iWATCH LIST: DEAD POETS SOCIETY

     Dead Poets Society is a 1989 American drama film directed by Peter Weir, written by Tom Schulman, and starring Robin Williams. Set in 1959 at the fictional elite conservative Vermont boarding school Welton Academy, it tells the story of an English teacher who inspires his students through his teaching of poetry.

     The plot centers on the influence of Mr. Keating, a young and exciting English teacher who is determined to teach his students to live life with absolute passion through word Carpe diem. Mr. Keating managed to make his students to love poetry. He did something that other teachers did not do. This movie is about what happens when these students decide to pursue their own desires and to live life with the passion that Mr. Keating encouraged.  

     For me this movie is full of values and beliefs. In any society, the instrument that shapes individual according to the movie, students are expected to be guided by the beliefs and value of the school. Every Welton students are required to trust the doctrine of the school without any conscious, these have been the normal tradition of the school. Mr. Keating's in a way did not only help his student with the values and beliefs of the school but he guided his students into an expended awareness of life's possibilities.

     Second, my opinion is I quite do not like the ending because for me killing yourself or suicide is not the solution. As what Neil did at the ending, it is very disturbing. It makes me feel uncomfortable and more paranoid to face the world. I felt that he should never think about suicidal. Yes, I do understand how he feels, but death is the end of everything. If he was still alive, he can try a new things, as what his parents wanted. I am a kind of person that really afraid to try a new thing, but I never feel that I should do that. If he was still alive, he can negotiate with his father. The moment that Neil’s father asked what he felt, he decide to stay silent and said nothing. I could not see his afford to be an actor. I do love his character and I wish he can pursue in that field. I do cheers and feel very happy for him when I watched the scene that he got the main role for the theater. I felt so happy and I do understand how he felt because I do experience that same thing last year.

     Third, I do love how all the characters interact with each other. I really love the friendship between Neil Perry, Knox Overstreet, Richard Cameron, Steven Meeks, Gerard Pitts, and Charlie Dalton. They were seven of them after a shy Todd Anderson begins his senior year of high school at Welton Academy. He is assigned one of Welton's most promising students, Neil Perry, as his roommate and is quickly accepted by Neil's friends. This is so wonderful and I wish that I also have this kind of friendship. My heart is really broken when Todd was running in the snow when he knew that Neil was dead. I was crying when I watched this scene, and I do remember that Neil was the only one who wish and be with Todd at the night of his birthday. I do agree that family comes first then everything, but sometimes teenagers do feel comfortable to share and tells a lot of things with their peers. It is normal for us because peers sometimes are more understanding because they do experience it.

     I also want to include about Mr. Keating. I do love him. The way he taught and inspired the students was very awesome. Subsequent lessons included having them take turns standing on his desk to teach the boys how they must look at life in a different way, telling them to rip out the introduction of their poetry books which explains a mathematical formula used for rating poetry, and inviting them to make up their own style of walking in a courtyard to encourage them to be individuals. I still remember once my English teacher said to me that “When you know something, try to look at it from different angle. Language, education... They are beautiful”. Honestly I was very inspired and impressed with all of my English teachers by looking how their words absorb into my heart and I do take lesson from it. My English teacher also said that “Everyone have their own problems and struggle, but the thing is how they solve and handle it”. I kept that word since today.