So what will do today to seize the day. Poetry is about feeling, love, sadness and death. Poetry is also about getting the most out of life. What will you do to live a life worth living? How will you stand out from everyone else?

This is a review I wrote about this movie for my Survey of World Views class:

The Dead Poets Society is a story about a group of young men attending a preparatory school based on the four pillars of tradition, honor, discipline and excellence. There are two opposing ideas of existentialism between two characters in the film and the group of men in the Dead Poets Society.

The story begins as the boys are starting the semester at school and are in John Keating’s English class. The boys realize that Keating’s class is unusual in that it does not conform to traditional ivy-league teaching, which is based on the four pillars. During the first class, Keating instructs the class to rip out the introduction of their poetry book, which explains understanding poetry written by a professor with a PhD. The second class Keating takes his students into the foyer of the school where pictures of previous attendees of the school are displayed. Keating tells them, to hear the lesson of these men, and Keating then begins to whisper “Carpe Diem, seize the day boys.”

The boys, intrigued by Keating, begin to research him and found his picture in the school annual and discovered he was a member of the Dead Poets Society. They question him concerning it. Keating explains that the Dead Poets Society was dedicated to reading poetry and “sucking the marrow out of life.” One of the boys, and the leader of the club, Neil Perry discover a book left by Keating that the society used in the beginning of every meeting.

The group of boys decides to meet in a cave where the previous Dead Poet Society met, and they begin to define their lives. Todd Anderson is a member of the group but only under the condition that he does not read out loud. Todd is the shy one of the group, where Neil is the outspoken one. Neil is in direct conflict with what his Dad wants for him. In the beginning of the movie, Neil is forced to drop out of the annual committee. Later Neil joins a play unbeknownst to his Dad. As Neil’s Dad discovers the play, he tells Neil he must quit; Neil does not obey his Dad. The final night of the play, Neil’s Dad attends, sees Neil, and removes him from the academy. Neil’s Dad enrolls him in military school. Neil is unable to continue what he loves, so he decides to take his life.

The school, needing to find blame for Neil’s suicide, blames Keating for encouraging Neil against his father’s wishes. The school forces the boys to sign a document stating that Keating is responsible. Keating is fired from his teaching position and on his last day enters the class where the headmaster has taken over his English class. Upon leaving, Todd stands up on his desk, and says, “O captain, my captain,” referring to Keating. Following suit the devout members of the Dead Poets Society stand up along with him while the headmaster is trying to restore order.

The academy represents existentialism in that they believe their method of teaching is the only right way. They are assured that it works so they remain with their teaching methods. The students are expected to conform to teachings and rules instated by the school administration.

Neil and Todd have two direct opposite ideas of existentialism. His father holds Neil back from his passion of acting. Todd has yet to define himself so he has conformed to what everyone else does.

Knox Overstreet, another character who demonstrates existentialism and takes Keating’s teaching to heart to try and win over Chris, which is already involved in a relationship. His persistence finally pays off when Chris accepts his proposal to go with him to the play.

The Dead Poets Society is a coming of age story about a group of young men trying to define themselves despite what the institution and their parents say. The worldview of existentialism is a theme present throughout the movie.

A new addition to my blog

I have decided to add a poetry page on my blog where I will post all of my poetry and some of my favorite poems from other writers. I am still working on this and hopefully it will be up in the next week.

The Earthen Despair

The earthen despair that lies to us all
A quick death that we all know
Amongst the fog everything is darkened
It billows through trying to find a soul scared

A soul scared to feel and love
But yet it so desires
Time will deliver the sentence of death
Alone, all alone with a chilling breath

I search scared that I might not find
One to love me the way I would love
A soul to cry with, sleep with, and confide in pain
Where there with be no shame to be the one I am

The Eye of the Storm

The Eye of the Storm
Echoes in and out of my mind
When will I find
time to write the story of my life

I am told
That my life will unfold
But will I ever break the mold
From the lies that I have told?

I live in lies that I have made
Which I am forced to hide among
Afraid to feel, afraid to show my true feelings
For I am scared of my fears

Why does my soul feel so barren
When I stand here with you
Distant skies will never bring me close to you

When will I begin to prevail in these times
The anchor holds me down so I can’t breathe
Life grows dimmer till I can’t find
The light in front of my face

Beautiful to Me

You are so beautiful to me
For all the times I try to be free
I can’t seem to let you go
Is it you or me that is afraid?

There are times when I can still feel your breath on my face
At times its like you never left
The scars that I put up with
And all the pieces you left me I will never put back together

Cause of the moments you left me I will never live, my life without you
My soul will never hurt the same again
I will never live my life a moment without you
Even though you are no where to be found

The sound of your voice in my head will never leave

Shattered

This sacrifice is never good enough
Where do I run and hide to feed the rush
I can see you even when I shut my eyes
Lives flash by unable to bring me down

My life shattered from the pain
You broke me open to share it all

I shy away from the truth I have known
Lies thrown around to make me look bad
Hearts shattered from a life not ready to live
Eyes broken like glass from thoughts perceived

Why can’t I hear when people speak
I feel I can’t move with all this room
Why do I feel closed up
With no place to feel

My life is open for all to see
There are times when I should
Wear my heart on my sleeve
I’m scared to be known by all of you

Tell me why I should prove anything to you
What have you done to earn a place in my life
Did I ask you to care so much
Bout the life I lead

Dreams:

I want to live my life as I did before
I still wait for you to walk through the door
And hear your footsteps on the floor above
Take me away, take me far away

Take me to a place that is familiar
My life fades from grey to black in this technicolor dream
Its hard to see the light when its so dark
Bring my life back, bring it back

I walk away but only to look back
To see if you’re there but you are a shadow in my mind
It hurts inside to know you’re away, away from me
A memory Is all I have of what you used to be

I look over the horizon and know that times are different
With each new day, I will have to face things I am not ready to face

It is true what I dream to be a reality, a fleeting moment that flashes in my mind
I look at pictures and I wish it were you
Is there a way to bring it all back, only to have it happen again
This is my selfish desire breaking its way through

But it is you who has gained, me that has lost
Lost in a world without you, a cold desolate place this world can be
I know where to find refuge but it takes time to heal a wound

A wound so deep that only you can touch

Shades of Beauty:

You have shades of beauty I have never seen
I look into your eyes and see something beautiful
it is like a sunset silhouetted against the evening sky
that can not even compare to the beauty that you hold
these  shades of beauty can only be seen in you

These shades of beauty that you have is among your heart as well
your skin is like the petals of a rose
your shades of beauty I will never forget
I will always hold them with me at a special place

Shattered:

This sacrifice is never good enough
Where do I run and hide to feed the rush
I can see you even when I shut my eyes
Lives flash by unable to bring me down

My life shattered from the pain
You broke me open to share it all

I shy away from the truth I have known
Lies thrown around to make me look bad
Hearts shattered from a life not ready to live
Eyes broken like glass from thoughts perceived

Why can’t I hear when people speak
I feel like I can’t move with all this room
Why do I feel closed up
With no place to feel

My life is open for all to see
There are times when I should
Wear my heart on my sleeve
I’m scared to be known by all of you

Tell my why I should prove anything to you
What have you done to earn a place in my life
Did I ask you do care so much
Bout the life I lead