Summary

The film Dead Poets Society (1989) directed by Peter Weir tells the story of a group of students attending the Welton Academy, who are inspired into pursuing their dreams by an unconventional English teacher, John Keating. 

The movie starts with the headmaster, Dr. Nolan, welcoming new and old pupils at the beginning of the school year and introducing the new English teacher, John Keating. Among the new pupils is Todd Anderson, whose older brother also attended Welton. Todd becomes roommates with Neil Perry, a young man who dreams of becoming an actor, but whose controlling father wants him to attend medical school. Todd also meets Neil’s group of friends: Charlie Dalton, Steven Meeks, and Knox Overstreet.

During the first English lesson, Keating takes the boys into the hallway and shows them pictures of former students. He points out the similarities between them and tells then they once shared the same hopes and dreams as they did. Keating advises the boys to seize the day while they can. Afterwards, the boys are unsettled, but they agree that it was something different from their usual lessons.

During the second lesson, Keating tells them to tear out the preface to Understanding Poetry. In Keating’s view, poetry is not meant to be an exact science and cannot be judged according to a formula. He tells the boys that poetry gives people a reason to live, that language must be enjoyed, and words and ideas can change the world. He urges the boys to make th...