In the 1820s a philosophical movement known as transcendentalism forever changed America. Transcendentalists emphasized the importance of self-discovery and individuality, encouraging followers to avoid conforming to the whims of society. The most notable leaders among this revolution were the brilliant writers, Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson. In the movie Dead Poets’ Society, we can see many of the film’s morals and themes directly link back to the ideals of transcendentalism, seen specifically through the connections visible between various transcendentalist quotes and the storyline of the movie. The first connection we can draw is seen through a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson. Emerson states, “What I must do is all that concerns
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The first meaning we can derive is the idea that we do not need the approval of others before we make our decisions. We must take actions into our own hands, and not grant others the ability to dictate over our actions. Furthermore, as individuals we should not be allowing anybody’s opinions, no matter who they are, act as a deterrent for the expression of who we truly are. As a society we should not hold the opinions of others in such high esteem, but rather respect ourselves and our ideas, as they are the ones that concern us. It doesn’t matter what people think, as long as you do all that matters to you. This idea of not letting others hold power over you and influence you, can be seen with Mr. Keating's endeavours. His teaching style is a bit unorthodox and is challenged by many teachers for being idiotic, unnecessary, and dangerous as it diverts from the status quo. Instead urging him to adopt traditional teaching styles. However, Mr. Keating did what he felt was necessary, teaching students to express themselves, in the process ignoring the dissenting opinions to his practices, but rather putting more stock in his own ideas and actions, rather than conforming to the societal norm. We can see this quote apply to another storyline in the movie, Knox’s love life. …show more content…
Thoreau states, “Why should we be in such desperate haste to succeed, and in such desperate enterprises? If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer.” This quote exemplifies the idea of individuality. We should be looking to follow our own path, rather than attempt to follow the paths society has set forth for us. We must take a risk and bet on ourselves and our endeavours, because they will guide us to happiness. The next idea we can derive from this quote is ]that success doesn’t necessarily imply happiness. Success is more often measured in power and money, however this is not the key to happiness. Happiness is essential to our lives, and it isn’t worth abandoning happiness for success, because success isn’t as important as our own happiness. These ideas relate to the movie in many ways. One example of how this relates, is with the marching seen in the courtyard. This scene exemplifies the idea of conformity as a whole. Naturally we follow others and what they do. However, Mr. Keating teaches them to go against the current, to stand your ground and do what you want to do. You should respect everyone and their ‘marches.’ Everyone is different and does things differently and we must acknowledge and respect others for being different. For another example, look to the storyline with Neil Perry, as he
The first meaning we can derive is the idea that we do not need the approval of others before we make our decisions. We must take actions into our own hands, and not grant others the ability to dictate over our actions. Furthermore, as individuals we should not be allowing anybody’s opinions, no matter who they are, act as a deterrent for the expression of who we truly are. As a society we should not hold the opinions of others in such high esteem, but rather respect ourselves and our ideas, as they are the ones that concern us. It doesn’t matter what people think, as long as you do all that matters to you. This idea of not letting others hold power over you and influence you, can be seen with Mr. Keating's endeavours. His teaching style is a bit unorthodox and is challenged by many teachers for being idiotic, unnecessary, and dangerous as it diverts from the status quo. Instead urging him to adopt traditional teaching styles. However, Mr. Keating did what he felt was necessary, teaching students to express themselves, in the process ignoring the dissenting opinions to his practices, but rather putting more stock in his own ideas and actions, rather than conforming to the societal norm. We can see this quote apply to another storyline in the movie, Knox’s love life. …show more content…
Thoreau states, “Why should we be in such desperate haste to succeed, and in such desperate enterprises? If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer.” This quote exemplifies the idea of individuality. We should be looking to follow our own path, rather than attempt to follow the paths society has set forth for us. We must take a risk and bet on ourselves and our endeavours, because they will guide us to happiness. The next idea we can derive from this quote is ]that success doesn’t necessarily imply happiness. Success is more often measured in power and money, however this is not the key to happiness. Happiness is essential to our lives, and it isn’t worth abandoning happiness for success, because success isn’t as important as our own happiness. These ideas relate to the movie in many ways. One example of how this relates, is with the marching seen in the courtyard. This scene exemplifies the idea of conformity as a whole. Naturally we follow others and what they do. However, Mr. Keating teaches them to go against the current, to stand your ground and do what you want to do. You should respect everyone and their ‘marches.’ Everyone is different and does things differently and we must acknowledge and respect others for being different. For another example, look to the storyline with Neil Perry, as he