What if you didn't have a say in what you wanted to do in the future? What if your life was planned out for you and your job was just to live it? In the movie "Dead Poets Society," directed by Peter Weir, a newly arrived teacher has the biggest impact on seven young students, and teaches them the value of finding their identity. The enthusiastic English teacher, Mr. Keating, emphasis' the importance of "carpe diem," and tells his students to live each day to the fullest. Some students find the pressure and stress of school hard to keep up with while others struggle with the expectations of their parents. Making the most out of life, having some fun along the way, and the importance of fulfilling our own dreams, are three main themes that are portrayed throughout this movie.
What would you do if you realized you weren’t going to be in this world forever? How would you “seize the day”? Mr. Keating asked his English students this very question while he showed them the alumni wall at Welton Academy. He explained how they used to be shining athletes but now they were nothing but “fertilizing daffodils.” This reoccurring theme of “carpe diem,” became a way of life for the seven boys, who Keating influenced so much. One of the students, Knox used this motto when he tried to get a girl, who to him was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. He didn’t care what would happen to him, he just knew that he had to be with her and that was it. Another one of Mr. Keating’s students, Neil, used these important words when he landed the lead role in a play, but got lectured by his father to quit. Despite his parents wants, Neil did what his heart told him to and he gave the best performance of the night. The words of the new English teacher not only gave his students the feeling of freedom but also gave them a sense of rebellion.
Every one of us has that rebellious bone in our body, which makes us want to break the rules and just live life the way we want to. In this movie the students find it hard to let go of their lives of conformity and begin to make decisions on their own. Mr. Keating taught his students that rules aren’t always meant to be followed; sometimes you need to break the rules to get the most out of life and be an individual. The first act of rebellion, the new English teacher had them do was rip out the introduction in their books and throw it away. The boys were puzzled and didn’t understand the reason for this, but did as they were told. Through this, the students realized that living life fearlessly was a positive thing and would make you much happier in the end. After finding an old yearbook of Mr. Keating’s, and hearing about a club that their English teacher was a part of, the seven boys decided to start their own ‘Dead Poets Society’ club. The students who were a part of this club had to leave the campus even though Welton had an important rule against it. With the previous wise words of Mr. Keating, the seven boys left campus on their own will to read poetry and get away from the outside world. Rebellion is not always a bad thing but the pressure of society around you makes it hard for people to live life to the fullest.
Why does pressure make it so hard to create our future how we want to? Is it because we’re so caught up in pleasing other people that we forget about our own goals? The pressure of the school and their parents puts the students of Welton in great dilemmas. They are scared to be themselves and tell their families what they really want to do with their lives. Neil, one of the students, had a dream to one day, become an actor. His biggest dilemma was when he joined the play “Mid Summer Nights Dream,” even though he knew his father wouldn’t allow it. In the end the pressure from his parents got inside Neil’s head, which resulted in him committing suicide. For Todd, another student at Welton, the pressure of coming out of his shell was a big issue. He was hesitant in joining the club and being more open in class and with his classmates. With the help of Mr. Keating’s teaching methods, Todd developed more confidence and discovered the poet inside of him. The support of your friends and family makes the biggest difference in your life because it gives you that extra strength to fulfill your dreams.
“No matter what anybody tells you, words and ideas can change the world.” These enlightening words by Mr. Keating encouraged his students to look at life in a different perspective. Sometimes not knowing the end result makes life challenging, but all the more exciting. If you don’t live your life by your own rules, nobody is going to do it for you.
