Dead Poets Society‘s Central Theme

Wednesday:

Dead Poets Society's central theme in my opinion would be "Carpe Diem" or seize the day. Mr. Keating tells them this because he wants them to do something in their life that is extraordinary or different. He wants them to break from the chains that society and their parents have put on them because when they are on their own and are thrown into the ocean which is life they can either break the chains and swim or keep the chains and sink. I think that the author and director both made a big point to get this theme across, and in my opinion they both did a very good job in bringing it to life.

Thursday:

1. I think that Neil would have still committed suicide even if Mr. Keating had never come into his life except it probably would have been a few years down the road. Because even before he even met Mr. Keating his father ran his life and he was miserable. 

2. The bravest would have to be Todd. He really stepped up and finally found his voice. Whereas the person I found to be a coward was Neil. He had many opportunities to stand up to his father and he never did. He always encouraged Todd to stand up for himself but never did it himself.

3. I think Mr. Keating put the book there even though it was frowned upon by the  administration to teach the boys to think for themselves.

Friday:

1. The most influential leader I ever had would have to be Coach Thompson. He really opened my mind and taught me how important it is to gain more perspective. 

2. I think it means that poetry is how we as humans express our emotions and being able to do so is what keeps us alive and separates us and makes us human which I agree.

3. I absolutely love this quote. I agree with it wholeheartedly because I feel as though the greatest gift something can have is perspective. As for a person story, I try and gain as much perspective as I can which is why I constantly try and expose myself to new things and go beyond my comfort zone. 

4. Now this is quite a difficult question to answer and I feel as though to answer this question without fully knowing would be an injustice. Therefore my answer is I don't know yet.

Follow Up Character Questions

1. The character who changed the most in my opinion would have to the teacher that ended up being friends with Mr. Keating. At first he was somewhat against Mr. Keatings unorthodox way of teaching. Then he started to encourage it, and then at the end you see him outside with his students using Mr. Keatings tactic. 
2. Neil does not change in the film because throughout the entire film he doesn't speak up for himself to his father and at the very end when you think he is finally going to do it all he says was "nothing". 
3. I think that Mr. Keating did change and in the future might still teach the way he did but also teach restraint.
4. Todd over came his fear of speaking up both in class and to his friends. As for Neil his fear was standing up to his father and disappointing his mother, I don't think that he overcame his fear. Knox's fear was that he wouldn't end up with Tina. As for Charlie's fear, his fear was people thinking he had one and I don't think that he overcame this because at the end of the movie when he was getting expelled he was scared and you could tell but he refused to admit to it. 

Discussion Questions

Q: Katherine Watson's teachings were labeled as "unorthodox". Explain and cite examples from the movie.
A: The reason Katherine Watson's teachings were labeled as "unorthodox" was because she was trying to teach the girls to think for themselves and not only go to college but get a job and go and do things for themselves and not just for there husbands. Also that their only reason for existence was to get married, bear their children, cook, and clean. Some examples would be when she was telling the girls about Vincent Van Gogh's painting and the paint by numbers box set. Another was when she showed the girls the painting and even though they were saying that it wasn't art because it wasn't typical and they didn't like it she told them to just consider it. 


Q: Betty's marriage to Spencer – do you think she was happy? Note her mother's refusal to let her stay with her. Why?
A: I don't think that she was happy at all. I think that she tried to be and wanted to be but just couldn't. It showed when Spencer had to go "out of town". Her mother refused to let her stay with her because she wanted Betty to fix or more so ignore her problems with Spencer. The reason being is she didn't want what happened later, for her to end up getting a divorce or make it seem like they weren't perfect. Also so that it wouldn't bring a bad look on the family name.

1. Katherine Watson's teachings were labeled as "unorthodox". Explain and cite examples from the movie.