What Are The Similarities Between Dead Poets Society And The Graduate

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Comparing Dead Poets Society and The Graduate In the “coming of age” films, The Graduate and Dead Poets Society, the characters are faced with a conflict and must find a way to deal with this conflict. The messages from authority figures to the main characters, the relationship issues, the music used, and the characters’ fathers in both films compare and contrast very well. The films have similar themes, and dissimilar motifs. While both films possess similarities, they also possess differences. In both films, all of the fathers have high expectations for their children. In Dead Poets Society the fathers of the boys all wanted (rather forced than “wanted”) the kids to become doctors or lawyers or something or another. In The Graduate, Ben’s father wanted him to get a job, go to grad school, and marry whomever his father chose for him. Relative to the previous paragraph, most characters in both movies had relationship issues. Mostly with fathers, family, and family friends. The boys in Dead Poets Society had father issues, issues with teachers (aside from Mr. Keating), and issues with public school kids. In The Graduate, Ben had issues with his father, Mrs. Robinson, and up until Ben went back to her college he had issues with Elane. …show more content…

Neil’s parents tell him that he needs to be focused on his schooling rather than extracurricular activities. In response to this Neil continues to act, against his parents’ commands. In The Graduate, Ben’s mother and father tell him that he needs to go to grad school, get a job, and they make his life decisions for him. All of Ben’s life, his parents have made the decisions for him, so the messages are mixed. If Ben is grown up enough to drive a car, go to college, and get married, then he should be grown up enough to make his own life

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