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The Tragic Death of Neil in Poetry

This document provides a summary and analysis of the film "Dead Poets Society". It discusses how the main character Neil is trapped between pursuing his desires to act and write poetry, or conforming to his father's wishes to focus on science and math. Neil ultimately commits suicide after facing pressure to conform. His death highlights the tragic effects of forcing conformity. While the school fails to change in response to Neil's death, the ending references Walt Whitman's poem "O Captain! My Captain!" to suggest that Neil's classmates will carry on spreading his love of poetry.

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14 views2 pages

The Tragic Death of Neil in Poetry

This document provides a summary and analysis of the film "Dead Poets Society". It discusses how the main character Neil is trapped between pursuing his desires to act and write poetry, or conforming to his father's wishes to focus on science and math. Neil ultimately commits suicide after facing pressure to conform. His death highlights the tragic effects of forcing conformity. While the school fails to change in response to Neil's death, the ending references Walt Whitman's poem "O Captain! My Captain!" to suggest that Neil's classmates will carry on spreading his love of poetry.

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Camden Rothleder

Mr. Shakely
English 2xl/period 2
15 May 2017
The Tragic Death of a Poet

Of all the movies I watched throughout my Poetic Vision project, Dead Poets

Society was my favorite because its story had much relevance with my experiences as

a high school teenager.

The Welton academy is much like basic society in that students are forced to

conform to their ideals. At their prep school, science and math are the main focus of

curriculum. However, professor Keating acts as the prophet figure by challenging his

student to judge their ethical, moral, and artistic character. Among the conflict between

pursuing forced success and personal desires lies Neil.

Neils suicide is a death which holds great value among the intriguing plot. Neils

happiest scenes were when he was reading poetry or acting on stage. However, he was

drowned by the power of political and economic control from both the school board of

Welton and his father. Nonetheless, his death teaches a lesson. It shows viewers of

the tragic nature conformity has on the world.

Neil never published poems but only was a student of a poetry class. However,

he still died a poet because he decided to pursue what his heart desired.

Unfortunately, his death failed to show Welton of their flaws. They go on and blame the

students and Keating themselves for Neils death. They continued to treat students as

objects with no feelings.

Although the school failed to change their curriculum, the movie ends with the

allusion toward Walt Whitmans, OCaptain! My Captain! The other students of


Keatings class only carry the seed of wisdom and knowledge to which they themselves

can grow.

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