Idealism In Dead Poets Society

“With great power comes great responsibility.” Architect Rem Koolhaas states that, “The acceptance of certain realities doesn’t preclude idealism. It can lead to certain breakthroughs.” Just because an individual is accepting of life’s realities, does not mean they have to give up their ideals. And having ideals does not mean an individual should ignore reality. That balance between realism and idealism is what leads to success, and that is what makes them both significant in a person’s life. Examples of how to find that balance can be conveyed through the characters’ growth in Dead Poets Society. In the film, Peter Weil conveys the idea that, if an individual fails to accept reality, their idealistic goals are impossible to achieve without conflict. In other words, individuals pursuing their ideals with ignorance towards reality, will eventually have to experience conflict in their life’s potential success. This idea is developed through the consequences Neil and Charlie experience …show more content…
When Mr. Keating gets Todd to express himself in class by creating a poem on the spot, it helps Todd realize that he should be more confident in himself and express his passions. This confidence leads to Todd joining the dead poets society, which is where the boys can express themselves and be individuals. But his impromptu poem also foreshadows his understanding of realism after Neil dies. To paraphrase a line from his poem; “truth is like a blanket that leaves your feet cold,” which symbolizes that one must balance out reality with their passions and ideals. Which is what Todd demonstrates by signing the papers that end up getting Mr. Keating dismissed from the school, but showing his loyalty to Mr. Keating by standing on his desk during class and addressing his as, “O Captain my Captain.” The balance here is that, Todd did what he had to do, but still found a way to express