...Review: “Dead Poets Society” by Peter Weir In 1990, Dead Poets Society won the 62nd Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. Peter Weir as the director who succeed in narrating a story about youth and death, dream and despair. From my point of view, it is a profound movie that intended to inspire and provoke thoughts; at the same time, to bring a combination of humor and drama to the audience while pushing a non-conformist ideology at the core of the story. Besides, there are many brief quotations from Tennyson, Herrick, Whitman and even Vachel Lindsay, as well as a brave excursion into prose that takes us as far as Thoreau's Walden. The director Peter Weir can make good use of the poetry to transfer a spirit of personal freedom. In this movie, the Hollywood star Robin Williams as the mercurial John Keating, a teacher of English at the exclusive Welton Academy in Vermont -- the "best prep school in America" -- in the year of 1959. Actually, that was an age of “killing the individuality”，and perhaps we are still living in the same age. At the beginning of the plot, the director indicated two different ways of education. During the ceremony of Welton Academy, all the students were required to dress the uniforms and repeat the school motto togeher:“tradition, discipline，honor and excellence”. At that moment, the school hall immerged itself with silence. On the contrary, when the new teacher Mr.Keating was walking at a brisk pace towards the...
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...A. Having watched the film “Dead Poets Society”, discuss the notion of the importance of liberal arts. Liberal arts, according to Merriam Webster Dictionary, are areas of study that are intended to give you general knowledge, rather than to develop specific skills needed for a profession. To simplify the definition, liberal arts enhances the intellectual capacities of the person, it enhances his/her reasons and judgement. This movie did and did not really show the real ideals of the importance of liberal arts. As stated in the definition, liberal arts enhances the person’s reasons and judgement, the film did a good job with the development of the characters but there is no enhancement of judgement (of the characters) present in the film. Dead Poets Society, for me, did not really show me the real meaning of liberal arts because of the way the characters decide for their own fate. For example is Neil Perry, because of his amusement to the new teacher (Mr. Keating), he joined the bandwagon and went to acting even though his parents doesn’t allow him to. I know people might contradict me with do-want-you-want statement but I will argue with them about know the consequences of your actions and decisions and how it will affect the people around you. (I know there is a theory about that but I already forgot what it is.) Todd did warn Neil about what will happen but Neil insisted. Another from Neil is him killing himself, Mr. Keating told them, “ ‘….what good amid these O me...
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...Dead Poets Society Dead Poets Society (directed by Peter Weir, 1989) is an American must-see drama film, which both make you laugh and shed tears. Robin Williams (as Mr. Keating) is once again making a movie exceptional with his acting competences. The film takes place in 1959 mainly at Welton Academy, the best preparatory school in the United States. It is an all-boys preparatory school. The school is for students with excellence who someday are going to educate themselves as lawyers, doctors, etc. Mr. Portius of the English department retires, so he gets a replacement, John Keating, who has his own idea of how to teach. His lessons mostly includes poetry, and he is trying his best to spread a message that will change the students’ viewpoint of life. “Carpe. Carpe Diem. Seize the day boys, make your lives extraordinary.” Mr. Keating wants his students to take chances and do what they actually want to. They should enjoy the present and not worry about the future; live in the moment. This remarkable message is repeated several times, and the Latin words “Carpe Diem” will be stuck in your head for a while after watching the film. Keating tells the students about a secret society, that he was a part of when he was a young boy; The Dead Poets Society. The boys bring the club back to life by organizing meetings just as Keating did. Neil’s father, Mr. Perry, wants Neil (Robert Sean Leonard) to become a doctor, but Neil will rather become an actor. Mr. Perry will...
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...English 1280 – 23 Negative Review – Dead Poets Society The movie centers on a group of gifted young students who are being held down by a repressive school system. They get classes from an inspirational teacher, who opens their eyes to the beauty of the world and their true potential. But, although the people in charge try to put them down, in the end they all seemingly find who they are – a prevalent plot amongst many movies. The only thing that makes this one different is because it ends with one of the boys committing suicide and the teacher getting fired. So much for the all's-well-that-ends-well moment at the end that is always the high point of movies like this. They do stand on their desks, though. So there's that. The teacher still gets fired, however. This movie falls easily into one of my least favorite movie genres, “the let's teach upper class white kids some creativity because they have it so hard in life” genre. Here, a bunch of uncreative, sheepish rich white kids attend a prestigious preparatory academy and are content to do what the administration and their parents tell them. There's Neil Perry whose dad wants him to become a doctor. There's Tom Anderson, who's stuck in an intellectual shell. All of them are under the thumb of the school's headmaster, Mr. Nolan. Then one day, John Keating, a new teacher, walks in and teaches them creative thinking through the power of stand-up comedy. So, instead of studying to become a doctor, Neil tries his hand at...
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...The Welton boys lost more than they gained by having Keating as a teacher. Do you agree? In the film Dead Poets Society,Welton Academy is a prestigious school well known for their academic excellence. There is an expectation that the boys are to be taught following a specific curriculum. Mr Keating comes to teach at Welton and teaches in such a way that disregards what Welton stands for. Through Charlie, Neil and Todd, it can be seen that the Welton boys as a whole have lost more than they have gained. Charlie was one of the many boys at Welton whose parents entrusted their precious sons’ future to the school. Mr Keating did not follow through with that trust that was put on him. Instead of preparing the boys for their Ivy League exams, Mr...
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...Dead Poets Society I’ve read the book Dead Poets Society and I’m going to tell you about on of the characters in the book. His name is John Keating and he’s native American between 30-35 years old. John works as an English teacher and he has just got a new job at Welton Academy, which is the best boarding school in USA. John worked as Chester school in London a couple of years before Welton. Mr. Keating himself graduated as a student from Welton. In this essay I’m going to discuss and prove why I believe John Keating is a great teacher. The first time I noticed that John was a great teacher was at his first lesson with his new class. My reaction was that he was a good leader because he advocated important things like “Carpe Diem", which means seize the day. Another thing I observed was how he spoke to his students. He had good confidence, which infected in a positive way and gave the students self confidence. In the beginning of the lesson he started to say “O captain! My captain”, and then he wanted that the guys should call him Mr. Keating or “O captain! My captain!” These simple words made attention from the students. Another scenario was that he very quickly got good contact whit the students. His relationship with the guys was very good because he talked with them a lot. I think he was more like a friend then a strict teacher who hated the students. Neil had some problems whit his father about what he may do or not may do. Then Neil picked John to...
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...have. Although the idea of “living life to the fullest” essentially means living an exceptional life and never wasting any opportunity given to you, many would take this in a different context and use it as an opportunity to do something reckless. Furthermore, people would use the quote carpe diem as a valid excuse to do something irresponsible. Though to some extent it may be acceptable, but the idea of carpe diem does not center on invincibility or invulnerability. It focuses on precisely the opposite –mortality. The fact that we are mortal means the time that we have left is extremely precious and that we should never settle for a life that is less than extraordinary. In the movie Dead Poets Society directed by Peter Weir, carpe diem was one of the main themes the film posses’. The events that happened to the lead characters manifested a distinct tension between how traditions and conformity clashes with innovation and freethinking. By analyzing the small details of each segment in the movie, as well as the characteristics of the lead roles, it enables us to have a deeper insight on why people choose to be part of the mainstream, especially during that time period, 1959, and in an elite school like Welton. Nevertheless, as the movie unfolds, we grasp the concept of mortality, which reinforces the necessity of seizing the day; to become...
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...David Good Good 1 Mrs. Thomson ENG3UI-01 May, 25/2015 In the film Dead Poets Society (DPS) directed by Peter Weir there are constant similarities in characters actions and issues to the novel The Catcher In The Rye (TCR) written by J.D Salinger. Holden Caulfield is a young man in the novel TCR who experiences a lot while he is in New York after being kicked out of boarding school for flunking four out of his five courses.The boys in the film DPS are experiencing life differently than they are used to, joining the Dead Poets Society, sneaking out at night to share poetry. Neil Perry is an intelligent young man from the film experiencing stress, anxiety and depression caused by his parents similar to Holden in the novel. Charlie is another smart character in the film with his rebellious attitude he shows a lot of similar traits to Holden’s character. Knox Overstreet in the film Dead Poets Society shares similar interests than Holden, girls. Holden Caulfield is a multi dimensional character who deals with several issues throughout the novel while each of the boys in the film are one dimensional characters who only deal with a single issue. Neil Perry shows a lot of charismatic traits when he is with his friends. His classmates tend to look up to him as a leader and he shows promising characteristics of being a good leader as he matures...
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...Not all people are capable of fully thinking for themselves and choosing to forge their own path that society may not agree with. For such people, taking great risks is likely not possible so subconsciously they choose to live their life as a conformist. The film Dead Poets Society illustrates the success a conformist may experience. From the moment he first appears in the story, the audience is made aware that Cameron is not destined for greatness. An extremely shy rule follower, Cameron lives life as “quote here” (Citation). Ultimately, when push comes to shove, Cameron decides to betray his friends telling the school all about Mr. Keating’s influence on Neil Perry and how he encouraged the recreation of the Dead Poets Society club. In the dramatic final scene of the...
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...Dead Poets Society Our professors and teachers are the true heroes. As I have seen in the film Dead Poets Society, the hero is Mr. John Keating. As an educator, he ought to instruct students to enlighten and be clever natives of public opinion. He also helped them acquire fundamental information, aptitudes and values, and help them comprehend complete obligation regarding their considerations, sentiments and movements. In other words, Mr. Keating’s teachings influence them. He taught his students to "suck the bone of life to the marrow", "to seize the day", and to make their lives extraordinary. His students get a lot more than poetry. They learn passion, courage, and romance. These messages are shown throughout the film and made me understood that being a professor conveys an enormous power in many different ways. However, power can possibly enhance or ruin somebody's life. For instance, a professor makes one rude comment and the student will carry that all through his or her life. Power is therefore an obligation, and obliges cautious steps, that is, without mishandling the trust and the benefits of power. Moreover, self-esteem was one of the centers of the film. From there, it reveals that Neil has low self-esteem which can be shown with his relationship with his father and unfortunately, this made him experience his tragic end. However, Todd, with Mr. Keating’s help, was able to build up his self-esteem. The connection between Todd and Mr. Keating is quite exciting because...
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...Patricia Miller Management: Theory, Practice, and Application Charmaine Perkins Houston Campus January 12, 2006 Delegation Paper In today’s world there are many companies that strive and become very successful and profitable. In order for any business to establish themselves and have a great tenure they must adhere to not only factors but also delegation. Today, more than ever, managers must learn to use their time effectively. As a manager, you have a multitude of responsibilities. A situation made more difficult by an environment that emphasizes change, rapid responses times, and thinking “outside of the box.” There never seems to be enough time to get it all done. If, however, you are going to have an impact, you must take control of your time and not vice versa. If you try to do it all yourself, this will never happen. You can control your time by arriving earlier, using detailed planners and schedules, or “blocking off time” to focus on special projects. You might also try prioritizing tasks or using an elaborate filing system. All of these approaches will help, but you will never maximize your effectiveness unless you learn to delegate effectively. Stephen Covey, author of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, says that “effectively delegating to others is perhaps the single most powerful high-leverage activity there is.” Certainly in today’s business environment, effective delegation will help you achieve your fullest...
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...jumprope. Everyones lives interconnected throughout. Once i moved into my new neighborhood i started to notice quite the opposite the neighbors barely knew each other everybody just sort of minded there own business and only speak on a need to know basis and were also much more judgmental. So for me i have found myself to be less social with people from higher class then i would be with people from the lower class because i feel like you can just talk to them about anything there not constantly spell checking you and judging your actions so heavily. Women i don't believe to always be at a disadvantage to men in some ways they can be certainly but in others not so much it just depends on the scenario. You could make the argument that the society is patriarchal but i believe that to do that you would have to find a country or nation where it is better and comparatively i think the U.S would stack up with lots of others in the discussion of women's right. Race and racial relations is something that is really in our heads more or less. Scientist have proven the as far as dan between “races” in human beings they have no distinct way of identifying a...
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...The film Dead Poets Society illustrates how belief in transcendentalism can sometimes have a dangerous effect. Mr. Keating a transcendental has inspired his student Neil, who tried to take a dangerous risk and eventually took his own life. During Mr. Keating first day of teaching, he introduces the saying “ Gather ye rosebuds while ye may… Carpe Diem” (?). Mr. Keating wanted his students, including Neil to take out of this quote the importance of seizing the day and seeking opportunities in life. He wanted them to act for themselves in order to live up each day the way they want it to be. This expression is interpreted from a transcendentalist point of view and has greatly impacted Neil’s decision of pursuing an acting career. According to...
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... the search for self is an extremely crucial step in actualization of our unique attributes. Without an identity, a person is merely a shell; it is each person’s unique personality that makes every person different from the other. The film Dead Poets Society clearly traces the search for identity and how every individual has a unique identity. It is easy to see that each character represents a certain quality. Todd's individual traits, especially his newfound confidence, portray Emersonian attributes. Charlie's fearless character who leads the group represents Thoreau's qualities. However, Neil is a meld of both qualities through his desires to please himself and not conform to his father's ideals. Todd, the initially reclusive member of the group, shows Emersonian ideals in that he eventually breaks out of the shell conforming him, preventing him from fully interacting with his peers; he finally shatters the barrier restricting him from freely being himself by reading his poem to the class, finally expressing the Emersonian ideal of nonconformity: “Whoso would be a man must be a nonconformist” (Emerson 279). At the beginning of the film, Todd is too shy to be comfortable with the people around him, thus already estranging him from society. However, as he spends more time in Mr. Keating’s class, he learns to open himself up to people and be comfortable with his own personality. Eventually, he reaches the breaking point where he must take a complete step out of his comfort zone...
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