Dead Poets Society Essay, Research Paper

Many poets and directors believe in the concept of living life to the fullest. In this quote, by Sir Henry David Thoreau, he shows that we should live life to its fullest and make sure we make our mark while we still can, so people remember us. In the Movie,” Dead Poets Society,” a group of students from the Welton Prep School are moved by the teachings of their English teacher, Professor Keating. He teaches the boys to be their own boss, leaders and not followers. This quote relates to the movie because this quote tells what Keating wants to teach his kids. Many events take place during the movie that asks whether or not Professor Keating’s teaching are appropriate, it is also questionable whether or not he was successful.

“I went to the woods because I wished to live

deliberately, to front the essential facts of life, and

see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not,

when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I

did not wish to live what was not life, living is so

dear; nor did I wish to practice resignation, unless it

was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck

out all the marrow of life?”

-Sir Henry David Thoreau

from Walden

The quote by Sir Henry David Thoreau, from Walden can be summarized by the statement,” live life to the fullest.” In the quote, it says you should do what you want and not to care what others think, be your own person. “And not, when I came to die discover that I had not lived,” this part of the quote that shows that you cant live your life with regrets, cause once something is done, its done. When you look back at your life and realize that you have not taken full advantage of your opportunities your whole life, you will realize that you may not have lived as good as you could have. Many people feel that taking full advantage of your life will lead to not regretting a thing in the future.

The way Professor Keating taught was successful in the way that he made his students realize that they need to live their own lives. . An example is when he teaches the boys “Carpe Diem (Seize the day).” In the movie, Tim repeatedly says that when he is trying to win over a girl. Keating is successful because he teaches Tim to go after what he wants and Tim was persistent enough to keep at it and winds up getting her. Another example is when Neil decides to be an actor in a play. Even though his father is against it, Neil does is anyway cause he knows he has what it takes and he feels he has nothing to lose. I feel that if Keating did not teach his students to be themselves, Neil would have never gone against his father and he would have never enjoyed his life. When Neil kills himself at the end I think the blame is on his father because he would not let him do what he wants to do in his heart, he wasn?t being supportive of his sons wants. I feel that Keating had a very positive influence on him. Because of Keatings teachings, his students learned to live their own lives to the fullest.

Professor Keating tries to teach his students to be themselves. In one of Keating’s lessons, he leaps on top of his desk and has the students follow his lead. At first, the boys were reluctant to get up there but then Keating says to look at life from a different perspective. By doing this, the students see life at a different angle and understand there is not just one perspective on life. Another lesson he taught, he takes the students out into the courtyard and tells them to march. At first, all of them are marching in there own way. Soon enough, they all start marching together in sync except for Charlie, who says he is exercising his right not to march. The point of his lesson was to show the students that were being followers and that it was society?s fault. When Charlie says that he would not march, Keating smiles and says he is proud of Charlie because he was being himself and not following everyone else. That was the point of the lesson to teach the kids to be themselves and not follow others.

The group of students who formed the Dead Poets Society recited Thoreau’s quote in the beginning of each of their meetings because they believed what Keating was telling them, and wanted to start to practice what he was preaching. The students that go to the school are under total control of their parents, and are monitored by the school, their lives are already put together for them. When Keating gave them the idea of seizing the day and the knowledge of the Dead Poets Society, this inspires them. This secret society was for the students to read poetry and look at it along with everyday issues with a different perspective. When Keating was a student at Welton Prep., He was a part of the Dead poet’s society and became the person he is trying to teach his students to be. During one of Keating’s lessons, he tells the boys to rip out pages from their poetry book, which gives an idea for what good poetry is. That lesson taught the boys to be free minded and that there is no way to tell how good poetry is. Poetry should be seen differently by everyone. The Dead Poets Society relates to the poem because it teaches the boys to live the way they want to live and not be told what to do.

In this movie, many occurrences take place that question whether or not Keating’s lessons were appropriate and successful. Professor Keating taught about how life should not be lived under someone?s control. Which happens to relate closely with Thoreau’s quote. He taught that people should live their lives the way they want to live them, and not to have anyone else make decisions for them. In the world we live in today, people take a lot more control of their own life for the most part. There are still rules and regulations, but almost everyone lives the way the want to, regardless of the penalties.

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