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After I read this book, I’d say I was left encouraged to live life to its fullest potential. The book had me hooked on each page. Throughout this 176-page novel, I was left invested in the lives and perspectives of each of the dead poets. I would say that this story truly changed my view on and how to live. I remember after reading the book for the first time, I truly cried because of how much the novel meant to me and how much it impacted my views on life and how much each breath I take, each beat of my heart, truly matters.
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The book follows the ‘dead poets’: 7 students attending the elite, all-boys school, Welton Academy. It follows these boys going through and abiding by Welton’s strict expectations as well as those of their parents. Throughout the story, the boys are seen growing from their eccentric English teacher, Mr. Keating’s, guidance. Mr. Keating has a rather creative way of teaching. He encourages the boys to live by the Latin phrase, “carpe diem”, which is often translated to “seize the day”. This is arguably one of the most memorable lies in the book, showing both the boys and the reader a different way of living. Mr. Keating introduces his philosophy early on. While practical pursuits are a necessity, so is passion. He believes that while practical pursuits keep us alive, passion is what we stay alive for.
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One of the novel's biggest themes is the exploration of pressure and identity through characters like Todd Anderson and Neil Perry. Neil’s struggles against his father's expectations show parental expectations pushing away individuality. Todd’s growth in confidence throughout the book shows the impact of Mr. Keating’s encouragement and the positive effects of his own self-expression. These character developments made the book somewhat relatable for me as a student.
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So, what is the Dead Poets Society? The Dead Poets Society is a secret club revived by Mr. Keating and the boys. This club was made for the boys to explore passion and humanity. The club helps change each of the boys in different, positive ways. Each boy grew on their own terms as they explored their own humanity, relationships, dreams, and passions.
The book emphasizes the use of poetry and art as self-expression and self-discovery. Mr. Keating’s methods encourage emotional connections, presenting literature as an alive passion rather than an academic device. While the writing style follows the movie very closely, it conveys the emotional weight of different scenes well. |
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Overall, Dead Poets Society is a well-written and thoughtful work that celebrates independent thinking. Although it somewhat lacks the description that other novels originally written capture, its strong writing and well-written characters make it wonderful to read. The book leaves readers wondering about courage and self-expression as well as the impact one teacher can have on student lives. |
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