Analysis Of Dead Poets Society

“Seize the day. Gather the rosebuds while ye may. Why does the writer use these words? … Because we are food for worms, lads. Because, believe it or not, each and everyone one of us in this room is one day going to stop breathing, turn cold and die.” Taken straight from the mouth of Robin Williams as his character of John Keating, this concept was applied to the movie “Dead Poet’s Society” to not only draw the attention of his students but to open their minds to a whole new way of looking at the world and themselves. We are all powerful beings. Each of us have an impact on the world but only we can determine how big and what kind of an impact that is. That’s exactly what Mr. Keating is trying to teach his students; all through the power of
Throughout the movie there are many places where carpe diem is put into action. However, the first scene about John Keating’s classroom is where the line is introduced. This is where he explains to his class that there is more to each day than your regular routine and that they all should make the most of everyday because it will all soon be gone. Many of the boys in the new Dead Poet’s Society take this advice to heart. Knox Overstreet gets the courage to ask the girl of his dreams out, even though she is in a committed relationship to a much tougher jock, and Neil Perry joins a local theater to follow his dreams of acting, despite the fact that it is very much against his father’s blessing. Although we hear it everyday, often times people don’t live in the moment. The future is a major factor that many take into consideration before acting upon their initial thought. It was a relief to see people do things for themselves and encouraging to see the positive outcomes that sometimes were a result of seizing the
Though there were many characters that “Dead Poet’s Society” followed, Neil Perry and his story was one of the most focused on. A strict father and the role of being an obedient son put lots of pressure and stress in Neil’s life but changes did occur within his character’s personality. In the first scene in the dorms, Neil is introduced as the leader of his group of friends but when his father comes in he’s expected not to say a word. When he does, he’s pulled aside and told never to do it again, only to listen to his father and do what he’s told. At first, that is what we see. His father tells him to drop the school’s annual and he does, but as we progress, we see that with influence from Mr. Keating and the Dead Poet’s Society gives Neil plenty of courage to face his father. His first act of rebellion is joining a local play without asking his father first. Forging a letter from his father, he gets away with it at first but his father soon finds out. One of the last scenes where we see Neil, is after the play at his home. His father demands that he stop play and focus on getting into Harvard Medical School. Neil speaks up this time telling his father that he never listens to what he has to say and what he wants, but eventually gives up, on literally everything, when he realizes he will never convince his father to change his