Dead Poet’s Society
Answer the following questions in complete sentences on a separate
sheet of paper after watching the movie. Your answers should be
well thought out and show that you watched and understood the
movie and its message. Each answer should be about a paragraph in
length (5-8 sentences)
1. What does Mr. Keating want his students to learn about poetry
that they might not be able to learn from a book?
2. Mr. Keating tells the boys to “seize the day.” What does this
mean, in general? What does it mean in your own life?
3. Explain what you think the following quote means: “I went into
the woods to live deliberately. I wanted to live deep and suck
out all the marrow of life…..to put to rout all that was not
life; and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not
lived.” – Thoreau
4. Mr. Keating says: “Now we all have a great need for acceptance,
but you must trust that your beliefs are unique, your own, even
though others may think them odd or unpopular, even though the
herd may go,"that's baaaaad." Robert Frost said, "Two roads
diverged in the wood and I, I took the one less traveled by,
and that has made all the difference." Now, I want you to find
your own walk right now. Your own way of striding, pacing, Any
direction. Anything you want. Whether it’s proud, whether it’s
silly, anything. Gentleman, the courtyard is yours.”
What
type of conformity is he trying to get the boys to break away
from? Is this a positive lesson? Why or why not?
5. To whom in the audience is Neil directing the last lines of the
play (A Midsummer Night’s Dream)? Why?
6. Who is responsible for the tragedy at the end of the movie?
Explain.