In class we watched the film “dead poets society”.
1. Describe Neil Perry´s personality, one of the main characters of the movie.
Neil Perry was a positive and optimist person. When there was a difficulty or any kind of situation he never gave up and he tried his best to achieve his goals and to be a good influence for his friends. The fact that his parents didn't want him to became an actor never stopped him from trying. But of course, he was an human an every human has his limitatios, and he reached that point.
2. What kind of family does Neil Perry have? Authoritatian, authoritative, indulgent, uninvolved. Explain why you think he has that type of family.
Neil's family was authoritarian because they didn't respect his opinions. They never listened what he wanted to do with his life. Neil had to do whatever his parents said because they threatened him and that is what authoritarian families do, they want you to obey even if you don't think as they do.
3. In your own words, what is the Dead Poets Society?
It´s a group of students that love poetry and want to be free about what they say and think, so they get together to visit a cave in the forest at night where they could talk free and there they could get inspiration to write their poetry and talk about it; regulary they talked about love. I think this society was created in order to have their own ideas about poetry and not being enslaved whit the poems that are writted in the books, because they have they own way to think.
4. In your own words, why does Mr. Keating stand on his desk and ask his students to stand on his desk? What theory best describes this attitude?
The teacher said they had to step on the desk to watch the world with another perspective so they would compare the different ways to see the world, so they could have different ways of thinking. It´s humanist becuse it has things in common with the maslow piramid, and they learned how to enjoy each day and to think by themselves.
5. What theory best describes the sentiment Carpe Diem? How does this frase change each of the characters?
Neil: Carpe Diem made him realize he had to live his own dreams and not just being in the shade of dreams of his father. Even though he did not have a good end, he could really enjoy what was to live Carpe Diem for a while.
Todd: The shows that he truly really appreciated the experience and had no interest in forgetting it, showing that he appreciated the memory of his deceased friend that provided him an opportunity to really live, I proved that he was not a shadow or mouse but an intimidated fierce that had real interest in following their ideology.
Knox: I think carpe diem was quite an ideology type illustration to help him with the romance and a way to win a girl and to take off his fears about her parents, her actual boyfriend, etc.
Charlie: He had somehow was Carpe Diem although no doubt Neil proposals for a single second, the endangered his company since proved that was not afraid to express or make known their ideologies but also appreciate your loyalty to your friends and what I mean is that Carpe Diem only reinforced their ideology.
Cameron: Unfortunately this character could not find the true meaning of Carpe Diem, he did not make his own way and decided to betray his company that were goin to follow their path.
Pitts: I think he was able to overcome his name for the first time and he could find the true meaning of enjoying life with no rules. He could understand the importance of making things his own way and at the end he showed he understood Carpe Diem.
Steven: Although he was not very into Carpe Diem, we could see that he really wanted to know the idea of freedom of ideology, no rules and just enjoy and experience life.
6. This movie shows the battle between conformity and individuality . Discuss this from the main characters, as well as for John Keating.
The boys like Neil, Todd, Knox, Charlie and Pitts heard the message and applied it to their lives, trying to live under their own personal way of thinking. Unfortunately, there were others, like Cameron, who prefered the confort of acting unders other people´s standars, he chose conformity. John Keating had to struggle the whole film with the ideology of the school. He always wanted to be able to teach in his own original style, but was in constant trouble for his ideas. At the end, he could not teach there anymore, but he had the effect he wanted in his student´s way of thinking.
7. What concept does Mr. Keating ilustrate by making them walk in the yard? What does Mr. Keating say about personal integrity? Which theory talks about this concept as a desirable characteristic of human´s personality?
The concept that each one of them has a different way of thinking and behaving in life, as they all walk in a different way and at a different beat. Mr. Keating told them that personal integrity was that they should be truth to themselves and to their personal way of thinking, not letting other people change their essence.
8. Which of the basic social skills does Mr. Keating show the most?
Effect Listen: It showed in every class and in every conversation with his students, was layered notice what they said without uttering a word one example is when I noticed the fear of Todd. Empathy: It showed that he knew the rules of the school and how each one of his students lost the true meaning of life, school, responsibilities a whole weight and was thankful that I could remind everyone of his friends and himself in that school. Assertiveness: when the teacher asked about their class and used this phrase to silence him with respect.
9. Here are several key phrases from the movie. Discuss their meaning.
The powerful play goes on and you may contribute with a verse.
That the human race goes on. Everything goes on. And within it you may contribute with something unique, something only you can give to the human race. Life goes on, but what would you contribute to make it different from the others’? What mark would you leave in the world? And how would you leave it? How do you want people to remember you?
Only in their dreams can men be truly free.
This is the quote which Mr. Keating answers to this: “Show me a heart unfettered by foolish dreams, and I’ll show you a happy man.” This means that I may be happy without dreams because dreams are uncertain, you really don’t know if you’re going to accomplish them or if you will fail. Then, because I don’t count with these uncertain dreams I will just conform on doing the useful things to survive (have a job, house, health, etc.). But I won’t be free, because I will adapt myself with the principal needs, I won’t go far from it. It seems like I would be inside a small room I can’t escape from. That’s why you’re free in your dreams, because once you wish for something different then you have a reason to keep living, to keep fighting.
I want you to find your own way to walk.
To not follow others leads. Do not conform to others’ thoughts, to others’ dreams. Make your own path to happiness. Make something that will make you stand out from everyone. To create your unique experiences and your own solutions, to be the writer of your own story and adventures. Sucking the marrow out of life does not mean chocking on the bone.
“Sucking the marrow out of life” means the same as “Carpe Diem”.
It means to take, to seize, and to use each and every opportunity we may encounter to accomplish each and every goal; to use the lesson from our errors for future problems; to appreciate every advice given by our parents and professors; to use each and every source life gives us to be a better person, to succeed in life, and be happy. But when you put the entire phrase together it says that seizing all of the above is not the same as doing whatever I want no matter if it ruins my life or makes it better. It’s the same as Y.O.L.O. Many people get the wrong idea of the phrase’s idea. We must be conscious that when we suck the marrow of life we do it in the benefit of our person and the accomplishment of our goals, while chocking bone focuses on doing things without caring of the consequences.
Make your lives extraordinary
Not just care to satisfy the basic needs (job, health, house, etc.) but to make unique experiences and adventures in the way to the accomplishment of your dreams. Extraordinary: not ordinary.
10. What do you think about the whole “Neil Perry” situation? Who was responsable? Is there free will? What are your views on freedom and responsability? We think that it was an unfair situation, because his father wanted him to become somebody that he didn't want to be. In my opinion I could imagine the pressure that he was carrying, but I don't agree with the choice of killing himself, he could have done something different, like to be brave and face his father, but his personality didn't let him because after all he was subissive, and he didn't know how to face his problems. I think his father was very guilty, because he was a restrictive parent and didn't let Neil decide, because in his own terms being a doctor was the best option for Neil. His father was guilty, but the principal guilty here was Neil, suicide was not his only option. Now in 2014 there is more freedom, now we can decide our future career, and the parents of this era are more flexible.
Team member´s reflexions:
Doris: This movie leads us to deep reflection about what are we doing with our lives. In order to think in our own way and do what we live doing, we need to be brave and chase our dreams. First we need to identify what we truly want, and then figth for it. If we conform and do what others want us to do, we will be living a lie, and that makes life a torture. So lets seize the day and enjoy.
Karen: When I first watched "The dead poets society." I noticed one important thing: FREETHINKING. Is important because I learned not to follow the society flow. You need to follow your own. That's what I learned the most with the life of their teacher, that he wanted to change the way of thinking of his students, to make their own choices and to challenge others.
Karla: This movie makes me think and analyze more what am I doing with my life. If I am doing the right thing or if I am just being influenced by the society. This movie leave us a very important message. You have to seize the day, because you don't know when is going to be the last time that you see your friends, family etc. You need to take your own decisions because it's your life. If you have dreams, follow them. It is better to take the risk than have the doubt of what would happen. If your parents are so authoritative, obey them but try to have a deal so you can satisfy their needs and yours.
Fernanda: I think this movie is a real influence since it helps you to understand and analyze as we wake each day of our life with a routine without being able to see the beauty that is before our eyes and it is because we are so involved in everything.
Ana Sofía: The movie made me change the way I think because I understood that I could see the world by diffrerent perspectives or I would create my own way of thinkin and not obeying the way all the people regulary think. It doesn´t matter what other´s might think about you, if you have an idea or an opinion, don’t change it.
Nicole: We shall not recline or depend in what others say or think, we must create our own path to our happinness and liberty accepting each and every responsibility that comes with it. There is always a solution for every kind of problem, wether is it a simple or a difficult one. We must not survive (look to accomplish the basic needs) but we must always put ourselves new goals to accomplish. There isn't any failure that doesn't comes up with a lection. We must understand that there will always be obstacles in our path for the accomplishments of our dreams, and no mather how difficult it is to pass it through, we must not give up.
