Dead Poet's Society By Tom Schulman

People throughout history, and present, live in fear of judgment. They believe that their self-worth lies in the hands of other people. The fear of judgement restricts them from reaching their full capacity and potential. It molds them into what their discouraging peers want them to be. Theodore Roosevelt stressed the importance of not concerning himself of what others thought of his choices. Pride in his personal accomplishments were of value to him; furthermore, he “care[s] very much about what [he] think[s] of what [he] does”. This excerpt illustrates that people will never fully mature as an individual if they persist in tainting their thoughts with the judgements of others. How does a strong sense of individualism affect a person’s ability to grasp all the opportunities that come their way?

If a person is not stalwart in their ethics, then they will stand for nothing and not be able to reach all of their potential as an individual. However, when an individual shows a considerable sense of self-confidence, they are not afraid to grapple onto the opportunities that life casts their way. A Touchstone’s Pictures film, “Dead Poet’s Society”, written by Tom Schulman, exhibits this inner struggle of insecurity and self-doubt on the character’s individuality trying to break free. The characters: Neil Perry, Todd Anderson, and Mr. Keating of “Dead Poet’s Society” “carpe diem” and “lead lives of quiet desperation” in different manners. “Carpe diem” translates into “seize the day”, from Latin. This phrase is utilized throughout the