Dead Poets Society
Dead Poets Society - John Keating
All teachers are an important influence on their students. In the film Dead Poets’ Society, John Keating, played by Robin Williams, is a new teacher at the rich boarding school, called Welton Academy, in the 1950s. His influence over his students is central to the movie, and viewers are positioned to respond to Mr Keating’s character. The invited reading accepts that he is an inspirational teacher who encourages his students to, “Seize the day,” and think for themselves, while the resistant reading focuses on his unorthodox teaching methods and anti-authoritative thinking, which apparently results in the death of a student. Mr Keating’s influence is evident in his main role in this movie, his inspiring, creative teaching, and his unconventional ideas which he uses to encourage his students to think differently about life.
In Dead Poets’ Society, the character of John Keating is the main role in the film’s story. The movie is about a new English teacher’s first year at Welton Academy, a prestigious North American boarding school for boys, which is based on four principles: Tradition, Honour, Discipline and Excellence. As a teacher, Keating has the power to influence his students positively or negatively. With his charismatic personality and often unconventional ideas, he is able to inspire his group of senior boys to think independently and question adult authority. Keating differs from other teachers in Welton as he shows interest in his students’ lives and gradually becomes a part of them for some boys, like Todd Anderson and Neil Perry. As a result, the boys think Mr Keating is a good teacher.
The invited reading of John Keating accepts that he is an inspiring, creative and charismatic teacher, although also unorthodox and eccentric. His style of teaching and personality separate him from the other staff at Welton Academy, who are strict, conventional and practical....
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