Study Guide: Dead Poets Society 1

Name : Jubaedah
Student’s Number : 1705616
Class : 5A2
Subject : Exploring Poetry

Answer the following questions thoroughly on your own paper

1. What was the Dead Poets Society? What did they do? Where do you think the name comes from?
Dead Poets Society is the title of the movie which tells about the journey of seven students
during their young age. The story begins with the presence of literature teacher who inspired those
students by the way his teaching style and the interaction with his students. From his utterance, it
opens their mind and becomes very curious over their teacher. Then, they build the society. Dead
Poets Society aims to utter the meaning of those students life. It started from the pressure they got in
life from some parents, the tradition of their school, and the alienation. So they began to look for the
real meaning of life.
In this society, they read some poems from several famous poets such as Thoreau, Whitman,
Shelley, and etc. and let those poems work by its magical words. It is because words can literally change
idea and perspective. Then, they also expressed anything such their feeling, perspective, problem, and
so forth.
The name of Dead Poets Society itself comes from the senior annual book of their teacher, Mr
Keating, where built a society with his friend. They got inspired of that name and made the same way
such their teacher did in the past.
2. What is the symbolism in the scene where the boys go to the cave? Think about the cave itself, the
setting in the woods, the flashlights, etc.)
In my perspective, this kind of scene such gathering in the wood, cave, and flashlight they used
in the night, it describes that is the best place to express anything and to feel free from the crowds.
They can share each other’s perspective without any distraction such their teachers, friends, and
environment. It such a quiet place where they can do anything they want.
3. Summarize, in your own words, why Henry David Thoreau went to the woods:
"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and
see if I could 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 is not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practice resignation, unless it
NICKE ©2017
 Study Guide: Dead Poets Society 2

was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to live so sturdily and
Spartan-like as to put to rout all that was not life, to cut a broad swath and shave close, to drive life
into a corner, and reduce it to its lowest terms, and if it proved to be mean, why then to get the whole
genuine meanness of it, and publish its meanness to the world; or if it were sublime, to know it by
experience, and be able to give a true account of it in my next excursion. For most men, it appears to
me, are in a strange uncertainty about it, whether it is of the devil or of God. . . ." --Henry David
Thoreau, from Walden

4. What does T.S. Eliot mean by the following quote? "No poet, no artist of any art, has complete meaning
alone. His significance, his appreciation, is the appreciation of his relation to the dead poets and artists.
You cannot value him alone; you must set him, for contrast and comparison, among the dead." -- T. S.
Eliot, from "Tradition and the Individual Talent"
The meaning of the quote above is the ancestor means a lot for today’s artists. They can be
seperated from them. Their creation, work, and appreciation exactly inspired by the old. In other
words, it does not origin from themself but affection from another people. For instance, a poet must
be inspired by the dead poets and so on.
5. Comment on each of the themes below—which theme were you most able to relate to? Which did
you think was the most powerful?
 Feelings of alienation
Feeling of alienation is good aspect in this movie. We can do some reflection and decide our
life path. This feeling is not about avoid the society, but more impotant is that thinking about
our life and how to deal with it.
 Dealing with increased feelings of independence and rebellion
I am so loved the scene where relates to the feelings of indepence and rebelion which is the
important thing as a student. We can express anything and feel free of what we are doing as
long as it it still good for them and environment itself. This aspect also supports students to
relieve pressure in life.
 Academic pressure
Most problems that happened among students is pressure they got in academic life. In this
movie, some students got pressure from their parents and some teachers. They have to follow
their parents willing without considering what literally their interest and their feeling. Their
parent demands them to get a good score in order to continue their best career in the future.

NICKE ©2017
 Study Guide: Dead Poets Society 3

Also, the school is one of prestigious school and demands them to follow four pillars of the
schools. The saddest thing that might happen is deciding to end life.
 Symbolism and imagery
These aspects has an important role to support the movie. Unfortunately, I did not give many
attention in these aspects. For sure, these aspect very suitable with the plot of the story.
 Influence of role models
Role models has huge roles in building bettter generation. In this scene, Mr Keating is the role
models. He opens up his students’ mind and guiding his students to create their own path of
life.

6. How has this movie helped you to think differently about poetry, teaching, school, alienation, etc. Pick
one thing and focus on it.
The most compalling part from this movie is the perspective to be a teacher. Teacher literally
has a big role in building generation when we can optimalize the role itself. It is not about transferring
knowledge, but deeper than that. It is about changing students’ perspective mind into open-minded
person, teaching them to solve their problems in life, being their best friend, and so forth. Teacher is
literally an honor occasion in building better nation in the future.
7. Which piece of poetry used in the film did you like best and why? Why did it stand out to you?
Poetry is almost forgotten in our life. through this movie, we can also lighten up our way or find for
the real meaning of our life from poetry

NICKE ©2017