Murtaugh1

Emily Murtaugh
Mr. Chavez
English
6 January 2013
Lesson Learned
In the film Dead Poets Society, directed by Peter Weir, an inspirational teacher teaches
boys how to become their true selves and be different than everybody else. Mr. John Keating is
the new English teacher at his former all boy school, Welton Academy. He teaches the boys to
have their own thoughts and opinions through teaching them poetry. He goes against the strict
tradition of the school and gives the boys the idea to reestablish a group called the Dead Poets
Society. These boys, Todd Anderson, Neil Perry, Richard Cameron, Steven Meeks, Charlie
Dalton, and Knox Overstreet start the start the society and hold their meetings in the forest where
they tell poetry and find freedom from school. In the film Mr. Keating affects each boys life in
different ways. For example, Mr. Keating gives an assignment for the boys to write their own
poem and read it to the class. This assignment gives Todd, the new boy in school, confidence that
he does not have earlier. Another boy, Neil Perry, goes out for a play without his father knowing
and after the performance kills himself because his parents controlled his life to much. Neils
parents and the school blame Mr. Keating and his ideas for the death of Neil and he is forced to
resign from the school. Transcendentalism is a common theme throughout the film.
Transcendentalism is shown when the boys are taught free thought, when they hold meetings in
the cave, when Todd learns confidence, when Neil breaks off of his parents reliance, and when
the boys get rid of the conformity of the school to say a final good bye to their beloved teacher.
Free thought is when people have their own ideas and do not follow the crowd just
because it seems right. On their first day of Mr. Keatings class they read the first page of their
English textbook on how to measure the greatness of a poem. Mr. Keating does not believe in
this and tells them to tear out the pages in their book. He asks the class how can you describe

Murtaugh2

poetry like American bandstand, because poetry cannot be rated. He also has them ponder over
what verse will they contribute to the world and tells them that they have to seize the day. This
is teaching transcendentalism by showing that it is okay to think outside the box.
Connection to nature is when people go to their earthly roots because they want to feel
free from the restraints of everyday life. When the Dead Poets Society is reinstated they decide to
have the meetings in a cave in the forest. Although the school is so close to nature the boys
previously seemed to be imprisoned in the school until they finally go to the forest and are free
from the schools strict grip that it has on them. The cave is also a sign of the new spirit that Mr.
Keating has engraved in the boys. Now they are able to be like the birds because they are free
and can follow their passions. An example of one of the boys becoming more passionate is when
Knox Overstreet falls head over heels for a girl named Chris. Even though she has a boyfriend he
acts more freely and goes for what he wants. All the boys learn something from the Dead Poets
Society and like Mr. Keating it effects how they live from then on. Going into the woods and
having the meetings in the cave show transcendentalism because the boys are able to have a
place away from school where they can grow without the pressure of school.
Confidence is when you believe in everything you do. One of the boys in the film Todd
Anderson has no confidence in the beginning of the film. He believes that his thoughts are
worthless and that nothing he says is as good as what other people say. Then when he is forced to
read aloud in class, because of an assignment Mr. Keating assigned, he discovers that his words
and actions do mean something. After that he is able to read aloud at the Dead Poet Society
meetings, although not very often, and he is accepted into the group more than he was before.
Todd discovering his voice is a key to helping him with his confidence because he can believe in
himself and have a sense of worth in his life.
Self-reliance is when all you can only depend on yourself to do what is best for you and
you are relying on nobody else for your decisions. One example of when a boy had to make a

Murtaugh3

huge decision by himself was when Neil decides to go for the play, A Midsummer Nights Dream,
without his parents consent. Neil knows that his parents will refuse him the opportunity to be an
actor so he takes matters into his own hands and gets the lead role in the play as Puck. On the
day before the play his father finds out about the play and demands he quits but following his
ideals Neil goes on with the show and faces the consequences. His parents dont let him rely on
himself and they chose that he will go leave Welton and go to Briton Military School. Neil
cannot stand the idea of losing acting, the one thing he loves, so he kills himself because his
parents dont let him live his life. Neil taking a hold of his life and is self-reliant because he
wants to follow his dreams and not his parents.
Non- Conformity is when a person does not give into what the majority of people think.
After Neil kills himself Mr. Keating is forced to resign from his job and leave Welton Academy.
Before he leaves forever Mr. Keating picks up his things from the classroom while the boys are
in class. As a final goodbye the boys go against the conformity of the school and stand on their
desks and say oh captain my captain. Todd is surprisingly the one who starts the act and other
boys follow him to rebel against the school rules. This action is an example of Non-Conformity
because they go against what the school tells them to do so that they can send Mr. Keating off
with the respect that he deserves.
Transcendentalism is a key concept throughout the film. Mr. Keatings teachings give the
boys what they need to be their own person and strive for what they believe in. The boys learned
life lessons that they will carry with them for the rest of their lives. Mr. Keating shows that
although tradition and order is good sometimes it is good to follow your heart as well