“Carpe Diem”. The Dead Poets Society remains one of the most indelible movies that reflects on human decisions, conformity, societal norms, and societal pressures through exploring the pursuit of passion through the lens of education. Mr. Keating’s famous mantra, “Carpe Diem”, encourages his students to use their reasoning to make meaningful choices about their lives instead of following passively predetermined paths. This film centers on the consequences of conformity and the suppression of personal reasoning. Characters that succumb to societal pressures, such as Neil Perr,y who was an aspiring actor, yet unfortunately is also compelled to pursue the career that his father dictates, demonstrate the tragic consequences of abandoning one’s personal reasoning or desires, which can lead to despair and unfulfilled potential. The tension between societal expectations and personal desire had eaten Neil Perry up alive and completely consumed his thoughts until he could no longer bear the immense pressure, which had ultimately caused him to take his own life.
“We all have a great need for acceptance. But you must trust that your beliefs are unique, your own, even though others may think them odd or unpopular, even though the herd may go, ‘That’s baaaaad.’” and “the point of conformity: the difficulty in maintaining your own beliefs in the face of others” are words spoken by Mr. Keating highlighted how thoughts can only be developed when they step with others. Only then will they realize that they can develop their own identity and their own pathways. This is what human life is for: to pursue your own purpose and to pursue your own reasonings.
“While medicine, law, business, engineering are all noble pursuits, and necessary to sustain life, it is poetry, beauty, romance, love — what we stay alive for.” This quote shows that Mr. Keating’s interactions with students differ from the teachings of other teachers, with the primary difference being purpose and impact. That quote alone makes most viewers question how many people would pursue the arts or simpler jobs if there weren’t such a multitude of contributing factors that forces one to give up on what one loves. It also makes viewers think that if we are unable to pursue the career we actually love, does that make our life unfulfilled? Would we actually be living? It is clear that Mr. Keating made his students question their reasoning and purpose. Mr. Keating wants his students to think for themselves and to not be blindly led down a path that has been beaten down by authority or tradition.
The Dead Poets Society, though marked by melancholy, remains a comfort movie for various viewers, stemming from multiple reasons. With the warmth that comes with the old cinematography, to the characters with distinct characteristics, to the meaning that lies beneath it and the feelings that it evokes.