Dead Poets Society Conformity Essay

‘Dead Poets Society’, directed by Peter Weir, demonstrates the theme of conformity and the ideas surrounding it using various film techniques. The methods are comprised of; mise-en-scene, dialogue, long shots, symbolism and camera angles. These display the lack of individuality within the school, Mr Keating’s alternative viewpoints, and the impact of conformity on student’s lives. Weir exhibits the alternative outcomes of conformity via the characters Neil, Todd, Charlie, Knox, Richard, Steven, and Gerard. There are three main scenes that reveal the effect of conformity on a group of students attending Welton Academy.
Firstly, the opening scene consists of a long shot through a hall occupied with students, and mise-en-scene to portray the enforcement
The low angles typically used during discussions between Neil and his dad; indicates the power Mr Perry has over his son. He pressures Neil to conform to his standards and invest years of his life to become a doctor rather than an actor. As a result, he becomes a symbol of tradition and conformity, more so than Welton Academy. Mr Perry’s high placement in the stands at the theatre during Neil’s play, further establishes his supremacy and control over Neil’s life. Shortly after, Neil’s father was depicted as having authority via a low angle shot, which also displayed Mr. Perry’s stern facial expression. This use of film technique also demonstrated Neil’s inability to stand up for himself and challenge his father’s views. Alternatively, Neil’s suicide represented him breaking free of conformity by having governance over his own life, rather than his father. To Neil, his father only represented conformity, authority, and tradition, with no emotional attachment that would be experienced in a regular father-son relationship. Weir has utilised the film techniques of camera angles and symbolism to convey the role of