Name:________________________________________ Date:_______________ Block:_____
Viewing Guide Dead Poets Society (Part 2) 1. The following lines are shared by Mr. McAllister and Mr. Keating after Hager sees Keating’s students ripping pages out of their books: “Show me the heart unfettered by foolish dreams and I’ll show you a happy man.” —Tennyson (spoken by Mr. McAllister) “But only in their dreams can men be truly free It was always thus and always thus will be.” —Keating Based on these lines, how do these men feel about education? McAllister:___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ Keating:____________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ Which view do you prefer? Why? Preference:__________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ 2. What was the Dead Poets Society? What did they do? Where do you think the name comes from?
3. What is the symbolism in the scene where the boys go to the cave?
4. The following quote is read by the boys out of the Dead Poets Society book while in the cave: “I went to the woods to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practice resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life.” ~Henry David Thoreau
After reading the quote above, explain what you want from life itself, how change is a necessary element of existence, and why it is important to treat each day as if it were your last.
5. While in the cave, the boys read the following lines out of the Dead Poets Society book provided by Mr. Keating: “Teach me to Love? go teach thyself more wit; I chief Professor am of it.... The God of Love, if such a thing there be, May learn to love from me.”— Abraham Cowley
“...Come, my friends, ‘Tis not too late to seek a newer world... for my purpose holds To sail beyond the sunset,... and tho’ We are not now that strength which in old days Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are; One equal temper of heroic hearts, Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.”—Tennyson What do these lines mean? Abraham Cowley: ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ Tennyson: ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ 6. How does Mr. Keating get the boys to look at life differently?
7. Identify three scenes that show changes in Todd Anderson and explain what development is suggested. a. ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ b. ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ c. ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ 8. “Carpe Diem”/”Seize the Day” – Ultimately, how does this phrase change each of the boys? Neil:_______________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ Todd:______________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ Pitts:_______________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ Cameron:___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ Charlie:_____________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ Meeks:_____________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ Knox:______________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ 9. What do we learn Neil wants to do with his life? What is the name of the play that Neil wants to try out for?
10. When Knox goes to see Kris at her public school, what do you notice about the differences between public and private education that are depicted in the film? Public: ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ Vs. Private: ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________
11. What does Mr. Keating have the boys do while kicking a ball outside? Why does he do this? What is the point of this activity?
12. How does Mr. Keating get Todd to come “out of his shell?”
13. What is Mr. Keating’s method of teaching the dangers of conformity?
14. What type of article has Charlie anonymously written and added to the school newspaper? What happens as a result of this article?
15. Why does Nolan meet with Mr. Keating?
16. Explain Keating’s statement, “Sucking all the marrow out of life doesn’t mean choking on the bone.”
17. When Neil talks to Keating about his conversation with his father, what advice does Keating give (what are his options)?
18. The following lines are spoken by Neil (as Puck) in A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream: “If we shadows have offended, Think but this — and all is mended— That you have but slumber’d here While these visions did appear. And this weak and idle theme, No more yielding but a dream, Gentles, do not reprehend; If you pardon, we will mend. And, as I am an honest Puck, If we have unearned luck Now to escape the serpent’s tongue, We will make amends ere long; Else the Puck a liar call: So, good night unto you all, Give me your hand, if we be friends, And Robin shall restore amends.” What does this mean? Why is it ironic that Neil is saying this line at the end of the play?
19. Explain Neil’s father’s reaction to Neil being in the play?
20. Do you agree or disagree with Neil’s final action in the film? Why or why not?
21. What other choices could he have made?
22. In what ways is Neil a “Christ figure?” (A Christ figure is a literary technique that the author uses to draw allusions between their characters and the biblical Jesus Christ.)
23. Was Neil a martyr (a person who is put to death or endures great suffering on behalf of any belief, principle, or cause)?
24. Who really was to blame for Neil's death?
25. What does the snow symbolize? What does the vomit in the snow symbolize?
26. Which character do you identify with most? Why?
