Essay Comparing Dead Poets Society And A Separate Peace

If one were to analyze the movie Dead Poets Society and the novel A Separate Peace concurrently, they might notice that there are specific concepts from both that are similar. Dead Poets Society introduces a new English teacher to Welton Academy by the name of John Keating. Keating is unlike other teachers, he is much more relaxed, and is very extroverted. In A Separate Piece, the character of Finny is very similar to Mr. Keating. They are both individuals and extroverts. Throughout both the novel and film, Finny and Mr. Keating are influential to other characters. Unfortunately for both, Finny and Mr. Keating languish in the end. Although Finny and Mr. Keating both suffer, their individualities serve as a major influence to others.
Mr. Keating

Keating and Finny serve as a major influences to other characters. For example, in Dead Poets Society, Mr. Keating plays a big role in the decisions of student Neil Perry throughout the film. Mr. Keating’s first class was what really started to influence Neil. In the class, Mr. Keating takes his students into the hall, and he shows the boys pictures of former students in the school. He claimed that, if you listened closely, you could hear them preaching their legacy. At the same time, Keating had been preaching his own legacy for the boys to follow. Keating’s constant preaching of “Carpe Diem!” throughout the class and telling his students to “seize the day” captured the attention of the students. Neil Perry was captivated by his ideologies, and was ultimately encouraged to “seize the day.” Not much later in the film, Neil had made the decision to audition for the winter play. He understood that his father would disagree with this decision, but he wanted to follow his dreams of acting. Without the influence of Mr. Keating, Neil might have never been influenced in the way he did. A more strict teacher, like the rest of the teachers at Welton, might have only threatened him to focus on his studies, much like Neil’s father might have

Keating’s tremendous influence on Neil and his other students throughout the film, his influence only leads to his own undoing. After Neil is scolded by his father for participating in the play, Neil made the crucial decision to committed suicide. Neil’s father believes that it was Mr. Keating who influenced Neil to continue with acting. Mr. Perry then goes to Welton to conduct an investigation, his main motive most likely being to get Keating fired, though it is not conspicuous in the film. Mr. Nolan, the school’s headmaster. claims that, if it weren’t for Keating’s influence, Neil would have never enrolled, and therefore would never have been berated by his father and killed himself. Mr. Keating is blamed for Neil’s death, and fired by the school. Despite many of his students believing that Mr. Keating was wrongfully accused, their support is to no