Firstly, Neil's conflict between realism and idealism was between his acting and his fathers interests. In Neil's views, acting was all he wanted to do. He did not want to go to Harvard, become a doctor, or anything his father wants him to do. That was his ideal reality. In his father's view, he only wanted Neil to succeed in school, to go to Harvard, and to become a doctor, so he would not let Neil be distracted from his main becoming a doctor. That was Neil's reality. But even though his ideals were forbidden by his father, he still went after it, against his father's wishes. But when his father found out, and was denied any further chances to act as a result of him transferring to another school, he could not take his current reality. He could not handle his conflict between his reality and his ideals, so he committed suicide.
Knox Overstreet's infatuation with Chris is another example of a conflict between realism and idealism. In that, in his ideals, he is going out with Chris, but in reality, she is already with someone. Therein lies his conflict. Knox tries to make his ideals happen by incessantly courting her by giving her gifts, going to her parties, but his ideals are never realized, because of his conflict between realism and idealism.
Keating's ideals of teaching his students to think for themselves conflict with the interests of the teachers, especially Mr. Nolan. Keating's origins from Welton Academy may have influenced him to be so interested in his student's futures and dreams. So he wants to teach them how to think for themselves, so that they can those dreams and futures happen. But in reality, the headmaster, Mr. Nolan completely disagrees with him. In saying that he is too much of an idealist, and that teaching seventeen year olds to think for themselves is absurd. Keating still went ahead and taught his students what he thought was necessary to think for themselves, even though it was against the wishes of the headmaster. In doing so, he set off a massive chain reaction, which may have lead to the death of Neil, and lead to his sacking. His ideals cost him a student, and his job.
In many ways, Dead Poets Society is about the conflict between realism and idealism. All the characters in Dead Poets Society is based around this; Neil's conflict between his acting and his father destroyed him; Knox's infatuation with Chris can't be realized because she is already with someone and Keating's ambitious quest to teach his students to think for themselves ended in the death of Neil. The human world is based around conflict of numerous sorts, and Dead Poets Society is a shining example of the conflict between realism and idealism.
You May Also Find These Documents Helpful
-
In A Separate Peace and Dead Poets Society, some of the characters in the book seem like others in the movie. Gene, one of these characters, in the Separate Peace, relates to Tom in Dead Poets Society, and Phineas or Finny, in the Separate Peace, relates to Neil, in Dead Poets Society. Gene thinks he is at fault with anything he is involved in where something bad happens, and Tom thinks he is worth less and bad at everything. Gene and Tom both look down at themselves. Gene and Tom’s parents are uncaring. Gene talks but mainly only to Finny. Tom only talks to Neil, when he talks to others he is embarrassed and usually quiet. They are both quiet except to their roommate Finny or Neil. Gene was upset when finny fell off the tree and shattered…
- 242 Words
- 1 Page
Good Essays -
Realism was painted to depict real life situations. It was developed by artists to create an illustration of common people and un-extraordinary circumstance. According to the facts in Wikipedia in regards to Realism, it was an attempt to be as photographic as possible without a camera. Realism was a revolt to the more emotionally driven Romanticism art where fantasy escaped onto canvas via the paintbrush. Realism is truthful, without fancy and ornamentation.…
- 1687 Words
- 7 Pages
Powerful Essays -
Realism was a theatre movement that came to the forefront in the early 20th Century. It was the theory of Naturalism put into practice. It aimed to take a ‘slice of life', as such, and reproduce it on the stage. The proscenium arch acted as the fourth wall of a room, and the audience looked into this ‘laboratory-type' set up and examined what may happen to a real person.…
- 4427 Words
- 18 Pages
Powerful Essays -
In American literature realism, is an approach that attempts to describe life without idealization or romantic subjectivity. Realism has been mainly concerned with the commonplaces of everyday life among the middle and lower classes, where character is a product of social factors and environment is the important element in the dramatic complications.…
- 1806 Words
- 5 Pages
Powerful Essays -
To most people a dream is just a part of the imagination, of course it would be ideal for it to come true, but the average person can see the difference from a dream to reality. The average person knows not to trust people blindly, knows to do what is best for them, they understand that occasionally one must put their dreams aside for it will not work with the world around them, they understand how to adjust their dream to reality. Of course this is just the average person. The characters Finny and Neil are both dreamers and idealists and were therefore destined to die for they could not live in a world where dreams are only dreams and reality includes hate, jealousy and practicalists. Finny was unable to live a life where his best friend hated him. Neil was in able of living a life in military school. Both could only live the dream.…
- 1081 Words
- 5 Pages
Better Essays -
* The first reason I believe that realism is exemplified is the way in which the story is set up: two men engaging in conversation, with basic and general mannerisms for the era and time which it takes place. Also, realism also usually reflects dialect and culture (as can naturalism) which is clearly portrayed. “Well, thish-yer Smiley…”(Lauter 58) and “I’ve got my opinion, and I’ll resk forty dollars that he can outjump ary frog in Calaveras county” (Lauter 59) are both examples of dialect.…
- 275 Words
- 2 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
His tenacity to try and make life his, is what drove him and what maintained his outward appearance. His father, though forcing him to do as he says creates turmoil inside Neil leading to a collapse of his hope. This creates a very finite array of solutions which pushes him to commit suicide as an easy way, to get away from his father.…
- 482 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
Dead Poets Society and A Separate Peace are similar stories in many ways, both stories are also very different in multiple ways.…
- 452 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
Idealism describes the belief or pursuit of a perfect vision often based upon unrealistic principles. This pursuit is often contrasted and opposed by truth. The truth and reality in an individual’s life is what enables this person to remain grounded and down to earth. An individual must set themselves high expectations in order to be their best, but they must also acknowledge the fact that everything they desire is not achievable. The imbalance of idealism and truth in an individual’s life can have calamitous effects. It is significant in an individual’s life because it can lead to the deterioration of an individual’s sanity, destruction of family relationships and ultimately death. This is exemplified in Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, by Willy Loman. Willy spends his whole life pursuing the American Dream. This pursuit leaves him in debt and lacking less than a sliver of sanity. This man lacks the capacity to face the truth; the reality of his situation. The negative effect that his dream has on his family and life is simply overlooked and ignored. As Willy’s life swerves out of control, he tumbles deeper into the abyss of his idealism, to a point of no return.…
- 962 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
One example of realism is that George does not believe in the war. " But war! Is it glorious to break the peace of the world?". George does not want to die or kill for his country he does not believe in the war. When George was a young boy his mother and father told him how bad war really is, and that is why Georges views differentiate from Ediaths.…
- 883 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
Idealists said that true reality involved ideas rather than the world as perceived by the senses…
- 906 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
Throughout the movie, Neil Perry’s parents make it very clear that they want Neil to advance to medical school after high school. Neil’s dad was very headstrong throughout the movie, showing how he wants neil to quit his extra curricular activities and strictly focus on his studies. Howver,Neil is the type of character that was interested in the arts. Deep inside he knew that he did not want to become a doctor and wanted to advance in theater throughout the future. Neil had a main part in the play presented by the town.…
- 924 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
With the long history of debate over idealism and materialism in consideration, it would be inappropriate to dictate which one is right or wrong. Between these two doctrines, there is a ‘thing’ that has differentiates one from the other; in other words, this thing completely separates idealism and materialism. Though veiled in mystery, this thing tells us at least that idealism and materialism are inharmonious doctrines. It would be misleading to make a compromise between those two concepts as our distressful world has demonstrated so far. The Great Gatsby reveals what this thing is.…
- 464 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
Anti-realism states that the existence of all objects depends upon human perception: ‘to be is to be perceived’. Idealism states that the immediate objects of perception are mind-dependent, what we today would refer to as sense data but Idealist George Berkeley referred to as ‘ideas.’ The theory suggests that perception is reality meaning that there is no external world to be perceived directly or indirectly.…
- 718 Words
- 2 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
As realist theory evolved, it split in to two schools of thought based primarily on different views of root cause of conflict. Classic realism is associated with Morgenthau and other realists who are pessimistic about human…
- 1646 Words
- 7 Pages
Better Essays