Examples Of Transcendentalism In Dead Poets Society

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Dead Poets Society was an amazing movie. It went to show just how much a teacher can impact students’ lives, in this case completely turning around the lives of several young men and giving them the ability to truly appreciate art. In the beginning of the movie, the boys were all just going about their lives blindly with goals that were respectable, but without much spiritual or emotional value. By the end, they were still fulfilling those goals, but they had begun to truly take in the beauty of the world around them, discovered the art of poetry, and realized the way that those things could significantly better their lives. Based on that alone, this movie could be considered transcendental, but there were many events in between that would …show more content…

He came to realize his passion for poetry and acting, causing him to audition in a play, where he managed to receive a main part, but his father refused to let him be in it. When Neil ignored his father’s orders and remained in the play, it seemed like the situation may have become transcendental, but his father found out, took him out of school, and ultimately crushed his son’s dreams. Unable to express his true feelings, Neil commits suicide, making the situation anti-transcendental. Because he could not overcome his overbearing father, Neil could not live the way he wanted to live and could not bring himself to transcend. The other major example of anti-transcendentalism is Richard Cameron, the one who betrayed his friends, selling out Mr. Keating to keep him from getting in trouble and turning in the group. Instead of remaining strong like Charlie was able to, Richard bent, turning them all in and getting Mr. Keating fired. He represents the anti-transcendentalist idea that human nature is evil. There will always be a negative side of humanity and there will always be someone evil. In fact, according to anti-transcendentalists, there will always be part of everyone that houses evil, Richard just happened to be the one to show that part of

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