Dead Poets Society- Students’ Notes
1. Match the main characters with their descriptions.
Mr. John Keating:
Neil Perry:
Todd Anderson:
Knox Overstreet:
Charlie:
Mr. Nolan:
Neil's very shy roommate.
The conservative and strict head of Welton
Academy.
Young professor of English who is both
inspiring and a bit eccentric.
Student who falls in love with the daughter
of old friends of his parents.
A very defiant student.
Student who wants to be an actor although
his very strict father insists that he become
a doctor.
2. Read the plot summary and fill in the gaps with the words in brackets.
This is the story of students at the respected "Welton Academy," a preparatory school in Vermont. Such
schools 1. ___________ (be) (and often still are) very conservative institutions that serve as high schools for
parents who insist on sending their children to the best universities. Welton, like many prep schools, 2.
___________ (admit) only boys. The movie 3. _____________ (take place) in 1959. The plot centers on the
influence of Mr. Keating, a young and exciting English and poetry teacher, who is determined to teach his
students to live life with absolute passion. Mr. Keating, using poetry as his vehicle, 4. _________ (teach) his
students to challenge the institutions around them. Inspired by Mr. Keating's philosophy of life, many of his
students recreate the "Dead Poet's Society," a secret club which 5. _________ (meet) in a cave in order to
discuss poetry, philosophy and other topics. The club, which Mr. Keating 6. ______________ (create) many
years earlier when he was a student at Welton, would be completely unacceptable to the conservative school,
which discourages students from "thinking for themselves." Indeed, Welton students should be in their rooms,
studying only the prescribed materials that their teachers assign.
This is one of the most popular movies about teaching ever made, even though it's about a teacher whose main
goal 7. ________ (seem) to be making himself into a god. The characters are all one-dimensional. The
problems are melodramatic. The message of non-conformity is illustrated by standing at attention, together, on
top of instead of beside the desk while calling your hero by a military title. It's a mess of meanings.
3. Order the events of the film.
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
10)
Mr. Keating arrives to teach poetry. The boys find themselves with a very passionate and rebellious teacher
in a very conservative school.
Todd discovers that in every shy kid, there is a poet trying to escape.
Knox visits his parents' old friends, and soon falls in love with their daughter.
Neil's father learns a terrible lesson, and Welton Academy looks for someone to blame.
Mr. Keating explains how to appreciate poetry.
Students arrive at Welton Academy for the beginning of the school year.
The boys discover "the dead Poet's Society," founded by Mr. Keating when he had been a student. They
decide to reconvene this club.
The Dead Poets Society faces its first crisis as the school discovers what is occurring.
Neil faces his own crisis in deciding whether to act, or follow his father's wishes.
Despite his father's wishes, Neal decides to follow his heart and become an actor.
4. Look at the vocabulary below and match them with their meanings.
1.
pillar:
self-control
2.
tradition:
the best possible work
3.
honor:
8 universities that are usually considered the best in the USA
4.
discipline:
a column that supports the roof of a building
5.
excellence:
something that is done the same way consistently in a society
6.
Ivy League:
respect from society
1.
a stiff:
disagreement
2.
bootlicking:
terrible, frightening
3.
extracurricular:
activities that are not assigned by a school
4.
dispute:
a dead person
5.
horror:
trying to make a superior like you by doing extra favors (slang)
1.
captain:
(latin) Seize the Day
2.
rumor:
cannot be conquered, cannot be destroyed
3.
Carpe Diem:
military leader
4.
invincible:
stories that do not have any evidence to prove if they are true
5.
"the world is your oyster":
yellow flowers that grow in spring
6.
one iota:
scary, feeling like ghosts are present
7.
daffodils:
the world is something that may have a treasure for you
8.
spooky:
a tiny amount
1.
spitting image:
a wild person who causes trouble
2.
like father, like son:
the son is a copy of his father
3.
engaged:
someone who believes that you should admit the good and bad
4.
jerk:
someone who believes there is no good
5.
misguided:
believing false ideas
6.
cynic:
(slang) rude person
7.
realist:
someone who believes that you should admit the good and bad
8.
hell-raiser:
the exact copy (slang)