IGNORANT SCHOLARS VERSUS WISE STUDENTS: A REVIEW OF “DEAD POETS SOCIETY” (Spoilers Below!)

“ No matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change the world.”

-Robin Williams

When I have studied in first year of Politics in my college, I hated my faculty. The reason of this is my wrong decisions in the terms of selection of my teachers. None of them had an attempt to understand who students are or what they actually demand. Believing that lots of students have a potential to become something impossibly remarkable is not a dream, but the system of college does not let them become one of those bright students. This system blocks creative minds of students and the teacher ignores the fact that achieving something new is important rather than following traditional disciplines of facilities. One of my politics teachers admitted that I am a failure for politics department, since I confuse real politics with fictional texts. Then, I thought that my beliefs and ideas are not significant for my faculty.  I should explain it elaborately: My ideas and beliefs represent who I am, so I always tend to defend them unless I am in a process of improvement. While hearing the words  of “failure”, I have decided to leave this nightmare and stand up immediately, but I still have a mark for hating this faculty. Two years later, I met with my history teacher, everything changed after this moment because of him. He taught me that every people are unique in term of expressing themselves. Understanding history is a personal study and people can draw, act, sing, write to tell their stories. Stories are the foundations of history. He asked me that “Why do you want to be a politician? Why do you study politics?”. First time ever, one of my teachers have asked me this. I hesitated to tell him the truth, but eventually I spilled it out: “ I dream to become a comic book author and materials in politics support me to find creative stories.” I stared at his eyes and saw that he approved it. He shook my hand and said: “ This is the best reason for studying political science. Congratulations!”  Why did I start with this story? If you look closely, you will notice some common elements of “Dead Poet Society”. A teacher who only sustains the principals of school: following just textbooks, declaring supreme authority in class and strict policy of grading. On the other hand, a teacher allows his students to think by themselves, trusting their opinion, not evaluating students by their scores in exams and shaking their hands for contributing their class. In some schools, their principles overweight real education as authorities of the school believe principles are leading them to achieve great successions. In some cases, these principles reflect oppositely.

The premise of story can be comprehended in the first scene. Students are preparing for a ceremony; they are also standing in an old castle which was built nearly in middle ages. They wear a school uniform which shows this school has a history. They arrive at the ceremony and their proud families celebrate them. The teacher sits on special spots which reminds me the teachers in Hogwarts 🙂  Principal, Mr Nolan, commands them to repeat  their four principle: Tradition, honor, discipline and excellence. Students are expected to posses these principles in school. After that camera shifts and show us the new face of this old school : Mr. Keating who is the youngest faculty member in this gloomy place. The genre of this movie is  drama and sub-genre can be comedy and thriller. It is hard to classify this movie’s genre. Furthermore, this movie is not written in a way of character act style, but you can get a sense of motivation of characters. The whole class and Mr. Keating are the protagonists; Principal and Mr. Perry can be the antagonists. However, my other theory for antagonist assumption is the fear which students must overcome by the help of “seize the day” motto. The students who follows this “carpe diem” motto is Neil, Charlie, Knox and Todd.

Neil is a student who is there because of his father’s request and expectation. His parents want him to become a doctor. Although he studies on his faculty, his inner feelings trigger him to notice that becoming a doctor is not what he wants to be. Oppression of his father blinds him.  In poetry class, Mr. Keating teaches them the significance of identity and life. The words of Keating flash the eyes of Neil and transform Keating into a Prometheus in the perspective of Neil. He becomes  curious about poetry and the past of Mr. Keating. He finds out a group called “Dead Poet Society” and dares to ask Mr. Keating what it was. Explanation of “Dead Poet Society” is bunch of guys gathering inside of cave and reading poets out loud for basically having a good time. Neil admires it and encourages other boys to assemble in the cave. His devotion to poetry drives him to be an artist of drama. He proves himself in auditions and casted as “Puck” in “ A Midsummer Night’s Dream” written by William Shakespeare ( Keep this play in your mind. It’s related to next review issue). In spite of his commitment, his father does not approve him to  get distracted with acting. Mr.Keating suggests Neil to tell his father how he feels. Therefore, Neil gets a permission from his father and displays his talents on stage. His performance is astonishing, but his father’s obsession prevents him from showing his gift. In the end of the movie, Neil feels hopeless since his father send him to a military school and still insists on being a doctor. Neil does not see any exit from this hole and take his own life to find a way out.

Charlie uses “Carpe Diem” in a selfish way . He starts to believe that he can make decisions for others as well, but it’s a wrong act to describe “Carpe Diem” motto. Charlie is already a rebellious boy who does not behave in the terms of the system’s orders. Few examples of his wrong actions might be inviting girls to annual meeting of Dead Poet Society without asking the group’s opinion, taking girls inside of school and finally, making fun with principal in front of whole students by organizing a phone prank. The psychology of Charlie is structured on disobeying against authority and their rules.  Moreover, Mr. Keating refers something as “thinking for yourself again”. This is misunderstood by Charlie. Everyone needs to see the thin line of righteous and foolishness. Some movements against authorities are right actions, but others which jeopardize your or majority’s safety are wrong actions.

Third character I cover is Knox. Knox attends a dinner with his parent’s friends. In that night, he comes across with a lovely blonde lady called Chris.  He embraces “Carpe Diem” to conquer the heart of his love. In some moments,  this living the moment power forces him to push his limits and breaks his own rules. Throughout the movie, Knox fails to persuade her to give him a chance . For this impossible achievement, he must be a daredevil (Not the one who is a blind lawyer of course). Keeps his courage in his heart and goes to Chris’s class, reads his poem within the class. Perhaps he is humiliated by doing this, but he succeeds  to attract Chris for coming theatre with him. A happy ending for Knox…It’s little bit unfair for others, right?

Last character I examine is my favorite character because he is one of the characters whose character development is well written into screen. His name is Todd or Mr. Anderson. (Robin Williams A.K.A Agent Smith) The audience witness this boy as a shy kid who gets this school because his parents wants him to. Therefore, he has a connection with Neil. Both their  parents force them to choose this school. Neil offers to help him in a couple of scenes, but his fear gets him every time. His expressions are weak, and he seems to be a quiet boy without any secrets or gifts. No one in class has a doubt on this. Except Mr. Keating himself. Mr. Keating believes in Todd’s skills and there is something hidden inside of him. When  Todd does not write a poem for an assignment, Mr.Keating guides him to find his voice by closing his eyes and letting his imagination captures his voice. At last, Todd, Mr.Keating and other students discover a poet’s soul inside of Todd’s subconscious. Todd learns a valuable lesson; hence he never has a chance to thank Mr.Keating personally. Instead of  thanking him, principal and his parents compel him to sign a document which is on death of Neil. Members of school blames Mr.Keating for his death, but Todd does not have any options. In the end of the movie, we meet with a new Todd who fights back and stands against authority. When Mr. Keating visits the class to collect his private items, Todd states that they force them to sign. Principal warns him to keep his silence. Todd does not obey and stands up to look at things from a different point of view. Eventually, he rises against authority and makes his own choice.

Looking from a different perspective is one of the key concepts of this movie. By watching this movie, you question things in a various way, not just close other possibilities. Mr. Keating teaches these students to make their choices in a rational and right way. Living behind the shadow is not a life to be alive for. Every person is a unique individual who has valuable skills and undiscovered knowledge. People just allow themselves to reveal it to the world. If they feel lots of pain when they reveal it, they need to behold someone who can light the candle of their soul like Mr.Keating.

The second key concept I love is “importance of passion”.Mr.Keating motivates his students to follow their passion to enjoy life. Life is not just about making a successful career. Although Mr.Keating  abides that being a doctor, lawyer or engineer is a noble pursuit to maintain living standards, he also suggests that these pursuits are not why to  be kept alive for. Love, romance, drama and passion are the emotions we seek in our life. Experiencing with my own eyes assists me to adopt this statement in my life. Majority in school, studies on their profession because they will gain a benefit in future. Sometimes, they lose their passion to survive in difficult circumstances. It is not a logical motto to have. They do not evaluate that a bound which transforms your passion into your happiness is a necessity of life. I always remind myself that surviving is an instinct, not the  purpose of life. A job which puts you in a miserable situation doesn’t bring you happiness. Thus, people should memorize the words of Mr. Keating and figure out their passions before making a career.

In conclusion, “Dead Poet Society” is a movie that inspires millions with its deeper messages. Different perspectives, feeling your own identity, choosing your own moves are the concepts or themes that this movie wants to mention. It’s not a masterpiece for screenwriting part, but it is undeniable that a screenwriter can point out some ingenious character developments and story arcs. This movie is the  best way to be motivated and discovering your hidden voices surrounding you. I wish many teachers gives a lecture on this movie, it is more sensible and admirable than textbooks and speeches in colleges.

Farewell,

Y.O.K

 

Note: Do you keep it in your mind? I have read “ A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, but not the version of William Shakespeare.  It was a comic and contains some fantastic creatures in it. The author of this story won an award in “short fiction”. Some of you know what comic book I am talking about, right? I put my favorite quote from series for the sake of giving a clue.

“But he did not understand the price. Mortals  never do. They only see the prize, their heart’s  desire, their dream…But the price of getting what you want, is getting what you once wanted.”

-Neil Gaiman