While I was a student at Berkeley, I associated myself with everything and everyone that was intellectual. My boyfriend at the time told me about a new movie out in theaters that he wanted me to see. It was an intellectual commentary on finding passion in life starring Robin Williams. This movie sounded like a perfect fit for me.
Dead Poet's Society
captured my heart from the first moment. Perfectly nuanced music combined with luscious cinematography, perfect direction, creative screenwriting and, of course, the brilliant acting which brought together this movie as a congruent and captivating story.
The film is set in a private Ivy League preparatory school in 1959 which shows the general teaching style as repetitious and stagnant without encouraging its students to be creative or to be inspired in any way. The students would grow up to be lawyers, doctors and bankers; all successful in the eyes of society. As I write this article I hear the Latin instructor from the movie reciting in my head the different conjugations of some verb and the students monotonously repeating them. I also hear the math (or was it science) teacher telling his students what ‘won’t be tolerated’. The students had to do only what they were told when they were told to get by in this school. They were required to follow the status quo and nothing more.
It wasn’t just the educational system that was shaping the boys to be repetitious and non-creative thinkers, but the parents and frankly society at large, as well. One father wouldn’t allow his son to be involved with the school’s yearbook because it wasn’t academic in nature. He wanted his son to study, study, study; graduate with honors, go to medical school and become a doctor. There would be no time for frivolity according to this father. But what did the boy want? He wanted to be creative. He wanted to inspire others. He wanted to be an actor. Why is it, that so often, parents, teachers and even friends are afraid to allow others to express their creativity and pursuit their dreams? What is life about if not to become inspired happy people? Why are there so many in our society that are stuck in jobs that they dislike because it is the right thing to do? By whose standards is it the right thing?
Like so many in life, these boys seemed doomed to an ordinary life…that is until a new teacher walked into their lives. John Keating or ‘Captain’ set out to inspire the teenagers to not only become better students, but grow to be better men and in so doing he became their muse. By using his creativity, he impressed upon his students to be enthusiastic not only about poetry, but about life itself; living life passionately each moment as though it may be the last, because everyone’s moments are numbered. He wanted everyone to “suck the marrow out of life” or more simply put, he wanted his students to have extraordinary lives. Sometimes that means marching to a beat of a different drum. Expressing poetry while kicking a soccer ball, marching in the quad, jumping up on a desk were all techniques this teacher used to instill his students to be different.
‘Carpé diem’ or ‘seize the day’ will be a part of my vocabulary until I am “food for worms”. Since I too march to the beat of a different drum, I fell in love with Robin Williams’ portrayal of this character instantly and wished that more teachers were like him. Teachers help to shape each child and it would be a wonderful thing if they all could inspire their students instead of being bored with their job.
I have myself had a handful of inspirational teachers that remind me of this flamboyant character and I am eternally grateful to them. Miss Sabatini who had us analyze Hotel California by the Eagles in English class. To learn more about business, my 6th grade teachers instructed us to form a corporation and develop a product. We created positions for a CEO, President, VP in charge of Sales and Marketing, (played by me, by the way) etc. My 2nd grade teacher that had us not only dress up like Pilgrims and Indians, but had us actually prepare an authentic 17th century Thanksgiving Day meal. Butter has never tasted as good as it did after several students, including myself churned it for what seemed like hours. Mrs. Hastings who had us put our heads on our desk and listen to the soundtracks from Star Wars and Close Encounters of the Third Kind and create stories unrelated to the movies from simply closing our eyes and listening to the music. Professor Miller, who taught class under a tree on nice days and invited us in his home for a party to celebrate a semester well done. These teachers along with a few others have lived in my hearts for decades and remain important instruments in creating who I am today. My wish is that every teacher should desire to impress teaching in a passionate manner to their students as much as John Keating. Learning SHOULD be fun not torture!
I myself have had a lifelong interest in history. While I was in elementary school a teacher asked the class to pick a book from the bookshelf and read it over a course of a certain time, maybe a week or so. I picked out a book on Benjamin Franklin and finished it within a few hours. I was hooked for life. Most history teachers emphasize the dates which are well and good. However, over the years when I have found myself tutoring history or just talking about it with friends, I speak about a specific period as though it were a book or a movie describing the details with enthusiasm. I have often been told that I should have been their teacher and maybe then they would have enjoyed history. History IS actually fun! It is simply a tapestry of stories filled with drama, comedy, thrilling moments, and love, just like in the movies or more to the point like real life…it was real life after all.
Now Dead Poet’s Society has become part of history. Nearly twenty years have passed since the movie was first shown in theaters. The time has passed, but this movie still holds great value in today's world. I am eternally thankful to those that lent a hand in creating this film, especially Robin Williams for his brilliant interpretation of his character and inspiring many audiences, in particular me, to become more passionate in life; finding pleasure in the waves crashing on the beach, reading a book, working out or just jumping up and down with joy performing my Victory Dance. To quote John Keating, “Math and science are wonderful things, but without art, literature and poetry life wouldn’t be worth living.”
Thank you for reading and Namaste! (The Light in me recognizes the Light in you!)
Dead Poet's Society
captured my heart from the first moment. Perfectly nuanced music combined with luscious cinematography, perfect direction, creative screenwriting and, of course, the brilliant acting which brought together this movie as a congruent and captivating story.The film is set in a private Ivy League preparatory school in 1959 which shows the general teaching style as repetitious and stagnant without encouraging its students to be creative or to be inspired in any way. The students would grow up to be lawyers, doctors and bankers; all successful in the eyes of society. As I write this article I hear the Latin instructor from the movie reciting in my head the different conjugations of some verb and the students monotonously repeating them. I also hear the math (or was it science) teacher telling his students what ‘won’t be tolerated’. The students had to do only what they were told when they were told to get by in this school. They were required to follow the status quo and nothing more.
It wasn’t just the educational system that was shaping the boys to be repetitious and non-creative thinkers, but the parents and frankly society at large, as well. One father wouldn’t allow his son to be involved with the school’s yearbook because it wasn’t academic in nature. He wanted his son to study, study, study; graduate with honors, go to medical school and become a doctor. There would be no time for frivolity according to this father. But what did the boy want? He wanted to be creative. He wanted to inspire others. He wanted to be an actor. Why is it, that so often, parents, teachers and even friends are afraid to allow others to express their creativity and pursuit their dreams? What is life about if not to become inspired happy people? Why are there so many in our society that are stuck in jobs that they dislike because it is the right thing to do? By whose standards is it the right thing?
Like so many in life, these boys seemed doomed to an ordinary life…that is until a new teacher walked into their lives. John Keating or ‘Captain’ set out to inspire the teenagers to not only become better students, but grow to be better men and in so doing he became their muse. By using his creativity, he impressed upon his students to be enthusiastic not only about poetry, but about life itself; living life passionately each moment as though it may be the last, because everyone’s moments are numbered. He wanted everyone to “suck the marrow out of life” or more simply put, he wanted his students to have extraordinary lives. Sometimes that means marching to a beat of a different drum. Expressing poetry while kicking a soccer ball, marching in the quad, jumping up on a desk were all techniques this teacher used to instill his students to be different.
‘Carpé diem’ or ‘seize the day’ will be a part of my vocabulary until I am “food for worms”. Since I too march to the beat of a different drum, I fell in love with Robin Williams’ portrayal of this character instantly and wished that more teachers were like him. Teachers help to shape each child and it would be a wonderful thing if they all could inspire their students instead of being bored with their job.
I have myself had a handful of inspirational teachers that remind me of this flamboyant character and I am eternally grateful to them. Miss Sabatini who had us analyze Hotel California by the Eagles in English class. To learn more about business, my 6th grade teachers instructed us to form a corporation and develop a product. We created positions for a CEO, President, VP in charge of Sales and Marketing, (played by me, by the way) etc. My 2nd grade teacher that had us not only dress up like Pilgrims and Indians, but had us actually prepare an authentic 17th century Thanksgiving Day meal. Butter has never tasted as good as it did after several students, including myself churned it for what seemed like hours. Mrs. Hastings who had us put our heads on our desk and listen to the soundtracks from Star Wars and Close Encounters of the Third Kind and create stories unrelated to the movies from simply closing our eyes and listening to the music. Professor Miller, who taught class under a tree on nice days and invited us in his home for a party to celebrate a semester well done. These teachers along with a few others have lived in my hearts for decades and remain important instruments in creating who I am today. My wish is that every teacher should desire to impress teaching in a passionate manner to their students as much as John Keating. Learning SHOULD be fun not torture!
I myself have had a lifelong interest in history. While I was in elementary school a teacher asked the class to pick a book from the bookshelf and read it over a course of a certain time, maybe a week or so. I picked out a book on Benjamin Franklin and finished it within a few hours. I was hooked for life. Most history teachers emphasize the dates which are well and good. However, over the years when I have found myself tutoring history or just talking about it with friends, I speak about a specific period as though it were a book or a movie describing the details with enthusiasm. I have often been told that I should have been their teacher and maybe then they would have enjoyed history. History IS actually fun! It is simply a tapestry of stories filled with drama, comedy, thrilling moments, and love, just like in the movies or more to the point like real life…it was real life after all.
Now Dead Poet’s Society has become part of history. Nearly twenty years have passed since the movie was first shown in theaters. The time has passed, but this movie still holds great value in today's world. I am eternally thankful to those that lent a hand in creating this film, especially Robin Williams for his brilliant interpretation of his character and inspiring many audiences, in particular me, to become more passionate in life; finding pleasure in the waves crashing on the beach, reading a book, working out or just jumping up and down with joy performing my Victory Dance. To quote John Keating, “Math and science are wonderful things, but without art, literature and poetry life wouldn’t be worth living.”
Thank you for reading and Namaste! (The Light in me recognizes the Light in you!)
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