Dead Poets Society Todds Transformation

Peter Weir’s Dead Poets Society takes place in 1959 New England, in the distinguished Welton Academy, where students are expected to follow tradition and where creativity is shunned. Todd Anderson played by Ethan Hawke is a young reserved boy who is obedient to what he is told. When Mr. Keating becomes his teacher, Todd fears his technique and decides to follow authority. Over the progression of the film Todd starts to be inspired by the concept of Carpe Diem or seizing the day and applies it to the current situation.

One significant scene in the Dead Poets Society, is when Todd struggles to write a poem for Mr. Keating, and throws his first draft away before class begins. When Keating finds out, he calls up Todd to the middle of class, so he could conduct poem, feeling that Todd has potential but knows that Todd feels that he's "worthless and embarrassing." Todd is told to describe Walt Whitman, which he compares him to a "sweaty- toothed madman," and tries to continue using his imagination to create a poem. After that experience, Todd is impressed with himself and this sparks his transformation, from becoming a nothing to something.
After Neil had committed suicide, Todd had affected the most.
Compared to Todd’s relationship towards the other characters, he seemed closet to Neil. Neil had taught him to be more spontaneous, and to live in the moment. When the boys are outside in the snow, Todd has a moment and blames Neil’s death his father. This scene refers back to the poem that Todd had conducted, his poem had meant that your passion for something will never be enough, no matter how much you try. So this scene, symbolizes how Todd finds his
passion.

In the end of the film, Todd truly finds himself, when he says “O Captain my Captain,” when Mr. Keating is about to take his final leave. This action shows Todd’s loyalty to Mr. Keating, and how he finally understands the true meaning of Keating’s teachings, and tries to express it, and uses it for the better. In this scenario, Todd seems to take Neil’s place and become a leader, which inspires the other boys to stand on the desks, and recite,” O Captain my Captain.” Todd is such significant character, because in the beginning he is more a realist, who believes that they should follow authority, and stick to tradition, but as he matures, he realizes that there is more to life. Also, when Todd finally comprehends Keating’s teachings, he was the only one who took action positively, while Neil thought it was necessary to kill himself, and Nuance tried to rebel, which resulted to him getting expelled. So compared to the other characters, based on Todd’s actions, is what made him most unique.