With such a title, Henry David Thoreau 's "Civil Disobedience" describes what it means to be civilly disobedient. “Let your life be a counter friction to the machine”(Thoreau “Civil” 373) is the overarching thematic quote of the 1849 essay, stating that oneself should be the force that fights against an unjust institution. The prestigious Welton Academy of Peter Weir’s 1989 film Dead Poet’s Society is an exceptional example of a controlling machine. Within the academy, there is the rebellious Charlie Dalton. Within his group of friends, better known as the Dead Poet’s Society, he is the defiant student who embodies Thoreau’s "Civil Disobedience" and proves that the movie is transcendental. The examples of Charlie’s insurgency can be broken
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Upon a bed, Dalton lights the tobacco-filled paper and begins his reign as the non-conformist. “I will breathe after my own fashion”(Thoreau “Civil” 376) is one of the phrases Thoreau states, which has an odd but true connection to Charlie. Thoreau is describing a life where he breathes what he wants to breath: live the life that he wants to live, which Charlie is beginning to show he does so well. The goal of “Civil Disobedience” is to spark a titular idea within society, and Charlie’s smoking is exactly representative. With Mr. Keating as the new head of the English class, Charlie has entered his natural environment as a rebellious boy(DPS). Keating has his class go out to the courtyard to search for a new way to walk, but instead of doing as told, Charlie stands still and expresses that he is "Exercising the right not to walk"(DPS). Dalton is refusing to “resign his conscience to the legislator”(“Civil” 371) and that he “is to do at any time what [he thinks] is right”(“Civil” 372). The refusal to follow any rules is the sole goal of Charlie during Dead Poet’s …show more content…
Humans have the duty to avoid any injustices that a government puts in place. Charlie Dalton of the film Dead Poet’s Society perfectly fits the role of someone who is civilly disobedient, proving that he, the rest of the characters and the entire movie are transcendental. Charlie is a transcendentalist because he is Henry David Thoreau 's counter-friction to the machine that is Welton Academy. Charlie is exactly what Thoreau 's idea of a transcendentalist is in “Civil Disobedience.” Among other of his great work, Thoreau also wrote Walden, a nonfiction story about a part of his life where he lived in solitude in the woods. Just like Charlie, Thoreau explains one’s own goals will be reached if you press for them. He writes “that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected”(Thoreau Walden
Upon a bed, Dalton lights the tobacco-filled paper and begins his reign as the non-conformist. “I will breathe after my own fashion”(Thoreau “Civil” 376) is one of the phrases Thoreau states, which has an odd but true connection to Charlie. Thoreau is describing a life where he breathes what he wants to breath: live the life that he wants to live, which Charlie is beginning to show he does so well. The goal of “Civil Disobedience” is to spark a titular idea within society, and Charlie’s smoking is exactly representative. With Mr. Keating as the new head of the English class, Charlie has entered his natural environment as a rebellious boy(DPS). Keating has his class go out to the courtyard to search for a new way to walk, but instead of doing as told, Charlie stands still and expresses that he is "Exercising the right not to walk"(DPS). Dalton is refusing to “resign his conscience to the legislator”(“Civil” 371) and that he “is to do at any time what [he thinks] is right”(“Civil” 372). The refusal to follow any rules is the sole goal of Charlie during Dead Poet’s …show more content…
Humans have the duty to avoid any injustices that a government puts in place. Charlie Dalton of the film Dead Poet’s Society perfectly fits the role of someone who is civilly disobedient, proving that he, the rest of the characters and the entire movie are transcendental. Charlie is a transcendentalist because he is Henry David Thoreau 's counter-friction to the machine that is Welton Academy. Charlie is exactly what Thoreau 's idea of a transcendentalist is in “Civil Disobedience.” Among other of his great work, Thoreau also wrote Walden, a nonfiction story about a part of his life where he lived in solitude in the woods. Just like Charlie, Thoreau explains one’s own goals will be reached if you press for them. He writes “that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected”(Thoreau Walden