Movie Review | To the people who taught us to dream: Dead Poet’s Society by Peter Weir

I remember, throughout school, with every new Shakespeare book that was to be taught to us, the class would collectively groan, for we all assumed torture was upon us. Perhaps even today, such is the case. However, I remember my English teacher from high school, who never allowed us to fall into the pits of fear when it came to the bard but rather allowed us to find a sense of intrigue in his works, much like we were allowed to wonder what the words penned by several authors and poets really meant to us. In the name of a syllabus, it felt like we were taught the very essence of life. So when I revisited Peter Weir’s ‘Dead Poets Society’, it evoked in me an involuntary response of sorts that found me reaching out for the contact book on my phone and attempting to track down my English teacher from high school.

You see, when John Keating enters the classroom, at first glance, you expect the class to just be a simple recital- It is English after all! Looked down upon when compared to the other subjects that “pay better”, Robin Williams is a chameleon in the disguise of one of cinema’s most-loved on-screen teachers, whose presence finds the students seeking purpose. This is not a purpose for the force-fed ambition of adults, but rather, the opportunity for the seeds of thought itself to be nurtured. Water this sapling, and it will bring forth a tree of wisdom that will bear fruit all your life.

The year is 1959. The air feels much cleaner, the land much greener. In the classrooms of the much-cherished and ever-orthodox Welton Academy are ecstatic, impressionable teenagers, most of whom are born into extremely wealthy families. They are expected to not just learn, but to lead by example. There is one small problem- These leaders, they are trapped troublemakers. They seek adventure and feel like the world is within their fists. So when Professor Keating brings his unorthodox methods to Welton, it catches many by surprise, but a few find themselves intrigued. Here begins the discovery of the existence of a society that was solely dedicated to poetry, stories and to understanding the meaning of life itself. I won’t get into the narrative of Dead Poet’s Society as much, it is a kind of film that never ceases to make you smile and feel so much as it unravels.

By the end, the film not only makes you cherish friendships, but allows you to realise a deep gratitude for teachers, who in spite of all of their strictness, have the highest hopes for every single student who may cross their path. In his eyes, everyone deserves to be a freethinker, who deserves to hold their opinion. He does not judge, nor does he resort to the collective outlook of the society. Everyone should have a John Keating growing up.

With students coming and going over the years, teachers see several faces, but how often are we able to remember them? Ultimately, after much asking around and reconnecting with old classmates, I was finally able to contact my English teacher. I immediately poured my heart out over a long message, allowing her to know the impression she left on not just me, but so many other students. The power of a movie can sometimes be so very unfathomable, and it is undeniable that every time I watch ‘Dead Poet’s Society’, I will be reminded of all the people who have taught us- Be it to read, to write, strive for better or to dream