The Theme Of Societal Pressure In Dead Poet's Society

1112 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: SOCIETAL PRESSURE eassay

Intro -
After viewing a number of texts, one major theme that connects all of these together is shown through the theme of societal pressure. Growing up in such a judgemental world, we all get judged on the things we do, the clothes we wear, the way we look and the place we originate from. These aspects all blend into societal pressure and create many difficulties for some teenagers growing up in this society. The texts, Try by Colbie Caillat, Thrift Shop by Macklemore, The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini and Dead Poet’s Society by Peter Weir, all incorporate different ways to overcome or fight societal pressure, foreshadowing some sort of advice to the viewer or listener. This allows them to think about their actions and construct a unique …show more content…

We are introduced to one of the major characters, Neil Perry, who is studying to become a doctor. Later in the film, Neil picks up a strong passion for acting, but his father is strongly against it. He acquires a leading part in a local play and acts without his father’s permission. Even though Neil does extremely well in the play and gets a standing ovation, his father angrily drags him home to discipline him by sending him to military school, to study for an additional ten years. Neil is disheartened by this decision and continuously fails to speak up for himself, or in other words ‘seize the day’. That night, he made the decision that his life is too difficult and ended it by shooting himself with his father’s gun. From the audience’s perspective, we can see that Neil really doesn’t want to become a doctor. He fail’s to speak up to his father about the issue and doesn’t want to be the failure of the family, so he takes the easy way out. This is becoming a big issue in today’s society, because many teenagers face difficult decisions when choosing their career path and sometimes forced to do something they don’t like. For Neil, he is placed under a lot of pressure to make his family proud, but he is not happy about being forced to do something he

Show More
Related

  • The Other Side of the Bridge

    1949 Words  | 4 Pages

    ...el, The Other Side of the Bridge by Mary Lawson accentuates the fact that society’s expectations of a character causes negative impacts upon their lives through the creation of a struggle to achieve his goal. Ian is an impeccable example of this because he is prone to adolescent tendencies due to youth. Ian struggles to achieve his goals due to the following expectations: to leave Struan, for a superior opportunity to become successful; to strive for a medical career, since he excels at the trade already; and to … Society is too abrupt in its assumptions of an individual, these assumptions often catch one unprepared, spreading chaos and confusion through one’s mind. It would be substantially more beneficial if society did not place expectations at all.

    Read More

  • Paper Towns Theme Essay

    645 Words  | 2 Pages

    “My parents have a shit ton of black Santas, but that’s okay. [They are] them.[I am] too obsessed with a reference website to answer my phone sometimes when my friends call, or my girlfriend. [That is] okay, too. [That is] me. You like me anyway. And I like you. [You are] funny, and [You are] smart, and you may show up late, but you always show up eventually” (194). This shows the reader the importance of accepting others for who they are even for their differences. “You keep expecting people not to be themselves” (Paper Towns movie). This demonstrates how people are so use to people not being themselves. “I thought maybe the paper cutout of a girl could start becoming real here also. And it seemed like a way to tell that paper girl who cared about popularity and clothes and everything else... “ (294). It is better being yourself than trying to be something that you are not even if it just feels wrong. The theme always be yourself is significant to today’s society and for the reader to understand and follow.

    Read More

  • Social Inequality In The Outsiders

    1394 Words  | 3 Pages

    Social inequality has been prevalent in modern-day America, where you could get picked on for just wearing the wrong brand or hairstyle. This occurs the most upon people who are struggling to adjust to adulthood; teenagers. Social inequality has and still is affecting teenagers across the world, and writers are writing about this problem in order to raise awareness and to change the view of the public. These authors write about example in which the inequality is demonstrated, hoping to present a different perspective and to motivate the reader against social inequality. However, not enough awareness has been raised to help prevent it. This is working, but not quickly, but it shows that things like books and music can help to raise awareness,

    Read More

  • Conformity In Never Let Me Go

    1486 Words  | 3 Pages

    How do the actions and words of a society affect the way people act? In Never Let Me Go, author Kazuo Ishiguro depicts a society in which individuality is threatened by the pressure to conform through methods such as peer pressure and social expectations. Without a doubt, peer pressure is most commonly found in schools today just as social expectations are suffocating the middle class’ desire to become their own unique person.

    Read More

  • William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet

    1296 Words  | 3 Pages

    There comes a point in everyone’s life when they are pressurized by society’s demands. One is given the option to either conform or challenge these social norms in order to suit one’s life.

    Read More

  • Dead Poet Society: The Blame for Neil Perry's Death

    677 Words  | 2 Pages

    Mr Perry uses blackmail, pressure and authority to get his way over his son’s life and is otherwise to blame for Neil’s death. He sets Neil limits as to how he can live his life. When Mr Keating inspires Neil and the rest of the senior English class, it gives Neil the idea that he does have the power to stand up to his father. This leads Neil into committing suicide when his father forbids him from Acting and moves him into a Military Academy. Throughout the film Neil is shown to be under pressure to complete difficult aspects of life, placed on him by his father. Mr Perry guilt trips Neil into carrying out tasks he wants him to complete. His father does not seem to take in what he is doing to his son, placing the blame on Keating.

    Read More

  • The Importance of Individuality in the Film "The Dead Poets Society"

    712 Words  | 2 Pages

    “Boys, you must strive to find your own voice. Because the longer you wait to begin, the less likely you are to find it at all. Thoreau said, ‘Most men lead lives of quiet desperation.’ Don't be resigned to that. Break out!”—John Keating (Robin Williams)

    Read More

  • Romeo And Juliet- Emotions

    1278 Words  | 3 Pages

    The youth of society tend to question and then possibly disregard the rules that are important to their parents if they do not have a good reason to believe in these rules. The rebellious actions of youth can eventually cause their own untimely destruction. (Justin K.)

    Read More

  • Dead Poet’s Society: Cause of Neil’s Death

    651 Words  | 2 Pages

    The character Neil’s father dreadful, excessive parenting led to Neil’s death. Although strict parenting is beneficial, overdoing it has dire consequences. In this case it leads to the death of Neil Perry. Parents not communicating with their child results in a bad connection between the parent and the child with a higher chance of blatant disobedience. How Neil’s father treats him when throughout his life causes his disobedience and later demise.

    Read More

  • Theme Of The Individual Vs. Society In The Book Thief

    1112 Words  | 3 Pages

    It shows the need for people to conform to societal expectations to survive and thrive in society. It also shows the consequences of going against those expectations to purse matters of the heart, whether that is helping a condemned man or trying to keep your family from being taken away. Fighting these societal expectations puts a target on these people’s backs, which is why so many people decide to just succumb to these expectations, which is much easier on these

    Read More

  • Literary Analysis: We Should All Be Feminist

    1238 Words  | 3 Pages

    Portraying the characters rejection to conformity, American literature illustrates the distinctive following of one's own standards. From what has been analyzed previously, the authors are trying to display a message of change through the characters words and actions. Many times it is apparent that the characters are in there times of most comfort when they are acting in such that makes them their own being, stepping aside from the standards of the rest of society. Writers try to express the importance of stepping outside of that comfort zone in order to grow and develop as a human being. How will one ever know who they are if they conform to be what everyone is told to be? The biggest advocate of rejecting the norms of America is Chris McCandless.

    Read More

  • The Theme of Death in Poetry

    829 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Theme of Death in Poetry Robert Frost and Emily Dickinson are two Modern American Poets who consistently wrote about the theme of death. While there are some comparisons between the two poets, when it comes to death as a theme, their writing styles were quite different. Robert Frost’s poem, “Home Burial,” and Emily Dickinson’s poems, “I felt a Funeral in my Brain,” and “I died for Beauty,” are three poems concerning death. While the theme is constant there are differences as well as similarities between the poets and their poems. The obvious comparison between the three poems is the theme of death.

    Read More

  • A LAiterary Review Of The Dead Poets Society

    500 Words  | 1 Pages

    Literary Review of Dead Poet’s Society One of the 20th centuries most compelling and best films goes by the title Dead Poets Society. This movie is set at the Helton Academy for Boys in 1959. The movie focuses in on a small group of boys. They have been sent to this preparatory school, most against their will, and have been forced to conform. However, they come across an English professor, Mr. Keating, whose lesson plan contradicts the entire schools mentality.

    Read More

  • Through the Eyes of a Teenager in A & P, A Short Story by John Updike

    1105 Words  | 3 Pages

    Teenagers often find themselves going through the motions of doing what they are told when they are told to do it. In conforming to societies norms teenagers begin to feel as if they blend in and nothing is really special about them. John Updike was able to write a coming of age story in which his main character Sammy gets shoved into adulthood rather quickly over spontaneous decision. Through Sammy’s thoughts, intense observations, and his actions we are able to see his deep depravity and his longing to stand out from the crowd.

    Read More

  • The Theme of Death in Poetry by Emily Dickinson and Sylvia Plath

    903 Words  | 2 Pages

    Death is a prevalent theme in the poetry of both Sylvia Plath and Emily Dickinson. They both examine death from varied angles. There are many similarities as well as differences in the representation of this theme in their poetry. Plath views death as a sinister and intimidating end, while Dickinson depicts death with the endearment of romantic attraction. In the poetry of Plath death is depicted traditionally, while Dickinson attributes some mysticism to the end of life.

    Read More

More about The Theme Of Societal Pressure In Dead Poet's Society

Open Document