History Film / DeadPoetsSociety

** Keating knows all too well that Todd has butterflies in his stomach about public speaking, and still encourages him to come up with an ad-libbed poem, resulting in a SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome for Todd.

* NeverMyFault: [[spoiler:Neil's father]] blames Keating for [[spoiler:his son's suicide]], even though it was largely his fault.

* NowLetMeCarryYou: Keating spends much of the movie encouraging Todd through his anxiety and insecurities. [[spoiler:At the end of the film, when Keating is at his lowest, it's Todd who instigates the boys' show of support, assuring Keating that they're grateful for him. WordOfGod says that that is the only thing that comforted Keating in his depression.]]
** [[spoiler:Subverted with Neil and Todd. Like Keating, Neil spends much of the movie supporting Todd, notably over his terrible parents. When Mr Perry turns up to take Neil away, Todd attempts to speak to Neil, but he's dragged off before Todd has a chance to do anything. [[{{TearJerker}} Neil commits suicide that night]].]]

* LoveAtFirstSight: Knox, Knox, Knox. It's one-sided, as the object of his affections is "practically engaged" to someone else.

* JerkassHasAPoint:
** Keating's antics don't go over well with the school administration and teachers. He has at least two conversations about this during the course of the film. While the audience is set up to believe their adherence to tradition and conformity are a bad thing, both conversations drive the point home.
** "Free thinkers at seventeen? Teach them to learn and the rest will follow." Welton's prep school education is designed to send young men on to college, and trying to be an artist usually ends in disappointment. Not to mention that a traditional prep school education doesn't ''exclude'' the possibility of becoming an artist later on.
*** Though to be fair, Keating ''isn't'' telling the boys to go off and become artists, only to appreciate art, poetry, and beauty in general, and make their lives meaningful in their own way. While Neil discovers a love for acting, the other boys seize the day in different ways, such as Knox pursuing Chris and Todd gaining confidence in himself.

** The quote under AllGirlsWantBadBoys illustrates that "all the good ones" date jerks, meaning the boys may be as shallow as the girls they lament.

* CallingTheOldManOut: Neil's father is extremely controlling and dominating, and at one point Neil starts to call him out on never listening to his own son or showing any interest in what he wants to do with his life, [[spoiler:but he never gets the chance to speak when his father refuses to hear anything that has to do with acting]]. [[DefiedTrope Defied]] when Mr. Perry calls Neil's bluff:
-->'''Neil:''' I've got to tell you what I feel!\\

* DogLatin: From the novelization, Knox has one of these moments when trying to make a move on Chris:
-->'''Knox:''' ''Carpe breastum''. Seize the breast.

* {{Foil}}: Several examples:

* {{Foreshadowing}}: At the beginning of the first meeting, when Neil reads the passage from Thoreau: "[[spoiler:...and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived]]." In addition, when Keating discusses mortality in the first meeting with the boys, [[spoiler:the camera focuses on Neil at the line "stop breathing and go cold."]]

-->'''Keating:''' [[{{Hypocrite}} Then you're acting for him, too. You're playing the part of the dutiful son.]] Now, I know this sounds impossible, but you have to talk to him. You have to show him who you are, what your heart is!

* AmbiguousEnding: [[spoiler:The film ends with the boys defying the school to give Keating his farewell... but it's unclear what will happen to them all afterwards. Nolan had just threatened to expel anyone if they spoke up, and Todd especially might well face severe punishment for starting the rebellion. Is the Dead Poets Society over for good, or will the boys start it up again? Keating's fate is uncertain as well -- WordOfGod[[invoked]] says he was depressed after Neil died and the boys' actions helped lift his spirits, but it's not confirmed if he'll recover or what he's going to do in the future.]]

** In another, the Algebra 2 book by Harcourt Brace Jovanovich was published in the early 1980s.

* AmbiguousEnding: [[spoiler:The film ends with the boys defying the school to give Keating his farewell... but it's unclear what will happen to them all afterwards. Nolan had just threatened to expel anyone if they spoke up, and Todd especially might well face severe punishment for starting the rebellion. Is the Dead Poets Society over for good, or will the boys start it up again? Keating's fate is uncertain as well -- WordOfGod says he was depressed after Neil died and the boys' actions helped lift his spirits, but it's not confirmed if he'll recover or what he's going to do in the future.]]

* AmbiguousEnding / LeftHanging: [[spoiler:The film ends on the [[{{SignatureScene}} iconic desk sequence]] with the boys defying the school to give Keating his farewell...but it's unclear what will happen to them all afterwards. Nolan had just threatened to expel anyone if they spoke up, and Todd especially is bound to face severe punishment for starting the rebellion. Is the Dead Poets Society over for good, or will the boys start it up again? Keating's fate is uncertain as well -- WordOfGod says he was depressed after Neil died and the boys' actions helped lift his spirits, but it's not confirmed if he'll recover or what he's going to do in the future.]]

* AbusiveParents: Many of the Welton parents have an image in mind for their child's life when they're older and aren't open to anything else. All they give to or do for their children is contingent on their expectations for their children. Among the main characters, Neil and Todd's parents are standout examples:

* GenderNormativeParentPlot: Neil's father disapproves of his acting (traditionally a more feminine profession). It gets a pretty DownerEnding -- [[spoiler:sure, Neil was able to prove once and for all that he can hit it out of the park as an actor, but his father then follows by stomping down on him so hard that Neil decides [[DrivenToSuicide blowing his brains out]] is the better solution.]]

** Mr Perry is unrelentingly controlling of Neil, forcing him into a life plan he hates and making him give up even Welton-encouraged extracurricular activities, and the normally outgoing, confident Neil is noticeably cowed around him. [[spoiler: When Neil goes ahead with performing in the local play, Mr. Perry immediately drags him home and plans to send him to military school]].

* AmbiguousEnding / LeftHanging: [[spoiler: The film ends on the [[{{SignatureScene}} iconic desk sequence]] with the boys defying the school to give Keating his farewell...but it's unclear what will happen to them all afterwards. Nolan had just threatened to expel anyone if they spoke up, and Todd especially is bound to face severe punishment for starting the rebellion. Is the Dead Poets Society over for good, or will the boys start it up again? Keating's fate is uncertain as well -- WordOfGod says he was depressed after Neil died and the boys' actions helped lift his spirits, but it's not confirmed if he'll recover or what he's going to do in the future.]]

** [[spoiler: Neil barely manages to avoid an actual military academy by committing suicide.]]

* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: Neil's father does his damnedest to get Neil to give up on his dream of acting, and indeed any hobbies outside of preparing for a career as a doctor. It technically works: Neil does give up on being an actor once he accepts that his father will never allow it. [[spoiler: Then he [[DrivenToSuicide kills himself out of despair]] immediately after.]]
* BigNo: [[spoiler: Mr. Perry gets one when he discovers Neil's body in his study.]] In slow motion!

* DeadHandShot: Right before Mr. Perry finds [[spoiler: Neil's body]] in his study.

** [[{{BigManOnCampus}} Neil]] and [[{{ShrinkingViolet}} Todd]]. Neil is confident, successful, and excited by Keating's ideas, while Todd is insecure, nervous and scared to act. [[spoiler: However, underneath it all, Neil is deeply beaten down and miserable, and ends up killing himself, while Todd reveals his inner strength and inspires the other boys in rebelling against Welton.]]

* {{Foreshadowing}}: At the beginning of the first meeting, when Neil reads the passage from Thoreau: "[[spoiler: ...and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived]]." In addition, when Keating discusses mortality in the first meeting with the boys, [[spoiler: the camera focuses on Neil at the line "stop breathing and go cold."]]
** A bit later, Todd asks Neil, [[spoiler:"Won't [your father] kill you if he finds out you went to an audition…" While Neil's dad doesn't technically kill him, the ensuing conflict ends with Neil DrivenToSuicide.]]

** [[spoiler: Charlie, Knox, Meeks, and Pitts comforting a grief-stricken Todd about Neil's death.]]
** [[spoiler: The final scene, when the remaining poets follow Todd's lead in standing up for Mr Keating as he leaves.]]

* HopeBringer: According to the director, Keating is in a severe depression after [[spoiler: Neil's suicide]], and the one thing that brings him out of it is the boys standing up for him.
* HourglassPlot: [[spoiler: Todd and Neil's arcs. At the beginning of the film, Todd is shy, timid, and hesitant to get involved with Keating's philosophy, while the outgoing Neil is the group's leader, determined to "seize the day", and is the one who most encourages and supports Todd. By the end of the film, it's Neil who is unable to stand up to the pressure on him from his father, and tragically commits suicide, while Todd finds his voice, leads the boys to defy the school, and is ultimately the one to live out Keating's teachings.]]

* IDieFree: [[spoiler: Neil, after being taken out of Welton, chooses suicide over military school, telling himself: "I was good. I was really good."]]

* MaybeEverAfter: [[spoiler: The last we see of Chris, she's decided to go to Neil's play with Knox as a ThrowTheDogABone after chewing him out for his excessive courting. He goes to hold her hand and she allows him, and that's all we get.]]

* NowLetMeCarryYou: Keating spends much of the movie encouraging Todd through his anxiety and insecurities. [[spoiler: At the end of the film, when Keating is at his lowest, it's Todd who instigates the boys' show of support, assuring Keating that they're grateful for him. WordOfGod says that that is the only thing that comforted Keating in his depression.]]
** [[spoiler: Subverted with Neil and Todd. Like Keating, Neil spends much of the movie supporting Todd, notably over his terrible parents. When Mr Perry turns up to take Neil away, Todd attempts to speak to Neil, but he's dragged off before Todd has a chance to do anything. [[{{TearJerker}} Neil commits suicide that night]].]]

* RayOfHopeEnding: [[spoiler: Neil commits suicide to escape his abusive father; Todd is left even more unhappy than he was at the start of the film; [[DeanBitterman Dean Nolan]] fires Keating and intends to prevent him from ever teaching again; the Dead Poets Society is disbanded and forced to turn on Keating; and Charlie gets expelled for punching Cameron. In the final scene, Nolan takes over Keating's class, throwing aside everything he taught and reinstating the unfeeling, Pritchard approach to learning poetry... but just before Keating leaves for good, Todd -- the student he encouraged the most -- finds his courage and leads over half his class (including students who weren't in the Society) to bid farewell to Keating, proving to him they will see the world in new ways, inspired by him, and that they won't forget him. [[note]] Cameron, who made a plea bargain with Dean Nolan to save his and the school's reputation, is the main exception. [[/note]] ]]
* ReassignedToAntarctica: [[spoiler: After Neil's dad finds out that Neil went through with the play in defiance of his orders, Neil is withdrawn from Welton and assigned to a bleak future at Braden Military Academy, which Neil avoids by shooting himself.]]

* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: Charlie "Nuwanda" Dalton, who already got the Society in hot water with the newspaper and "phone call from God" prank, [[spoiler: confronts and punches Cameron after he rats the D.P.S. out to Dean Nolan, and gets expelled from Welton in the process.]]

* StutterStop: Todd has a noticeable stammer and struggles through most conversations. However, Keating manages to provoke him into producing a fluid, freestyle poem in front of the whole class, and [[spoiler: at the end, Todd shouts out his salute to Keating.]]

* ToneShift: The movie is set up as a classic feel-good, inspirational story about a teacher encouraging students to follow their dreams. [[spoiler: After Neil dies, the film takes a sharp turn into a much darker tragedy.]]
* TragicBromance: [[spoiler: Neil and Todd. They're particularly close and share an intense friendship, and Todd is devastated by Neil's death.]].
* TragicDream: [[spoiler: Neil and acting, thanks to his father.]]

* YouAreBetterThanYouThinkYouAre: Both Keating and Neil try to get Todd to realise this about himself. [[spoiler: They're more than [[{{CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming}} proved right in the end]].]]

->"''Carpe diem! Seize the day, boys! Make your lives extraordinary!''"

* EncouragedRegifting: For Todd's birthday, he receives a monogrammed desk set, which turns out to be the same one his parents got him for last year's birthday.

''Dead Poets Society'' is a 1989 drama film directed by Creator/PeterWeir and starring Creator/RobinWilliams in one of his earlier "serious" roles.

It is [[TheFifties 1959]] and the prestigious, all-boys Welton Academy has just hired John Keating (Williams) as the new English teacher for the upcoming school year. A BlitheSpirit, Keating uses his classes to inspire his students to go against the flow and be themselves, somehow managing to make reading poetry seem like a cool, rebellious thing to do. A group of the boys, including [[ShrinkingViolet Todd Anderson]], [[TheAce Neil Perry]], [[ClassClown Charlie Dalton]], [[StalkerWithACrush Knox Overstreet]], [[TheFriendNobodyLikes Richard Cameron]], [[TheSmartGuy Steven Meeks]] and [[TheBigGuy Gerard Pitts]], form the [[TrueCompanions Dead Poets Society]], a group wherein they all sneak out at night to read poetry in a secluded cave. After witnessing many of Keating's unorthodox teaching methods and the effects on the students, Headmaster Nolan, the DeanBitterman of Welton, tries to put a stop to this.

* AbusiveParents: Many of the Welton parents have an image in mind for their child to do when they're older and wouldn't be open to anything else. Even all they give to or do for their children are associated with their expectations that want for them. Among the main characters, Neil and Todd's parents are standout examples:
** Mr Perry is unrelentingly controlling of Neil, forcing him into a life plan he hates, making him give up even Welton-encouraged extracurricular activities and the normally outgoing, confident Neil is noticeably cowed around him. [[spoiler: When Neil goes ahead with performing in the local play, Mr Perry immediately drags him home and plans to send him to military school]].
** Mr. and Mrs. Anderson treat Todd as TheUnfavorite, make a big to-do out of Jeff's accomplishments while ignoring him and a deleted scene reveals they told Todd he was only worth his body's chemical worth if he didn't improve; leaving Todd with crippling insecurity and shyness.

* AllForNothing: [[spoiler:After reducing Neil's extracurricular activities and unenrolling Neil from Welton after his onstage performace in the hopes that Neil would become a doctor, Mr Perry's plans for Neil's future are tragically halted when Neil commits suicide]].

* AmbiguousEnding / LeftHanging: [[spoiler: The film ends on the [[{{SignatureScene}} iconic desk sequence]] with the boys defying the school to farewell Keating...but it's unclear what will happen to them all afterwards. Nolan had just threatened to expel anyone if they spoke up and Todd especially is bound to face severe punishment for starting the rebellion. Is the Dead Poets Society over for good or will the boys start it up again? Keating's fate is uncertain as well - WordOfGod said he was depressed after Neil died and the boys actions helped lift his spirits, but it's not confirmed if he'll recover or what he's going to do in the future.]]
* AmbiguouslyGay: Neil and Todd's dynamic definitely comes across as closer than simply roommates. [[spoiler:Todd reacts to Neil's death like a distraught lover, and all of the other poets are more worried about looking after him than their own grief, even though they've been friends with Neil for years, and Todd has only known him for a few months.]] Unlike the rest of boys, neither of them show much interest in the girls Charlie brings into the society.

** In one scene, the piper is seen playing "The Fields of Athenry", which was composed in [[TheSeventies the 1970s]].

* AncientGrome: It's subtle, but in a scene of the Latin class room next to the board is a map centered on Greece with the Italian boot being cut off at the heel.

* AssimilationAcademy: Welton seems to be only a notch away from a military school. Its methods are centered on demanding total conformity to a program that puts every student on a pre-set path toward the Ivy League and eventually the Establishment. Deviating from this is simply ''not'' tolerated. [[AbusiveParents Especially if you're Neil and the deviance involves acting.]]
** [[spoiler: Neil barely manages to avoid the harsher military academy by committing suicide.]]
* AssuranceBackfire: When Neil comes before Keating, he is urged to talk about his feelings with his dad regarding acting. Keating tells him that as soon as he's 18, he'll be free to do as he pleases, which comes into direct conflict with Mr. Perry telling Neil that he can only do as he pleases after he graduates college and becomes a doctor, although Keating might be unaware of what Mr. Perry said. Keating has a puzzled look as Neil dejectedly walks away, being unable to tell Keating that he couldn't muster up the courage to talk with his dad.
* BadLiar: For a skilled actor, Neil certainly isn't all that convincing when he tries to tell a lie. [[spoiler:It doesn't even look like Keating believed him when Neil claimed that his father was letting him stay in the play]].

* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: Neil's father does his damndest to get Neil to give up on his dream of acting, and indeed any hobbies outside of preparing for a career as a doctor. It technically works: Neil does give up on being an actor once he accepts that his father will never allow it. [[spoiler: Then he [[DrivenToSuicide kills himself out of despair]] immediately after.]]
* BigNo: In slow motion!

* ButLiquorIsQuicker: Knox takes a final sip from his glass in order to muster the courage to kiss Chris at the party.
* CallingTheOldManOut: Neil's father is extremely controlling and dominating, and at one point Neil starts to call him out on never listening to his own son or showing any interest in what he wants to do with his life, [[spoiler:but he never gets the chance to speak when his father won't hear anything that has to do with acting]]. [[DefiedTrope Defied]] when Mr. Perry calls Neil's bluff:

** When Todd is brought into Nolan's office, his parents urge him to sign the papers that will blacklist Keating from ever teaching again, Mr. Anderson asks why Todd cares so much about Keating, and Todd's outburst is "He cares about me! You don't!"

-->'''Cameron:''' All I'm saying is, we have to be careful; we can't get caught.\\

* CarpeDiem: {{Discussed|Trope}}, as Keating tries to inspire his students to love poetry and live life.
* CatapultNightmare: Mr. Perry upon [[spoiler:sensing his son's final actions]].

* ChurchOfSaintGenericus: The Welton school chapel, as well as its religious association.
* ComingOfAgeStory: Over the course of the film, a group a teenagers will learn to seize the day, to assert their own values and opinions and to question the social norm. Some of them will disagree with their parents for the first time, fall in love for the first time, experience grief for the first time...
* CommonalityConnection: The seemingly opposite Todd and Neil are drawn together by their [[{{AbusiveParents}} poor parenting.]]

* DaddyDidntShow: Subverted. It looks like Mr Perry won't make it to Neil's SchoolPlay premiere. When he eventually shows up, it's played for a HopeSpot since it turns out he did not change his mind about Neil's future after all.

* DeliberateValuesDissonance: Nolan reveals to Keating that he too was an English teacher once; the two men both believe in the value of education, both love teaching English, and both believe they're doing what's best for the students at the school. Keating's ideas are those of the modern generation and Nolan's are those from a few decades ago, creating irreconcilable if understandable conflict.

** And Charlie (in the novel version) when he claims the cave:

* DoWrongRight: After Charlie pulls off the "phone call from God" prank in the chapel saying that girls should be allowed to attend Welton, Charlie gets swatted on the butt several times with a hardwood paddle. Keating rebukes him, telling him that there's a time for caution and a time for daring, with a wise man understanding which is called for. A moment later, Keating remarks that the "phone call from God" would have been even more daring if it had been a collect call.

* EncouragedRegifting: For Todd's birthday, he receives a monogrammed desk set, which turns out to be the same one his parents sent him for last year's birthday.
* EverybodySmokes: Lots of scenes of the Society members smoking with cigarettes and pipes.
* EveryoneLovesBlondes: Of course Chris - the girl Knox falls for - is a blonde. She's also charismatic and fun-loving, as well as being very friendly. The girls Charlie brings to the cave are also blonde.
* EverythingsLouderWithBagpipes: A bagpipe is being played in the opening ceremony scene and later by Keyting himself.
* TheEvilsOfFreeWill: Keating holds an exercise in the courtyard, with the students starting out walking at their own freestyle pace, then uniformly marching in cadence. Later on, when Nolan asks what the exercise was about, Keating mentioned that it was to demonstrate the evils of conformity. Nolan tells Keating that the curriculum has been set and proven.

** [[{{RebelliousSpirit}} Charlie]] and [[{{TeachersPet}} Cameron]]. Charlie is rebellious, a poor student and goofs around, but remains loyal to his friends. Cameron is a brown-noser, studious, hates breaking the rules, and [[spoiler:betrays everyone at the end of the film to save his own skin]].
** [[{{BigManOnCampus}} Neil]] and [[{{ShrinkingViolet}} Todd]]. Neil is confident, successful and excited by Keating's ideas, while Todd is insecure, nervous and scared to act. [[spoiler: However, underneath it all, Neil is deeply beaten down and miserable, and ends up killing himself, while Todd reveals his inner strength and inspires the other boys in rebelling against Welton.]]
** [[{{DeanBitterman}} Nolan]] and [[{{CoolTeacher}} Keating]]. Both are English teachers, but Nolan is traditional, authoritarian and regimented; while Keating is unorthodox, a friend to the boys and teaches them to think for themselves.
** [[{{MeddlingParents}} Mr Perry]] and [[{{ParentalNeglect}} Mr Anderson]]. Both are emotionally AbusiveParents to Neil and Todd respectively, but Mr Perry is overly controlling of Neil's life and determined he'll have a successful future and career; while the Andersons neglect and ignore Todd, viewing him as the failure of the family.
* FondMemoriesThatCouldHaveBeen: Subverted. All [[spoiler:Neil's]] father has to say is "[[ItsAllAboutMe My son, my son]]," and [[spoiler:he blames Keating for the boy's being DrivenToSuicide, [[NeverMyFault completely failing to understand that it's his own fault]]]].
* {{Foreshadowing}}: At the beginning of the first meeting when Neil reads the passage from Thoreau: "[[spoiler: ...and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived]]." In addition, when Keating discusses mortality in the first meeting with the boys, [[spoiler: the camera focuses on Neil at the line "stop breathing and go cold."]]

** Keating stands on his desk to remind the students they must force themselves to look at things from a different perspective. By the film's end, many of the class members (with Cameron being one of the few exceptions) stand up on their desks, looking at things from a different perspective.

** [[spoiler: Charlie, Knox, Meeks and Pitts comforting a grief-stricken Todd about Neil's death.]]
** [[spoiler: The final scene when the remaining poets follow Todd's lead standing up for Mr Keating as he leaves.]]

* GenderNormativeParentPlot: Neil's father disapproves of his acting (traditionally a more feminine profession). Gets a pretty DownerEnding -- [[spoiler:sure, Neil was able to prove once and for all that he can hit it out of the park as an actor, but his father then follows by stomping down on him so hard that Neil decides [[DrivenToSuicide blowing his brains out]] is the better solution.]]
* HeroicBSOD: Keating goes into one after [[spoiler:Neil commits suicide]] and doesn't get better until the final scene. Todd also suffers one from the same event.
* HoldingHands: [[spoiler:During the play, Knox holds Chris's hand and she seems to reciprocate.]]
* HollywoodNewEngland: The movie is set in Vermont, filmed in the Delaware cities of Middletown, New Castle, and Wilmington.

** Cameron claims he has no other choice but to uphold Welton's honor code, instead of risking expulsion.
** Mr. Perry is furious that Neil forged his dad's name and made him look like a liar, especially after the play when his reputation is tarnished, once the truth turned Neil's lie into the truth, the play and has turned the rumor into truth when he performs on stage.
* HopeBringer: According to the director, Keating is in a severe depression after [[spoiler: Neil's suicide]] and the one thing that brings him out of it is the boys standing up for him.
* HourglassPlot: [[spoiler: Todd and Neil's arcs. At the beginning of the film, Todd is shy, timid and hesitant to get involved with Keating's philosophy; while the outgoing Neil is the group's leader, determined to "seize the day" and is the one encouraging and supporting Todd. By the end of the film, it's Neil who is unable to stand up to the pressure on him from his father, and tragically commits suicide; while Todd finds his voice, leads the boys to defy the school, and is ultimately the one to live out Keating's teaching.]]

* IDidWhatIHadToDo: At least, that's what Cameron tells Charlie. Charlie doesn't buy it, of course:

* IvyLeagueForEveryone: Mr. Nolan mentions that 75% of the previous year's graduates went to The Ivy Leagues. Pitts says he might go to Yale (but he might not). And Neil's father intends him to go to Harvard.

** "Free thinkers at seventeen? Teach them to learn and the rest will follow." A prep school education is designed to send the young men on to college, and trying to be an artist usually ends in disappointment. Not to mention that a traditional prep school education doesn't ''exclude'' the possibility later on.
*** Though to be fair Keating ''isn't'' telling the boys to go off and become artists - just to appreciate art, poetry and beauty in general, and make their lives meaningful in their own way. While Neil discovers a love for acting; the other boys seize the day in different ways, such Knox pursuing Chris and Todd gaining confidence.
* KeepAway: At one point the boys snatch Cameron's book from him and toss it around the group so he won't be able to reach it.

* LoveAtFirstSight: Knox, Knox, Knox. One-sided as the object of his affections is "practically engaged" to someone else.
* MajorInjuryUnderreaction: Charlie doesn't let a harsh paddling deter him.

* MistakenFromBehind: When Knox arrives at Chris' school, he goes after a blond girl in the corridor who he thinks is her but turns out to be some other girl.
* MonochromeCasting: The entire cast is white. Somewhat justified as it's set at a traditional, elite boarding school during the 1950s.
* MoodWhiplash: Neil experiences this when he is thrilled to pieces about getting a major role in ''Theatre/AMidsummerNightsDream'', only to open the door to his dorm room and become white with fear to see his father sitting there, already waiting to scold his son ruthlessly. Even though Neil did falsify a letter of permission from his father earlier in the film, which wasn't the smartest move, the fact remains that Mr. Perry's behavior throughout the film is still displayed as [[ItsAllAboutMe thinking of his own interests rather than Neil's, given how overly strict and authoritarian he is]], which only makes Neil want to pursue acting more.

* NeverMyFault: [[spoiler:Neil's father]] blames Keating for [[spoiler:his son's suicide]] even though it was largely his fault.

* NiceJobBreakingItHero: As soon as Charlie pulls off the "phone call from God" prank, Nolan is aware of the Society's presence and starts to keep a closer watch on the students' activities. Even Keating reprimands Charlie for going too far.
* NoSenseOfPersonalSpace: Neil blithely bypasses any personal space Todd has; whether he's tussling with him in their room, smacking him with whatever object that's on hand, or leaning in oddly close for conversations.
* NowLetMeCarryYou: Keating spends much of the movie encouraging Todd through his anxiety and insecurities. [[spoiler: At the end of the film, when Keating is at his lowest, it's Todd who instigates the boy's show of support, assuring Keating that they're grateful for him. WordOfGod says that was the only thing that comforted Keating in his depression.]]

* OddFriendship: Surprisingly, rebellious Charlie and geeky Meeks get on well; with Meeks helping Charlie with classwork and Charlie fondly calling Meeks "a genius". (In contrast to his irritation towards [[{{TeachersPet}} Cameron]]).

* OneLinerNameOneLiner: The heartwarming closing scene with Keyting saying "Thank you, boys. Thank you."

** Todd has a very severe case of this, leading to initial reluctance to join the Dead Poets Society, since he thinks it will mean having to read aloud in front of other people. Fortunately Neil insists that he doesn't have to read, and lets him take meeting minutes instead.
** Keating knows all too well that Todd has butterflies in his stomach, and still encourages him to come up with an ad-libbed poem, resulting in a SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome for Todd.

* PrisonersDilemma: After Charlie's prank where he "receives a phone call from God" saying that girls should be admitted to Welton, he is taken into Nolan's office and spanked, where Charlie insists that he acted alone. Nolan warns him that if the Society has any other members, they will be expelled and Charlie will remain enrolled at Welton; he apparently refuses to turn them in. Later on, after Neil commits suicide and Mr. Perry launches an investigation, Cameron goes to Nolan and informs against the other students, aligning himself with the faculty and the honor code to avoid personal punishment.

* RayOfHopeEnding: [[spoiler: Neil commits suicide to escape his abusive father; Todd is left even more unhappy than he was at the start of the film; [[DeanBitterman Dean Nolan]] fires Keating and intends to prevent him from ever teaching again; the Dead Poets Society is disbanded and forced to turn on Keating and Charlie gets expelled for punching Cameron. In the final scene, Nolan takes over Keating's class, throwing aside everything he taught and reinstating the unfeeling, Pritchard approach to learning poetry. ...But just before Keating leaves for good, Todd - the student he encouraged the most - finds his courage and leads over half his class (including students who weren't in the Society) to farewell Keating, proving to him they will see the world in new and inspiration ways and that they won't be forget him. [[note]] Cameron, who made a plea bargain with Dean Nolan to save the school's reputation, as the main exception. [[/note]] ]]
* ReassignedToAntarctica: [[spoiler: After Neil's dad finds out that Neil went through with the play in defiance of his orders, Neil is withdrawn from Welton and assigned to a bleak future at Braden Military Academy, which Neil avoids by taking a shot to the head, killing himself.]]
* SaveOurStudents: Welton is an AssimilationAcademy with a program designed to make its students models of the Establishment and stick to the status quo. Keating's goal is to try to inspire the students to think in different ways and be their own persons, rather than just follow and conform to their superiors' instructions.
* SceneryPorn: Students at Welton enjoy very pretty surroundings, highlighted by several stunning shots along the movie.
* SchoolPlay: A community one. Neil wants to do it.
* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: Charlie "Nuwanda" Dalton, who already got the Society in hot water with the "phone call from God" prank,[[spoiler: confronts and punches Cameron after he ratted the D.P.S. out to Dean Nolan, and gets expelled from Welton in the process.]]
* SexySaxMan: Charlie pretty obviously tries to be this. Though he claims to like the saxophone because it is more "sonorous" than the clarinet, which his parents forced him to take.

** Neil takes off his shirt [[spoiler:before wearing his headgear for the play for a last time and committing suicide. It's suicide, so it's not played for {{fanservice}}.]]

** The works of Creator/WaltWhitman, Creator/HenryDavidThoreau, Robert Herrick, Creator/LordByron, Vachel Lindsay, Creator/AlfredLordTennyson, Abraham Cowley, Raymond Calvert, Creator/RobertFrost, and Creator/WilliamShakespeare are refered to during Keating's class and the meetings of the Dead Poets Society.

** The film's ending where the students (except for Cameron) stand on their desks in a farewell salute to Keating is reminiscent of ''Series/TheTwilightZone1959'' episode "The Changing of the Guard", where Ellis Fowler, an aging prep school teacher has been asked to retire, and just when Fowler is looking back on his life wondering if his teachings had any impact on the youths he had instructed, he hears the bells ringing and enters his classroom, seeing ghosts of other students who had died in heroic actions, and is inspired to know that his efforts were not in vain.

* SnowMeansDeath: Symbolized by the society walking through snow after [[spoiler:Neil kills himself]]. This was actually a spontaneous snowstorm that happened while filming, and Peter Weir was inspired to relocate it to fit the snow.

** [[{{Foil}} Cameron, by contrast]] reluctantly attends the meetings, not embracing Keating's passionate "living life to the fullest" philosophy and is more concerned about them getting caught, and ultimately pulls a FaceHeelTurn when he rats out the other members to save his own hide.
* StandardSnippet: Music/OdeToJoy can be heared on the soundtrack when the boys play soccer.
* StutterStop: Todd has a noticeable stammer and struggles through most conversations. However, Keating manages to provoke him into producing a fluid, free-style poem in front of the whole class and [[spoiler: at the end, Todd shouts out his salute to Keating.]]

* ToneShift: Set up as a classic feel-good, inspirational story about a teacher encouraging students to follow their dreams. [[spoiler: After Neil dies, the film takes a sharp turn to a much darker tragedy.]]
* TragicBromance: [[spoiler: Neil and Todd. They're particularly close, share an intense friendship and Todd is devastated by Neil's death.]].

* UnfortunateNames: Pitts and Meeks, as pointed out by Keating. Becomes a PunnyName during the soccer/poetry lesson when Keating hands the boys lines to read

* WasItReallyWorthIt: Neil managed to live out his dream of acting on stage as though it was his last night on Earth, only for his dad to withdraw him from Welton and send him off to a military academy. When he's alone, he tells himself "I was good, I was really good," only to break down and [[spoiler:commit suicide with his father's handgun]].
* WhatTheHellHero: Keating chews Charlie out for his "phone call from God" prank, telling him that putting himself in danger of getting expelled from the school and jeopardizing his future isn't noble, it's just reckless and stupid. A moment later, Keating remarks that the prank call would have been more effective and daring if it had been a collect call from God.
* WhyCouldntYouBeDifferent: Both Neil and Todd get this from their parents. Mr Perry wants Neil to be an obedient son set on medical school, while the Anderson's want Todd to be like his successful older brother.

--> '''Keating:''' Mr. Anderson thinks that everything inside of him is worthless and embarrassing...Well, I think you're wrong. I think you have something inside of you that is worth a great deal.

->''"Only in their dreams can men be truly free. Twas always thus, and always thus will be."''

* AbusiveParents: Many of the Welton parents have a image in mind for their child to do when they're older and wouldn't be open to anything else. Even all they give to or do for their children are associated with their expectations that want for them. Among the main characters, Neil and Todd's parents are standout examples:

* AmbiguousEnding / LeftHanging: [[spoiler: The film ends on the [[{{SignatureScene}} iconic desk sequence]] with the boys defying the school to farewell Keating...but it's unclear what will happen to them all afterwards. Nolan had just threatened to expel anyone if they spoke up and Todd especially is bound to face severe punishment for starting the rebellion. Is the Dead Poets Society over for good or will the boys start it up again? Keating's fate is uncertain as well - WordOfGod said he was depressed after Neil died and the boys actions helped lift his spirits, but it's not confirmed if he'll recover or what he's going to do in the future.]]

* DoWrongRight: After Charlie pulls off the "phone call from God" prank in the chapel saying that girls should be allowed to attend Welton, Charlie gets swatted on the butt several times with a hardwood paddle. Keating rebukes him, telling him that there's a time for caution and a time for daring, with a wise man understanding which is called for. A moment later, Keating remarks that the "phone call from God" would have been even more daring if it had been a collect call.

* TheFifties: The film is set in 1959. There are glimpses of the popular culture of the day, including early rock and roll music and teenagers openly smoking in (the public) high school without reprisal, in the scenes which take place outside Welton.

* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: Neil's father does his damndest to get Neil to give up on his dream of acting, and indeed any hobbies outside of preparing for a career as a doctor. It technically works: Neil does give up on being an actor once he accepts that his father will never allow it. [[spoiler: Then he [[DrivenToSuicide kills himself out of despair]] immediately after.]]

* VisualPun: When Keating is writing the Pritchard formula on the blackboard, it reads ''P''erfection x ''I''mportance = ''G''reatness, or without the math symbols, P.I.G.

--> '''Todd:''' I-I'm not like you. All right? You - you say things and people listen. I'm, I'm not like that.
--> '''Neil:''' [[{{ArmourPiercingQuestion}} Well, don't you think you could be?]]

* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler:Neil has committed suicide, and Mr. Keating is sacked as a scapegoat over it. The remaining society members are pressured into signing a letter attesting the wrongful allegations, except Charlie, who was expelled for refusing to sell him out. However, Todd finds his inner strength, literally standing up to Dean Nolan and prompting the former society members (except Cameron) and even some other students to stand up to salute Keating, who leaves knowing his teachings have positively influenced his students.]]

* AnachronismStew: In one scene, the piper is seen playing "The Fields of Athenry", which was composed in [[TheSeventies the 1970s]].

* ChromosomeCasting: Due to being set at an all-boys boarding school. It's downplayed, as there are a few female characters, but they only appear in a handful of scenes and have very limited dialogue.

-->'''Keating:''' Phone call from {{God}}? If it had been collect, that would have been daring.

* GoneHorriblyRight: Neil's father does his damndest to get Neil to give up on his dream of acting, and indeed any hobbies outside of preparing for a career as a doctor. It technically works: Neil does give up on being an actor once he accepts that his father will never allow it. [[spoiler: Then he [[DrivenToSuicide kills himself out of despair]] immediately after.]]

* IvyLeagueForEveryone: The aspiration of most of the Welton students -- the school takes quite particular pride in stating that many of its graduates went on to study at schools that belonged to the very prestigious Ivy League.

* MonochromeCasting: The entire cast is white. Somewhat justified as it's set at a traditional, elite boarding school during the '50s.

* BerserkButton: Never contradict or talk back to Mr. Perry, especially if you happen to be Neil. Neil wanting to act is also this, to the point that [[DisproportionateRetribution when he sees Neil acting, he drags Neil home and announces his intention of sending Neil to a military academy!]]
** Keating finds J. Evans Pritchard's "Understanding Poetry" mathematical formula of poetic excellence to be utter rubbish, and even has his students tear that preface out of their textbooks.

* BlitheSpirit: Keating. He spends a lot of the time telling his students to "seize the day." EverybodyHasStandards, though: There is a difference between finding sense in your life and doing stupid stunts that will ruin it, and he calls out Charlie on how his pranks may have him suffer the latter.

* BrokenAce: Neil is a top student, involved in multiple extracurriculars, acts as the leader of the group and turns out to be a pretty good actor too. [[spoiler: But his father's abuse cuts too deep and he's ultimately driven to suicide]].

* TheCaptain: Keating is not actually one, but his students call him "O Captain My Captain" at his suggestion.

* CoolTeacher: Keating, duh.

* DecoyProtagonist: Neil is the focus student for much of the film, but after [[spoiler:his death]], it becomes apparent that the real protagonist is Todd.
* DeanBitterman: Nolan is against everything fun the boys do and especially Keating's unorthodox teaching methods.

* DrivenToSuicide: [[spoiler:Neil shoots himself with his father's gun.]]
* EducationMama: Neil's father is a pretty severe example of an education papa, making clear that he expects his son to follow the course he set for him until he's at least in his thirties, if not forever, and denying him anything at all that would help him blow off steam or maybe even help get brownie points with his teachers/when looking for work. Deconstructed HARD, as his ControlFreak attitude leads to [[spoiler: Neil's suicide]].

* EvenEvilHasStandards: [[spoiler: Neil's father is clearly distraught over his death. But he reminds us of the 'evil' part when he tries to attack Keating for it instead of accepting his responsibility]].

* FantasyForbiddingFather: Neil's father doesn't want Neil to have anything to do with poetry or theatre, and upon discovering that Neil is playing Puck in ''Theatre/AMidsummerNightsDream'', he goes utterly ''ballistic''. [[spoiler:He sends Neil to a military academy, but Neil is DrivenToSuicide before he can be shipped off.]]

* TheFriendNobodyLikes: Cameron only gets included in the Society because he's part of the other boys' study group and is Charlie's roommate. It's obvious they wouldn't have included him if they had any hope to hide the Society from him, calling him a creep. [[spoiler:And he betrays them in the end]].
-->'''Neil:''' Hey, he's your roommate.\\
'''Charlie:''' That's not my fault.

* GenderBlenderName: Chris, a girl who goes to a local public school.

* GrewASpine: Todd, very much. Demonstrated by the end scene.
* HateSink:
** Nolan is at odds with Keating and the boys for most of the movie, with his old-fashioned values being portrayed as out-of-touch and stifling everyone. [[PunchClockVillain Although he's also just doing his job as Dean of the school.]]
** Mr. Perry is abusive to Neil, completely crushes his dreams of acting [[spoiler:and [[DrivenToSuicide drives his son to suicide]]]], and even blames Keating for everything and solely focuses on ''his'' reaction to the events, [[NeverMyFault thinking himself blameless]].
** Cameron is a brown-noser, doesn't like anything the others do, is constantly looking over his shoulder to make sure things don't come back to haunt him, and [[spoiler:rounds it off by ratting on everyone to save his own miserable hide]]. Eventually, Charlie decks him hard enough to cause a nosebleed--[[CatharsisFactor and boy is it satisfying]].

* ItAmusedMe: Is there anything that Charlie says or does which is not simply intended to have fun?

* {{Jerkass}}: Cameron. And especially Mr. Perry.

* JerkJock: Chet. Which of course leads to problems when Knox falls head-over-heels for the former's girlfriend.
* KarmaHoudini: It would have been meaningful to see [[spoiler: Neil's father]] get called out for [[spoiler:driving his son to suicide]], even though he wasn't consciously mean to him -- just utterly oblivious to the consequences of his actions. Unfortunately, he decides to scapegoat Mr. Keating and gets away with it, thanks to Cameron and Dean Nolan.

* LargeHam: Charlie has his moments, and is clearly enjoying himself at the line "To indeed be a god!"

* MeaningfulName: It couldn't have been coincidence that John Keating is a lover of poetry. As well as being close to John Keats, the -ing suffix usually implies a verb or an action. Thus, he's a more active John Keats by teaching poetry.

* {{Narcissist}}: [[spoiler:Neil's father]] has definitive shades of this, being obsessive and possessive of [[spoiler:Neil's]] devotion to him and his future plans, seeing him more as a tool than as his [[spoiler:son]].

* ObsessivelyNormal: Neil's father, who has already plotted out his life (becoming a doctor) and won't accept anything that deviates from this a single bit (including activities that could look good on his portfolio), even when Neil tries to defend himself by pointing out that he's an A+ student regardless. He can't even bother to label Neil's acting desire a hobby but rather an ''obsession'', and even with everybody in the theater giving Neil a thunderous ovation, he still makes a scene to drag his son away, can't bother to admit it was a good performance (even if he won't let him act again), and takes overkill measures to make sure Neil will never deviate from the goal he's made for him.

* ParentalSubstitute: Keating takes on a fatherly role for both Neil and Todd, as they're distant from their own AbusiveParents. He counsels Neil on finding his own way in life and standing up to Mr Perry; and encourages Todd to overcome his insecurities. In a deleted scene, Todd outright declares that Keating cared more about him than his parents ever did.
** On the other hand, Keating telling students to vandalize textbooks by ripping out their appendixes could hardly be considered actions of a responsible parental substitute. Neil feels disappointed when Keating urges him to talk with his dad, believing that Neil can do as he wishes at 18, which conflicts with Neil's dad saying that he can only do as he pleases once he has become a successful doctor and graduated from college. But it's possible that Keating never realized that Mr. Perry would be so controlling even if Neil went on to college.

* PuppyDogEyes: Todd can pull off the [[{{TheWoobie}} kicked puppy variety]] when he's scared or shy (which is most of the time). Best seen when Keating first tries to get him to speak in class, but quickly relents after Todd only offers a pleading look.

* RebelliousSpirit: Charlie's actions make for an interesting contrast with what Keating actually encourages. While the latter is trying to teach his students to think for themselves and be masters of their own lives, the former takes that to mean "rebel for its own sake, fight against authorities for fun." When Charlie nearly gets himself expelled for a joke, Keating calls him out on this misinterpretation. Still, when he "exercises the right not to walk" during the strolling lesson, Keating notes that he righteously "illustrated the point" by "swimming against the stream". Charlie may not actually misinterpret him but simply over-interpret. See also ItAmusedMe.
* SatelliteLoveInterest: Chris for Knox, to an extent. Through no fault of her own, though, she just doesn't get much character development onscreen and is only really loved by Knox for her appearance. She even points this out to him when she goes to confront him at Welton, replying to his repeated insistence that he loves her, "You don't even know me!"

* ShrinkingViolet: Oh, Todd. At the beginning, at least, he seems to just be trying to blend in with the wallpaper half the time. Fortunately his friendship with the other Poets (Neil in particular) goes a long way toward making him a more confident person.

* TheSmartGuy: Meeks, who aced Latin and tutors Charlie in just about every subject, something that Charlie happily admits, calling him a genius.
-->'''Meeks:''' He flatters me. That's why I help him with Latin.\\
'''Charlie:''' And English. And Trig.
* SmartPeopleKnowLatin: Meeks, [[TheSmartGuy the smartest of the students]], tutors Charlie in Latin and also is readily able to translate "Carpe Diem."
* SmugSnake: Cameron has definite shades of this.

* StalkerWithACrush: Knox, in regards to Chris. Well-intended, but watching her from afar wearing dark glasses can come off as slightly creepy.

* TooGoodForThisSinfulEarth: [[spoiler:Neil, who is one of the most pure-hearted characters throughout the course of the film, tragically commits suicide to escape his tyrannical and uncaring father.]]

* {{Turncoat}}: Richard Cameron, from the Society to the school authorities.
* TwoFirstNames: Neil Perry. Knox Overstreet.
* TheUnfavourite: Todd is clearly second-best to his successful, accomplished brother Jeffrey. A [[{{FreezeFrameBonus}} shot of the Anderson's family photo]] shows Jeffrey standing in the middle of his proud parents, while Todd is shunted off to the side. In the original script Todd states it outright.
--> '''Todd:''' When I was little, I thought all parents automatically loved their kids. That's what I believed...Well, my parents might have loved my brother but they did not love me.

''Dead Poets Society'' is a 1989 drama film directed by Creator/PeterWeir and starring Creator/RobinWilliams in one of his earlier "serious" roles. The movie was nominated for four Academy Awards: Robin Williams for Best Actor in a Leading Role, Best Director, Best Picture and winning for Best Original Screenplay.

* AssimilationAcademy: Welton seems to be only a notch away from a military school. Its methods are centered on demanding total conformity to a program that puts every student on a pre-set path toward the Ivy League and eventually the Establishment. Deviating from this is simply ''not'' tolerated. [[AbusiveParents Especially if you’re Neil and the deviance involves acting.]]

* BoardingSchool: Welton Academy is a posh boarding school full of [[WhiteAngloSaxonProtestant WASPs]], where its students are prepared to enter Ivy League Colleges and become “successful“ — by the school’s definition, at least.

* EducationMama: Neil's father is a pretty severe example of an education papa, making clear that he expects his son to follow the course he set for him until he's at least in his thirties, if not forever, and denying him anything at all that would help him blow off steam or maybe even help get brownie points with his teachers/when looking for work. Deconstructed HARD, as his ControlFreak attitude leads to [[spoiler: Neil’s suicide]].

** A bit later, Todd asks Neil, [[spoiler:“Won’t [your father] kill you if he finds out you went to an audition…” While Neil’s dad doesn’t technically kill him, the ensuing conflict ends with Neil DrivenToSuicide.]]

** Nolan is at odds with Keating and the boys for most of the movie, with his old-fashioned values being portrayed as out-of-touch and stifling everyone. [[PunchClockVillain Although he’s also just doing his job as Dean of the school.]]

* IDidWhatIHadToDo: At least, that’s what Cameron tells Charlie. Charlie doesn’t buy it, of course:

** On the other hand, Keating telling students to vandalize textbooks by ripping out their appendixes could hardly be considered actions of a responsible parental substitute. Neil feels disappointed when Keating urges him to talk with his dad, believing that Neil can do as he wishes at 18, which conflicts with Neil's dad saying that he can only do as he pleases once he has become a successful doctor and graduated from college. But it’s possible that Keating never realized that Mr. Perry would be so controlling even if Neil went on to college.

* Narcissist: [[spoiler:Neil's father]] has definitive shades of this, being obsessive and possessive of [[spoiler:Neil's]] devotion to him and his future plans, seeing him more as a tool than as his [[spoiler:son]].

* EvenEvilHasStandards: [[spoiler: Neil's father is clearly distraught over his death. But he reminds us of the 'evil' part when he tries to attack Keating it instead of accepting his responsibility]].

** A bit later, Todd asks Neil, [[spoiler:“Won’t [your father] kill you if he finds out you went to an audition…” This conflict ends with Neil DrivenToSuicide.]]

* BoardingSchool: Welton Academy is a posh boarding school full of [[WhiteAngloSaxonProtestant WASPs]], where its students are prepared to enter Ivy League Colleges and be successful in life.

It is [[TheFifties 1959]] and the prestigious Welton Academy has just hired John Keating (Williams) as the new English teacher for the upcoming school year. A BlitheSpirit, Keating uses his classes to inspire his students to go against the flow and be themselves, somehow managing to make reading poetry seem like a cool, rebellious thing to do. A group of the boys, including [[ShrinkingViolet Todd Anderson]], [[TheAce Neil Perry]], [[ClassClown Charlie Dalton]], [[StalkerWithACrush Knox Overstreet]], [[TheFriendNobodyLikes Richard Cameron]], [[TheSmartGuy Steven Meeks]] and [[TheBigGuy Gerard Pitts]], form the [[TrueCompanions Dead Poets Society]], a group wherein they all sneak out at night to read poetry in a secluded cave. After witnessing many of Keating's unorthodox teaching methods and the effects on the students, Headmaster Nolan, the DeanBitterman of Welton, tries to put a stop to this.

** Narcissist: [[spoiler:Neil's father]] has definitive shades of this, being obsessive and possessive of [[spoiler:Neil's]] devotion to him and his future plans, seeing him more as a tool than as his [[spoiler:son]].

* Narcissist: [[spoiler:Neil's father]] has definitive shades of this, being obsessive and possessive of [[spoiler:Neil's]] devotion to him and his future plans, seeing him more as a tool than as his [[spoiler:son]].