#johnkeating

I am no artist but I had to draw them...

Couldn't post this but here it is after all these days :)

To DEAD POETS SOCIETY - THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN FOR MAKING OUR LIVES EXTRAORDINARY

To 35 years of TO INDEED BE A GOD :)

Just thoughts I wanted to get out there

So Dead Poet's Society? Right? Now that I think of it was a film that came out when my dad was in his like late teens (technically he was around the same age as some of the cast). And somehow this film - made and released during their time has been one that resonated with the next generation? I am looking at the film and thinking, and I couldn't help but wonder.

I am not talking specifically about the aesthetic or anything but namely how this one film was definitely not made for my demographic. However - 35 or so years later I read a post here or come across a playlist or an edit or a series of head canons - I see how much this single film has impacted generations who came after.

I relate to this film on a very personal level (put the shipping factors aside). I remember watching scenes with Neil and I could almost recall having similar conversations in life and I had to take a step back and think as to why I wanted to block this film out for a while. I resonated with Todd as a writer but also as someone who had a very similar experience (shy - lack of confidence - but one who found their people). Other than that there were relationships within the story that made me look back at the ones I have and had and all that I am grateful for.

Also as a coming of age film I feel like it is one of the most realistic ones out there. The themes and the extremely bittersweet ending are raw and it hit me like a pile of bricks. The fact that they fell apart because of the things they loved - the heart of the group not being there made things drift apart - and those dreamers and poets who speak out are the ones to leave behind a deeply flawed system (and the cause and reason and leaving is depicted in extremely sad ways - they might give up on everything - or be kicked out for what they believed in - or carry extreme guilt for the rest of their lives) - There are those who fall in love and the ones that betray you and all of that can happen in just a few month. Things that took years to build like friendships and fellowships can crumble because of something external and all you believed in might not fix that.

(Also something weird just jog my memory if I am wrong but throughout the film these three use O Captain, My Captain - and its all in important moments - The last one to use it is Todd - Which I just think just captures his growth - he's taken up the confidence brought by two of his closest friends and a teacher who changed his life for at least a small fraction in time)

I had a few teachers in my life like Keating. They are the reason I never gave up on writing or doing things I love. They gave me reason to believe that I had something small I could put to use - I had a teacher who taught me at 14 who told me to never give up writing and another teacher who told me to continue writing poetry - another who showed to me that I should continue to fall in love with reading - another who showed me that the world was beyond the academics (as I studied classics - it was far more than that cookie cutter stereotype) - Also Keating as a teacher who actually listens - who is there to guide and help the boxes that literally hold students in uniformity

I don't know why - and how a film from the past can have such an impact on me in the 21st century - Very few films have impacted me in this manner and most of the films that have impacted me in that way were released in my lifetime. That being said I think myself lucky to have this to go back to. The film is a cathartic ritual of living, laughing in the moment and weeping and crying afterwards.

So, while writing Folklore - A Dead Poets Society Story I've begun to relisten to the album after listening to TTPD on repeat. Can I just say that I freaking love it...LIKE I KNOW IT IS NOT THE SUMMER ALBUM BUT I AM CONSUMING EVERY BUT OF IT AGAIN AND I DON'T THINK IT'S GOOD FOR MY MENTAL HEALTH. I LOVED FOLKLORE BEFORE BUT I LOVE IT EVEN MORE NOW AAAAAAA IT IS TOO GOOD, BUT IT IS NOT A SUMMER ALBUM

ANYWAYS HERE ARE SOME THINGS TO COME AROUND

Next Chapter [this week] will be loosely inspired by Epiphany. next week I hope to publish a slightly longer chapter...loosely based on an amalgamation of mirrorball???? there is going to be some lead up and yes there will be some drama...

The fic [chapter 1 and prologue] is available for reading-

Title - Folklore -A Dead Poets Society Story

MEANWHILE HERE IS A MOODBOARD FOR the upcoming SECOND CHAPTER.

Once again extremely grateful for the readership :)

None of this would've been possible without you all :)