“Dead Poets Society” is, I think, the perfect first choice of this feature. If you ask me why I choose this movie, I’ll simply answer, what’s not to like? I personally love drama movies that are set in prep school emphasizing the educational circumstances and moral story; moreover, employing good looking actors to play the smart, unique, and witty students. From this brief reasoning, “Dead Poets Society” has it all.
This movie depicts an incredible bound of John Keating (Robin Williams), an eccentric English teacher whose teaching methods are unusual to the school standards, with his seven students who revive his literary club called Dead Poets Society; Neil Perry (Robert Sean Leonard), the initiator; Todd Anderson (Ethan Hawke), Todd’s awkward and too-self-conscious roommate; Knox Overstreet (Josh Charles), the love-struck rich boy; Charlie Dalton (Gale Hansen), the clunky but free-spirited artist; Richard Cameron (Dylan Kussman), the indecisive teacher’s pet; and the geeks Steven Meeks (Allelon Ruggiero) and Gerard Pitts (James Waterston).
Seven of them are fond of Keating’s not only teaching method but also his point of view to life. All this time, their lives are ‘sabotaged’ by their own parents, who drive them to be someone their parents want to be—not by their own consent. Neil, for example, is driven by his father to be a doctor, that he will directly take medicine major in Harvard University after graduating from the Welton Academy prep-school. Ever since he has met Keating on English class in his senior year, it’s revealed that he actually wants to be an actor.
Unfortunately, this action is considered as rebellious for some misunderstood parties, including Gale Nolan (Norman Lloyd), the school head master, and especially Neil’s parents. Neil tries to correlate his true feelings towards his father’s wish, that he actually wants to be an actor, but his father still rejects his wish. After finally able to invite his father to his performing art show, he thinks everything will change, but unfortunately it doesn’t. His father still insists forbidding him from acting, and threaten to enroll him in a military school.
The heart-breaking conversation leads into a very tragic end, when Neil commits suicide by shooting himself in the head with his father’s gun. Neil’s father becomes suspicious of what actually the school has taught to his son, that he thinks has made Neil into a rebellious kid. Preventing to keep the school from condescending views from parents, headmaster Nolan decides to investigate Neil’s case by questioning his six best friends. This leads into a threat, that if anyone isn’t being honest then he will be expelled.
Richard Cameron betrays his friends (and Keating) by telling Nolan about the Dead Poets Society. Charlie punches him in the face after his confession, and refuse to sign a legal paper from Nolan indicating that Keating is the scapegoat of Neil’s rebellion to his parents. Charlie is finally expelled, while the rest of his friends sign it in coercion of Nolan and their parents. Todd, who’s Neil’s best friend and roommate, brings himself into a deep guilt after signing the paper. He loves both Neil and Keating, because they have taught them about the true meaning of life, to be himself completely and freely.
During the English class, in which Keating has been replaced by Nolan the headmaster, Todd confesses that he was made to sign the paper without his consent and that he’s very sorry to do so. Keating, who’s coming in to the class to pack his belongings because he is indeed sent away from the school after the paper signing, turns around to see Todd, who’s already standing on the desk by calling him “O Captain! My Captain!”, his favourite soubriquet from Walt Whitman poem. Some of his friends enact him by standing on the desk while Nolan is urging them to sit down while threatening them to face expulsion. The students are ignoring Nolan, and Keating leaves the class with smile and tears on his face.
I couldn’t stop crying when watching this movie. The story is just meaningful, it’s about how the boys are struggling to deal with their parents’ wishes and their own. These boys might be living a privileged life, but they have no freedom. Freedom to express their feelings, freedom to live their lives the way they want. Their parents made them like robots, who must obey and accomplish their orders.
That’s why meeting a person like Keating boost their self-confidence rapidly. They start to know themselves, what they are, what they need, what they want. Keating is like this powerful magician unleashing their true self from the debilitating bond from their parents.
Technically, the actors did really well. The seven students do have different personality, and it’s wonderful how it completes each other. Even though at the end they fail to prove their loyalty to Neil and Keating by signing the paper, we all understand of why they do it. Their parents however still have control of their lives, and they can easily take those privileges off of them. If I were them I would likely put my parents before everything as well—I couldn’t do anything without them!
The tragic death of Neil is a powerful wake up call for all authoritative parents. You can’t keep your children from pursuing their own dreams. Let them live their lives with your direction, while you provide them with love and support. Warn them when they get the wrong way, let them be responsible of their mistakes.
Well I know it won’t be easy, I’m not even a parent right now so this view may will change after I have kids one day. But at least it’s still a great lesson to learn!
0 Comments:
Post a Comment