Dead Poets Society

And so, I’ve managed to watch this movie after Mr. Ong introduced me to it. He said that since I’m so into poetry, I should watch more movies like that just like he watches all movies related to Maths.

When he told me about this movie, I looked it up online and tried to read the poetries which were featured in the movie. I even read on some quotes too. But I haven watched the movie yet at that time, so it kept me really puzzled and lost reading the quotes just like that. So I waited and waited till I come back here so I can watch it online!

And finally the time that I’ve been waiting for came. I finished the movie last night and it was around 2 hours or so. The first thought before watching, a poetry based movie, won’t it be boring then? But I knew Mr. Ong won’t like watching boring movies and he would not introduce me to it if it was not an excellent choice. Plus Robin Williams was the lead role and I thought this won’t be that bad! I love his movies. So I just kept all those thoughts away and watched.

All I gotta say, it was a real good movie. It was not just about poetry. There were meanings behind those poems. And Mr. Keating (Robin Williams) he just knew what was the best thing to do! I love his teaching methods and really do hope there are more teachers like him. Well, I have already met one! Mr. Ong and I wonder if he had used any of the moves from that movie in his classes.

{Taken from the script:

Keating slams his hand down on an imaginary buzzer.
Mr. Keating: Thank you for playing anyway. }

Well well I thought I heard that from somewhere in Maths classes. Did you Mr Ong?

Ok, back to the topic. The movie is set in the 50’s in an all boys’ prep school, where education and discipline was crucial for the students’ parents. They all had set careers and futures for their kids and made sure that they get the best out of everything. So, there were pressure set on the kids, no freedom at all but some kids just got by it, just like that, like Charlie. Not Neil, another main role, his father would want him to do everything his way.

So, the environment of the school was very …erm… strict, disciplined, prestigious … all teachers are serious in their teaching and very formal and expect all students to do the same. Till Mr. Keating came into the boys’ lives one day and changed them. They had classes outdoors, ripping off pages of the textbook which he thinks its restricting our creativities, stood on the table and etc etc.

That’s not quite my main point here. It’s the message of the story I suppose. Bout Carpe diem which means seize the day based on the poem To The Virgin’s, To Make Much of Time.

Gather ye rosebuds while ye may, Old Time is still a-flying:And this same flower that smiles to-dayTo-morrow will be dying.

Gather ye rosebuds while ye may, here means seize the day. Knowing that getting old is still a long way to go but note that, we will all die one day. So, Carpe Diem.
Mr. Keating had showed them to grab their hopes and dreams while you still can, break the rules if you have to but, just don’t go too far deep till there’s no way back. If you never do the things that you love soon, only God knows when you will.

Hence, many of the kids were some sort inspired, though they were not directly thought to spread their wings, but you know, it just hit them. They did the things they wanted to. Neil was interested in acting so he took part in a play, got the lead and he was really good. But daddy wouldn’t let him ruin his future by being a small little character on stage. So he told him that he would withdraw him from Welton and enroll him to a military school and then to Harvard to study med. So that was a hell of another ten years for him. And he did something really horrible the same night, which I did not expect it to happen in this show. But yes, it did, he shot himself to dead. See parents, this is what happens when you control your kids too much. Some turns out good, some gone bad and some… like Neil… dies. I don’t have much a say in here, I’m not a mom, or a guardian, counselor, what so ever. And I certainly do not want to kill lives with my words or having people chasing after me after this post is up.

But as an average, ordinary kid, we do need to loosen up sometimes. Although I still know what’s good for me. I know what’s real n what’s imaginary. Like a quote in the movie which caught my attention:
We don't read and write poetry because it's cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. Medicine, law, business, engineering, these are all noble pursuits, and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for.

Okay, and so interpreted it this way ………….>

I stay alive for POETRY, LOVE..

To stay a live, I need ENGINEERING. .

SO if I have engineering I have poetry and love.

Logical or not?

This is gonna get longer if I don’t stop here, so I’ll just stop here.And some links for you, those of you who interested in this movie. And oh, wonder why it’s called dead poets society? It was a society that Mr. Keating was in when he was schooling at Welton. Further details, just watched it lar.. I’m so interested to wanna know every word and every quote that Mr. Keating said in the movie. So I wanna go read the script d. Bye!

Watch Dead Poets Society on Youtube

Another link to Watch

To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time

Quotes

Script