Dead Poets Society Coming Of Age Essay

520 Words2 Pages

“Dead Poet’s Society” is a film set in the late fifties at a prestigious school for boys called the Welton Academy. The story focuses on an unorthodox English teacher and his impact upon his students, especially a group of seven boys. The primary focus of this film, in my opinion, is the theme of coming of age. The film itself highlights many important and relevent issues that teenagers face in the process of trying to find out who they are as a person. The students are constantly pressured to conform by adults throughout most of the film. Although these adults are only trying to help the boys, it is important that they figure themselves out and develop their own way of thinking. When the boys realize this, they grow up themselves. The character of Todd is a fantastic example of this. Throughout most of the film, this shy boy is ultimately unwilling and reluctant to go against what he is told. When Neil commits suicide, he begins to see the world in a very different way and understands that sometimes questioning the decisions and regulations accepted by society is necessary. …show more content…

The secondary focus is a struggle, Neil’s struggle in particular, which is both against his parents and within himself. “Dead Poet’s Society” presents the heavy topic of suicide. Through Neil’s character, we as an audience are exposed to the morbid thoughts and emotions that many young adults unfortunately face. Neil, like many of the other boys, is introduced as being reluctant and unwilling to go against the authority roles in his life, primarily his father and his expectations. As the film progresses, he begins to search for himself and ultimately goes against his father’s wishes as he pursues his love of theatre. When he learns of his father’s disapproval, it leads him to

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