The Horror Of Conformism In Ralph Waldo Emerson's Dead Poets Society

There are many challenges for people while they are growing up. In fact, these challenges are very common for most teenagers. However, many authors have written pieces with the intention to help students overcome their struggles. That is why a student who is struggling to find their inner self can trust several of the ideas of transcendentalism. In fact, Thoreau and Emerson include the ideas of optimism, intuition, and originality in many of their pieces of literature. It is clear that a teenager who is struggling developing their character should connect with the transcendent ideas from Thoreau and Emerson.

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.

In order to live life to the fullest one must embrace the transcendentalist idea of nonconformity, which is the idea that one should not follow customs of society and instead be themselves. This is demonstrated in the teachings Mr. Keating and in his general philosophy as a teacher and a mentor. He continually expresses his belief that the students should be taught to think for themselves. Furthermore, he teaches student to act against the current of society, which is most evident his ‘Marching to your own Beat’ exercise in the courtyard where his students were shown dangers of conformity. He believe that not conforming allows one to be an individual, which allows for one to be an individual and think for oneself. This is extremely similar to what Emerson said about conformity, “Whoso would be a man must be a nonconformist… Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind” (“Self Reliance”).

Critically acclaimed by movie critics around the world, Dead Poets Society follows a group of teenage boys in a New England preparatory school setting. Robin Williams stars as an English professor, whose unorthodox teaching style urges his students to discover and reach their own self-actualization through understanding poetry. Because Williams’ teachings do stray from the traditional culture of the school, Williams is often labeled part of his own outgroup, stigmatized, and eventually used as a scapegoat. While this film culture and setting may be an inaccurate representation of the majority of the population, themes of Social Psychology successfully portray how people interact every day. Examples such as a cultural norms, minority influence, and how a

The concept of individualism was one of the most encouraged and sought aspects of Transcendentalism, as many Transcendentalists despised the idea of conforming to the will of society and never sharing a person’s true opinion. As noted by Ralph Waldo Emerson in his famous essay, “Self-Reliance,” “Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind. Absolve you to yourself, and you shall have the suffrage of the world” (362). Emerson restates the idea that nothing is greater than thinking and acting for yourself, and letting your true opinions show as opposed to those of everyone else. Emerson also states that doing so will gain you the suffrage, or support, or the world, inferring that having an individualistic mindset will strengthen the bonds within communities around the world, causing them to give their full support for their members at any time. Unfortunately, such an idea is virtually impossible, as each individual’s desire to act for themselves would make working with and supporting the interests of others incredibly difficult, and would destroy the bonds within communities as opposed to strengthening them. This is fantastically displayed through the storyline of the movie Into the Wild, in which the protagonist, Chris McCandless, desires to break away from society and live in the wilderness of Alaska. During his journey, Chris meets a wide array of unique individuals, all of whom he begins to form unique bonds with, but is forced to separate each time because of his continuous desire to move to Alaska and completely immerse himself in nature. This is especially displayed in his relationship with Ron Franz, who becomes so attached to Chris that he offers to adopt Chris, only to have his proposal rejected due to

Anastas, Benjamin. “The Foul Reign of Emerson’s ‘Self-Reliance.’” The New York Times, 3 Dec. 2011, www.nytimes.com. This article blames today’s politics and the American joy of instant gratification with the dismissal of outside facts due to the ‘Self- Reliance’ philosophy of Emerson. Stating that the American people can ignore loads of facts if their own experience tells them something different. Benjamin Anastas is an American Novelist, journalist, and book reviewer. He also teaches literature at Bennington College.

Transcendentalism is artistic movement that values inspiration and individuality, it focuses on shying away from societal conformity, valuing intuition instead of reason and logic. The Dead Poets Society follows the lives of seven high schoolers and their English teacher, Mr. Keating, while they battle the social conformity expected within their prestigious school, versus expressing their individuality and true feelings. With the help of their teacher, Knox and Neil learn to think differently and for themselves for the first time in their lives. In Peter Weir’s Dead Poet society transcendentalist values are depicted through the thoughts, actions and words of Mr. Keating, Charles Dalton, and Knox Overstreet.

Transcendentalism is a literary movement in the 1830s that suggest that every individual is capable discovering higher truth through intuition. Transcendentalist live by 5 tenets which are the importance of nature, self-reliance, simplicity, self-trust/confidence, and nonconformity. The movie Dead Poets Society is about a teacher who teaches his group of students how to live transcendental. The movie shows great acts of transcendentalism through each of the characters using the different tenets. Mr. Keating and Knox Overstreet in dead poets society shows that living transcentally is worth the consequences.

Ralph Waldo Emerson, a leader of the Transcendentalist movement in the nineteenth century, once expresses his opinion on nonconformity when he wrote, “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” His words express what many people have aspired to be. These words from Ralph Waldo Emerson highlight the idea of nonconformity which is one of the main pillars of the . Humans, having naturally social instincts, find it challenging to risk going against the crowd for fear of isolation, so Transcendental ideas can be difficult to execute amid the pressures of society. Ideas from this movement, particularly nonconformity, are some of the main themes in Dead Poets Society directed by Peter Weir. While Neil’s character in Dead Poets Society initially displays characteristics of Ralph Waldo Emerson’s Transcendentalist ideas from “Self-Reliance,” he fails to continue his Transcendental endeavors proving that while Transcendentalism is possible, society ultimately causes individuals to conform.

“Whoso would be a man must be a nonconformist. He who would gather immortal palms must not be hindered by the name of goodness, but must explore if it be goodness” (370). In Self-Reliance by Ralph Waldo Emerson, it is shown that each person must make their own decisions in life and learn to think for themselves. The individual must form his or her own opinions on what is good and bad; following society solely because that is expected is no way to go through life. This idea is an integral aspect of Transcendentalism. Beginning in 1836, Transcendentalism was a movement that emphasized the importance of individuality and nature. There were several main authors who wrote during this movement, such as Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Emily Dickinson, and Walt Whitman. Although not written during the nineteenth century, another work that demonstrates transcendentalist ideals is the film Dead Poets Society, directed by Peter Weir. The film is set in 1959 at Welton Academy, a strict boarding school for boys centered around the principles of tradition, excellence, honor, and discipline. When a new English teacher, Mr. Keating, arrives, he inspires his students to think for themselves through his lessons on poetry. Ralph Waldo Emerson’s idea of thinking for oneself and reaching one’s own conclusions is a profound theme in Self-Reliance, as well as in Dead Poets Society, best show by Mr. Keating’s

In his essay, “Society and Solitude”, Ralph Waldo Emerson depicts basic opinions of the values of society and solitude in everyday life and productivity, and Nathaniel Hawthorne implements and expands upon these fundamental ideas in his narrative, The Scarlet Letter. Though both of these works were produced in the 19th century, they portray a very different setting when illustrating the same values. Emerson expressed his views on the effects of an imbalance of society and solitude and Hawthorne applied aspects of those views to characters to demonstrate the consequences.

Emerson's "transcendentalism" is essentially a romantic individualism, a philosophy of life for a new people who had overthrown their colonial governors and set about conquering a new continent, in hopes of establishing new and unique views. Though Emerson is not a traditional philosopher, the tendency of his thought is toward inward reflection in which soul and intuition, or inspiration, are fundamental. The new American needed less criticism and a rejuvenated sense of personal inspiration. Taking a practical and democratic, yet philosophic interest in all of nature and in individuals of every walk of life. Emerson stresses the potential for genius and creativity in all

The wave and dead poets’ society respectively show the struggle between the concepts of individuality and conformity. The book and movie adopt different techniques and concepts to help deliver their messages. These include the similar themes in both such as the use of a school setting, the teacher figure who encourages students to either conform or rebel and individual characters struggling to be themselves in a conformist setting.

This poem by Ralph Waldo Emerson is an exceptional work of his. Entirely characteristic of his poetic approach, it captures the full meaning behind the appreciation of nature, and it does so in a simple yet effective style. The poem is also, in my opinion, an effective rebuttal to the Puritan critique of the Emersonian lifestyle.

Tradition, Honor, Discipline, and Excellence. Those are the four pillars in the film The Dead Poets Society, which takes place at Welton Academy, a prep school located in Vermont, 1959. The Headmaster of the school is Mr. Nolan, who is very strict and traditional leader. The film focuses around a group of boys that attend Welton, who later reinstate the Dead Poets Society (DPS). The boys are Neil Perry, Todd Anderson, Charlie Dalton, Richard Cameron, Pitts, Meeks, and Knox Overstreet. Two of the lead boys are Neil Perry and Todd Anderson. Another main character is Mr. Keating, who is the new poetry teacher at Welton Academy. He encourages his students to become their own individuals and seize the day. Mr. Keating is an alumni of Welton. When the boys find his old yearbook, they discover that he was in the Dead Poets Society, which leads them to confront him on what it is. Mr. Keating reveals that it was made by people dedicated to sucking the marrow out of life, that they would read poetry together and let it drip from their tongues like honey. The boys decide to start their own DPS. Neil is a very outspoken and charismatic boy, who is the leader of the DPS. Todd, Neil’s roommate, is very quiet and shy. Each boy struggles with individuality. Both of them are very dynamic, changing drastically throughout the film. The Dead Poets Society focuses on the social issue of personal voice and independance and how gaining it or losing is can change a person.