Examples Of Individualism In Dead Poets Society

“Carpe diem. Seize the day, boys. Make your lives extraordinary” (Dead Poets Society). Seizing the day and living out of the ordinary is a Romantic and Transcendental belief. It is a lesson that Mr. Keating from Dead Poets Society taught his students. The boys in the movie took Mr. Keating’s lessons about Transcendental ideas and acted out their lives based on those ideas. The boys used the Romantic idea of passive resistance to bring themselves and others joy. The characters also practiced the Transcendental belief of individuality which brought delight to the characters. The characters in the movie Dead Poets Society acted out Romantic and Transcendental beliefs such as non-conformity and passive resistance, acting out these beliefs brought

Individuality is about starting a new path, not just following the crowd. Mr. Keating encouraged the boys not to conform and to follow their own path when he said, “Now, I want you to find your own walk right now. Your own way of striding, pacing. Any direction. Anything you want. Whether it's proud, whether it's silly, anything. Gentlemen, the courtyard is yours” (Dead Poets Society). The boys listened and once they were able to find their own walk and be individuals they were happier. The happiness was seen in the boys smiles and laughs. The movie Dead Poets Society is not the only outlet in which practicing individuality brought about a better, happier life. The importance of individuality is also seen in Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass when he wrote, “reexamine all you have been told at school or church or in any book, dismiss whatever insults your own soul; and your very flesh shall be a great poem and have the richest fluency” (Whitman). Whitman is telling his readers to think for themselves and if they do that they will be happier with the person that is left. Practicing the Romantic belief of individuality leads to a happier life, this is proven to be true in the movie Dead Poets