the Before reading
question: What was Eddie’s father doing when
Eddie was born? Get feedback and then ask 13 Discuss: Explain to the students that the next
scene in heaven takes place during a war. Put
© Pearson Education Limited The Five People You Meet In Heaven – Teacher’s
notes 4
Teacher’s Notes         LEVEL 5 

The Five People You Meet in Heaven 
them in small groups to discuss the following punished by your father when you were a child?
questions: What causes war? Have countries In what ways has he influenced your life?
always had good reasons for going to war?
Should the young people of a country be obliged
to fight? Would you be willing to fight for your While reading (page 52, after ‘A heavy gray
country? cloud hangs over his day.’)
19 Discuss: Put the students in groups to answer
the following questions about dreams: Do you
While reading (at the end of page 28)
often remember your dreams? Can you
14 Write: Tell students to imagine they are remember any particular dreams you have had?
Eddie and to write a letter to Marguerite from Do you ever have nightmares? Can you
the Philippines. Tell them to include remember any? Do you think dreams are
descriptions of what is happening and the significant in any way?
hardships the soldiers have to suffer. Tell them
to write in the first person and include details of
20 Pair work (p. 54, after ‘Emile loved
how Eddie feels.
holidays’): Ask students why July 4 is a holiday
in the United States and elicit the answer (It
15 Guess (p. 39, after ‘Because I was the one celebrates the country’s independence.). Now
who shot you.’: Ask students to discuss in pairs ask them to talk in pairs about national holidays
why they think the Captain shot Eddie. Get in their country, saying when they are celebrated
feedback from the whole class. and why, and what people usually do on those
days.

After reading
After reading
16 Write and ask: Write ‘Why did Eddie first
take a job at Ruby Park?’ on the board and elicit 21 Discuss: Remind students that Eddie’s father
the answer (To save money to study died because he had tried to save a good friend.
engineering.). Ask students to write another Put them in groups to answer the following
question about something in Chapter 3. Check questions: What makes a good friend? Should
their work as they do this. Now have students we always forgive a good friend whatever they
stand up and mingle, asking and answering each do or say? Was Eddie’s father right to save
others questions. Mickey? Get feedback.

17 Pair work: Ask students to think about any 22 Pair work: Remind students that Eddie’s
sacrifices, large or small, they have made in father used to beat him and then ask them to
their lives and explain them to a partner. answer the following questions in pairs: Is it
Encourage them to think how they or somebody ever acceptable for parents to hit their
else benefitted from those sacrifices. Get children? What kind of discipline do you think
feedback. parents should use with their children?

23 Write and guess: Write ‘Eddie used to climb

Chapter 4 under the Ferris wheel to collect keys.’ on the
board. Elicit which word is wrong from the
Before reading students (coins not keys). Now students choose
18 Pair work: Explain to the students that the a sentence from Chapter 4 and rewrite it
next chapter is all about Eddie’s father and then changing one word. Students mingle, reading
tell them to answer the following questions in out their sentences and the other students have
pairs: What is/was your father like? What is/was to identify and correct the mistake.
his job? What is/was your relationship with
your father like? What kind of things did you do
with your father at the weekend? Were you

© Pearson Education Limited The Five People You Meet In Heaven – Teacher’s
notes 5
Teacher’s Notes         LEVEL 5 

The Five People You Meet in Heaven 
Chapter 5 discuss who they think it might be (you could
give them a clue by saying it’s a child) and what
they think will happen after the meeting. Get
Before you read feedback.
24 Pair work and guess: Tell students that the
next chapter is about Eddie and his wife and
then put them in pairs to talk about what they While reading (page 77, after ‘Then a small,
know about their lives together so far. Ask them mysterious noise brought him to consciousness
to consider the question: Do you think they were again.’)
always happy? What are some of the typical 30 Pair work: Ask students to write a list of 10
problems married couples have? noises. Get feedback and write the noises on the
board. Then ask students to talk with a partner
about how often and where they hear these
While reading (page 67, after ‘Marguerite noises and whether they find them pleasant or
has been talking about adoption.’) not.
25 Discuss: Put students in small groups to
discuss the following sentences: Why do many
people adopt? How difficult is it in your country After reading
to adopt a child? Do people adopt from other
countries? Which ones? Do you think adoption 31 Pair work: Write the following words on the
should be easier? board: RIVER, BALLOON, HIDE, STONE,
PUSH, HOME.
Put students in pairs to talk and write about how
26 Pair work (at the end of page 69): Elicit they were significant in the last chapter, without
from the students what people do at the races looking back at the book.
(gamble) and then put them in groups to discuss
the following questions: Do many people
gamble in your country? What do people 32 Write: Ask students to talk to a partner
usually gamble on? Is this a bad thing? Have about what the word HOME means to them. Get
you ever gambled? feedback from the whole class and then ask
students to write about it individually.
Encourage them to be descriptive and
27 Write and role play (p. 73, after ‘They emphasize that they don’t need to limit the
talked about everything.’): Put students in pairs description to a physical place but that it can
and tell half the pairs to write five questions that also include an emotional aspect.
Eddie might ask Marguerite and half the pairs to
write five questions that Marguerite might ask
Eddie. Then rearrange the pairs to role play a 33 Write and guess: Write the names of the
conversation between the two. following characters on the board: EDDIE, THE
BLUE MAN, MARGUERITE, TALA, THE
CAPTAIN, RUBY. Put the students in small
After reading groups and tell them to choose one character
each. Then ask them to write three sentences
28 Pair work: Establish the fact that Eddie and about that character, two which are true and one
Marguerite’s marriage was sometimes good and which is false. Students then read their
sometimes not so good. Now ask students in sentences out to the other members of the group
pairs to answer the question: What makes a who have to guess which are false.
good marriage? Get feedback.
34 Discuss: Put students in small groups to
Chapter 6 discuss the following questions: Did you like the
book? Why/Why not? Do you think his ideas
about life and death are true in any way? Do
Before reading you think everybody has a purpose in life? Do
29 Guess: Explain to students that Eddie is you believe in destiny?
about to meet the fifth person. Ask them to

© Pearson Education Limited The Five People You Meet In Heaven – Teacher’s
notes 6