Dorathy Okafor

Mrs. Keyser
English
11/24/14

Dead Poets Society and Emerson/ Thoreau

Dead Poets Society is a 1989 American drama film written by Tom Schulman, directed by Peter
Weir and starring Robin Williams. Set at the conservative and aristocratic Welton Academy in the
northeast United States in 1959. It tells the story of an English teacher who inspires his students through
his teaching of poetry. Robin Williams plays John Keating and has an unorthodox way of teaching. He
implements many ideas of Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. The first way that the movie
illustrates their ideas is when John, in the movie, tells his students Carpe Diem. Seize the day, Boys.
The second theme is to resist conformity and think for yourself. The last theme is living in solitude and
being in touch with nature.
In the beginning of the movie John, the teacher explains to his students the meaning of Carpe
Diem: seize the day. He advises his students to live every day to the fullest. He says Seize the day.
Because believe it or not, each and every one of us in this room is one day going to stop, turn cold and
die. H wants them to live their dreams and realize their individuality and value.
The second theme is to resist conformity. This is showed when John takes his students outside for
an activity and asks them to walk in a line however they want. Explaining how each person had a
different stride and pace in the beginning, but when he joined them they changed tie match his stride

.Also how and why the audience clapped. He urges them to trust their beliefs regardless of what society
thinks.
The third theme the movie supports the importance of nature and solitude when John finds his
former students journal that quoted Henry David Thoreau. I went to the woods because I wished to live
deliberately, to front only 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. The student committed suicide days ago, after
performing in a play his father did not support. He tried to act out the quote and that had a lasting effect
on his teacher and friends.
Dead Poets Society was a great way to put Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson in
perspective and make it relatable to young people. The idea of Carpe Diem or Seize the day, is
reflected throughout the whole movie. He reminds them to make use of the time they have. The second
idea is to resist conformity and stick to their beliefs. The third idea is to appreciate nature and solitude.