Dead_Poets_Society

IntroductionDeadPoetsSocietyisa1989AmericandramafilmdistributedbyTouchstonePictures.WrittenbyTomSchulman,itisacoming-of-agemovieaboutboysataconservativeandaristocraticprepschool,WeltonAcademy,inVermontin1959.WiththeinspirationoftheirnewEnglishteacher,playedbyRobinWilliams,theboysreviveasociety,dedicatedtopoetry.Inthissociety,however,theboyshelpfosterfreethinkingandacertainkindofbravery.•Won:BestOriginalScreenplay(TomSchulman)•Nominated:BestActorinaLeadingRole•Nominated:Director(PeterWeir)•Nominated:BestPictureBackgroundInformation•SocialBackground•DeadPoetsSocietywasshotin1989,aneconomicallydepressedperiodofAmericaafterthecollapseofthestockmarketof1987.ItwasalsothetimetheatmosphereofColdWarwasgoingtomelt.Sothetheme“seizetheday(carpediem)”isquiteunderstandable.Thestoryinthemoviehappenedin1959.TheMcCarthyismwhichwaspopularinthe1950swascomingtoanend,andtheindividualismwasdrawingnearinthe1960s.Thereforetheshootingtimeandthetimeofthestoryhadsimilarsocialneeds:aspiritualrelease.BackgroundInformation•TheGoalsofAmericanEducation•SinceDeadPoetsSocietyisamoviesetoncampus,aglimpseintoAmericaneducationwilldefinitelyenableustokeeptrackofcertainWesternculturalnotions.AmericaneducationisanindispensiblepartoftheAmericanDream.Notonlydoesitdeterminetheindividual’ssocialstatusandeconomicprospects,butitalsobringsgeneralsocialbenefitssuchaseliminationofpovertyandimprovementofcitizenship.TwoofthemostprominentfeaturesofAmericaneducationalgoalsare:1.Self-actualizationBackgroundInformation•Americanschoolshighlyvaluethefullrealizationofone’spotential.Theylayemphasisonpersonaldevelopmentincludingbasicskillseducation,understandingofbasicprocesses,intellectualdevelopment,criticalthinking(toevaluateideas)andcreativethinking(togenerateideas),recreationalandaestheticinterests,emotionalandphysicalwell-being,andmostimportantly,characterformation.2.TeamSpirit•Americaneducationalsointendstofosterthelearner’scommitmenttothecountry,theneighborhoodandthefamily.Patriotismistaughtasthecardinalprinciple.Interpersonalskillsarecultivatedtoenhancehumancooperationandappreciation.BackgroundInformation•PrepSchool•Auniversity-preparatoryschoolorcollege-preparatoryschoolisasecondaryschool,usuallyprivate,designedtopreparestudentsforhighereducation.Someschoolswillalsoincludeajuniororelementaryschool.•Prepschoolsareselective,academicallychallenging,andlargelyindependentofstateandlocalcontrol.Thestudent-to-teacherratioiscomparativelylow,hence,smallerclasssizesthaninpublicschools.Someadmitstudentsofonlyonesex;othersareco-educational.•Prepschoolsoftenplaceastrongemphasisonsports.Synopsis•WeltonAcademyisfoundedontraditionandexcellenceandisbentonprovidingstrictstructuredlessonsprescribedbytherealist,anti-youthadministration.Withthedawningofeachnewsemester,hundredsofparentsabandontheirsons,leavingtheminthetriedhandsofWeltonstaffinhopesthattheywillraisedoctorsandlawyers.Synopsis•NeilPerry•ToddAnderson•KnoxOverstreet•CharlieDalton•RichardCameron•StevenMeeks•GerardPittsSynopsis•HeteachesthemtheworksoftheromanticpoetssuchasThoreauandLordByron.Laterhehasthestudentsstandonhisdeskinordertolookattheworldinadifferentway.•Heemploysoutdoorexercisestowarnthemofthedangersofconformityandthepowerofsportsasawaywhichhumanbeingspusheachothertoexcel.Synopsis•TheboysdiscoverthatKeatingbelongedtotheschoolliteraryclub,theDeadPoetsSociety,whenhewasastudentatWeltonanddecidetosecretlyreviveit,meetinginacaveofftheschoolgrounds.Synopsis•Duetoself-consciousness,ToddfailstocompletethewritingassignmentandKeatingtakeshimthroughanexerciseinself-expression,realizingthepotentialhepossesses.Synopsis•AfterbeinglecturedbyHeadmasterNolanabouthisteachingmethods,Keatingtellstheboystobewise,notstupidaboutprotestingagainstthesystem.•Charliepublishesanunauthorizedarticleintheschoolnewspaper,assertingthatgirlsshouldbeadmittedtoWelton.Attheresultingschoolinquiry,heoffersaphonecallfromGodinsupport,incurringtheheadmaster'swrath.Synopsis•KnoxmeetsandfallsmadlyinlovewithChris,agirlwhoispracticallyengagedtothesonofhisparent’sfriends.Hepursuesherrelentlessly,drivenbyromanticideals,inthefaceofthethreatsonhislifebyherboyfriend.HetravelstoChris'spublicschoolandreciteshispoemtoher,laterconvincinghertogotoaplaywithhim.Synopsis•Neilcannotmusterthecouragetotalktohisfathersohegoesagainsthisfather'swishes.Hisfathershowsupattheendoftheplay,furious.HetakesNeilhomeandtellshimthatheintendstoenrollhiminamilitaryschooltopreparehimforHarvardUniversityandacareerinmedicine.Unabletocopewiththefuturethatawaitshimortomakehisfatherunderstandhisfeelings,Neilcommitssuicide.Synopsis•NolancallsToddtohisofficeandmakeshimsignadocumentblamingKeatingforincitingtheboystorestarttheclub,andencouragingNeiltoflouthisfather'swishes.Toddseestheotherboys'signaturesalreadyonthedocument,andisthreatenedbyhisfathertosignit.Keatingissubsequentlyfired.Theme•ThefilmisaboutanewWelton-teacher,Mr.Keating,whoinspireshisstudents,attheageof16-17,withpoemsandencouragesthemtoseizetheday(putaslittletrustaspossibleinthefuture).•Wecandividethemainstoryaboutagangofboysan