Dead Poets Society Essays

dead poets society Essay
"An individual's interaction with others & the world around them can enrich or limit their
experience of belonging"
Discuss this view with detailed reference to your prescribed text & at least ONE other related text
of your own choosing.
An individual's interaction can indeed enrich or limit one's experience of belonging, as belonging
is one of the essential needs of any human being. Belonging can be seen in the prescribed text of
Arthur Miller's The Crucible, Peter Weir's Dead Poets Society &Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet
Letter, where the central characters are driven by their need to belong or not belong which is
ultimately stimulated by the world & people around them.
The Crucible is based on the Salem community found in...show more content...
Keating becomes the influence in the lives of a group of boys who unite to form an exclusive
group called the Dead Poets Society who go against the status quo of the school & practise the
freedom of "Carpe Diem" meaning Seize the Day" as they are enlightened on the fact that
everyone only has a limited amount of days left & will soon be "fertilizing the dandelions". So by
seizing the day the young boys Neil, Todd, Charlie, Richard & other member of the Dead Poets
Society exercise their minds in the art of free thinking and search their inner artists.
Neil a lively student with natural leadership qualities searches his inner self & finds that he has a
passion for acting & in pursuing his dreams it is seen as an act of rebellion. Charlie Dalton falls in
love with a high school girl, & in chasing the girl of his dreams, he tries to introduce the idea that
Welton change from a single sex to unisex school. By doing this it undermines the 'four pillars' of
Welton, tradition, discipline, honour & excellence which are enforced by the echelons of power &
authority in the school, and in order to maintain discipline in the school conformity is physically
enforced. This is seen as the principle asks Charlie to assume the position after telling him that
"others have had similar actions, & they have failed just as surely as you will" then beating him
showing him the
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Dead Poets Society and the Suicide of Neil Perry "Dead Poets Society" deals with the angst of
growing up in a public boys' school, with the typical themes of pressure to achieve academically
and the themes of rebellion featuring heavily. Several young boys' worlds are changed forever when
Mr. Keating (Robin Williams) arrives at their school. The director of the 1989 film, Peter Weir,
utilises a variety of techniques to subconsciously signal to the viewer that all is not well in the Perry
household. Through these techniques, it becomes evident that Neil is unhappy with life. This
triggers the assumption from the viewer that he will commit...show more content...
Mrs. Perry resides in the background where she remains out of focus for the majority of the scene.
She is positioned between Neil and his father. This suggests that she is unimportant within the
situation and possibly in the family. It could also suggest that her view on Neil's withdrawal from
Helton School lies between her family's opinions. This is possible as she later seems to empathise
with Neil. However, it is more plausible that Neil's mother is inconsequential, which is reflected both
through her being ostracized from the discussion, and also that this reflects the archaic nature of the
household.
Neil's suppression, and the fact that his Father has expressed his wish for Neil to attend Military
School, leads to an insurgent outburst in which Neil confronts his Father. This follows his Father's
speech in which Mr. Perry uses a variety of pronouns to express the disparity between Neil and his
father's lives. When Neil is told that he has opportunities his father never had, I think this invokes
guilt within Neil. The combination of these factors leads to Neil's withdrawal into his chair, into the
foetal position. I think this represents the inauguration of Neil's contemplation of suicide. At the end
of the scene, Neil's mother kneels down behind him and smiles softly. I think this is suggesting to the
viewer that his

Society In Dead Poets Society
Society is a group of individuals, characterized by a common interest whether it be religious,
scientific, or political interests. Individuals are the building blocks of society. Individuals as
human beings are social creatures who have a need to be in close quarters with other humans.
Despite individuals being part of a society due to a common interest, they may experience issues
regarding conflicting views that will affect their overall happiness thus affecting the efficiency at
which society is functioning. For that reason, it is the duty of society to teach the individuals
that reside in it to live their lives to the fullest, to think for themselves, as well as standing up for
what they believe is right. One of the duties of society owes to individuals is to teach them how to
live their lives to the fullest. In the film Dead Poet's Society, Mr. Keating says, " They're (boys in
old picture) not that different from you... you can hear them whispering their legacy... carpe diem.
Seize the day boys, make your life extraordinary"(Weir). Before this point in the film, the boys in
Mr. Keating's class were never told to live their life to the fullest. They have always done what
their parents wanted of them. They have never stood up against authority and taken their lives back.
When Mr. Keating says this, he fulfills the societal duty of teaching individuals to live life to the
fullest by telling them directly to do so. While the boys in Dead Poet's Society were told directly

Dead Poet Society
In the movie Dead Poet Society, there is two characters with different person with contrasting
ideology of how post–secondary education should be conducted. Mr. Nolan the headmaster of the
boarding school admonishes Mr. Keating to be conforming to the education style that promotes
'tradition and discipline'.
These two values of the boarding school indeed does provide several benefits in preparing students
for post–secondary. Tradition and discipline allows the student to be dedicated to their studies in
various discipline, as the teachers enforces them to complete their workload or face the consequence
of possibly failing the course. This is imperative for post–secondary preparation as students are able
to be versatile in multiple skillset,...show more content...
Nevertheless, despite this rebuke by Mr. Nolan, Mr. Keating who appears to be an iconoclast to the
orthodoxical method of education, proceeds with his style of teaching. Likewise, my opinion is
align to that of Mr. Keating of believing that tradition and discipline does not prepare the students
for the future. To begin, the advantages mentioned above are justified, however, the risks of such
promising result were not considered. The fact that students are placed under a itinerary of studying
multitudes of subjects in such a hostile manner can be extremely detrimental to their health. The
level of stress can drive the students to insanity which may cripple them from having a future or
leads to depressing situations. For instance, Neil Perry under stress of being coerced into a future he
did not want, commited suicide. This just demonstrates the dangers of following the ideals of
tradition and discipline. Moreover, the notion of tradition and discipline does not allow space for
which the students can be creative. To elaborate, Mr. Keating stated that he was going to teach the

Reflection Of Dead Poets Society
Abstract: It is extremely evident that the backward teaching style which only chases high scores
in the past is not right, and the way just kill the personalities and spirits of the students.
Consequently, it is true that we need the fresh and innovative teaching style which inspires and
frees our minds in order to promote the equality of education. Key Words: Teaching Style,
teacher, Dead Poets Society, Students Body: Dead Poets Society is a 1989 American drama film
written by Tom Schulman, directed by Peter Weir and starring Robin Williams. Set at the
conservative and aristocratic Welton Academy in the northeast United States in 1959, and it tells
the story of an English teacher who inspires his students through his teaching of poetry. The film
received critical acclaim and box office success and it was also BAFTA's best film and best foreign
film in France and Italy. Moreover, Schulman received an Academy Award for Best Original
Screenplay for his work. In the film,...show more content...
One of the most impressive role is a gifted boy, Neil . Neil is fond of playing the drama, but he
was required to concentrating on the study without thinking about other things. However, His
father discovers his involvement in the play and tells him to quit on the eve of the opening
performance. He turns to Mr.keating for help, but lies and says that his father will let him pursue
an acting career provided that he keeps up with his schoolwork. When his father find the truth, he
forces Neil into military school so he can eventually go to Harvard University. That night, Neil
commits suicide in his father's office, which devastates his friends and Mr. Keating. It is obvious
that the tragedy of Neil's death is exactly caused by the traditional terrible teaching style. He is
crazy about playing but is not understood and supported by his family, and even is forced to transfer
to another school, which result in the

The statement that conformity and tradition are in opposition to individualism and defiance of
authority is very true in The Dead Poet Society, and even more so in today's society in general.
One can walk into any high school and see this is true. In a typical high school, people seem to
have very much in common, especially in dress, hair style, etc... which is in opposition to
individualism in and of itself. People are so caught up in conforming to how society says they
should live their lives, it really tarnishes the spirit of individuality human beings are meant to have.
The movie The Dead Poet Society, even further exemplifies the statement that conformity and
tradition defy individualism. In the story, the students have a...show more content...
On his first day, he asks someone to read the introduction of the students' textbook on poetry. The
introduction was full of complex wording and ideas about how to understand poetry, which Keating
thought was meaningless. He then tells the kids to rip out the whole introduction, saying that poetry
goes well beyond the "technical aspects". Another example from the movie is the life of Neil Perry.
He and his friends re–started The Dead Poet Society, which originally began with Mr. Keating
himself. What Neil and his friends were doing was against school policy, but they did it anyway.
Also, although Neil was very smart and popular, his relationship with his father was very
overbearing. Neil had a passion for acting which his father thought was a waste of time and talent,
thinking nothing of his son's wishes. Neil's father warned him that he was not to perform in the
school play, and if he did, he would be removed from the school. Neil went to Mr. Keating for
advice, and he advised Neil to tell his father how he feels. Neil performed in the play anyway,
only to find his father there to take him home after the play was done. After they were home, Neil's
father expressed his disgust at his son's defiance, and asked him what he had to say for himself, and
how he felt about this. He simply replied saying, "nothing". Later that very night, Neil committed
suicide in his father's office. Soon after Neil's death, Mr. Keating lost

Critical Analysis Of Dead Poets Society
Dead Poets Society: Making Poets and Free Thinkers Dead Poets Society written by Tom Schulman
and directed by Peter Weir is about a group of young men from an all–boys preparatory school who
are under an enormous amount of pressure from their parents; who want them to be future
doctors, bankers, and lawyers. As the school year begins, they get a new English teacher Mr.
Keating played by the late Robin Williams who teaches them with his credo Carpe Diem or Seize
the day to become what they want to become even if that's not their parent's wishes. Dead Poets
Society gives a great message for inspiring teens and young adults with topics of life decisions and
growing up. Mr. Keating had the purpose of teaching the young men in his class how to...show more
content...
Keating saying in reply "Then you're acting for him, too. You're playing the role of a dutiful son.
I know this sounds impossible, but you have to talk to him. You have to show him who you are,
what your heart is." In the same scene where they are standing on the desk he tells the young men
"Boys you must strive to find your own voice because the longer you wait to begin the less likely
you are to find it at all." In another scene in the classroom Mr. Keating calls up Todd played by
Ethan Hawke to read his poem out loud. Mr. Keating knows Todd is afraid to speak in front of the
class. To show Todd he can overcome his fears, Mr. Keating brings him up and covers his eyes.
He has Todd describe what he sees gently spinning him around as he tells the class what he
imagines. When he is finished even while being afraid he is able to tell a poem that puts the class
in awe. As they begin to clap and cheer Mr. Keating walks up to Todd and whispers to him "Don't
you forget this." In these scenes Mr. Keating is guiding the young men to find themselves and
mature into their own men. Vincent Canby of New York Times wrote "One of the major problems
with ''Dead Poets Society,'' Peter Weir's dim, sad new movie, is that although John Keating is the
most vivid, most complex character in it, he is not around long enough. He is really no more than

Dead Poets Society
oniapinto@hotmail.co.nzDead Poets Society, Directed by Peter Weir A significant event that
occurs towards the finale of 'Dead Poets Society' directed by Peter Weir is the movie's compelling
climax, which is when one of the film's most impassioned characters, Neil ends his own life. Neil
commits suicide as he feels trapped with no alternative option other than to conform to his father's
wishes. The significance of this sequence is conveyed through a range of visual and verbal features
such as colour, camera work, props, symbols, music and dialogue. These features collaborate to
persuasively establish the importance of this event. When the suicide sequence begins, Neil is
crushed to be adamantly told by his father, Mr. Perry that he...show more content...
Neil throughout the film feels withdrawn from his father, he cannot talk to him in the way he
wishes because he does not see eye to eye with Mr. Perry's pragmatic approach to life. Neil,
however feels security at Welton because of Mr. Keating and his romantic approach to life. Neil
shares Mr. Keating's impractical ideas, as they are both dreamy by nature and have a strong
belief in 'seizing the day'. Because of Mr. Perry's strict attitude to life, Neil finds hope by taking
refuge in the newly created organization of the 'Dead Poets Society'. Neil finds that by leading
the Dead Poets Society he can express himself how he wants to, and finally has the chance to be
who he wants to be. This new way of life that he finds at Welton Academy is a contrast to his life
at home with his parents. In Neil's suicide sequence alienation is portrayed through a number of
visual features including colour, lighting and symbols. The main colour scheme of the sequence
depicting Neil's suicide is blue, however the colours are drained giving the scene an even colder
more isolated feel. The blue hues in the sequence indicate secrecy, it also creates a lonely and
almost painfully cold atmosphere. The camera focus is soft creating a nostalgic, washed out vision.
The lighting in the sequence is also very dim and foreboding, it is particularly essential in the shots

Essay on Dead Poets Society
Dead Poets Society Many poets and directors believe in the concept of living life to the fullest. In
this quote, by Sir Henry David Thoreau, he shows that we should live life to its fullest and make
sure we make our mark while we still can, so people remember us. In the Movie," Dead Poets
Society," a group of students from the Welton Prep School are moved by the teachings of their
English teacher, Professor Keating. He teaches the boys to be their own boss, leaders and not
followers. This quote relates to the movie because this quote tells what Keating wants to teach his
kids. Many events take place during the movie that asks whether or not Professor Keating's teaching
are appropriate, it is also questionable whether or not he...show more content...
When you look back at your life and realize that you have not taken full advantage of your
opportunities your whole life, you will realize that you may not have lived as good as you could
have. Many people feel that taking full advantage of your life will lead to not regretting a thing in
the future. The way Professor Keating taught was successful in the way that he made his students
realize that they need to live their own lives. . An example is when he teaches the boys "Carpe
Diem (Seize the day)." In the movie, Tim repeatedly says that when he is trying to win over a
girl. Keating is successful because he teaches Tim to go after what he wants and Tim was
persistent enough to keep at it and winds up getting her. Another example is when Neil decides to
be an actor in a play. Even though his father is against it, Neil does is anyway cause he knows he
has what it takes and he feels he has nothing to lose. I feel that if Keating did not teach his
students to be themselves, Neil would have never gone against his father and he would have never
enjoyed his life. When Neil kills himself at the end I think the blame is on his father because he
would not let him do what he wants to do in his heart, he wasn't being supportive of his sons wants.
I feel that Keating had a very positive influence on him. Because of Keatings teachings, his students
learned to live their own lives to the fullest. Professor

Dead Poets Society Decisions
Ours is a world full of opposing beliefs, individualistic views, influential radical or traditional
principles, and inspiring motivations of different personalities. We meet these in most of the
entrapping situations that flood our daily lives, persuading us to make a choice and to take a
stand. Nevertheless, beyond those clashing external forces, every decision we make still lies on
our own hands, and is rooted from our own individual beliefs, understanding, values, desires and
emotions. This, in my opinion, is what the movie "Dead Poets Society" conveys as to how people
come toward positions and/or decisions in life. In the movie, it was very evident how influential
Mr. Keating was to the thinking of the boys in his class, but I don't see...show more content...
He was not able to live the fullest for his father confined him in an illusion of a great future if he
lets his father take control of his life. Neil was further repressed as he entered a very conservative
and traditional preparatory school, Welton. I could imagine how pitiful Neil sees himself as a
helpless individual who can't do what he wants and always feels trapped in a life dictated by his
father. Understanding the rationale why he was put in such a situation is beyond what I can think
of. I feel betrayed for Neil because he was deprived not only of his passion, but of justice and of his
right to handle his own

Essay On Dead Poets Society
Introduction According to J.D. Eveland, leadership is a practice in which an individual sways
groups of individuals via the medium of motivation and inspiration as a method of orchestrating the
actions of those individuals as a means of accomplishing various objectives (Eveland, n.d.). With this
thought in mind, we will view an assortment of vignettes extracted from various Hollywood movies
that characterize various leadership styles. Accordingly, we will determine which leadership styles
were portrayed by the characters and provide a brief synopsis regarding each one. Consequently, we
will commence by reviewing a clip derived from the film entitled Dead Poets Society.
Dead Poets Society (Trait, Behavioral, and Influence Models) In...show more content...
For instance, we observe the student's admiration of Mr. Keating as he was departing the classroom.
As opposed to, their disdain for Mr. Nolan as he reprimands the students to return back to their seats.
Lastly, it was evident that Mr. Keating gathered a significant amount of influence over the students.
As, we witnessed by the salutes rendered by each of the students again as he was departing the
classroom. Given that, let us now examine the comedy Office Space.
Office Space (Contingency & Autocratic Models) In the Office Space scene we notice the "leader
's effectiveness is based on the situation (mindtools.com, n.d.)." We arrive at this conclusion
founded on the manner in which Lumberg instructs Peter to work on the weekend. Important to
realize, according to the Contingency Model a leader will impose his or her authority dependent
upon the priority of the tasks (Fidler's Contingency Theory, 2013). "Autocratic leadership involves
absolute, authoritarian control over a group (Cherry, 2017)." This type of leadership style was
also perceived by virtue of the aloof style in which Lumberg demands Peter to come into work on
his day off, as insinuated earlier. In view of this, we will now go ahead and Remember the Titans.

Dead Poets Society Essay
Dead Poets Society Dead Poets Society Hysterical Text
One person's interpretation of a story is always different than another's. Some of us may see things
that are not being shown to us. Dead Poets Society, in author Tania Modleski's eyes has taken on a
manifestation larger than the author herself. This story is not what the author will have you believe,
whereas the true story was hidden in the misconception of Modleski's beliefs. The sexual content,
homoerotic tensions, and antiauthoritarian behavior, seemed to come from the author's wishful
thinking as opposed to the reality of the film.
In the film a homosexual theme could not be seen. When Mr. Keating came to the school to teach,
he did not insist on being called oh...show more content...
There is one character that committed suicide according to Modleski because his father would not
let him play a fairy in a play. What this character was trying to show was that he had finally broken
free of his father's decisions on how, and what, he should do. He auditioned for a play and got the
part all by himself, without his fathers approval. This was something that he wanted to do, and
was good at it. When his father forbid him to pursue acting, even second to him being a doctor,
this was all he could take. Him putting his fairy crown on the open window ledge, just before
committing suicide, symbolized the freeing of the actor inside, like an offering to a higher being.
The boys in Welton Boarding School share what all boys their age share while at school. There are
no signs of homoerotic tensions present. There are signs of groups forming and friendships being
made. When they decided to form the Dead Poets Society it was a normal male bonding experience.
An all male boarding school does not mean that they are all homosexuals who are crying out for
recognition. The movie did not illustrate any homosexual tension between the boys at any time in
the movie.
When Mr. Keating told the boys to rip out he introduction of the book he was trying to illustrate that
writing poetry was not like reading a recipe. Poetry was feeling what you are writing, and it was
from the heart not the

"Now is the time to seize the day" is the main premise behind Dead Poets Society. This movie is all
about helping young men to find who they really are. This is the way that John Keating, the teacher,
wants his boys to know, he teaches the boys that anything they want to do they could. He brings
these kids hope.
"Captain", as the boy call him, is different from the other teachers because he is less strict and
more real, he is less focused on grades and more on setting the kids up for the real world. His
teaching style would be considered as Essentialist. He is setting the scene for these kids to stand
up for themselves, for example in the Dead Poets Society, he encourages Neil to follow his dream
of acting. With Neil he is unknowingly giving him the courage to stand up to his father and giving
him the courage to go his own way. Another example is he set them up to start The Dead Poets
Society again and with that he set them up to find their own paths in life. The school is a boarding
school for boys to be trained up in the ways of higher education and to train the boys for a "real
job". They have four major traits Tradition, Honor, Discipline, and Excellence. The attitudes of the
staff and administration are those of snobs! They look and act like someone who thinks they are
better than everyone. Except this teacher the "Captain" as they call him is the most humble teacher,
one that is approachable and encouraging, he makes them step out of their comfort zone, for

This movie reminds me how people can come along and touch our lives in astonishing ways.
Growing up without my parents, I had numerous individuals telling me how to mature into a
successful citizen. They would tell me the steps I need to take; the career I would need to attain
to make my mark in this world. As Neil's father, they meant well but, it can become a little
overwhelming at times. I, specifically, remember as a youth when I was working in the
neighborhood mowing and raking yards for extra money. I had this old gentleman tell me "work
hard, always do my best and always remember, you are the gardener of your mind." I did not think
much of it, at the time but, as I watched the movie; I reflect back on that particular part of my...show
more content...
If these requirements are not met, the human body cannot function properly and will ultimately
fail. Physiological needs are thought to be the most important; they should be met first."
(Wikipedia) I had grown to understand seizing the day will not allow our time to fertilize
daffodils, be lost, as Mr. Keating stated in the hallway about the past alumni's," they were
fertilizing daffodils." Time cannot be replaced therefore each and every day, we need live, as
though it's our last. Unfortunately, this new way of living requires a new way of thinking. Mr.
Keating stepped onto his desk to make a point, "the universe is wider than our view of it." I found
that to be ironic because; we recently learned about constantly getting on the balcony to view
things from a different perspective. As we learned to shift our perspective, we merely took the
time to look at the situation from a different angle, which allows us to understand before we judge
and to think before we speak. I have found by shifting my perspective. I have a new appreciation
for the final results of a situation. However, this doesn't mean that the things I have always
believed are wrong. It simply means that I'm able to open my mind to new ideas and new ways of
thinking, and be more compassionate towards other ideas. I had a win–lose personality. It was my
way or the highway. Therefore, getting on the balcony was very difficult for me before attending
Dr. Buchanan's class. It was hard to see

Dead Poets Society Conformity
Literary Essay – Dead Poets Society
&#9;Bill Beattie once said, &quot;The aim of education should be to teach us how to think
rather than what to think – rather to improve our minds, so as to enable us to think for ourselves,
than to load the memory with thoughts of other men.&quot; All too often, however, individual
thoughts are crushed by the powerful weight of conformity. In the film Dead Poets Society,
conformity exercises it's influence and the results prove disastrous for some. For others, the effect of
conformity compels them towards individual strength and the discovery of one's true self.
&#9;Modern education is one of the largest &quot;offenders&quot; when it comes to
conformity, and that point is...show more content...
Perhaps they were clapping because everyone else was clapping, or perhaps they were just having a
good time. However, it cannot be disputed that the group conformed without thinking.
&#9;All too often, the words of the textbook are considered undisputed fact. All chemistry
textbooks will list the elements with the same symbols and all Latin textbooks will list
approximately the same translations. The poetry textbook, written by a Dr. Pritchett, attempts to
lump words that are meant to touch the heart into the same factual categories of math and the
sciences. Can Dr. Pritchett's method of analyzing poetry by graphing its importance and perfection
be used to measure what one feels? More importantly, is Dr. Pritchett's method the only method that
one must use when measuring the greatness of poetry and can poetry be looked at using only the
mind and not the heart?
&#9;Mr. Keating did not feel that poetry was meant to be analyzed using measurable techniques
but rather through the feelings of one's heart. He summed up his feelings on Dr. Pritchett's method
of measuring the greatness of poetry in one word, &quot;Excrement.&quot;
&#9;He took his class on a journey of self–discovery, a journey where they learned that there is
not always a right answer or a wrong one. In order to find one's true self, one must learn to resist
conformity and walk one's own way, as was illustrated in the lesson out in the courtyard. He taught
them

Dead Poets Society
In the film, The Dead Poets Society, based on a time during the 1950's, explores the lives of a
group of young schoolboys who were being taught in a boarding school. Individual characters had
trouble with conquering their own personal fears, as these young boys were not used to thinking for
themselves. However, Mr Keating, a new teacher at their school Welton, had started to teach these
youthful teenagers how it feels to be an individual, sparking their interest in being themselves, and
reigniting their desire to conquer the fears that had held them down for so long. There were times
that the fear derived from disappointing the parents and them planning their future out for them. In
the scene of Neil going into his room to find his father...show more content...
Throughout the scene of when the boys where meant to have made their own poem, Todd had not
done his and can see clearly that the way he is looking down at the table shows he is disappointed
in himself and feeling down. Mr Keating, seeing Todd in his gloom, pulls him out in front of the
class to shout a barbaric yawp. Besides doing that, Mr Keating them covers Todd's eyes with his
hands and starts spinning him around asking him to chant a poem about a picture of a man
spontaneously, while the camera follows them spinning to show disorientation and confusing
emotions. Furthermore, Mr Keating's saying "The difficulty of maintaining your own beliefs is
in the face of others" goes to show how difficult it would have been to get up in front of the class
and talk like that, thinking on his own terms. Once Mr Keating had been fired from Welton, Todd
decides that it would be best to honour what Mr Keating has taught him about speaking up in
front of an audience and just learning to comprehend if they aren't accepted, and to give it a go
anyway. Todd stands on his desk and turns to his former teacher and recites his saying "O'
Captain, my captain!" plus the other boys follow in his example and stand on their own desks.
Mr Keating replies to the teenagers by simply saying "Thankyou boys", and the camera zooms in
on Todd's face, displaying how glad he is with his life. Todd had learned from him how to speak
out and be himself, conquering his fear of not being accepted, and giving his some good life lessons
in the

Dead Poets Society
"O Captain! My Captain!," Dead Poets Society is an all–American classic; "Our fearful trip is done,"
With its subtle undertones and prominent connotations, stitched together by its optimistic views
on life, all contribute to the widespread epidemic of dreaming and living lives to the fullest. "The
ship has weather'd every rack, the prize we sought is won," When a new English teacher, Mr. John
Keating (Robin Williams), begins teaching at Welton's all boys academy, Neil Perry (Robert Sean
Leonard) and his group of friends embark on a taboo journey of taking the chances of a lifetime.
"The port is near the bells I hear, the people all exulting," But what happens when the headmaster,
Mr. Nolan (Norman Lloyd), uncovers the truth of Mr. Keating's...show more content...
The music score impacts the audience by coordinating feeling and sound; Music has its own themes
and contrasting ideas already set. The music can also set the scene and stand symbolic in nature for
what the next scene might bring. Maurice Jarre, the main artist of the soundtrack, sticks with a light
and innocent leitmotif throughout most of the exposition. The opening scene's melody is very
lyrical and calming in nature although the soundtrack for Dead Poets Society is much like one
song, not much difference with piano and harp features. When there are downcasted moods, the
bass lines seem to broaden and grow in volume. The music choices were at the time modern and has
a European atmosphere, which helps guide the general tone of an traditional english boarding
school. The last song was the popular Beethoven symphony no. 9, which had a triumphant feel; The
biggest song of the film was called "Keating's triumph" which is the loudest scene with bagpipes.
The song with the saddest subject was a slow, serious song with monk–like hum. The music in Dead
Poets Society alters

In Dead Poets Society, John Keating becomes the new English teacher at Welton Academy, an
esteemed school rooted in tradition, after attending as a student years ago. He teaches using an
unconventional style which is different from the traditional English curriculum, and in the process,
he exposes the students to a new perspective on the subject and principles for living life. Keating
encourages free–thinking and condemns the textbook which prevents the students from thinking for
themselves. Other individuals, including the principal, Mr. Nolan, disagree with his unconventional
method of teaching and prefer that he follow a traditional method of teaching through an English
textbook. The lessons that Mr. Keating presents the students...show more content...
English was taught using the textbooks for many years at Welton Academy and ripping the pages
from the book represents a rejection of conformity. Keating teaches without the textbook which was
a central part of the original curriculum and instead attempts to teach the students to become free
thinkers. An important part of becoming a free thinker is to not be influenced by another
individual which in this case is Dr. Pritchard. Regarding poetry, the student must have a chance to
think for themselves and not have the thoughts of others shoved down their throats by a professor.
Keating's insistence on the students ripping out the pages is reflective of Emerson's principle that
"Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind". When Keating has Todd Anderson
compose a poem in front of the class, he reveals, to the students, Emerson's principle that people
have limitless potential. After assigning the class to write a poem, Todd comes in the following day
without a completed poem. When Mr. Keating calls Todd to let out a barbaric "YAWP", he attempts
to have Todd channel his inner emotions and feelings before having his compose a poem. The words
that begin to spew out of his mouth when Keating tells him to speak about the picture of Walt
Whitman on the wall form a poem. Emerson, in "Self–reliance", says that "The power which resides
in him is new in nature, and none but he knows what that is which he can do,

1. Compare and contrast the leadership styles of Mr. Keating and Mr. Nolan. Mr. Keating's
leadership style is supportive because he shows concern for his students well being and needs. He
has a charismatic attribute which helps inspire some emotion and passion in his classroom which is
a big change of character that Welton Academy students are used to. Mr. Nolan has more of a
directive leadership style because he has strict guidelines that he wants to teachers and student to
abide by. He has a lot of power being the Headmaster of Welton, and he is always trying to control
behavior so that rules are always being followed. Everyone in the school knows better than to mess
with Mr. Nolan.
2. Is Mr. Keating successful as a leader?...show more content...
Mr. Welton has the mentality of "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" and a successful leader must be
willing to adapt to change over time.
4. What is the source of Mr. Nolan's power over the boys? Mr. Keating's? Mr. Nolan's power that
he has over the boys is legitimate power because he is the headmaster of the school. This type of
power inflicts fear on the students, as well as teacher's. The students know that Mr. Nolan has the
power to kick them out, call their parents, and even punish them with a couple smacks on the rear
end with a wooden paddle. The power that Mr. Keating has over the boys is respect. The boys
respect Mr. Keating because he was a student at the school and they see the way he turned out to be.
He gives the boys a hope to be something different and that the world is what they want to make it,
not what Welton Academy says it is.
5. Compare John Sculley and Mr. Nolan's concept of motivation to that of Steven Jobs and Mr.
Keating Mr. Nolan and John Sculley's concept of motivation is more conformity than anything else.
They feel that they must influence the behaviors and beliefs of others. They strongly believe that
one must always follow rules or laws, or any standards that are socially accepted. On the other hand
Mr. Keating and Steve Jobs believe that people should have a voice for themselves. They
encourage diversity and welcome change which provides a healthy atmosphere for people. "Seize
The Day" really says it all in this

Neil Perry Conflict
"Neil Perry, with the possible exception of Charlie Dalton, is the most ardent disciple of Keating's
"Carpe Diem" philosophy. This sets him up for a confrontation with the conservative forces in the
film. Show how the conflict between Neil, his father and the establishment is developed from a
filmic perspective." Dead Poets Society repeatedly shows relational conflict, often between the boys
and authority. Perhaps the most obvious example within the film is that of Neil's relationship with
his father. This conflict mainly results ofrom bad a lack of communication and misunderstanding
due to Neil's inability to express himself to his father. The director constantly makes use of filmic
techniques to highlight this tension and its affect...show more content...
The lighting in this scene tells us a lot – Neil's father is in the dark, emphasizing his lack of
understanding about Neil's passion as well as the sinister controlling side of him we have seen
throughout the film. Neil, however, is placed in the spotlight, showing his superiority and
importance at this point in time. We become aware???? Throughout the film we see indexical value
in the clothing the two wear. Mr. Perry's formal suits emphasize his conformity and position of
authority, while Neil is often seen in informal clothing – even when wearing school uniform he often
wears a jersey instead of the more formal blazer. His choice of clothing indicates his more relaxed,
expressive nature. When Neil and his father have a discussion in the study after the play,
mise–en–scene aids us in plays an enormous role in allowing us to understanding the situation.
Extreme low and high angles are used to show Neil and his father in dominant and vulnerable
positions respectively. The books in the shelves create lines which highlight the authority and
dominance of this place, and therefore Mr. Perry. The dim lighting and the warm, inviting colours
creates a warm, loving atmosphere. This is in sharp contrast with and which jars harshly with the
unkind way Mr. Perry is speaking to Neil and thehis lack of understanding he shows him. The
climax of this dysfunctional relationship between father and son is reached in the scene where Neil
takes his life. The

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