Can committing suicide be justified as an action of being a Transcendentalist?
Dead Poets Society is a movie about social pressure, the influence of Transcendentalism and the change of students’ perspectives towards the society. Neil Perry, one of the protagonists, is considered as the best student at Welton Academy. His father, Mr. Perry, is a strict man who willingly forces his son to go to Harvard University. Mr. Perry claims that Neil needs to be the best student in order for his family; therefore, Neil should work harder and harder. However, after meeting Mr. Keating who introduces Transcendentalism, Neil starts to think differently. Neil begins to join in acting, disregarding what his father says and pursuing to develop his own ways. …show more content…
By committing suicide, Neil is shown as a student who does not like the society and himself. In the beginning of the movie, Mr. Keating, who seems to be close to a Transcendentalist, says, "poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for" (Dead Poets Society). He brings up an important idea that each person needs to love himself or herself in order to be a Transcendentalist. As Mr. Keating, Thoreau also thinks that loving oneself is significant. He says, “love your life, poor as it is” (Thoreau, Walden - conclusion). Although one’s life is sufferable, one still needs to love oneself. However, Neil’s action is greatly different from what Mr. Keating and Thoreau try to say. Neil leads himself to the death just because he has to leave his school and cannot play acting anymore. He does not love himself because he cannot do what he wants. Moreover, he fails to trust himself, becoming weaken mentally. Emerson writes in Self-Reliance by saying, “Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string” (Emerson 211). While this means that one gets stronger if one trusts oneself, Neil starts to get weaken and is tired. He does not trust himself that he can overcome the problem, leading him to the death. Hence, he cannot be an example of
Dead Poets Society is a movie about social pressure, the influence of Transcendentalism and the change of students’ perspectives towards the society. Neil Perry, one of the protagonists, is considered as the best student at Welton Academy. His father, Mr. Perry, is a strict man who willingly forces his son to go to Harvard University. Mr. Perry claims that Neil needs to be the best student in order for his family; therefore, Neil should work harder and harder. However, after meeting Mr. Keating who introduces Transcendentalism, Neil starts to think differently. Neil begins to join in acting, disregarding what his father says and pursuing to develop his own ways. …show more content…
By committing suicide, Neil is shown as a student who does not like the society and himself. In the beginning of the movie, Mr. Keating, who seems to be close to a Transcendentalist, says, "poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for" (Dead Poets Society). He brings up an important idea that each person needs to love himself or herself in order to be a Transcendentalist. As Mr. Keating, Thoreau also thinks that loving oneself is significant. He says, “love your life, poor as it is” (Thoreau, Walden - conclusion). Although one’s life is sufferable, one still needs to love oneself. However, Neil’s action is greatly different from what Mr. Keating and Thoreau try to say. Neil leads himself to the death just because he has to leave his school and cannot play acting anymore. He does not love himself because he cannot do what he wants. Moreover, he fails to trust himself, becoming weaken mentally. Emerson writes in Self-Reliance by saying, “Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string” (Emerson 211). While this means that one gets stronger if one trusts oneself, Neil starts to get weaken and is tired. He does not trust himself that he can overcome the problem, leading him to the death. Hence, he cannot be an example of