THE DEAD POET SOCIETY than seventy-five percent of those went on

script for EAPP play to the Ivy League. This, this kind of
accomplishment is the result of fervent
Characters: dedication to the principles taught here.
John Keating - Jannati This is why you parents have been
Neil Perry - Maongco sending us your sons. This is why we are
Todd Anderson – Hanafie the best preparatory school in the United
Charlie Dalton – Idris States.
Knox Overstreet - Hussen
Steven meeks - Mujahid Mr. Nolan soaks up the applause from the
Richard Cameron - Omar audience.
Gerard Pitts - Emad
Mr. Nolan - Batua MR NOLAN: As you know, our beloved Mr.
Thomas Perry - Jahlinor Portius of the English department retired
Mrs. Perry - Yasmin last term. You will have the opportunity
Mr. McAllister – (Extra) later to meet his replacement, Mr. John
Mr. Hager - (Extra) Keating, himself a graduate of this school.
Mr. Hopkins – (Extra) And who, for the past several years, has
been teaching at the highly regarded
Technical Committee: Chester School in London.
Hamnah
Shareema SCHOOL GROUNDS - DAY
Saleha
Neil emerges from a building and sees
Props Committee/ Extras: Todd.
The Rest
NEIL: Hey, I hear we're gonna be
WELTON ACADEMY – DAY roommates.

MR NOLAN: One hundred years ago, in He shakes Todd's hand.

1859, 41 boys sat in this room and were
asked the same question that greets you NEIL: I'm Neil Perry.
at the start of each semester. Gentlemen,
what are the four pillars? TODD: Todd Anderson.

All throughout the pews, uniformed boys NEIL: Why'd you leave Balincrest?
rise to their feet. TODD, who is not
wearing a uniform, is urged by his father TODD: My brother went here.
to stand with them.
NEIL: Oh, so you're that Anderson.
BOYS: Tradition, honor, discipline,
excellence. HALLWAY - DAY

The boys quickly return to their seats. CHARLIE comes to the door with a smug
expression on his face. Knox and
MR NOLAN: In her first year, Welton MEEKS are close behind him. He points at
Academy graduated five students. Last Neil
year we graduated fifty-one. And more
CHARLIE: Rumor has it, you did summer Neil quickly gets up from his spot by the
school. window.

NEIL: Yep. Chemistry. My father thought I NEIL: Oh, this is Todd Anderson.
should get ahead. How was your summer
Slick? Todd turns around and shakes hands with
Meeks.
CHARLIE: Keen.
MEEKS: Nice to meet you.
The boys enter the room. Charlie turns
around and looks at Meeks who is just TODD: Nice to meet you.
entering.
CHARLIE: Charlie Dalton.
CHARLIE: Meeks. Door. Closed.
Charlie continues to lay on the bed,
MEEKS: Yes sir. looking smug. Knox extends a hand.

NEIL: Gentlemen, what are the four KNOX: Knox Overstreet.

pillars?
NEIL: Todd's brother was Jeffrey Anderson.
BOYS: Travesty. Horror. Decadence.
Excrement. CHARLIE: Oh yeah, sure. Valedictorian.
National merit scholar.
Charlie makes himself comfortable on
Neil's bed and lights up a cigarette. MEEKS: Oh well, welcome to Hell-ton.
Meanwhile, Todd is by his bed unpacking
his luggage. CHARLIE: It's every bit as tough as they
say, unless you're a genius like Meeks.
CHARLIE: Okay, study group. Meeks aced
Latin. I didn't quite flunk English. So, if you MEEKS: He flatters me. That's why I help
want, we've got our study group. him with Latin.

NEIL: Sure. Cameron asked me too. CHARLIE: And English, and Trig.
Anyone mind including him?
Charlie begins coughing. There is a knock
CHARLIE: Hmm, what's his specialty, at the door. Charlie quickly stamps out his
boot-licking? cigarette on the floor and Neil tries to
wave the smoke from the air.
NEIL: Come on, he's your roommate.
NEIL: It's open.
CHARLIE: That's not my fault.
The door opens and Mr. Perry walks into
Meeks seems to notice Todd for the first the room. Neil quickly rises from the
time. window.

MEEKS: Oh, I'm sorry, my name is Steven NEIL: Father, I thought you'd gone.
Meeks.
The other boys stand up when he enters.
BOYS: Mr. Perry. NEIL: Yes sir.

MR PERRY: Keep your seats fellows, keep Mr. Perry slaps his son on the shoulder
your seats. Neil, I've just spoken to Mr. and leaves. Neil leans his head back
Nolan. I think that you're taking too many against the wall as the other boys emerge
extra-curricular activities this semester, from the room.
and I've decided that you should drop the
school annual. CHARLIE: Why doesn't he let you do what
NEIL: But I'm the assistant editor this you want?
year. KNOX: Yeah Neil, tell him off. It couldn't
get any worse.
MR PERRY: Well, I'm sorry Neil.
NEIL: Oh, that's rich. Like you guys tell
NEIL: But Father, I can't. It wouldn't be your parents off, Mr. Future Lawyer and Mr.
fair. Future Banker.

MR PERRY: Fellas, would you excuse us CHARLIE: Okay, so I don't like it any more
for a moment? than you do.

Mr. Perry walks towards the door and Neil NEIL: Well just don't tell me how to talk to
hesitantly follows. Mr. Perry pauses by the my father. You guys are the same way.
door and smiles to the other boys.
KNOX: All right, all right, Jesus. So, what
The smile has gone from Mr. Perry's face. are you going to do?
He grabs a hold of Neil's arm.
NEIL: What I have to do. Drop the annual.
MR PERRY: Don't you ever dispute me in
public. Do you understand? CHARLIE: Well, I wouldn't lose much sleep
over it. It's just a bunch of jerks trying to
NEIL: Father, I wasn't disputing- impress Nolan.

MR PERRY: After you've finished medical NEIL: I don't care. I don't give a damn
school and you're on your own, then you about any of it.
can do as you damn well please. But until
then, you do as I tell you. Is that clear? MEEKS: Well, uh, Latin, eight o' clock in
my room?
NEIL: Yes sir. I'm sorry.
NEIL: Yes.
MR PERRY: You know how much this
means to your mother, don't you? MEEKS: Todd, you're welcome to join us.

NEIL: Yes sir. You know me, always taking KNOX: Yeah, come along pal.
on too much.
Todd looks up from his desk where he is
MR PERRY: Well, that's my boy. Now setting his alarm clock.
listen, you need anything, you let us know,
huh? TODD: Thanks.
 see before you. I was the intellectual
INT. KEATING'S CLASSROOM - DAY equivalent of a ninety-eight-pound
weakling. I would go to the beach and
Students enter Keating's classroom, people would kick copies of Byron in my
talking and acting up. Keating glances out face.
from his room off to one side.
The boys laugh once again, while
The students quickly quiet down as Cameron, obviously trying to write all this
Keating emerges from the other room, down, looks around confusedly. Keating
whistling the 1812 Overture. He walks up looks down at papers in his hand.
the length of the classroom and out the
door without a word. The students look KEATING: Now, Mr. Pitts. That's a rather
around at one another, uncertain of what unfortunate name. Mr. Pitts, where are
to do. Keating pokes his head back in the you?
doorway. Pitts raises his hand while everyone
around him snickers.
KEATING: Well, come on.
KEATING: Mr. Pitts, would you open your
He gestures them to follow and the hymnal to page 542 and read the first
students, after some hesitation, grab their stanza of the poem you find there?
books and follow Keating out into the main
entranceway. PITTS: "To the virgins, to make much of
time"?
ENTRANCEWAY - DAY
KEATING: Yes, that's the one. Somewhat
Keating stands before the school's trophy appropriate, isn't it.
cabinets and waits until all the boys
arrive. PITTS: "Gather ye rosebuds while ye may,
old time is still a flying, and this same
KEATING: "Oh Captain, My Captain" who flower that smiles today, tomorrow will be
knows where that comes from? dying."

Todd looks up as if he knows the answer, KEATING: Thank you Mr. Pitts. "Gather ye
but says nothing. Spaz blows his nose a rosebuds while ye may." The Latin term for
little too close to Meeks for his liking. that sentiment is Carpe Diem. Now who
knows what that means?
KEATING: Not a clue? It's from a poem by
Walt Whitman about Mr. Abraham Lincoln. Meeks immediately puts his hand up.
Now in this class you can call me Mr.
Keating. Or, if you're slightly more daring, MEEKS: Carpe Diem. That's "seize the
Oh Captain, My Captain. day."

The students laugh slightly. KEATING: Very good, Mr.-

KEATING: Now let me dispel a few rumors MEEKS: Meeks.

so they don't fester into facts. Yes, I too
attended Hell-ton and survived. And no, at
that time I was not the mental giant you
KEATING: Meeks. Another unusual name. KEATING: (whispering in a gruff voice)
Seize the day. Gather ye rosebuds while ye Carpe.
may. Why does the writer use these lines?
Cameron looks over his shoulder with an
CHARLIE: Because he's in a hurry. aggravated expression on his face.

KEATING: No, ding! KEATING: Hear it? (whispering again)

Carpe. Carpe Diem. Seize the day boys,
Keating slams his hand down on an make your lives extraordinary.
imaginary buzzer.
The boys stare at the faces in the cabinet
KEATING: Thank you for playing anyway. in silence.
Because we are food for worms lads.
Because, believe it or not, each and every KEATING'S CLASSROOM - DAY
one of us in this room is one day going to
stop breathing, turn cold, and die. Keating sits at his desk at the front of the
classroom and opens up one
Keating turns towards the trophy cases, of his books.
filled with trophies, footballs, and team
pictures. KEATING: Gentlemen, open your text to
page twenty-one of the introduction. Mr.
KEATING: Now I would like you to step Perry, will you read the opening paragraph
forward over here and peruse some of the of the preface, entitled "Understanding
faces from the past. You've walked past Poetry"?
them many times. I don't think you've
really looked at them. NEIL: Understanding Poetry, by Dr. J.
Evans Pritchard, Ph.D. To fully understand
The students slowly gather round the poetry, we must first be fluent with its
cases and Keating moves behind them. meter, rhyme, and figures of speech. Then
ask two questions: One, how artfully has
KEATING: They're not that different from the objective of the poem been rendered,
you, are they? Same haircuts. Full of and two, how important is that objective.
hormones, just like you. Invincible, just like Question one rates the poem's perfection,
you feel. The world is their oyster. They question two rates its importance. And
believe they're destined for great things, once these questions have been
just like many of you. Their eyes are full of answered, determining a poem's greatest
hope, just like you. Did they wait until it becomes a relatively simple matter.
was too late to make from their lives even
one iota of what they were capable? Keating gets up from his desk and
Because you see gentlemen, these boys prepares to draw on the chalk board.
are now fertilizing daffodils. But if you
listen real close, you can hear them NEIL: If the poem's score for perfection is
whisper their legacy to you. Go on, lean in. plotted along the horizontal of a graph,
and its importance is plotted on the
The boys lean in and Keating hovers over vertical, then calculating the total area of
Cameron's shoulder. the poem yields the measure of its
greatness.
Keating draws a corresponding graph on Charlie looks around at the others. He
the board and the students dutifully copy then looks down at his own notes, which
it down. consists of drawing breasts.

NEIL: A sonnet by Byron may score high KEATING: Go on, rip it out.
on the vertical, but only average on the
horizontal. A Shakespearean sonnet, on Charlie rips the page out and holds it up.
the other hand, would score high both
horizontally and vertically, yielding a KEATING: Thank you Mr. Dalton.
massive total area, thereby revealing the Gentlemen, tell you what, don't just tear
poem to be truly great. As you proceed out that page, tear out the entire
through the poetry in this book, practice introduction. I want it gone, history. Leave
this rating method. As your ability to nothing of it. Rip it out. Rip! Begone J.
evaluate poems in this matter grows, so Evans Pritchard, Ph.D. Rip, shred, tear. Rip
will - so will your enjoyment and it out. I want to hear nothing but ripping of
understanding of poetry. Mr. Pritchard.

Neil sets the book down and takes off his Meeks looks around reluctantly and then
glasses. The student sitting across from finally begins tearing out pages.
him is discretely trying to eat. Keating
turns away from the chalkboard with a KEATING: We'll perforate it, put it on a
smile. roll.

KEATING: Excrement. That's what I think Keating sees Cameron still hesitating.
of Mr. J. Evans Pritchard. We're not laying
pipe, we're talking about poetry. KEATING: It's not the bible, you're not
going to go to hell for this. Go on, make a
Cameron looks down at the graph he clean tear, I want nothing left of it.
copied into his notes and quickly scribbles
it out. Keating goes over to his room. Cameron
turns around to Neil.
KEATING: I mean, how can you describe
poetry like American Bandstand? I like CAMERON: We shouldn't be doing this.
Byron, I give
him a 42, but I can't dance to it. NEIL: Rip, rip, rip!

Charlie suddenly appear to become Neil makes Cameron turn back around.
interested in the class.
KEATING (O.S.): Rip it out, rip!
KEATING: Now I want you to rip out that
page. From outside the classroom, Mr. McAllister
hears all the noise and sees all the
The students look at Keating as if he has students ripping out the pages. He bursts
just gone mad. into the room.

KEATING: Go on, rip out the entire page. MCALLISTER: What the hell is going on
You heard me, rip it out. Rip it out! here?
The boys all turn around in shock. Charlie
stuffs a crumpled page into his mouth. The boys get up from their seats and
Keating emerges from his room with a gather around Keating in the center of the
waste paper basket. class.

KEATING: I don't hear enough rips. KEATING: We don't read and write poetry
because it's cute. We read and write
MCALLISTER: Mr. Keating. poetry because we are members of the
human race. And the human race is filled
KEATING: Mr. McAllister. with passion. Medicine, law, business,
engineering, these are all noble pursuits,
MCALLISTER: I'm sorry, I- I didn't know and necessary to sustain life. But poetry,
you were beauty, romance, love, these are what we
here. stay alive for. To quote from Whitman: "O
me, o life of the questions of these
KEATING: I am. recurring, of the endless trains of the
faithless, of cities filled with the foolish.
MCALLISTER: Ahh, so you are. Excuse What good amid these, o me, o life?
me. Answer: that you are here. That life exists,
and identity. That the powerful play goes
Mr. McAllister slowly backs out of the on, and you may contribute a verse. That
classroom. the powerful play goes on and you may
contribute a verse.
KEATING: Keep ripping gentlemen. This is
a battle, a war. And the casualties could Keating looks up at Todd.
be your hearts and souls.
KEATING: What will your verse be?
Keating holds out the basket to Charlie
who spits out a wad of paper.

KEATING: Thank you Mr. Dalton. Armies

of academics going forward, measuring WELTON GROUNDS – DAY
poetry. No, we will not have that here. No
more of Mr. J. Evans Pritchard. Now in my Keating is walking down towards the lake,
class you will learn to think for yourselves whistling the same tune as before. The
again. You will learn to savor words and boys emerge from the building and chase
language. No matter what anybody tells after him.
you, words and ideas can change the
world. I see that look in Mr. Pitt's eye, like NEIL: Mr. Keating? Mr. Keating? Sir? Oh
nineteenth century literature has nothing Captain, My Captain?
to do with going to business school or
medical school. Right? Maybe. Mr. Keating immediately turns around.
Hopkins, you may agree with him, thinking
"Yes, we should simply study our Mr. KEATING: Gentlemen.
Pritchard and learn our rhyme and meter
and go quietly about the business of NEIL: We were just looking in your old
achieving other ambitions." I have a little annual.
secret for ya. Huddle up. Huddle up!
He hands Keating the annual and Keating and gods were created, gentlemen, not a
looks at his old photograph. bad way to spend an evening eh? Thank
you Mr. Perry for this trip down amnesia
KEATING: Oh my God. No, that's not me. lane. Burn that, especially my picture.
Stanley "The Tool" Wilson-
Keating hands the annual back and walks
Keating crouches down and continues away, whistling once again. Neil remains
looking through the book. crouched.

KEATING: God. NEIL: Dead Poets Society.

Neil crouches down next to Keating. CAMERON: What?

NEIL: What was the Dead Poets Society? The school bells begin ringing and
everyone heads back towards the school.
KEATING: I doubt the present Neil stands up.
administration would look too favorably
upon that. NEIL: I say we go tonight.

NEIL: Why? What was it? CHARLIE: Tonight?

KEATING: Gentlemen, can you keep a CAMERON: Wait a minute.

secret?
PITTS: Where's this cave he's talking
NEIL: Sure. about?

The other boys crouch down around NEIL: It's beyond the stream. I know
Keating. where it is.

KEATING: The Dead Poets were dedicated PITTS: That's miles.

to sucking the marrow out of life. That's a
phrase from Thoreau that we'd invoke at CAMERON: Sounds boring to me.
the beginning of each meeting. You see
we'd gather at the old Indian cave and CHARLIE: Don't go.
take turns reading from Thoreau,
Whitman, Shelley; the biggies. Even some CAMERON: You know how many de-
of our own verse. And in the enchantment merits we're talking Dalton
of the moment we'd let poetry work its CHARLIE: So don't come, please.
magic.
CAMERON: Look, all I'm saying is that we
KNOX: You mean it was a bunch of guys have to be careful, we can't get caught.
sitting around reading poetry?
CHARLIE: No shit, Sherlock.
KEATING: No Mr. Overstreet, it wasn't just
"guys", we weren't a Greek organization, HAGER: (yelling) You boys there, hurry up.
we were romantics. We didn't just read
poetry, we let it drip from our tongues like Neil turns around and faces the other
honey. Spirits soared, women swooned, boys.
NEIL: All right, who's in? CHARLIE: Women swoon.

CAMERON: Come on Neil, Hager's right- Charlie laughs and runs inside. Knox
chases after him.
NEIL: Forget Hager, no. Who's in?
KNOX: But why do they swoon? Charlie,
CHARLIE: I'm in. tell me why they swoon. Charlie!

HAGER (O.S.): I'm warning you, move. STAIRWAY - NIGHT

CAMERON: Me too. The shadows of hooded figures can be

seen moving throughout the darkened
PITTS: I don't know Neil halls.

NEIL: What? Pitts- CAVE - NIGHT

CHARLIE: Pitsie, come on. The boys are trying to start a fire. The
cave is quickly filling up with smoke.
MEEKS: His grades are hurting Charlie.
Neil stands before the others with the
NEIL: You can help him Meeks. book in hand, and takes a drag on a
cigarette.
PITTS: What is this, a midnight study
group? NEIL: I hereby reconvene the Dead Poets
Society.
NEIL: Forget it Pitts, you're coming.
Meeks, are your grades hurting too? The boys cheer.

MEEKS: I'll try anything once. NEIL: Welton chapter. The meetings will
be conducted by myself and the other new
CHARLIE: Except sex. initiates now present. Todd Anderson,
because he prefers not to read, will keep
MEEKS: Ha ha ha. minutes of the meetings. I'll now read the
traditional opening message by society
CAMERON: I mean as long as we're member Henry David Thoreau. "I went to
careful. the woods because I wanted to live
deliberately. I wanted to live deep and
The boys run into the building. suck out all the marrow of life."

CHARLIE: What about you Knox? CHARLIE: I'll second that.

KNOX: I don't know Charlie. NEIL: "To put to rout all that was not life,
and not, when I had come to die, discover
CHARLIE: Come on Knox, it'll help you get that I had not lived.
Chris.
Several boys whistle softly in reaction to
KNOX: Yeah? How? the poem.
 earth and heaven; that which we are, we
NEIL: And Keating's marked a bunch of are One equal temper of heroic hearts,
other pages. Made weak by time and fate, but strong in
will. To strive, to seek, to find, and not to
Neil begins flipping through the book. yield.

CHARLIE: All right, intermission. Dig deep Meeks takes center stage and begins
right here. Right here, lay it down reading a poem like he is performing a
chant.
CAMERON: On the mud? We're gonna put
our food on the mud? MEEKS: Then I had religion, then I had a
vision. I could not turn from their revel in
CHARLIE: Meeks, put your coat down. derision. Then I saw the Congo creeping
Picnic blanket. through the black, cutting through the
forest with a golden track. Then I saw the
MEEKS: Yes sir, use Meeks' coat. Congo creeping through the black-

CHARLIE: Don't keep anything back CHARLIE: Meeks, Meeks.

either. You guys are always bumming my
smokes. MEEKS: ...cutting through the forest with
a golden track. Then I saw the Congo
Meeks lays his coat down and everyone creeping through the black, cutting
dumps their food on it. Amongst the pile through the forest with a golden track.
are chocolate chip cookies, a box of
raisins, a few apples, an orange, and half Knox picks up a metal container and
a roll. begins using it as a drum. The other boys
stand and begin going in a circle, making
NEIL: Raisins? music with sticks of wood, combs, etc.

KNOX: Yuck. Then I saw the Congo creeping through

the black, cutting through the forest with a
CHARLIE: Wait a minute, who gave us golden track.
half a roll? Then I saw the Congo creeping through
the black, cutting through the forest with a
PITTS: (talking with his mouth full) I'm golden track.
eating the other half.
BOYS: Then I saw the Congo creeping
CHARLIE: Come on. through the black, cutting through the
PITTS: You want me to put it back? forest with…

Neil sits reading from the book by

flashlight.

NEIL: Alfred Lord Tennyson. Come my TODD'S ROOM - DAY

friends, 'Tis not too late to seek a newer
world for my purpose holds to sail beyond Todd is on his bed trying to write a poem.
the sunset. And though we are not now The door opens and Todd turns his writing
that strength which in old days Moved pad over. Neil enters the room laughing.
He crouches down next to Todd's bed and NEIL: First I gotta get the part, then I can
plunks a sheet of paper in Todd's lap. worry about that.

NEIL: I found it. TODD: Yeah, but won't he kill you if he

finds out you went to an audition and
TODD: You found what? didn't even tell him?

NEIL: What I wanna do right now. What's NEIL: No, no, no, no. As far as I'm
really, really inside me. concerned, he won't have to know about
any of this.
TODD: "A Midsummer Night's Dream"?
TODD: Well, that's impossible.
NEIL: This is it.
NEIL: Bullshit! Nothing's impossible.
TODD: What is this?
TODD: Well, why don't you just call him
NEIL: It's a play, dummy. and ask him? And m-maybe he'll say yes.

TODD: I know that. I-- Wh-Wh-What does NEIL: That's a laugh!

it have to do with you?
Neil tosses the blanket back onto his bed.
NEIL: Right. They're putting it on at
Henley Hall. Open tryouts. Open tryouts! NEIL: If I don't ask him, at least I won't be
disobeying him.
TODD: Yes, so?
TODD: Yeah, but if he said--
Neil pounds on the bed and then pulls a
blanket off his bed, wearing it like a cloak. NEIL: (shouting angrily) Jesus, Todd!
Whose side are you on?
NEIL: So, I'm gonna act. Yes, yes! I'm
gonna be an actor! Ever since I can Todd says nothing. Neil looks at him for a
remember, I've wanted to try this. I even moment and then takes the flyer back
tried to go to summer stock auditions last from Todd. He walks over to the window,
year, but, of course, my father wouldn't let his excitement gone.
me. For the first time in my whole life I
know what I wanna do. NEIL: I mean, I haven't even gotten the
part yet. Can't I even enjoy the idea for a
Neil grabs a handful of papers off Todd's little while?
bed and tosses them into the air.
Once again, Todd says nothing. After a
NEIL: and for the first time I'm gonna do it moment, Neil sits on the heater and Todd
whether my father wants me to or not! returns to his poem.
Carpe diem!
NEIL: You're coming to the meeting this
TODD: Neil, Neil, hold on a minute. How afternoon?
are you gonna be in a play if your father
won't let you? TODD: I don't know. Maybe.
NEIL: Nothing Mr. Keating has to say The two begin racing in circles around the
means shit to you, does it, Todd? room, jumping from bed to bed as Todd
tries to grab his poem back.
TODD: W-What is that supposed to mean?
NEIL: "We are dreaming of a--" Poetry! I'm
NEIL: You're in the club! Being in the club being chased by Walt Whitman! Okay,
means being stirred up by things. You look okay.
about as stirred up as a cesspool.
Neil drops the notebook. Cameron walks
Neil gets up from the window and stands into the room.
over Todd.
CAMERON: What are you guys doing? I'm
TODD: So- You want me out? sure-- You see this chemistry-

NEIL: No! I want you in, but being in Cameron tries to hold up his book and Neil
means you gotta do something. Not just snatches it from his hands and suddenly
say you're in. all three of them are racing around the
room.
TODD: Well, listen, Neil. I-I appreciate this
concern, but I-I'm not like you. All right? CAMERON: Hey, give me-- Neil, give me--
You, you, you say thing and people listen. Don't be immature. Come on. I need my-
I'm, I'm not like that.
Charlie enters the room and begins
NEIL: Don't you think you could be? waving his hands.

TODD: No! I--I, I don't know, but that's not CHARLIE: Give it to me! Give it to me!
the point. The, the, the point is that
there's nothing you can do about it, so you NEIL: Charlie!
can just butt out. I can take care of myself
just fine. All right? Neil tosses Cameron's book to Charlie.

NEIL: No. CAMERON: Let me have my book, I need

my-
TODD: What do you mean, "no"?
The four boys continue racing around the
A smile comes to Neil's face. cramped quarters, tossing Cameron's
book back and forth. Neil picks up a
NEIL: No. recorder and begins blowing erratic notes
on it while Charlie starts pounding on a
Neil grabs Todd's notebook of poetry and set of bongo drums. Outside the room a
runs across the room with it. Todd leaps crowd of boys watch.
up after him.
DORM HALLWAY – DAY
TODD: Give me-- Neil. Neil, give that
back. Neil is racing down the hallway, all
excited.
NEIL: Charlie, I got the part! I'm gonna
play Puck! I'm gonna play Puck! Knox stands at the front of the room with
his poem in hand.
He pounds on Charlie's door.
KNOX: (quietly) "To Chris."
MEEKS: What did he say?
Charlie looks up from his desk with a grin.
PITTS: Puck?
BOY 1: Who's Chris?
NEIL: That's the main part.
BOY 2: Mmm, Chris.
KNOX: Great, Neil.
KNOX: I see a sweetness in her smile.
NEIL: Charlie, I got it! Blight light shines from her eyes. But life is
complete; contentment is mine, Just
CHARLIE: Congratulations. Good for you, knowing that...
Neil. Good for you.
Several students begin to snicker.
Neil enters his room with Todd and sits
down at his typewriter. KNOX: just knowing that she's alive.

NEIL: Okay, okay, okay, okay. Knox crumples his poem and walks back
to his desk.
TODD: Neil, how are you gonna do this?
KNOX: Sorry, Captain. It's stupid.
NEIL: They need a letter of permission
from my father and Mr. Nolan. KEATING: No, no. It's not stupid. It's a
good effort. It touched on one of the major
TODD: You're not gonna write it. themes, love. A major theme not only in
poetry, but life. Mr. Hopkins, you were
NEIL: Oh yes, I am. laughing. You're up.

TODD: Oh, Neil. Neil, you're crazy. Hopkins slowly walks to the front of the
class and unfolds his piece of paper.
Neil begins typing.
HOPKINS: "The cat sat on the mat."
NEIL: Okay. "I am writing to you on behalf
of my son Neil Perry." KEATING: Congratulations, Mr. Hopkins.
Yours is the first poem to ever have a
Neil begins laughing and stomping his feet negative score on the Pritchard scale.
up and down. We're not laughing at you, we're laughing
near you. I don't mind that your poem had
NEIL: This is great. a simple theme. Sometimes the most
beautiful poetry can be about simple
things, like a cat, or a flower or rain. You
see, poetry can come from anything with
the stuff of revelation in it. Just don't let
KEATING'S CLASSROOM - DAY your poems be ordinary. Now, who's next?
Keating approaches Todd's desk. TODD: Yawp.

KEATING: Mr. Anderson, I see you sitting KEATING: Oh, good God, boy. Yell like a
there in agony. Come on, Todd, step up. man!
Let's put you out of your misery.
TODD: (shouting) Yawp!
TODD: I, I didn't do it. I didn't write
apoem. KEATING: There it is. You see, you have a
barbarian in you, after all.
KEATING: Mr. Anderson thinks that
everything inside of him is worthless and Todd goes to return to his seat but Keating
embarrassing. Isn't that right, Todd? Isn't stops him.
that your worst fear? Well, I think you're
wrong. I think you have something inside KEATING: Now, you don't get away that
of you that is worth a great deal. easy.

Keating walks up to the blackboard and Keating turns Todd around and points out
begins to write. a picture on the wall.

KEATING: "I sound my barbaric yawp over KEATING: The picture of Uncle Walt up
the rooftops of the world." W. W. Uncle there. What does he remind you of? Don't
Walt again. Now, for those of you who think. Answer. Go on.
don't know, a yawp is a loud cry or yell.
Now, Todd, I would like you to give us a Keating begins to circle around Todd.
demonstration of a barbaric "yawp." Come
on. You can't yawp sitting down. Let's go. TODD: A m-m-madman.
Come on. Up.
KEATING: What kind of madman? Don't
Todd reluctantly stands and follows think about it. Just answer again.
Keating to the front.
TODD: A c-crazy madman.
KEATING: You gotta get in "yawping"
stance. KEATING: No, you can do better than
that. Free up your mind. Use your
TODD: A yawp? imagination. Say the first thing that pops
into your head, even if it's total gibberish.
KEATING: No, not just a yawp. A barbaric Go on, go on.
yawp.
TODD: Uh, uh, a sweaty-toothed madman.
TODD: (quietly) Yawp.
KEATING: Good God, boy, there's a poet
KEATING: Come on, louder. in you, after all. There, close your eyes.
Close your eyes. Close 'em. Now, describe
TODD: (quietly) Yawp. what you see.

KEATING: No, that's a mouse. Come on. Keating puts his hands over Todd's eyes
Louder. and they begin to slowly spin around.
TODD: Uh, I-I close my eyes. Todd opens his eyes. The class is silent.
Then they begin to clap and cheer.
KEATING: Yes?
KEATING: (whispering to Todd) Don't you
TODD: Uh, and this image floats beside forget this.
me.
HALLWAY - DAY
KEATING: A sweaty-toothed madman?
The bell rings and students rush down the
TODD: A sweaty-toothed madman with a hall.
stare that pounds my brain.
BOY: What's for dinner?
KEATING: Oh, that's excellent. Now, give
him action. Make him do something. PITTS: Spaghetti and meatballs!

TODD: H-His hands reach out and choke Neil comes up the stairs as everyone else
me. swarms down to the cafeteria.

KEATING: That's it. Wonderful. Wonderful. NEIL: Save some for me. "But, room,
Fairy!
Keating removes his hands from Todd but Here comes Oberon."
Todd keeps his eyes closed.
Neil opens the door to his room and sees
TODD: And, and all the time he's his father sitting at his desk.
mumbling.
NEIL: Father.
KEATING: What's he mumbling?
MR. PERRY: Neil.
TODD: M-Mumbling, "Truth. Truth is like,
like a blanket that always leaves your feet NEIL: Wait a minute. Before you say
cold." anything, please let me ex-

The students begin to laugh and Todd Mr. Perry rises from the desk.
opens his eyes. Keating quickly gestures
for him to close them again. MR. PERRY: Don't you dare talk back to
me! It's bad enough that you've wasted
KEATING: Forget them, forget them. Stay your time with this, this absurd acting
with the blanket. Tell me about that business. But you deliberately deceived
blanket. me! How, how, how did you expect to get
away with this? Answer me. Who put you
TODD: Y-Y-Y-You push it, stretch it, it'll up to it? Was it this new man? This, uh, Mr.
never be enough. You kick at it, beat it, it'll Keating?
never cover any of us. From the moment
we enter crying to the moment we leave NEIL: No. Nobody-- I thought I'd surprise
dying, it will just cover your face as you you. I've gotten all A's in every class.
wail and cry and scream.
MR. PERRY: Did you think I wasn't going
to find out? "Oh, my niece is in a play with
your son," says Mrs. Marks. "No, no, no," I them up and Keating gets up from his seat
say, "you must be mistaken. My son's not to help him.
in a play." You made me a liar of me, Neil!
Now, tomorrow you go to them and you NEIL: I'm sorry. Here.
tell them that you're quitting.
KEATING: Excuse me. Get you some tea?
NEIL: No, I can't. I have the main part.
The NEIL: Tea. Sure.
performance is tomorrow night.
Keating goes to a table in the corner and
MR. PERRY: I don't care if the world begins pouring several cups.
comes to an end tomorrow night. You are
through with that play. Is that clear? Is that KEATING: Like some milk or sugar in
clear? that?

NEIL: Yes, sir. NEIL: No, thanks.

Mr. Perry goes to leave and then turns NEIL: Gosh, they don't give you much
around. room
around here.
MR. PERRY: I made a great many
sacrifices to get you here, Neil, and you KEATING: No, it's part of the monastic
will not let me oath. They don't want worldly things
down. distracting me
from my teaching.
NEIL: No, sir.
Keating gives Neil a cup of tea and they
KEATING'S OFFICE - NIGHT return to their seats. Neil looks at the
photo on the desk.
Keating is seated at his desk. He is writing
a letter and occasionally looks up at the NEIL: She's pretty.
framed photo on his desk of a woman
playing the cello. There is a knock at the KEATING: She's also in London. Makes it a
door. little difficult.

KEATING: It's open. NEIL: How can you stand it?

Neil enters and closes the door behind KEATING: Stand what?
him. He appears to be nervous.
NEIL: You can go anywhere. You can do
KEATING: Neil, what's up? anything. How can you stand being here?

NEIL: Can I speak to you a minute? KEATING: 'Cause I love teaching. I don't
wanna be anywhere else.
KEATING: Certainly. Sit down.
KEATING: What's up?
Neil goes to take a seat but notices the
chair is piled up with books. Neil picks
NEIL: I just talked to my father. He's KEATING: Well, you have to talk to him
making before tomorrow night.
me quit the play at Henley Hall. Acting's
everything to me. I-- But he doesn't know. NEIL: Isn't there an easier way?
He-- I can see his point. We're not a rich
family like Charlie's, and we-- But he's KEATING: No.
planning the rest of my life for me, and I--
H-He's never asked me what I want. NEIL: I'm trapped.

KEATING: Have you ever told your father KEATING: No, you're not.
what you just told me? About your passion
for THEATER - NIGH
acting. You ever show him that?
The stage is dark. A spotlight comes on to
NEIL: I can't. reveal Neil with his back to the audience.
He slowly turns around to face the
KEATING: Why not? audience and his father.

NEIL: I can't talk to him this way. PUCK: If we shadows have offended,

KEATING: Then you're acting for him, too. Neil directs his eyes at his father, who
You're playing the part of the dutiful son. I stills stands at the back of the theater.
know this sounds impossible, but you have
to talk to him. You have to show him who PUCK: Think but this, and all is mended,
you are, what your heart is. That you have but slumber'd here While
these visions did appear. And this weak
NEIL: I know what he'll say. He'll tell me and idle theme, No more yielding but a
that acting's a whim, and I should forget it. dream, Gentles, do not reprehend: If you
That how they're counting on me. He'll just pardon, we will mend: And, as I am an
tell me to put it out of my mind, "for my honest Puck, If we have unearned luck
own good." Now to 'scape the serpent's tongue, We
will make amends ere long; Else the Puck
KEATING: You are not an indentured a liar call; So, good night unto you all. Give
servant. If it's not a whim for you, you me your hands, if we be friends, And Robin
prove it to him by your conviction and shall restore amends.
your passion.
You show him that And if he still doesn't Neil backs away and the curtains close as
believe you, well, by then you'll be out of the audience begins to applaud
school and you can do anything you want. enthusiastically. Behind the curtain
numerous people congratulate Neil as
A tear falls down Neil's cheek and he they line up for the curtain call. The
wipes it away. curtains open. Charlie and the other boys
rise to their feet, followed quickly by the
NEIL: No. What about the play? The rest of the audience. The actors bow to
show's continued applause. The actors push Neil
tomorrow night. forward and he takes a second bow.

BOYS: Yawp!
KNOX: Yeah, Neil! The boys leave and Keating continues to
stare after the car, wiping the falling snow
THEATER - NIGHT from his face.

Mr. Perry pushes his way through the MR. PERRY'S STUDY - NIGHT
crowd of people, with Neil close behind.
A photo of Neil standing stiffly with his
MR. PERRY: Excuse me. Excuse me. parents sits on a table between a glass of
Excuse me. alcohol and a half filled ashtray. Mrs. Perry
watches through the window as her
The boys notice Neil and try to dtop him to husband and son arrive and then takes a
talk. nervous puff on her cigarette before
sitting down. Mr. Perry walks in with Neil
CHARLIE: Neil, Neil, you were great. close behind him. Neil sits down beside
the desk while Mr. Perry remains standing.
NEIL: I can't, guys.
MR. PERRY: We're trying very hard to
TODD: Neil! Neil! understand why it is that you insist on
defying us. Whatever the reason, we're
Outside of the crowd, Keating manages to not gonna let you ruin your life. Tomorrow
catch up to Neil. He takes hold of Neil's I'm withdrawing you from Welton and
coat. enrolling you in Braden Military School.
You're going to Harvard and you're gonna
KEATING: Neil. Neil. You have the gift. be a doctor.
What a performance You left even me
speechless. You have to stay with- NEIL: But that's ten more years. Father,
that's a lifetime!
Mr. Perry returns from his car and shoves
Neil aside. MR. PERRY: Oh, stop it. Don't be so
dramatic. You make it sound like a prison
MR. PERRY: Get in the car. Keating, you term. You don't understand, Neil. You have
stay away from my son. opportunities that I never even dreamt of
and I am not going to let you waste them.
CHARLIE: Neil! Neil! Mr. Perry, come on.
Neil rises to his feet.
KEATING: Don't make it any worse than it
is. NEIL: I've got to tell you what I feel.

Neil and Mr. Perry get into their car and Mrs. Perry stands up.
drive away. Keating stares after them.
MRS. PERRY: We've been so worried
CHARLIE: Is it okay if we walk back? about--
Captain?
MR. PERRY: What? What? Tell me what
Charlie motions Todd to follow. you feel. What is it?

CHARLIE: Knox.
Neil looks to his mother and then back to
his father but says nothing. Mr. Perry jerks up out of bed, startled and
breathing fast.
MR. PERRY: Is it more of this, this acting
business? Because you can forget that. MR. PERRY: What was that?
What?
MRS. PERRY: What?
NEIL: Nothing.
MR. PERRY: That sound.
Neil sits back down dejectedly.
MRS. PERRY: What sound? Tom?
MR. PERRY: Nothing? Well, then, let's go
to bed. Mr. Perry turns on the light and gets up
out of bed, putting on his robe and
Mr. Perry leaves. Mrs. Perry pauses on her slippers.
way out and kneels behind Neil.
MRS. PERRY: What is it? What's wrong?
NEIL: I was good. I was really good.
Mr. Perry turns on the hallway light and
Mrs. Perry nods slightly. knocks on Neil's door. He opens the door
and goes inside.
MRS. PERRY: Go on, get some sleep.
MR. PERRY: Neil.
NEIL'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
Mr. Perry notices the open window.
Neil's pyjamas, bathrobe, towel, and
shaving kit are all neatly laid out on his MRS. PERRY: Tom, what is it? What's
bed. Neil touches his pyjamas lightly and wrong? Neil?
then removes his coat and shirt. He walks
over to the windows and opens them, Mr. Perry continues to look through the
taking several deep breaths. He places house, continuing downstairs.
the crown of twigs on his head and then
closes his eyes, slowly letting his head fall MR. PERRY: Neil?
to his chest.
Mr. Perry notices the door to his study is
HALLWAY - NIGHT ajar.

A door opens and Neil emerges, slowly MRS. PERRY: I'll look outside. Neil?
walking down the stairs as if in a trance.
Mr. Perry flicks the light on but sees
MR. PERRY'S STUDY – NIGHT nothing. Then he smells something.
Looking closer, he sees a thin cloud of
Neil holds a key in his hands. He unlocks a smoke rising from behind his desk. As he
drawer in his father's desk and pulls out a moves around the desk he sees his gun on
pistol, wrapped the floor and Neil's outstretched hand.
in cloth.
MR. PERRY: No!
MR. PERRY'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
Mr. Perry crouches down by his son. CHARLIE: It's all right. It's alright.

MR. PERRY: Oh, Neil! Oh, my God! Charlie grabs a handful of snow and wipes
Todd's mouth with it.
Mrs. Perry enters the room and sees her
son. TODD: He wouldn't-- He wouldn't have
done it.
MRS. PERRY: Oh! No!
MEEKS: You can't explain it, Todd.
MR. PERRY: Oh, my son!
TODD: It was his father!
MRS. PERRY: He's all right.
CHARLIE: No!
MR. PERRY: My son! My poor son!
TODD: He wouldn't have left us. It's
MRS. PERRY: (crying hysterically) He's all because he- He wouldn't have. His dad
right! He's all right! He's all right! He's all was-- his, his father did it.
right! He's all right! He's all right!
CHARLIE: Todd.
MR. PERRY: Stop it! Stop it! Stop it.
TODD: His father killed him. He made him
Mr. Perry holds his wife and tries to do it.
comfort her.
MEEKS: You can't explain it, Todd.
CAMPUS - DAY
Todd pushes himself away from the boys
It is a snowy, overcast morning. Todd and stumbles down the hill, slipping and
walks through the snow. He has his coat falling in the snow.
on over his pyjamas. The other boys follow
closely behind him as he walks down MEEKS: Todd!
towards the water. He stops and stares
out at the snow-covered surroundings. CHARLIE: Leave him be.

TODD: It's so beautiful. The boys watch as Todd runs down

towards the dock by the river, yelling and
Todd begins to gag and then goes down crying. He finally seems to regain control
on his knees, vomiting into the snow. The of himself and walks in silence out onto
other boys huddle around him, hugging the dock.
him.
CLOAKROOM - DAY
CHARLIE: Todd. It's okay, Todd.
The boys (except Cameron) are sitting
PITTS: Calm down. about the cluttered room waiting. Charlie
lights a cigarette.
CHARLIE: It's all right, Todd.
CHARLIE: You told him about this
PITTS: Todd, it's okay. It's okay, Todd. meeting?
PITTS: Twice. MEEKS: Charlie!

CHARLIE: That's it, guys. We're all fried. CHARLIE: He's a rat! He's in it up to his
eyes, so he rattled to save himself.
PITTS: How do you mean?
KNOX: Don't touch him, Charlie. You do
CHARLIE: Cameron's a fink. He's in and you're out.
Nolan's office right now, finking.
CHARLIE: I'm out anyway!
PITTS: About what?
KNOX: You don't know that, not yet.
CHARLIE: The club, Pittsie. Think about it.
The board of directors, the trustees and CAMERON: He's right there, Charlie. And
Mr. Nolan. Do you think for one moment if you guys are smart, you will do exactly
they're gonna let this thing just blow over? what I did and cooperate. They're not after
Schools go down because of thingslike us. We're the victims. Us and Neil.
this. They need a scapegoat.
CHARLIE: What's that mean? Who are
The door opens. All the boys except they after?
Charlie hurry to put their cigarettes out
and wave the smoke away. A light comes CAMERON: Why, Mr. Keating, of course.
on and Cameron enters. The "Captain" himself. I mean, you guys
didn't really think he could avoid
CAMERON: What's going on, guys? responsibility, did you?

CHARLIE: You finked, didn't you, CHARLIE: Mr. Keating responsible for
Cameron? Neil? Is that what they're saying?

Charlie gets up and approaches Cameron, CAMERON: Well, who else do you think,
tossing his cigarette away. dumb ass? The administration? Mr. Perry?
Mr.
CAMERON: Finked? I didn't know what the Keating put us up to all this crap, didn't
hell you're talking about. he? If he wasn't for Mr. Keating, Neil would
be cozied up in his room right now,
CHARLIE: You told Nolan everything studying his chemistry and dreaming of
about the club is what I'm talking about. being called doctor.

CAMERON: Look, in case you hadn't TODD: That is not true, Cameron. You
heard, Dalton, there's something called an know
honor code at this school, all right? If a that. He didn't put us to anything. Neil
teacher asks you a question, you tell the loved acting.
truth or you're expelled.
CAMERON: Believe what you want, but I
CHARLIE: You little- say let Keating fry. I mean, why ruin our
lives?
Charlie lunges at Cameron but Knox and
Meeks hold him back. Charlie lunges at Cameron again and
punches him in the face. Cameron falls to
the floor as the boys pull Charlie away. CAMERON: We skipped around a lot, sir.
Cameron We covered the Romantics and some of
lifts a hand to his bloody nose. the chapters on Post Civil War literature.

CAMERON: You just signed your expulsion MR. NOLAN: hat about the Realists?
papers, Nuwanda.
CAMERON: I believe we skipped most of
Cameron rises to his feet. that, sir.

CAMERON: And if the rest of you are MR. NOLAN: All right, then, we'll start
smart, you'll do exactly what I did. They over. What is poetry?
know everything anyway. You can't save
Keating, but you can save yourselves. There is a knock at the classroom door.

Cameron walks away, closing the door MR. NOLAN: Come.

behind him.
The students look back as the door opens.
KEATING'S CLASSROOM - DAY They quickly turn away when hey see it is
Keating.
The students are all seated at their desks
in silence. Everyone looks as the door KEATING: Excuse me. I came for my
opens. They quickly stand as Mr. Nolan personals. Should I come back after class?
enters the room.
MR. NOLAN: Get them now, Mr. Keating.
MR. NOLAN: Sit.
MR. NOLAN: Gentlemen, turn to page 21
The students sit once again as Mr. Nolan of the introduction. Mr. Cameron, read
walks to the front of the room. aloud the excellent essay by Dr. Pritchard
on "Understanding Poetry."
MR. NOLAN: I'll be teaching this class
through exams. We'll find a permanent Todd slowly closes his book. Keating opens
English teacher during the break. Who will the door to the tiny room off the
tell me where you are in the Pritchard classroom.
textbook? CAMERON: That page has been ripped
out, sir.
MR. NOLAN: Mr. Anderson?
MR. NOLAN: Well, borrow somebody
TODD: Uh, in the, in the Pr- else's book.
MR. NOLAN: I can't hear you, Mr.
Anderson. CAMERON: They're all ripped out, sir.

TODD: In the, in the, in the Pritchard? MR. NOLAN: What do you mean, they're
all ripped out?
MR. NOLAN: Kindly inform me, Mr.
Cameron. CAMERON: Sir, we, uh-

MR. NOLAN: Never mind.

Mr. Nolan takes his own book over to
Cameron's desk and then slaps the open MR. NOLAN: Leave, Mr. Keating.
page.
TODD: But it wasn't his fault!
MR. NOLAN: Read! MR. NOLAN: Sit down, Mr. Anderson!

As Cameron begins to read, Keating looks Todd reluctantly returns to his seat.
out at Todd as he puts his scarf on. Todd
looks at him for a moment and then MR. NOLAN: One more outburst from you
glances away. or anyone else, and you're out of this
school!
CAMERON: "Understanding Poetry by Dr. J Leave, Mr. Keating.
Evans Pritchard, Ph.D. To fully understand
poetry, we must first be fluent with its Keating hesitates at the back of the
meter, rhyme and figures of speech, then classroom.
ask two questions: 1) How artfully has the
objective of the poem been rendered and MR. NOLAN: I said leave, Mr. Keating.
2)..."
Keating slowly turns and heads to the
The door squeaks as Keating shuts it door. As he opens it, Todd, stands upon his
behind him. Cameron pauses. desk and turns to Keating.

CAMERON: "... How important is that TODD: O Captain! My Captain!

objective? Question 1 rates the poem's
perfection; question 2 rates its MR. NOLAN: Sit down, Mr. Anderson!
importance. And once these questions
have been answered, Keating pauses at the door and looks back
determining the poem's greatness at Todd on his desk.
becomes a relatively simple matter. If the
poem's score for perfection is plotted on MR. NOLAN: Do you hear me? Sit down!
the horizontal of a graph--" Sit down! This is your final warning,
Anderson. How dare you? Do you hear
Keating passes by Todd and the others me?
and gets to the back of the classroom
before Todd leaps up from his seat and After a moment of indecision, Knox climbs
turns to face him. up onto his desk.

TODD: Mr. Keating! They made everybody KNOX: O Captain! My Captain!

sign it.
MR. NOLAN: Mr. Overstreet, I warn you!
Mr. Nolan gets up from his desk and Sit down!
approaches Todd.
Pitts climbs up onto his desk, followed by
MR. NOLAN: Quiet, Mr. Anderson. several others, including Meeks.

TODD: You gotta believe me. It's true. MR. NOLAN: Sit down! Sit down. All of
you. I want you seated. Sit down. Leave,
KEATING: I do believe you, Todd. Mr.
Keating.

More students stand on their desks until

half the class is standing.

MR. NOLAN: All of you, down. I want you

seated. Do you hear me?

MR. NOLAN: Sit down!

Keating stands in the doorway, staring up

at the boys in wonder. A smile comes to
his face.

KEATING: Thank you, boys. Thank you.