Group 2
Cheung, Yaniza
Lam, Patrick
Lee, Manfred
Lee, Michelle
Lee, Paul
Yam, Chris
 1. Summary of “Dead Poets Society”
 2. Character Analysis and the Philosophical Stances
 3. More on Metaphysics and Aesthetic
 4. Hong Kong Context?
 5. Conclusion
 Time: Late 80s
 School: Welton Academy Prep School
 Motto of the school:
“Tradition, Honour, Discipline and Excellence.”
 Protagonist: Mr. Keating (A teacher teaching poetry
and literature), Neil (A gifted boy under heavy
parental control to study Medicine in college)
 Welton: A traditional high school which parents send
their child there for the preparation of entering the
best college in the town.
 The new English teacher, Mr. Keating, who practice
unorthodox pedagogy (in the eyes of Welton) to teach
poetry and literature.
 He introduced the idea of “Carpe Diem” from 1812
Overture to a senior class.
 “Carpe Diem, seize the day, boys, make your lives
extraordinary” – quotation from Mr. Keating.
 Mr. Keating asks the
students to rip off the
section “Introduction to
Poetry” in the book as
that book prescribing
literature in
mathematical equations.
(ridiculous)
 He also asks the student
to stand up on the table:
to see the world from
different perspectives.
 Inspired by Mr. Keating,
a group of boys has
organized an
underground literary
club, Dead Poems Society.
 They meet each other in
a cave under the school
grounds, they read out
poems, sing, and play
musical instruments
there.
 Because of “Carpe Diem”
and the “Dead Poets
Society”. Neil takes the
courage to participate in
a drama “A Midsummer
Night’s Dream”, without
the consent of his father.
 His father is so furious
after knowing Neil has
took part in the drama.
He intends to enroll Neil
to a military school to
prepare him for Harvard
University.
 Because of unable to cope
with the future, and make
his father understands his
feeling, Neil commits
suicide.
 The headmaster of the
school launches an
investigation by the
request of Neil’s parents.
 The headmaster forces the
members of the society to
sign a document blaming
Mr. Keating abuses his
authority, encourages the
student to start the club, as
well as teaches Neil to go
against his parents.
 They all signed.
 Keating is being fired after all the boys have signed on the
document.
 Before he leaves, the student taught by Mr. Keating use a special
way to farewell their teacher.
•
•
•
•
John Keating
teacher
the boys' source of inspiration and encouragement.
makes poetry "drip from [their] tongues like honey," using
it as a medium to encourage his charges to strive for
excellence and individuality.
• introduces his students the phrase, 'Carpe diem', a Latin
expression that translates as 'Seize the day'.
• His teaching methodology is highly uncoventional and
conflicts with Welton's four pillars: "Tradition, Honour,
Discipline, Excellence".
• dismissed from his position at the end of the film, charged
with causing Neil Perry to commit suicide.
 Neil Perry
 a confident and popular student who excels in his
studies.
 well-liked by both his peers and teachers and is a
natural leader.
 Inspired by his passionate English teacher, Mr Keating,
he reestablishes the 'Dead Poets Society'. This shows
that he is prepared to challenge the school's authority.
 Neil's aspirations to become an actor are snuffed by his
controlling father who refuses to give Neil any choice
about his future. As a result, he commits suicide at the
end of the film.
 Mr Perry
 Neil's paternalistic and dominating father.
 He is determined that Neil will finish school at
Welton and study medicine.
 To this end, he ensures that Neil is focussed and
not distracted by unnecessary extra-curricular
activities such as the school magazine.
 Mr Perry's refusal to support Neil's acting
aspirations ultimately lead to Neil's death.
• Charlie Dalton
• Rebellious, recalcitrant and reckless, attention-seeking
• the most extraverted and daring of Welton's students.
• He resists the authority of the school and is ultimately
expelled for refusing to sign the document
condemning Mr Keating.
• Though he admires and respects Mr Keating, he takes
Keating's principles too far and takes several
imprudent risks.
• Richard Cameron
• conforms totally with both the school's and his
parents' expectations.
• to succeed academically and win the favour of his
teachers, he is very compliant and is prepared to
betray his friends in order to further his own interests.
• Cameron is responsible for the dismissal of Mr Keating
as he selfishly accuses Keating of encouraging Neil to
commit suicide
 Mr. Nolan
 Stagnant old man
 Demanded in total control
 4 traditional discipline prepare students for college
 Never think of the students themselves but spoon feed
them the norm of the society
 Idea + ideal
 Pursuit of ideal  perfection / goals
 Though may not attain perfection, they can attain much when
follow a noble standard of life.
 Knowledge – subjective ; latently appear
 Act according to introspection & intuition, but not norms
 E.g. Plato – reminiscence
 Idealistic teacher: serves the role for facilitating the spiritual
and intellectual development of students
 Mr. Keating?
 takes them out of the
classroom to focus on the
idea of carpe diem.
 he instructs his pupils to rip
the introduction out of their
books
 later he has the students
stand on his desk in order to
look at the world in a
different way.
 Charlie Dalton?
 Inspired by Keating, the boys
secretly revive a school
literary club, the titular
"Dead Poets Society," to
which Keating had belonged,
meeting in a cave in the
school grounds.
 publishes an unauthorized
article in the school
newspaper, asserting that
girls should be admitted to
Welton.
 Objective knowledge  Reality
 sensation + adaptation
 Practical understanding & acceptance (Deductive)
 Conform to social conventions
 better prepared for students’ future
 Purpose of education under realism
cultivate and develop the power of reasoning and making
choices
nothing should be in the way of the fulfillment of school’s
primary role. (no challenge allowed)
 Mr. Nolan?
 Reminded the students the
highest standard of the
institution
Tradition, Honor, Discipline,
and Excellence
 Rejected the teaching
method of Mr. Keating and
further reinforced the four
standards
 Insisted on conservatism
which acted as an against to
individualism
 Cameron?
 reluctant to tear out the
pages from the textbook at
Keating's request
 really worried about what
the administration is likely to
do about this mischievous
breach of conduct.
 first to fink
 Down-to-earth approach
 emphasize practical application of ideas by testing them in
human experience (interaction with the environment)
for problem solving
 Disregard any “impractical”
 make sense of the indeterminate & ever-changing
world
 Purpose of education under growth
growth developing intelligence
School would not promote anything harmful to students
(whatever harmful means)
 Mr. Perry?
 Intends to send his son
to military school to
prepare him for Harvard
University and a career
in medicine.
 a stern person who
believes what he says is
exactly what will happen
 What is life for ?_?
 What is the right thing to do ?_?
 How to deal with a struggle ?_?
 What is art? How do we recognize it? How do we judge
it?
 How do we look at a poem? (different ways)
 Freedom = Fancy? Or Crazy?
 Rules, norms  restrictions?
l(a
 Autonomous and Self-enclosing
 Acoustic and Visual
le
af
fa
ll
s)
one
l
iness
l(a
 “A leaf falls loneliness”
 “l(a leaf falls)oneliness.”
 By e.e. cummings (1894 – 1962)
le
af
fa
ll
s)
one
l
iness
 Low birth rate; the only child in the family. -> Putting all




the attention to the child.
Parents are called “Watchdog Parents” as they exert control
on every move of their child.
Strong protection on their child, helping them to make
every decision in their lives. . = Neil’s Parents
Influence from the Asia-Pacific education culture +
situating in a Knowledge-Based society = Strong Pressure
on their child to achieve excellent results. = School Motto
of Welton
Getting As in public examinations = GOOD STUDENTS.
 Common Practice in Hong Kong: Striving for the best

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

in the academic fields, equip students as many skills as
possible. Neglecting the every students has his/her
own strengths and dreams.
Most of the students in HK are the shadow of their
parents, we are just acting in the way our parents want
us to be.
But, there’s no doubt that our parents are doing for our
own goods.
Mr. Keating is a teacher who brings out the ideas of
“walking in our own pace”, and “dangerous of
conforming ourselves into the society norms”.
But, are you sure that we are going in the right
direction? Or Are we putting our lives at risk?
Go for our
dreams? Be practical?
 It’s never appropriate to go too extreme on the neither




side.
Parents and teachers should reassess the purpose of
education: to develop every individual into their full
potential, intellectually and morally.
Always strive our balance between achieving good
academic result and giving freedom to their choice.
Major premise: balancing between study and interest
(compromise can be made.)
Nurturing our next generation with freedom, bringing
a less pressurized society for them.
 Horton & Hanes (1993), “These views are best expressed by
taking an eclectic or integrated approach, drawing from
Naturalism, Pragmatism, Existentialism and
Phenomenology. Briefly, Naturalism advocates individual
development, by not imposing social conformity, and
encourages close contact with nature. From the Pragmatist
school of thought comes the idea that knowledge can be
created through reconstruction of experiences... The belief
held here is that the world is alienating and the way to deal
with existence is to take responsibility for one’s life...”
 Horton & Hanes (1993), “ The goal should be to
help the individual realize choice is a key element in
developing a life of personal growth. Lifelong
learning is also a possibility when choices are
realizes. To see alternatives, understanding must be
gained in regard to self and others. The more
information an individual possesses, the greater the
number of choices possible.”
 Mr Nolan:
 Curriculum = canon
 Education: prepare students for college
 Mr Keating:
 Curriculum = The entire world + critical thinking
 Education: cultivates thinking
 New Senior Secondary (NSS) Curriculum
 Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education
(HKDSE)
 Liberal Studies
 Language Arts for English
 Why LS/ Language Arts
 Direction/ Philosophy
 Practicality
 Major obstacles
 View from the public/ parents