The Impact the Role of Obligation has on a Young Teen’s Life The role of obligation in a teenager’s life is such a huge part in their development because it shapes the person that they will someday be. This obligation can either hurt them or help them, most often it leads to tragedy or happiness. As seen in John Knowles’s novel A Separate Peace and in Perter Weir’s film Dead Poets Society the main characters of both of these literary works have the role of obligation in their lives, but this role only gives them a path to tragedy. Although, the absence of obligation in a young teens life can also cause chaos due to their lack or morals and responsibility, which can lead to spiraling out of control. Dead Poets Society and A Separate Peace show
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Neil’s father, Mr. Perry, obligates Neil to eventually become a doctor and to perform exceptionally well while he attends Welton; even though Neil’s true passion is for acting. From the beginning of the file the audience can see the tremendous amount of pressure Mr. Perry puts on Neil, and the audience can also see how distraught this makes Neil. Neil’s immense love for acting flourishes throughout the film, and with the advice from Mr. Keating and some risk taking Neil gets the opportunity to perform in a play. Neil had to go through extreme measure to just be a part of the play, from forging the letter from his father to allow him to participate, to lying to his father about the play entirely. After Neil jumped through all of these hoops just to do what he loves, his dad unenrolled him from Welton, and enrolled him in a military school to ensure that Neil will fulfill his obligation of excelling in school and becoming a doctor. Neil is stripped of his everything and commits suicide because he doesn’t have the ability to do the thing that brings him the most joy anymore. The role of obligation in Neil’s life brought him nothing but misery, but from the obligation Neil built his character by learning to take chances and embracing what he loves. Obligation may have hurt Neil, but it also aided him with his growth as an individual, similar to the main character of Knowles’s novel A Separate
Neil’s father, Mr. Perry, obligates Neil to eventually become a doctor and to perform exceptionally well while he attends Welton; even though Neil’s true passion is for acting. From the beginning of the file the audience can see the tremendous amount of pressure Mr. Perry puts on Neil, and the audience can also see how distraught this makes Neil. Neil’s immense love for acting flourishes throughout the film, and with the advice from Mr. Keating and some risk taking Neil gets the opportunity to perform in a play. Neil had to go through extreme measure to just be a part of the play, from forging the letter from his father to allow him to participate, to lying to his father about the play entirely. After Neil jumped through all of these hoops just to do what he loves, his dad unenrolled him from Welton, and enrolled him in a military school to ensure that Neil will fulfill his obligation of excelling in school and becoming a doctor. Neil is stripped of his everything and commits suicide because he doesn’t have the ability to do the thing that brings him the most joy anymore. The role of obligation in Neil’s life brought him nothing but misery, but from the obligation Neil built his character by learning to take chances and embracing what he loves. Obligation may have hurt Neil, but it also aided him with his growth as an individual, similar to the main character of Knowles’s novel A Separate