Exploring Themes of Conformity in Dead Poets Society Essay

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 Get more content on StudyHub.Vip

The Dead Poet's Society The theme of the movie, "The Dead Poets Society" originates from a prominent quote stated by teacher John Keating, "Carpe Diem" also known as Seize the Day. The quote is quite meaningful to the boys in the movie because the quote encourages them to exploit several opportunities that they, themselves are passionate about. After being held captive in an enclosed–box for all their life, they finally understand that there is more to life than just adhering to the book and that if you don't exploit opportunities rapidly, they will solely vanish with time. Firstly, the quote inspired a young Romeo named Knox Overstreet. One day, as he was lingering through the neighborhood with his bike, his eyes came into contact with his first true love. Knox Get more content on StudyHub.Vip

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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 Get more content on StudyHub.Vip

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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 Get more content on StudyHub.Vip

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 Get more content on StudyHub.Vip

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Dead Poets Society The movie "Dead Poets Society" starring Robin Williams as Mr. Keating, showed the importance of being who you want to be, and doing what you want to do. The movie demonstrated the way a teacher or other person can influence those around them, and be changed themselves. Mr. Keating's techniques were an example of "showing not telling" as he interacted with the students. He continued to keep his class interested and having fun by telling jokes, as well as acting out parts and using interactive teaching techniques. Mr. Keating used props and activities to get the lessons point across. For example, he stood on his desk, and had the students as well, to show new point of views. Another form of his unorthodox teaching was having the students walk around the courtyard and explaining why the ...show more content... Although he was the poetry teacher, he still found ways to keep the students guessing as to what they would do; they kicked soccer balls and did other activities to teach the purpose and understanding of poetry. Also Mr. Keating kept all the boys involved, and asked them personal questions causing them to connect the content to their own lives. He was open with his students about himself, and was sure to explain the difference between questioning and disrespect when a student acted out. Also, Mr. Keating used visuals, and had the students tear out their textbook pages. But most importantly, Mr. Keating wanted the boys to learn and think for themselves. After viewing "Dead Poets Society" one is able to reflect on the approach taken to any situation. Mr. Keating was able to teach students how to think for themselves in a school and society that attempted to keep young men oblivious to the meanings Get more content on StudyHub.Vip

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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 Get more content on StudyHub.Vip

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 Get more content on StudyHub.Vip

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Dead Poets Society Essay 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 Get more content on StudyHub.Vip

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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 Get more content on StudyHub.Vip

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 Get more content on StudyHub.Vip

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Dead Poets Society Essay

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