Dead Poets Society Identity
Dead Poets Society
Parental expectations, self worth, the search for identity and the search for love are issues as old as life itself. In the film “Dead Poets Society” these four common problems experienced by youth are evident. They are shown through the lives of Neil, Todd, Charlie and Knox. Adolescents of today are still grappling with these issues. The problems between teenagers and parents may always be the same, never really changing from generation to generation.
Parental expectations are personified through Neil Perry in the film. Outwardly, he appears confident, clever, controlling and popular. Although, the more we get to know him the more we realise that he is controlled by his father. We see this when Neil wants to be …show more content…
You do as I tell you!”
As the movie progresses Neil has more encounters with his father. Neil chooses to break the grasp of his all-controlling father by defying his father, and taking up his passion in acting. Finally Mr Perry’s need for control over his son ultimately drives his boy to suicide. Whereas Neil’s life is dominated by his father, Charlie seems to be controlled by no-one. Charlie seems to be the complete opposite to Neil.
Charlie is not inhibited, nor is he ever demanded by his parents. He is impetuous, daring and extremely confident. We see this when he takes the phone into assembly and asks the principal to accept a call from God. However, this confidence is not enough. Charlie seems to want more. He is always searching for his identity. Charlie wants to be unique and a leader. He chooses the name “Nawanda”, demanding that his friends refer to him as this. The urge to be independent often takes him too far. Mr Keating reminds him to be aware of the consequences of his own actions:
“Sucking the marrow out of life doesn’t mean choking on the bone.”
Charlie’s individuality finally results in him being expelled from Welton Academy. This bravado is something foreign to …show more content…
Many young people of today are searching for confidence, self-belief and their own identity amid the continual bombardment of social expectations and stereotypes. The media today has significant impact on how adolescents are portrayed in their society, and continuously dictates what is expected of them. Today’s youth seem to find comfort in belonging to social sub-groups, which give them identity, support and a sense of connectedness. The search for love is also significant in the lives of today’s youth, as it has been in the past and will continue to be in the future. The need for a life-long partner is significant in every-one’s life. Parental expectations also continue to be a pressure impacting on our younger generation. At a stage when they are searching for their own identity and life choices, parental expectations can cause conflict and
Parental expectations, self worth, the search for identity and the search for love are issues as old as life itself. In the film “Dead Poets Society” these four common problems experienced by youth are evident. They are shown through the lives of Neil, Todd, Charlie and Knox. Adolescents of today are still grappling with these issues. The problems between teenagers and parents may always be the same, never really changing from generation to generation.
Parental expectations are personified through Neil Perry in the film. Outwardly, he appears confident, clever, controlling and popular. Although, the more we get to know him the more we realise that he is controlled by his father. We see this when Neil wants to be …show more content…
You do as I tell you!”
As the movie progresses Neil has more encounters with his father. Neil chooses to break the grasp of his all-controlling father by defying his father, and taking up his passion in acting. Finally Mr Perry’s need for control over his son ultimately drives his boy to suicide. Whereas Neil’s life is dominated by his father, Charlie seems to be controlled by no-one. Charlie seems to be the complete opposite to Neil.
Charlie is not inhibited, nor is he ever demanded by his parents. He is impetuous, daring and extremely confident. We see this when he takes the phone into assembly and asks the principal to accept a call from God. However, this confidence is not enough. Charlie seems to want more. He is always searching for his identity. Charlie wants to be unique and a leader. He chooses the name “Nawanda”, demanding that his friends refer to him as this. The urge to be independent often takes him too far. Mr Keating reminds him to be aware of the consequences of his own actions:
“Sucking the marrow out of life doesn’t mean choking on the bone.”
Charlie’s individuality finally results in him being expelled from Welton Academy. This bravado is something foreign to …show more content…
Many young people of today are searching for confidence, self-belief and their own identity amid the continual bombardment of social expectations and stereotypes. The media today has significant impact on how adolescents are portrayed in their society, and continuously dictates what is expected of them. Today’s youth seem to find comfort in belonging to social sub-groups, which give them identity, support and a sense of connectedness. The search for love is also significant in the lives of today’s youth, as it has been in the past and will continue to be in the future. The need for a life-long partner is significant in every-one’s life. Parental expectations also continue to be a pressure impacting on our younger generation. At a stage when they are searching for their own identity and life choices, parental expectations can cause conflict and