DEAD POETS SOCIETY (1989)

PLOT:

EXPOSITION

Todd Anderson, a lonely and painfully shy teenager, who is under pressure by his stern
parents because he must live up to his older brother's reputation to attend Yale and become a lawyer,
arrives for the new semester at the Welton Academy for boys. Todd meets Neil Perry an ambitious
student whom becomes his dorm roommate.
Later in his dorm, Neil is ordered by his grumpy and domineering father (Kurtwood Smith) to
drop an extracurricular class in order to maintain good grades so the boy may become a doctor much
as he has done. Todd tells Neil that he is in a similar situation with his parents involving his older
brother who also attended Welton a few years ago, graduated, and attended Yale Law School and
became a lawyer and his parents want the exact same thing for him. But Todd does not have the
courage to tell his parents that he instead wants to be a writer, not a lawyer.

RISING ACTION

During the first day of classes Todd and Neil experience the various teaching methods which
include speeches by the trig teacher, as well as the Latin teacher, and the math teacher who states
that "all 20 questions at the end of the first chapter are due tomorrow". But in contrast to these
orthodox teaching methods, the guys see a different side of the school when they attend English class
taught by the newly arrived and liberal Mr. Keating. He tells the boys they may call him "Oh Captain,
my Captain", if they dare. These examples of Mr. Keating's teachings show the boys how to think for
themselves. Mr. Keating then tells the boys "Carpe Diem", which is Latin for "seize the day".
In addition to Todd and Neil, a small group of other students whom include the lovesick Knox
Overstreet the flip Charlie Dalton, Richard Cameron, Steven Meeks and Gerard Pitts, also react to the
first day's lesson with comments from "that was weird" to "neat".
The next day, Keating, however, starts the class with a traditional teaching approach by
having Neil read out loud the introduction to their poetry textbook, which describes how to rate the
quality of poetry. Keating finds such mathematical criticism ridiculous and instructs his pupils to rip out
the essay which is one of three ways that he demonstrates freedom of expression and nonconformity. When some students hesitate, he tells them "this is not the bible. This is a battle, a war.
You will have to learn to think for yourselves." He later has the students stand on his desk as a
reminder to look at the world in a different way.

CONFLICT

A few days later, Knox Overstreet is asked to attend a dinner party at the Danburry
household. When he arrives, a beautiful girl answers the doorbell and intently captures his attention.
Later, he learns that the girl, Christine, has boyfriend named Chet, but does not give up the hope of
dating her.
One day, Neil finds an old Welton yearbook with Mr. Keating in it. After seeing that Mr. Keating
listed "Dead Poets Society" as one of his activities at the school, the boys ask Mr. Keating what this
was. He replies that the DPS was a secret club dedicated to taking the meaning out of life. With this
new idea in their head from asking Mr. Keating what the DPS was, Neil and the boys decide to start
up the DPS once again. Knox shows up so that he can build confidence, like learning pretty poetry, to
swoon Christine Danburry.

Mr. Keating assigns the boys a poem for homework which must be made up, and will be read
aloud during Monday's class. Keating's unorthodox teaching methods soon circulate quietly among
the other teachers who scorn his liberal and ideal methods. During a dinner, the Latin teacher tells
Keating, "you are taking a big risk in making your students think they are artists". Keating replies: "I'm
only trying to make them free thinkers". The Latin teacher rebukes him by saying, "free thinkers at age
seventeen? Not really. Be a realist!"
Neil attempts to seize the day by trying out for a part in the play 'A Midsummer Nights Dream'
the school is putting on.
Meanwhile, Knox goes to a nearby public high school football game and sees Christine in the arms of
Chet, who is a football player at that school.
Neil receives a letter that says he got the part of Puck in the play. Now he must write a letter
of permission to the headmaster and Mr. Perry, along with their signature of approval.
The next day in class, Mr. Keating tells Todd to stand up and recite his poem. When Todd tells
his teacher that he did not write a poem, Mr. Keating tells the boy to make one up right now on the
spur of the moment. Todd's new poem is about the picture of a madman on the wall, and Mr. Keating
seems to have an astounding affect on Todd.
That night, the boys meet at the cave to hold another DPS meeting, and afterwords Knox gets
the courage to phone Christine, who invites him to a party at her house. When Knox goes to Christine
party that night, he attempts to seize the day by kissing her, but only gets beat up by the jealous Chet.
The day after the DPS meeting, which is also attended by girls, Dalton writes a letter to the
school asking if girls may be admitted to Welton Academy. During a meeting which addresses this
letter, Dalton speaks out of line and is paddled by the headmaster. He is asked to tell the man about
the DPS meetings, but Dalton refrains from doing so.
Thus at this point, the boys begin to abuse the transcendental philosophy by bringing girls to the DPS
meetings, drinking freely, smoking freely, attending parties, publish an offensive and profane article,
going against the school policy, and kissing other girls.
When Keating is lectured by Headmaster Nolan about the DPS meetings, Mr. Keating tells the boys to
"be wise, not stupid" about protesting against the system.

CLIMAX

When Neil's father arrives at Welton on an unexpected visit, he scolds Neil for joining the play
and orders him to quit. Neil tells Mr. Keating about the incident, and that his father won't allow Neil to
act. To this, Mr. Keating suggests that Neil tell his father how the boy truly feels. Neil does, but his
bossy and stubborn father continues to refuse to let him partake in the play and tells Neil that he must
focus all his energy on studying to become a doctor. A few days later, Neil lies to Mr. Keating and tells
him that Mr. Perry allowed Neil to continue with the play.
When Knox goes to Christine's high school, he embarrasses her in class by giving her flowers
and reciting poetry. Christine goes to Welton where she angrily tells Knox that his actions
embarrassed her in front of her classmates. Knox apolgizes and asks Christine if she would go to the
play with him. Christine is again embarassed, but flatered by the attention the lovesick Knox displays,
accepts his offer as a date.
After Neil's great performance as the main character in the play receives a standing ovation,
but the boy is angrily driven home by his father who arrives at the end of the play having been
informed somehow. While at home, Mr. Perry tells Neil that in retaliation for his defiance, he will pull
Neil out of Welton and forcibly enroll him in Braden Military School to prepare him for Harvard
University and a career in medicine. Unable to cope with the future that awaits him or make his stern

and narrow-minded father understand his emotions, Neil commits suicide by shooting himself with his
father's gun.
Neil's distraught, but angry and stubborn, father holds Keating responsible for his son's
suicide and forces Headmaster Nolan to launch an investigation into Keating's teaching methods. The
next day, Todd is called to Nolan's office, where his parents are waiting. Nolan forces Todd to admit to
being a member of the Dead Poets Society, and tries to make him sign a document blaming Keating
for abusing his authority, inciting the boys to restart the Dead Poets Society, and encouraging Neil to
flout his father's authority. Todd sees Richard's, Knox's, Steven's and Gerald's signatures already on
the document. At first, Todd refuses to sign, but when Nolan threatens to expel him and his equally
stern parents refuse to take him back home should he be kicked out of school, the painfully shy Todd
does not have the nerve to argue with any of them and signs the signature.

FALLING ACTION

As a result, Keating is fired from Welton and is forced to leave without any severance pay or
letter of recommendation to teach at any other public or private school in the state. Although the other
teachers at Welton have disapproved of his teaching methods, most of them are somewhat upset and
down to see Keating leave.
The next day, Headmaster Nolan arrives at English class where he tells the students that he
is their new teacher until a substitute will arrive to replace him. The shy and afraid Todd cannot
respond when asked what the boys have done in the class so far, so Nolan asks Cameron. He tells
the teacher that the class thoroughly covered poetry, but skipped over realism. The headmaster has
the boys read the introduction, but it is ripped out, so he gives Cameron the teachers book to read
from. Just then, Mr. Keating enters the room to collect a few of his papers before he leaves. Todd
reveals to Keating that he and the other students were intimidated into signing the confession. Nolan
orders Todd to be quiet and demands that Keating leave.

RESOLUTION

As Keating is about to exit the classroom, Todd (for the first and only time in the movie) finally
breaks through his cowardice and self-pity and calls out: "O Captain! My Captain!" and then stands on
top of his desk and faces Keating. Nolan warns Todd to sit down or face expulsion. In what is probably
the movie's most touching and emotionally powerful scene, one by one, Knox, Steven, Gerard, and all
of the members of the Dead Poets Society, except for Cameron and one or two other students, climb
onto their desks and face Keating to salute their former teacher, and they remain standing on their
desks despite Nolan's orders for them to sit back down until he gives up and slumps against the
teacher's desk, angry and emotionally defeated. Seeing that his work at the school had not been in
vain, a visibly touched Keating says: "Thank you, boys. Thank you." With Todd and the other the
students looking on, Keating then happily leaves the classroom with tears in his eyes, and walks out
of the school for good.

CONFLICT:

EXTERNAL:

MAN VS MAN
1. Knox Overstreet vs Chet
When Knox becomes obsessed with a certain girl named Chriswithout actually meeting
herhe ends up risking his life to win her heart. Knox tried to kiss her at a party and ended
up beaten by Chris boyfriend Chet.
2. Neil Perry vs Mr Perry

Neil was pressured by his father to become a doctor when he was actually interested in other
field of study. When his father found out that he was in an act, his father was furious and
threatened to send him in a military school.
3. Todd vs Nolan (headmaster)
The lonely and shy Todd finally stood up against Nolan and saluted Mr Keating before his
departure.
MAN VS SOCIETY
1. Mr Keating vs Welton Academy
Since Welton Academy is a very strict school which has been sending lots of students into Ivy
League schools every year, the teachers bound students by rules and do hard classes in
order to send more students into better universities. The parents also want their children to
get accepted into good universities and get a good job in the future. Keating has opposite
opinion to them. He taught his student the importance of expressing themselves freely in their
own words not bounding by anybody. So, there was a conflict between the spirit of loving
liberty by Keating and the spirit of controlled education supported by the teachers and
parents.

INTERNAL:

MAN VS SELF
1. Neil vs Neil
When Neil Perry decides to pursue a career in the performing arts, rather than in medicine,
his father, Mr. Perry, is furious. Unmoved by Neils extraordinary performance in the play A
Midsummer Nights Dream, Mr. Perry continues to insist on controlling his sons life and
dictating his every move. But Mr. Perrys efforts were in vain; Neil had already experienced
freedoma privilege not easily relinquished. Neil eventually stands up to his father, but is
unable to communicate his opinions to the increasing tyrannical traditionalist figure that his
father has become. Rather than continuing to live a dreary half-life, Neil decides that the only
way to gain control is by taking his own life. Though he lost everything in the process, suicide
was the only way for Neil to stand up to his father and live life to the fullest (ala Carpe
Diem). Through the act of suicide, Neil is taking control of his life decisionsand must, as a
result, accept the consequences. Neils clearly existential actions were a necessary step in
his process of self-discovery and individual growth.

THEME:
The central theme of the movie is "carpe diem" - seize the day. It's what Mr. Keating tells his
English students when he takes them to look at photos of long dead alumni from the school. He wants
them to make their lives extraordinary, to do some different or bold, to follow their dreams. The
inspiration for Mr. Keating and for his students is poetry and writing - like Walt Whitman and Henry
David Thoreau. When he was a student at the school, Keating and his friends formed a secret group
called "The Dead Poets Society" and read poetry together, which is what the boys in the movie do.
Neil follows his passion for theatre. Knox goes for the girl he loves. And the shy Todd will eventually
learn to be bold enough to speak up. But Mr. Keating is considered dangerous for telling them to
break free and not to conform, especially in the time period and the school they are in. Being part of
the mainstream, being agreeable and just like everybody else is more valued than being unique
individuals at Welton. When Neil kills himself because his parents will not let him be an actor and are
dictating everything about his life, including sending him to military school and then medical school,
they look for someone to blame. Mr. Keating and his advice to follow your passions and seize the day
are singled out and he is fired. The boys - who revered him - are forced to testify against him. They
are torn about this decision to turn against someone they loved, and about following like sheep the
orders of the school. It's the shy Todd who finally dares to speak out - as Mr. Keating is leaving telling him that they don't actually think he's at fault. The headmaster yells at Todd, tells him to sit

down and be quiet - pretty much the same lesson they're taught every day except in Mr. Keating's
class. But Todd - bringing together everything in the movie - stands atop his desk, quoting Walt
Whitman and saying farewell - O Captain! My Captain! Then the other boys who were touched and
changed by Mr. Keating's lessons also find the courage to stand up and say goodbye, no matter what
the headmaster thinks or the possible punishments. So the movie is about seizing the day - making
the most of your time before you die - and about being unique and following your passions and being
unafraid to stand up for those things.

POINT OF VIEW:
Third Person Omniscient:
The story is focused on the changes of students who were all 16-year-old boys, especially on Todd
Anderson who was a transfer student, and the relationship between the boys and their new English
professor, the flamboyant John Keating.

SETTINGS:

Time
1959 as it mentioned in the movie. Teachers and fathers were the absolute being in that time.

Place
The story was taken place at a traditional preparatory school in Vermont, the United States in
1959, which marks the hundreth year of the school's existence. The state of Vermont is
located north-east part of America, neighboring Canadian border.

CHARACTERS:

Mr Keating
The new teacher and previous student at Welton. He inspires the boys to 'seize the day' and
restart his old club, the Dead Poets Society.
1. Blithe Spirit: He tries to bring life and free-thinking to the school.
2. Cool Teacher: He teaches English. He manages to fill his students with enthusiasm to
study literature and especially poetry, and life in general.
3. Fired Teacher: He is kicked out of the school after Neil's death.
4. The Scapegoat: Welton and the Perrys blame him for Neil's suicide
5. Save Our Students: He wants to get his students interested and make them believe
that their life matters and should be special.

Neil Perry
One of Keatings students, who decides to restart the Dead Poets Society. He has a strained
relationship with his controlling father.
1. Abusive Parents: His dad's rigid expectations lead him to commit suicide.
2. Ambiguously Gay: He and Todd are very, uh... close.
3. The Ace: He's bright, popular, sporty, in numerous clubs, Harvard-bound, and clearly
the leader in his group of friends.
4. Broken Ace: Desite his popularity, he's actually trapped by his controlling father and
sees no way out.
5. Big Man on Campus: Everyone adores him, and he's a talented actor as well as a
good student.
6. The B Grade: There'll be hell to pay if he gets anything less than an A+ average.
7. Bromance: With Todd. Neil is instantly protective of him and the two are very close.
8. Decoy Protagonist: After his death, it becomes clear the true protagonist is Todd.

9. Driven to Suicide: After his father forbids him theatre and promises to get him from his
school, Neil shoots himself with his father's pistol.
10. Extracurricular Enthusiast: Not his idea, but his father's.
11. Red Oni, Blue Oni: The red to Todd's blue. He's much more passionate and ready to
do things.
12. Tragic Bromance: With Todd. Neil is immediately protective of Todd, and seemingly
makes it his mission to bring him out of his shell. Then his own problems crush him,
and he commits suicide, leaving his best friend more broken than before.
13. Stepford Smiler: He was miserable underneath his out-going, cheerful personality. It
makes his death so very shocking.

Todd Anderson
A new student at Welton, and Neil's roomate. He starts out as the most timid of the poets, but
gains confidence thanks to Keating and Neil's encouragement.
1. Abusive Parents: In an interesting contrast to the pressure Neil suffers, his parents
expect nothing of him and a deleted scene reveals his dad's equates his value as a
person to his chemical worth.
2. Parental Neglect: A heartbreaking scene has Todd sitting alone with his birthday
present... the same present he got last year.
3. Bromance: With Neil. The two are very close and it's established Neil is Todd's only
good relationship, at least at first.
4. Grew a Spine: As the movie goes on, he becomes more confident.
5. New Transfer Student: As if his shyness wasn't bad enough.
6. Not So Different: Seems the complete opposite to the confident Neil, but it's revealed
they both struggle with their parents' expectations.
7. Red Oni, Blue Oni: The blue to Neil's red. He's much quieter and more introspective.
8. Shrinking Violet: He has trouble talking in class (or even one-on-one with his
roommate) and avoids eye contact. He gets better though.
9. Tragic Bromance: With Neil. Throughout the movie the pair grow extremely close,
confiding their family problems and comforting each other in trouble. Neil especially
builds Todd's broken self-esteem, resulting in Todd becoming happier and more
confident in himself. Then Neil kills himself and Todd is left distraught and
heartbroken; it's unclear if he'll ever really recover.
10. The Unfavourite: To a devastating extent. His parents don't value him at all and he's
constantly compared to his successful brother.

Charlie Dalton
Another of Keating's students and the most rebellious member of the Dead Poets Society.
1. Class Clown: Always goofing off.
2. Hot-Blooded: Definitely the most reckless of the boys.
3. Jerk with a Heart of Gold: As much as he likes to goof around and mouth off, he does
care about his friends and refuses to betray them.
4. Rebellious Spirit: As seen below, he's more than willing to defy authority.
5. Undying Loyalty: Despite his careless attitude, he is extremely protective of his
friends, refusing to betray them under a brutal beating and being expelled out of
loyalty to Keating.

Knox Overstreet
Member of Keating's class and the Dead Poets Society. Spends most of the movie attempting
to win the love of local girl, Chris.
1. The Determinator: He's going to get Chris if it's the last thing he does.
2. Hopeless Romantic: Struck dumb when he sees Chris for the first time.