The Movie Review On “ Dead Poets Society”

 Dead Poets Society

 

The wonderful movie “Dead poets society” which directed by Peter Wier in 1959 makes us a good opportunity to think about the educational system, especially teaching. Even if it is screened in the 20th century, it is still valuable in the 21st century. The movie of classroom events, inspiring teaching, thoughtful quotations, meaningful poems. The character John Keating played by oscar award-winning actor Robin Williams welcomes us to the world of pedagogy in which we should be transformed.

 

Toal's insight of the movie is a marvelous teaching method of John Keating who one of the professors of Welton boys preparatory academy in Vermont teaches English literature. The arrival of John Keating in Welton academy which upholds the traditional education system, make a big influence on the students. Students involved in the new teaching method and are attracted by him. His main intention was to arrange for the children to think about themselves and make self-awareness in all of them. Through his class and useful activities, there had some changes in the students. Keating’s inspiration lead to form a club Dead poet society to meet and recite the poem outside the campus. His inspiration lead Neily Perry (Robert Sean ) to act by hearing his desires instead of his father’s desire. Because of the dissatisfaction of Walton’s superior, John forced to live on the campus.

Actually, that was the movement which Keating understand that my attempts were not in vain. The movie says to us what the current educational system stuck in and what kind of changes are we need. Even many schools are changed into the new modern educational system, many of them remain in the traditional system and have to make changes a lot especially Indian schools. The Welton Academy also a school which value the traditional believes. The movie starts with the speech of Mr. Nolan one of the superiors of the school, he asked children to say four-pillar that ‘ traditional, discipline, honor, excellent’. These four pillars are the real pillars of the traditional school. I am not saying that these are all should erase but need to be transformed in the real intentions of these pillars. It does not mean that ever we should value the traditional systems, we need to change. Discipline is not sitting on the bench and only listening to the teachers. Every student can’t be excellent ever. 

Education is not for the productions of the living machine but it is to build a life and to make changes in society. For the transformations, we need to think and take steps. Wilton shool never promotes the children to judgment the school and questioning the superiors. What can do for the changes if we don’t have the ability to question them? After the arrival of john Keating, students started to question, there was an emotional scene at the end of the movie. when John was get outed from the school and came to the class to take his materials, one of the students stood up in the dusk and said we were forced to say against you. Even the principal prevented him he was continuing his arguments. At last, the majority of the student joined them.

 

Parents are the main important influences in a student’s learning. If they have the right vision about education, students would have an impact on their careers. Never parents shouldn’t force children to grow for the completions of their dreams. But it is better to leave them in their own way and promote them to believe themselves and find ownself. Keating doing some activities to promote this such as standing in the dusk to seeing differently and he said that the things which we saw when standing on the roof are different when we are looking at the dusk. To saying to walk like how you would walk when no one watching you. The movie mainly focuses on this issue. To live in our own way, not to other’s expectations. Neil Perry, one of the students wanted to become an actor and he had good skill in acting. But the father did not accept Perrie’s request. Because his dream was my son want to become a Doctor. He forced him to avoid the actor. When Neil was part of the student club body father forced him to leave that too. Depression from losing his dream causes him to ending his life.

 

Learning only based on the text and to grade expectation also discussing in the movie. Actually, John's arrival was to the world in which students tressed by the exams, projects, and homework. John opened the world of English poems and attractively presented to them. Keating’s passion and visions in the poem influenced the students. It leads to form a club called Dead poets society which John Keating was such experience in his under graduation time. This club uses for the meeting outside the class. And they spent their time reciting the poem. That was an opportunity to present their own poems. Gradually their learning connected to their life and they took it as enjoyment. There is a scene Josh Charley lovesick student writes and recites the poem to his lover. The movement which John doing the activity outside the class, to walk speedily. While that activity he says that walk freely is not considered for a grade. It means he criticizing how students depend on the grading system. 

John Keating was promoting children to reflect not to memorize. He encouraged them to write their own poem other than memorizing the other’s poems. He appreciated all the students who tried to make the poem. Even the student who write one sentence. He created an environment for learning with enjoyment. There was no corporal punishment. And there no burden on learning, he asks children to ripe the one essay from the textbook. He uttered the jocks while teaching. He encourages one of the students who had feared to talk in front of the classroom.

 

The disagreement between Wentor’s superiors and John Keating clearly visualized in the movie. It is a big challenge that most of the well-prepared teachers face in India. Conversation between Mr. Nolan and John Keating having much time. When couldn’t accept Keating's new method he argued that it is a traditional school. how a teacher who studied here can criticize the value of school. but Keating keeps teaching on new methods. In the end, big issues happened in school. The suicide of the Perry and formation of Dead poets society and activities behind that reasoning upon the Keating and dismissed from the school. It tells us that whenever teachers don’t have the autonomy they can’t make better performers in the school. Clearly, beurocrasy has seen in the Welton school by taking the decision on the Keating.

 

Students' relationship with each other is another important part of the movie. It says that how students depend on each other in a school, especially in residential school. Group studied and group work behind the club show that. So many disagreements are there among the students. 

John Keating really a teacher who values his job than anything else. He always thinks about the classroom and children. One of the great conversations going on in the movie. Perry came to Keating’s room to share his sadness. While his conversation he asking two things, one of them why do you live in such a room there is no space full of books, he says it is nice to don’t lose connection with study engagement. Another one of them why do you want to go anywhere you like and live with enjoyment, he says my happiness is in the teaching. Whenever we think teaching passions we should make more effects on the children.

 

I disagree with how the movie visualized the disagreement between the students. Giving the false message to the student to take decisions against the disagreement. It is a responsibility for one school to teach how to respect other opinions and how to stand strong in their opinions. But, the movie shows the students reacting to each other with violence. It looks like promoting the values for any conflicts. There is no discussion or argument about that incident.

 

It is also my criticise that the school looks only to one specific gender. There’s is no girls in that school. Teachers also the men not women. This would be better than including the girls when visualising such kind of message-based movie. But that is nice that children criticize the theory of it by writing the article in a magazine.

 

Actually, the movie is not the story of a successful teacher. Because John doesn’t succeed in his attempt at all. But it almost says what would be the challenges for one who tries to make a change in the traditional teaching method and teach in the new method. And it says, there is a chance to lead children to misunderstand our intentions. The movie is ever a good message to all who hope to be a good and different teacher.