Dead Poet's Society

Dead Poets Society, a comedic drama directed by Peter Weir, highlights the lives of the young men in Mr. Keatings english class who are inspired by their teacher’s authentic views on poetry and life. The film features Robin Williams as Mr. Keatings, Robert Sean Leonard as Neil Perry, and Ethan Hawke as Todd Anderson. The film takes place at Welton Academy, a private boarding school for boys in Vermont during the fall and winter seasons in the 1950’s. The plot begins in the beginning of the school year and the introduction of Neil and Todd, a shy and new student to the school. Both boys struggle with the wrath of their fathers, who have their lives planned out for them whether they like it or not. The two boys bond with each other and eventually are involved with the same group of boys.

Keatings, who instructs them to address him as “captain,” after Walt Whitman’s poem titled “O Captain My Captain.” In their first class, Keating brings them outside of the classroom to show them the photos of deceased alumni in order to instruct the boys to live their lives to the fullest. Eventually, Keating inspires the boys to reform the Dead Poets Society, a secret club where students leave the campus and read poetry together. The boys lives seem to be going well– Knox gets a date with a girl, Todd opens up to the class with his poetry, and Neil gets the leading role in a play. Neil was proud of his work in the play, as was everyone else in the audience besides his father. Immediately after the play is done, Neil’s father rushes him out of the auditorium, ignoring all of his son’s cheering fans. When home, his father tells him he is no longer going to attend Welton but rather military school. The same night, Neil takes his father’s gun and takes his own life, leaving his father and mother in