Reflections on the film
What is the film’s attitude towards youth? How does the film deal with the theme of ‘growing up’?
This movie is a classic film about teens against grownups that just don't understand. The teens in the film are normal, just like all teens, shy or bonded by their parents’ or school’s rules. They were inspired by Mr. Keating to seize the day and do what they want. As they “grew up”, they started to explore relationships with girls and of course, try to deal with the death of a close friend, Neil.
How does each of the boys below choose to ‘seize the day’? What is your opinion about their individual choices?
(a) Neil Perry
Mr. Keating was a hero to Neil Perry. Neil looked up to Mr. Keating's philosophy of life and the way he encouraged the students. Neil was a boy who was under the control of his father's constant command, and didn't dare go against his father's wishes. Everything Neil wanted in life was the complete opposite of what his father wanted. Neil was inspired by Mr. Keating to seize the day. Neil was full of life and ambition and was tired of his father running his life. Neil had a passion for acting. Mid Summer Night's Dream was all that Neil was thinking about. He was so ecstatic about the try-outs and making the role main role he wanted. Neil displayed Carpe Diem when he went immediately back to his typewriter and began forging a letter "from his father." In this letter Neil was pretending to be his father and saying that Neil is given permission to participate in the play. When Neil seizes the day it has a negative and positive effect. The positive outcome is that Neil for filled his dream of being in a play.
(b) Charlie Dalton
Charlie seemed to be no stranger when it comes to following the saying Carpe Diem. Charlie is an example of a character that displays Carpe Diem in such a way that it turns out to be negative. He does not think about the pros or cons and nor does he think about the consequences. In Dead Poets Society Charlie's choice to publish an article in the school newspaper was his mistake in seizing the day. He published an article saying that Wellton Academy should have girls and signed it DPS. The faculty was outraged and immediately wanted to put and end to the DPS. When the faculty held an assembly in the church Charlie “seized the day” once again. But this time Charlie pushed the limits too far. The phone rang Charlie picks up and shouts out loud: "Phone call from God, he thinks we should have girls." The two major examples is the phone call from God and when he punches Cameron in the face which leads to his expulsion from Wellton Academy
(c) Knox Overstreet
Knox was someone whom just threw himself into romanticism and used that as his interpretation of “carpe diem”. Knox’s “object of desire” was Chris. His entire existence revolved around her (his thoughts, poetry, behavior, etc) He broke rules to see her, competed for her attention with her boyfriend, and sacrificed his relationship with his family and with the Dansburrys. After that initial meeting, Knox does everything in his power to win her over. He rides his bike to a football game to see her. He calls her, exclaiming first “Carpe Diem… even if it kills me,” and is elated when she invites her to a party that Chet is having. At that party and after a few drinks, he makes a move on Chris when she was asleep; he sees his act as “seizing the day” too.
(d) Todd Anderson
At first, Todd is very quiet with not much to say. He is the only student who sufficiently grasped Keating’s teachings and discovered his verse. After the first day of class, Todd writes “Carpe Diem” on his paper, dreaming of what it would be like if he, too, could contribute a verse and be great like those in the picture. His insecurity gets the better of him, though, and he throws out the paper believing he has nothing to contribute. Later, in class, after being asked to write a poem, Todd tells Keating he never completed the assignment after he spent many hours writing and revising his poem only to have thrown it away before class. Keating sees through Todd’s fear and first makes him yawp, and later makes him say whatever comes to mind.
I went into the woods because I wanted to live deliberately.
I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life
... to put to rout all that was not life; and not,
when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.
- Henry David Thoreau
What does the quote suggest about the relationship between man and nature? How does the film reinterpret this idea?
Thoreau went into the woods to live a bare, spare, and essential existence... no modern conveniences to help him make things easier, nothing to lighten his load. He went into the woods to learn what it meant to really live this life as it is, free of all the man-made accessories that take the life out of life. Put in a more modern way, Thoreau wanted to live without the remote control. The film reinterprets this idea by telling us that we should “Carpe Diem” or seize the day. We should do things that we want and no be controlled by others. Mr. Keating in the movie tries to tell the students how to be freethinkers and not be bonded by rules or others.
What have you learnt from the film about conformity to societal conventions?
Many people, especially parents, force their children to do what they think is right and beneficial for them in the future, but in the process, they unknowingly give their child little freedom and great pressure. They do not care what their children really want and make them do what they think is “the best” for them. By forcing them to do these things unwillingly, these children will start to hate their parents and themselves and maybe commit suicide to escape their problems, just like Neil in the movie. Through the movie, I learned that conformity and social conventions have a great and negative impact on the victims
Compare your own relationship with your father (or mother) to the relationship Neil has with Mr. Perry. In what ways are they similar / different?
My relationship with my father is rather casual; we are somewhat like close friends, just that he is much older. He does not force me to do things which I don’t want to hence I have more freedom as compared to Neil, whom is practically “caged” by his father’s rules and beliefs. Their relationship is very serious, there is a distinct level of authority for his father, Neil is never allowed to talk back to him.
Compare the friendship you share with your friends to that of the relationship the members of the Dead Poets Society have with one another. In what ways are they similar / different?
I have a close relationship with my friends, we joke around and are willing to share what we have with one another. We help one another when in need and support one another. Just like in the Dead Poets Society, the members supported and encouraged Knox to read the poem to Chris, they felt happy for him when he managed to do it. My relationship with my friends are similar to that of the members in the Dead Poets Society, we care and support one another, we share whatever we can with one another and though we fight or quarrel at times, we are stills friends.
Which of the poems quoted in the movie left the greatest impact on you? (Find the poem on www.poemhunter.com and attach it to this reflection.) Why?
Gather ye rosebuds while ye may,
Old Time is still a-flying:
And this same flower that smiles to-day
To-morrow will be dying.
The glorious lamp of heaven, the sun,
The higher he's a-getting,
The sooner will his race be run,
And nearer he's to setting.
That age is best which is the first,
When youth and blood are warmer;
But being spent, the worse, and worst
Times still succeed the former.
Then be not coy, but use your time,
And while ye may, go marry:
For having lost but once your prime,
You may for ever tarry.
Act now to make the most of your life. In other words, says the poem, aggressively pursue a goal rather than sitting idly by waiting for good things to happen. Be proactive. Take a risk. You can't dream your way to your goal. This poem supports the movie’s main theme, ‘Carpe Diem’. This quote has left a great impact on me because it tells us to seize the day and not to waste away your youth.
