“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. Thoreau said, ‘Most men lead lives of quiet desperation.’ Don't be resigned to that. Break out!”—John Keating (Robin Williams)
As the above quote says, one should never be resigned to dullness, but instead you should break out and try something new. It is our differences that make us great. However, one cannot expect to be different if they never express themselves or speak up. Director Peter Weir, director of The Truman Show, presents the importance of individuality and speaking up in his movie Dead Poets Society, a fictional but realistic story that tells the story of a group of friends at the Wellington Academy prep school and their interactions with their new English teacher, John Keating (Robin Williams). Keating teaches the boys life lessons through some interesting teaching methods that end up changing his students’ approach to life’s challenging situations.
Throughout watching Dead Poets Society, I found myself liking the movie more and more as i...
“Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else.” This mantra from Margaret Mead is a somewhat humorous yet slightly satirical spin on how people tend to think of themselves as one-of-a-kind, irreplaceable human specimens. However, one English teacher from Wellesley High School takes this critique one step further with his polemic presentation at the school commencement. David McCullough, a Massachusetts English teacher, gave a seemingly somber sendoff to his graduates in 2012, with a speech that contained some unapologetically harsh sentiments. However, by looking past the outwardly dismal surface of the speech, the students can infer a more optimistic message. By incorporating devices of asyndeton, paradox, antimetabole, and anadiplosis, McCullough conveys to each student that even though none of them is unique, their commonality is not a fault they all have merit and should strive to view the world through a more selfless lens.
It appears appropriate to discuss the film using Peck's ideas on love and discipline since "The Dead Poets Society" involves numerous instances where individual interests, driven by love, come into conflict with discipline invoked by the proponents of social conservation and conformity. It is the situation where the older generation intends to exercise control over the younger one through what it sees as discipline, while at the same time failing to see that the real reason behind the acting out done by the younger generation is not the need to rebel but rather the desire to find their own way in life, to explore the future according to their own interests, while at the same time seeking approval from the older generation towards which the younger one often feels nothing but love.
The movie, Dead Poets Society truly captures the essence of the conformities that children are facing. The difference is letting the hourglass run out of time, or making the best of time, facing tough challenges along the way. Todd Anderson makes the best out of his time thanks to the teaching of Mr. Keating, his beloved English teacher. From a misunderstood adolescent to a courageous man, Todd shows his true colors and releases the inferior thoughts stirring up in his developing, young body. In the end, romanticism crushes idealism with power and envy, showing the eye-opening ways that a teacher can contribute to such a tightly wound academy such as Welton.
Individualism, the doctrine of free thought and action of the individual, forms the basis of Ayn Rand's novel The Fountainhead. The major theme of her fiction is the primacy of the individual, the unique and precious individual life. That which sustains and enriches life is good, that which negates and impoverishes the individual's pursuit of happiness is evil.
After seeing the film, Dead Poets Society, the watcher will easily pick up on Transcendental idea’s whether they know it or not. If the viewer is watching this movie for educational purposes or entertainment, it overall demonstrates to the audience many strong ideas that these common writers emphasizes greatly throughout their writing through Mr. Keatings methods of teaching. Lesson’s of three common Transcendental writers, Emerson, Thoreau, and Whitman are taught both directly and subtly by the influential teacher, Mr. Keating. The lessons taught not only impact the boys during the film, but it changes their mindset for the rest of their lives and the audiences. Keating was prosperous in establishing the theories of the writers inside the boys minds which impacted all aspects of their lives for the better.
Today’s society as well as the majority of our schools can definitely improve on how it encourages creativity and individuality in today’s youth. A lot of the time, it’s hard to do this, but with smaller classrooms, more qualified and devoted teachers, and more cooperation from the students, everyone’s needs could be met, and students would receive a better education. Many of today’s schools have no tolerance for anything that may go against the “norm.” Schools today can allow for individuality and differences in students, but they either choose not to or are not aware that anything is wrong with the way they do things. In Melville’s, Billy Budd, there are examples of this stifling of individuality. The crew members on board the “Avenger” are made to all conform and follow orders without question. Through Claggart, the men’s individuality and rights as people are taken away through fear. No matter what anyone is trying to accomplish, satisfying everyone is almost always impossible. It is no different in today’s school system, satisfying everyone is difficult. Students are not allowed to express themselves as freely as they should. This is not the case in all schools, but it is Especially since incidents like those at Columbine High School, schools now view acts of individuality and creativeness as those of malicious intent. There is a kind of intolerance for those who act differently from the majority. Ever since the two boys from Columbine murdered their classmates, everyone has been extremely cautious about everything from actual death threats, to mere heated discussion between classmates. It is almost to a point of overkill.
In the movie Dead Poets Society, Robin Williams's character as Mr. Keating, the English teacher, is a hero. Carpe Diem, lads! Seize the day of the day! Make your life drastically better. Keating's viewpoints and thoughts on life stayed the same throughout the movie no matter what conflict was occurring.
What do you see when you walk down your high school hallway? Many people will notice cliques, couples, and reclusive beings hidden behind their binder-occupied arms. Where do you fit in society? Are you the judging or the judged, the observer or the observed, or are you exactly who you want to be? Our culture has become increasingly commercialized, the influence of the media on people's identities and how they perceive themselves has become a tremendous force. Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote more than 150 years ago, “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” As I further describe Emerson's statement, I will explain how qualities, credulousness, and freedom are vital structures
A Separate Peace and Dead Poets Society revolve around a group of young boarding school attendees who form groups during their sessions. Although the book and the movie have different plots, they portray similar ideas as well as include some of the same scenes. The characters in these works; Todd, Gene, Phineas, and Neil have numerous similarities though their personalities and behaviors.
	Bill Beattie once said, "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." 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.
“He who loses individuality, loses all” (Good Reads, 2012). This quote said by Mahatma Gandhi, one of the most recognized leaders of the 19th century, can easily be used to acknowledge the importance of a society possessing unique individualistic traits and characteristics as individuality is the fuel needed to run a society. In a world, where even a mere speck of individuality is not present, that society is likely to shatter into utter destruction. Moreover, individuals should possess the ability to embrace their own uniqueness through which they will have the ability to understand distinctive phrases such as that said by William Channing, “no one should part with their individuality and become that of another”. The concept of individuality being vital to society is explored within Caitlin Tom’s essay Individuality vs. Fitting in, the American novel Little Women by Louisa Alcott, and the romantic yet empowering dramatic film Jane Eyre. The concept presented in these three works portrays how it the essence of individuality is a fundamental component for society as it aids with the recognition of societal barriers, allows the ability to empower change, and permits appreciation of the invoked change.
"The Dead Poet’s Society" is a movie about a group of kids. The conflict, characters, plot and theme are very interesting. So now I am going to tell you a little about it.
Emily Dickinson had a fascination with death and mortality throughout her life as a writer. She wrote many poems that discussed what it means not only to die, but to be dead. According to personal letters, Dickinson seems to have remained agnostic about the existence of life after death. In a letter written to Mrs. J. G. Holland, Emily implied that the presence of death alone is what makes people feel the need for heaven: “If roses had not faded, and frosts had never come, and one had not fallen here and there whom I could not waken, there were no need of other Heaven than the one below.” (Bianchi 83). Even though she was not particularly religious, she was still drawn to the mystery of the afterlife. Her poetry is often contemplative of the effect or tone that death creates, such as the silence, decay, and feeling of hopelessness. In the poem “I died for beauty,” Dickinson expresses the effect that death has on one's identity and ability to impact the world for his or her ideals.
Film Review of Dead Poets Society Dead Poets Society explores the conflict between realism and romanticism as these contrasting ideals are presented to the students at an all boys preparatory school. Welton Academy is founded on tradition and excellence and is bent on providing strict structured lessons prescribed by the realist, anti-youth administration. John Keating is a new English teacher with a passion for poetry. When he returns to his own strict childhood school to teach, his unconventional methods quickly prove to be inspirational to a group of students. He inspires them to pursue their desires and live life to the fullest.
The movie, Dead Poets Society, takes place at Welton Academy, an elite preparatory school for boys. The four pillars of the school’s philosophy are tradition, honor, discipline, and excellence. The new English teacher, a Welton Academy alumnus, is John Keating, played by Robin Williams. Keating believes that the purpose of education is to teach students to think for themselves. John Keating challenges the traditional learning techniques with a new progressive and humanistic approach, through a student-centered curriculum.