Dead Poets Society: analyse af temaer og karakterer

The story takes place at Welton Academy. A group of boys including Neil, is just started.

Mr. Keating, is a new teacher and he is very into poetry. He have untraditional teaching methods, he inspires the boys to seize the day. They boys read about Keating in an old yearbook, and find that he was a member of the Dead Poets Society. It´s a group which is reading out loud poetry for each other.Then the Dead Poets Society is reformed. Neil, who has a very strict father, is dreaming of being an actor. He sees the opportunity to play the lead in a play and takes it though he knows his father is not gonna like it. He´s father has other plan for him and that is being a doctor and not an actor. Neils father discovered that Neil is playing anyway and after the play he takes him home. He has now decided for him to be sent to a military school. The same night he commits suicide with his fathers gun. Mr. Keating is fired and his class is being taught by Mr. Nolan.

2.

Mr. Keating have a very untraditional teaching methods. He is teaching them to make their lives extraordinary, think for themselves, and be an individual. His way of teaching goes against the schools tradition, one day he asked them to rip out the introduction of their text books. He said they have to think for themself. The most important lesson Keating teaches is Carpe Diem, which means Seize the Day. As a result of Keating's teachings the students did learn to think for themselves and have a mind of their own. This is expressed when the new English teacher takes the class over and Keating is walking out, one student (Todd) stands on his desk and says “Oh Captain, My Captain”. He did not listen to the teacher; he stood up for what he believed in, and that´s all because Mr. Keating.