Character Analysis : Dead Poets Society

Sociology is defined as a “systematic study of human society” (Macionis 583). The 1989 film Dead Poets Society features multiple sociological themes and issues. The main themes shown in this film are deviance and role conflict. These themes do not apply to every character, some characters even show neither of these theme, but with the main characters there is multiple examples provided through their lives.

Identify the movie by stating its title, the year it was released, the name of the director, where the story is set, and the time period in which the story takes place.

This essay intends to examine different aspects of Social Psychology in the film, Dead Poets Society. Released in 1989, this film provides a look at the culture of an Eastern preparatory school, and how a charismatic leader can utilize minority influence to inspire a mass of students. Interactions between characters exhibit many phenomena evident of social psychology, such as how a person can influence a situation and vice versa; social influence; conformity; situational strength; the human need for individuality and to be unique. These different types of interactions all define Social Psychology, and are exhibited in every unique situation.

Neil Perry is also a troubled young man within himself because he doesn’t want to conform to the life his father wants for him. Neil wants to be his own person and to the things he likes to do but he is afraid to stand up to his father. His father is a phony conformist such as Holden describes his father in Catcher in the Rye. Neil’s father makes him quit the school paper because one of his teachers wants him to, when Neil tries to stand up for himself, his father scolds him and tells him when he graduates medical school he can do what he wants, until then, he must obey what his father tells him. When he does finally do what he wants, when he finally incorporates the ‘’carpe diem’’ phrase into his life and made the decision for himself to act in the play, his father decides to take him out of Welton and send him to military school. Neil felt the only to break his father’s shackles was to kill himself. I think that Neil felt that he couldn’t bare

Neil Perry only wanted to be an actor, but his father wanted him to go to Harvard and become a doctor. Neil was able to get a led role in a play without his father finding out until the night before the play. As the play ended Neil's father took him away. That night Neil knew he could never be freed from his father, so he shot himself in his father's office. Although Neil's dark side was not as bad as Gene, he did what every person is afraid of and that was death. No one wanted death or wanted death for anyone else but, in the movie it was thought to be his only

“Why fit in when you were taught to Stand Out!!” -Dr.Suess. Individualism is greatly discussed by many viewpoints, many for it, as well as against it. “Dead Poets Society” is a film that shows why individualism is needed in our society. Another great example is “What to a slave is the Fourth of July” -Frederick Douglass. Individualism is a great deal in the world, and people should understand what it is like to be an Individual to see that the world wouldn’t be the same if everyone was alike. People should know that we are all meant to be our own person in life and if we were all the same as everyone else in society, the world would be dry and lame.

Neil’s grades began to soar and he was able to graduate from college as the Valedictorian. He later went on to study Psychology and became a psychologist. He has come to terms with his disorder, now has some amount of control over his impulses and also plays football and tennis, during and after his practice. Neil has volunteered to help children and adults who are like him, the ones who were brainwashed by adults and other people they depended on and as a result, ended up failing at what they were destined to

Almost everybody who falls in love may think that they will be the same person as they were before meeting someone and putting then into your life. That as a matter of fact is very different. You may not know your real you when loving and caring so much about someone. There are many things to think about whenever you find your loved one. For example, their past friends, their past life , and actions. The author of this story “The Dead” makes us reveal various aspects of Gabriel’s character by using imagery, point of view, and diction.

Later that night, in the scene of the suicide, Mr. Perry sees his son on the floor, the camera angled downwards towards Neil. This portrays him as vulnerable and insignificant after taking his own life, as if his father has finally realised how helpless his son was. Neil’s suicide was ultimately an amalgamation of the pressures to conform being imposed on him by Welton Academy and his father, as well as the oppression of his freedom. Similarly, Billy’s suicide was instigated by the pressures to conform being imposed on him by Nurse Ratched and his mother throughout his life.

The factor that most contributed to Neal Perry's death was his father. Mr. Perry is a douche. In one scene from the "Dead Poets Society," Mr. Perry is scolding Neal and tells him that as long as he's in high school, he is to obey his every order. This spells disaster for Neal's acting career. For example when Neal wanted to audition for a part in "A Midsummer Night's Dream" Mr. Perry became infuriated at the idea and told Neal not to even consider acting; even though Neal is a straight A student. I think this was a big upset for Neal because I believe that acting for him isn't just a hobby it is a way of life for him. Overall, the way his life was unraveling, suicidal thoughts were inevitable, they were the byproduct of his fathers strictness

What keeps Keating from adopting the schools ideals as his own are his strong personal values, and his Trickster personality. This personality allows him to get his message across to the boys. Keating does not believe in the conformist nature of the school. He does not want to teach the boys what to think, but rather how to think. He does not allow them to rate

Professor John Keating was a new teacher in the school who had unorthodox methods of teaching his class. Originally, he was supposed to teach a very serious class with no fun and games, the only focus is learning and that is it. Mr. Keating was also a rebellion of this strain theory. With his unorthodox methods of teaching his class, he stressed the idea of carpe diem. This concept affects all of his students and they were to “seize the day” by setting themselves free of the order their society had imposed on them. Mr. Keating was a big influencer in Neil’s decision to pursue acting. The pressures to succeed placed on Neil by his parents and society prevent him from exploring his own individuality. He felt as if he were enclosed in a box with nowhere to go. Neil’s father had warned him that if he did not stop acting he would have

In both the novel Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe and Dead Poets Society by Peter Wair father son relationships are observed through the stress of society's standards and the result of its oppression. The fathers, Okonkwo and Tom Perry, ultimately both want what they believe is best for their sons. Both fathers are subjected to societal standards that set their goals for their sons. The Umuofia culture depicts a great man as physically strong and stoic so Okonkwo only accepts this image for Nwoye. The modern culture in Dead Poets Society favors a traditionally hard working profession ,such as a doctor. Culture plays an important role in life, in order, to be accepted the father's conform to its praisable factors and subject their sons

The way Professor Keating taught was successful in the way that he made his students realize that they need to live their own lives. . An example is when he teaches the boys "Carpe Diem (Seize the day)." In the movie, Tim repeatedly says that when he is trying to win over a girl. Keating is successful because he teaches Tim to go after what he wants and Tim was persistent enough to keep at it and winds up getting her. Another example is when Neil decides to be an actor in a play. Even though his father is against it, Neil does is anyway cause he knows he has what it takes and he feels he has nothing to lose. I feel that if Keating did not teach his students to be themselves, Neil would have never gone against his father and he would have never enjoyed his life. When Neil kills himself at the end I think the blame is on his father because he would not let him do what he wants to do in his heart, he wasn’t being supportive of his sons wants. I feel that Keating had a very positive influence on him. Because of Keatings teachings, his students learned to live their own lives to the fullest.

The statement that conformity and tradition are in opposition to individualism and defiance of authority is very true in The Dead Poet Society, and even more so in today’s society in general. One can walk into any high school and see this is true. In a typical high school, people seem to have very much in common, especially in dress, hair style, etc… which is in opposition to individualism in and of itself. People are so caught up in conforming to how society says they should live their lives, it really tarnishes the spirit of individuality human beings are meant to have.