Movie Story
1. Welton Academy, a conservative and autocratic boys’ prep school
2. the arrival an unconventional English teacher, John Keating
3. Keating’s unique way of teaching
4. the change in the students’ thoughts on the learning process and life itself
5. an unexpected tragedy: the suicide of one of Keating’s most brilliant students
6. Keating’s dismissal
Character Analysis
Directions: Dead Poets Society features a rich parade of characters. The following are the most impressive scenes in the movie which serve as clues to understand these characters better.
Mr. Nolan (Headmaster)
(at the ceremony) deliver a speech, emphasizing _light of knowledge_and _the “four pillars”
(in the classroom) question Keating’s conduct in the courtyard and warn him to respect discipline.
Personality Traits
Conservative Autocratic Intolerant
Mr. Keating (Teacher of English Literature)
(on the corridor) shock the students a bit by encouraging them to call him _seize the day__ and to “__Oh captian, my captian” __” (carpe diem) (in the classroom) give the boys further shocks by pressing them to rip out _the preface to a course book and urge them to think about the meaning of poetry and life_______
(on the campus) be stopped by the boys; share with them his secret of Dead Poets Society_ and his experience of “sucking the marrow of life”
(in the classroom) render _Shakespeare __ in a funny way; ask the students to stand on the desk to _look at things in a different way __ (in the courtyard) make the boys walk at their own paces to show them that being unique is important
Personality Traits
Romantic Open Imaginative Unconventional Passionate Amiable Knowledgeabl Idealistic
Neil
(in Keating’s dorm) confide to Keating his fear and worries about his father’s objection to his interest in theater_
(in his father’s study) _take his own life with his father’s gun
Personality Traits
Romantic Sunny Friendly