Analysis Of Dead Poets Society

INTRODUCTION

Dead Poets Society is an American film that directed by Peter Weir and released in 1989. Film has 4 nominations at Academy Awards 1990 and won the “Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen” category. Robin Williams is starring of the film as John Keating character.

Film’s type is drama and the subject is the life of last year students of the Welton Academy and their new English teacher John Keating who inspires them to seize the day and poetry.

In the film, there is an issues about Organizational Behavior. After the summary part, I will try to focus on that issues with specific examples.

SUMMARY

The film starts with the first day of semester in Welton Academy in 1959. Welton Academy is a preparatory school which celebrates its centenary. Academy has 4 mottos as a pillars: “Tradition, Honor, Discipline, Excellence”. Headmaster of academy, Mr. Nolan, introduces the new English teacher John Keating (Robin Williams) after his opening speech. Mr. Keating was also graduated from Welton Academy and he comes back his school as a teacher from London.

After the opening ceremony, students say goodbye to their family and spread out their rooms. At this moment parents talk with headmaster and we can clearly see expectations of families from the school and their children.

One of the students, Neil Perry (Robert Sean Leonard), meets the new student Todd Anderson (Ethan Hawke). Todd is transferred from another school and now he is the roommate of Neil. Also Todd’s brother graduated from Welton and he was a brilliant student. Some students gather at Neil and Todd’s new room for chatting and smoking. At this time they repeat their mottos in “Hell-ton”: “Travesty, Horror, Decadence and Excrement.”

Neil’s father is auth...

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...n organizations, in Welton Academy there is high power distance because there is a hierarchy in all school. On the other hand, there is low power distance in Dead Poets Society because there is no leader, no class and no hierarchy.

Individualism versus collectivism: For Welton Academy, individualism is more important because every student should achieve their own goal in their opinion. In Dead Poets Society, we can clearly see collectivism.

Masculinity versus femininity: All two organizations have only male members and males are totally dominant. It is obvious that there is a masculinity.

Uncertainty avoidance: Welton Academy is high uncertainty avoidance oriented organization because this is a traditional school and everything must done with rules. On the other side, Dead Poets Society’s spirit made of mostly uncertain things and there is low uncertainty avoidance.