Recall

so i have an essay that i wrote on Dead Poets Society and i wanna show you guys so here we go!

Dead Poets Society is a 1989 film directed by Peter Weir. It looks at the importance of poetry in your life and how people can help ease your anxiety.

The film is set in the 50s at an all-boys private school called Welton Academy. We are first introduced to Todd Anderson, a boy whose character arc is pivotal to the plot of the movie. He is extremely introverted and nervous in the first few scenes we see of him, and you can tell this because he is always behind the other boys both metaphorically and physically. Todd’s arc is based mainly around the importance of poetry, which helps to bring him out of his shell. This is explicitly shown in one scene when the boys have been instructed to write their own form of poetry. Mr. Keating, their English teacher tells Todd “Mr. Anderson! Don't think that I don't know that this assignment scares the hell out of you, you mole!”. Mr. Keating knows Todd’s fears around speaking in front of the class but, that doesn’t faze him, he knows that Todd will eventually feel comfortable enough to be himself in front of the boys. A few days pass and the day comes for the boys to each read a piece of their poetry. This scene is very important for both Keating and Todd because it shows the bond a teacher and student can have and the importance of poetry in the Dead Poets Society. This is shown through their scene in front of the class:

“John Keating: Close your eyes, close your eyes! Close 'em! Now, describe what you see.

Todd Anderson: Uh, I-I close my eyes.

John Keating: Yes.

Todd Anderson: Uh, and this image floats beside me.

John Keating: A sweaty-toothed madman.

Todd Anderson: A sweaty-toothed madman with a stare that pounds my brain.

John Keating: Oh, that's *excellent*! Now, give him action - make him do something!

Todd Anderson: H-His hands reach out and choke me.

John Keating: That's it! Wonderful, wonderful!

Todd Anderson: And all the time he's mumbling.

John Keating: What's he mumbling?

Todd Anderson: Mumbling truth.

John Keating: Yeah, yes.

Todd Anderson: Truth like-like a blanket that always leaves your feet cold.

John Keating: [some of the class start to laugh] Forget them, forget them! Stay with the blanket. Tell me about that blanket!

Todd Anderson: Y-Y-You push it, stretch it, it'll never be enough. You kick at it, beat it, it'll never cover any of us. From the moment we enter crying t-to the moment we leave dying, it'll just cover your face as you wail and cry and scream.

[long pause then class applauds]”

This conversation shows how Todd is growing into a more confident and talented young poet. At the start of the movie the Todd we knew would never have gotten up in front of the class to say improv poetry. But Mr. Keating’s influence and the poetry’s influence really started to help Todd come out of his shell. Mr. Keating eases Todd’s worries when the boys are laughing at him: “Forget them, forget them! Stay with the blanket. Tell me about that blanket!” Through this line it shows that Keating cares about Todd but also about the chance of greatness through the poetry he’s creating, therefore showing the importance of poetry to Todd’s character and in the context of the film. Similarly to Todd, I feel incredibly anxious when told to make speeches in front of a class or just hold a conversation with certain people. But unlike Todd, creating improv poetry wouldn’t work to make me feel comfortable in front of a class. When I get particularly anxious, I like to listen to music or draw little pictures. It gives my brain something to focus on. So similarly, to Todd, I like to create things to take my anxiety out on but we both make them in a very different manner. This has helped me teach myself how to make my feelings known in a safe, non-destructive way, just like Todd. Concerning the outside world, it isn’t just me that struggles with anxiety around people, someone is struggling everywhere. We should take these people into account and try and shift the way we think to accommodate the people that do struggle with this, not forcing them to be completely outside their comfort zone all day, every day.

Allowing people to be in their comfort zone is very beneficial to people's work ethic and mental health, but you can’t take out the challenge completely. If they feel comfortable and safe, their mind will be eased, and they will feel freer to focus on their work. Sometimes it is good to kick someone out of their comfort zone, you can jumpstart their brain and set the adrenaline running to create something extraordinary which is exactly what happened with Todd. This means that although it is good to feel comfortable you always need to have that challenge to reach your full potential as an artist, creator and human.

ロッキング・オン rockin’on　1989年3月号

Vol.18 MARCH 1989

表紙：PRINCE