Part 9 of series: Hollywood and Higher Education: Teaching Worldview Thru the Stories We Live By
“No matter what anyone tells you, words and ideas can change the world.”
-Mr. Keating (Robin Williams)
by Gary David Stratton
The main characters of Dead Poets Society (1989) provide a perfect opportunity to observe, not only the remarkable skill of no less than three young actors (Ethan Hawke, Robert Sean Leonard, Josh Charles) on their way to Hollywood greatness, but also a profound illustration the various array of practice shifts involved in the worldview of Existentialism (See, Bungee-Jumping to Eternity: The Existential Angst of Dead Poets Society).
Paradigm Shifts versus Practice Shifts
A worldview is a lot like an iceberg in at least two important ways: First, only their uppermost levels are visible to the naked eye. Second, that visible tip is not even close to the most dangerous part of an iceberg or a worldview. It is that proverbial 90% lurking beneath the waterline that can sink your ship… and maybe even cost you your life.
You cannot “see” the strategies, values, or stories guiding a person or society. Unless they are reflected in actions, words, or “cultural artifacts”—art, architecture, literature, technology, institutions, etc.—ideas remain hidden under the surface. Like mounting pressure on tectonic plates, no one knows how much power is really stored up until the ground begins to shake.
Many anthropologists, therefore, make a distinction between “paradigm shifts” and “practice shifts.” A paradigm shift is a change in the unseen world of ideas of an individual or society, while a practice shift is a change in actual behavior. For instance, in Casablanca, we had no idea what a profound paradigm shift Rick was experiencing until the moment we saw his practice shift in putting Ilsa on the plane with Victor. Or in Fiddler on the Roof, it was impossible to know if Tevye had actually shifted his marriage paradigm from a business/social contract to a romantic covenant until he applied his daughters’ paradigm in his own practices by asking Golda, “Do you love me?”
The critical moment that ultimately leads Keating’s students from paradigm shift to practice shift
The relationship between invisible paradigm shifts and visible practice shifts is a critical element of all good filmmaking. Whether it is Luke Skywalker turning off his targeting computer, because he has finally put his faith in “The Force,” or George Bailey asking God to make him live again, because he has finally reinterpreted his life as “wonderful,” the clearer the connection between a main character’s paradigm shift and their practice shift, the better.
Dead Poet Society (DPS) Character Transformations
Dead Poets Society offers the unusual pleasure of following the transformation arc of multiple characters, four of who get their own complete storylines. And while their paradigm shifts are similar, their practice shifts are radically different.
While Mr. Keating implores his students that “words and ideas can change the world,” it is Knox Overstreet who gives voice to the counter-balancing truth, “I’ve got to do something!” And do something is exactly what the young DPS members set out to do.
Knox Overstreet: For the Love of Chris
For Knox Overstreet applying Mr. Keating’s worldview to his own life story begins with the inciting event of Chris Noel (Alexandra Powers) coming into his life. What begins as obligatory dinner at the home family friends—the Danbury’s—turns into the beginning of an epic adventure. The Danbury’s football star son, Chet, is dating cheerleader Chris whom Knox decides is “the most beautiful girl I have ever seen in my entire life.”
Instead of accepting the script written for him by his family and school, he invokes “Carpe Diem!” in his headlong pursuit of the girl of his dreams. The new plausibility structures of his new worldview open up the possibility of engaging in behaviors that would have been unthinkable just a few weeks earlier. He sneaks off campus to see Chris. He writes poetry about her.
Chris Noel, the Goal of Knox’s Quest
Finally, the internal pressure of his newfound love and newly expanded worldview reach a boiling point. Standing by the phone with the entire DPS watching, he rewrites his life story from the Welton/family worldview to his newly chosen existentialism in a single moment:
Knox: She’s going to hate me. The Danbury’s will hate me. My parents will kill me. (Looking at the group.) All right, God damn it. (Inserts coins.) Carpe diem!
Once committed—the “midpoint” of his story arc—there is no turning back for Knox. He kisses Chris at a party, reads her poetry at her school, and just when all hope seems lost, he wins a date and the heart of his true love.
Mr. Keating’s teaching has shifted his paradigm in such a way that his practice shifts with it. Knox rejects his Welton/family story that social structures must be followed and embraces a new story where he is free to think for himself and find his own meaning for his day-to-day existence. The ideas found in Mr. Keating’s Existentialism have serious consequences for Knox. His life is clearly changed and enriched from the experience.
Charlie Daulton: The Name is Nuwanda
Charlie Daulton’s (Gale Hansen) life story, on the other hand, isn’t so much transformed by Mr. Keating’s worldview as it is confirmed. As the film’s steadfast character, Charlie really doesn’t change much at all. He is a charming rebellious hedonist at the beginning of the film, and a charming and even more rebellious hedonist at the end. From bringing pornography, and later girls to DPS meetings, interrupting a school assembly with a phone call from God (also about girls), to painting a virility symbol on his chest and adopting the name “Nuwanda,” Mr. Keating’s Existentialism functions primarily to free Charlie to act on impulses he had previously restrained.
Mr. Keating attempts to reign in Charlie’s character with the warning: “Sucking the marrow out of life doesn’t mean choking on the bone. There’s a time for daring and there’s a time for caution, and a wise man understands which is called for.” Yet he never really succeeds in actually transforming Charlie’s girl obsessed life story.
On a more positive note, his new worldview also helps Charlie to stand against external pressure. He is perhaps the first Dead Poet to “get” Mr. Keating’s courtyard marching lesson on conformity when he tells his teacher, “I’m exercising the right not to walk.” In the end, Charlie alone is the only Dead Poet willing to endure both paddling and expulsion without ratting out his friends or betraying his teacher.
While Mr. Keating’s worldview doesn’t really change the direction of Charlie’s life, it does help strengthen his character. While not exactly a heroic character, his exposure to existentialism certainly hasn’t hurt his life.
Todd Anderson: O Captain, my Captain!
Perhaps the most moving transformation in the film is that of Todd Anderson. At the start of the film, Todd’s identity is buried so deeply in that of the Welton/Family worldview, he functions merely as a sub-plot of his older brother’s story. Something inside him is so stirred by Mr. Keating’s message that he writes “Seize the Day” in bold writing in his notebook. Then we watch as the Welton/Family story wins out and he crumbles the paper and tosses it in the wastebasket.
But Mr. Keating is not finished with Todd yet. When Todd refuses to even admit that he has written a poem to be read aloud in class, Mr. Keating steps in:
Keating: “Mr. Anderson thinks that everything inside of him is worthless and embarrassing. Isn’t that right, Todd. Isn’t that your worst fear? Well, I think you’re wrong. I think you have something inside of you that is worth a great deal.”
Visions of a sweaty-toothed madman
In perhaps the film’s most moving scene, Mr. Keating writes Walt Whitman’s adage on the blackboard—“I sound my barbaric YAWP over the rooftops of the world”—and demands that Todd YAWP! Suddenly the paradigm shift that has been lurking beneath the surface of Todd’s life breaks into the open in his “sweaty-tooth madman” speech.
Todd: Truth like-like a blanket that always leaves your feet cold… Y-You push it, stretch it, it’ll never be enough. You kick at it, beat it, it’ll never cover any of us. From the moment we enter crying t-to the moment we leave dying, it’ll just cover your face as you wail and cry and scream.
Keating: [long pause then class applauds] Don’t you forget this.
Todd never does. In the film’s final climactic scene, Todd finally finds his voice. He leads the Dead Poets in their last act of heroism.
Todd Anderson : [stands up on his desk] O Captain! My Captain!
Mr. Nolan : Sit down, Mr. Anderson! Do you hear me? Sit down! Sit down! This is your final warning, Anderson. How dare you? Do you hear me?
Knox Overstreet : [climbs up onto his desk] O Captain! My Captain!
Mr. Nolan : Mr. Overstreet, I warn you! Sit down!
[Pitts climbs onto his desk, followed by Meeks, then over half the class, one by one]
Mr. Nolan : Sit down! Sit down. All of you. I want you seated. Sit down. Leave, Mr. Keating. All of you, down. I want you seated. Do you hear me? Sit down!
John Keating : Thank you, boys. Thank you.
As the bagpipe music closes on a freeze-frame of the Dead Poets (and even non-DPS students) standing on their desks, you literally FEEL the incredible power of romantic Existentialism. Mr. Keating has freed these young men from bondage to the gravity of Physicalism and sent them soaring into the invisible world of Ideals.
Todd is the first one on his feet, er, desk, in a final DPS salute to their “Captain”
Neil Perry: Finally Finding What We Want to do
O, if that was all there was to the story. But there is another major character. And it is his story that points us to the second similarity between worldviews and icebergs—what you don’t can literally kill you. Was there something lurking just beneath the waterline of existentialism’s iceberg that ultimately led to Neil’s tragic end?
We hate Weldon Academy making Mr. Keating their public relations scapegoat, and despise Cameron for insisting:
Cameron: If it wasn’t for Mr. Keating, Neil would be cozied up in his room right now, studying his chemistry, and dreaming of being called Doctor.
But he does have a point.
For Class discussion: The Trial of Mr. Keating
Come to class ready to discuss: Who bears the greatest responsibility for Neil’s death? Mr. Keating? Mr. Nolan? Mr. Perry? Neil? And why?
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Next post in series:
The Blind Side Leading the Blind: Better Faith-Based Filmmaking through Better Stories
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See also:
Hollywood and Higher Education: Teaching Worldview Through Academy Award-winning Films
Casablanca and the Four Levels of Worldview: Why Everyone Meets at Rick’s
Fiddler on the Roof: Worldview Change and the Journey to Life-Interpreting Story
Crash goes the Worldview: Why Worldview Transformation Requires Changing Scripts
It’s a Wonderful Worldview: Frank Capra’s Theistic Masterpiece
If you Live it, They Will Come: The Blind Side and Better Faith-Based Filmmaking
There was no room for Mr. Keating’s unorthodox teaching style at Welton Academy in the 1950's. Physicalism was the only view for students of this prep school. Mr. Keating taught his students to "seize the day." The students were controlled by school, society and their parents that an Idealism worldview drove some to extreme measures. A good example of this was Neil's tragic story. Mr. Keating told his students when protesting "be wise, not stupid." There are other happy endings like Knox finding love. To me carpe diem does not mean break all rules and do whatever you please but your day is full of opportunities. To grow as individuals we must take advantage of the right opportunities what will make us happy while being conscious of others around us.
I like your view on how to apply " carpe diem " that we need to seize the opportunities that fit our worldviews and not the ones that fit others like our parents. The world is filled with opportunity to seize the day, moment, or event, but it still needs to fit into our own worldview or we may fail as we are serving two masters much like Neil.
I too like your take on Carpe Diem. I think we saw in the film that there can be a fine line between seizing and opportunity and being reckless. Nuwanda sticks out by using the phone gag and punching one of the DPS members, but others had issues with this as well. Knox kissed Chris while she was sleeping and with her boyfriend not more than ten feet away. He thought he was seizing an opportuinity, but in reality it was quite reckless.
I have never been a school teacher, but I do think that Mr Keating was somewhat responsible to Neil's death. Of course, the school was looking for a scapegoat and they found that in him. Mr Keating wanted to impart his freedom, his Carpe Diem to his students, his teaching was somewhat unorthodox, but his methods were not what got him into trouble. I think perhaps his teaching was too revolutionary for his students to fully understand. How do you go from such physicalism, home and school, to such idealism that was being taught. Mr. Keating was right when he tried to reign in Nuwanda, he realized perhaps too late that he had let the genie out of the bottle. As adults we have learned that we have to live in the physical world and yet have some dreams or ideals, otherwise life is just drudgery.
Becky,
You are right Mr. Keating's teachings were too revolutionary for the time. I see Neil as a talented young man. He wanted to make his dad happy and at the same time he wanted something different from what his father had planned for him. Mr. Keating told Neil to talk to his father about his passion for acting, his dreams and if it did not work, then to follow what his dad asked form him and once done he would be free to follow his dreams. Neil was not familiar with that approach, he tried, but did not had the strength to make his desires clear to his father ( that was not the way a son talked to his father then) Neil despite his desired to become an actor and follow his dreams will then agree to his father's wishes… He was not ready to give up on his dream rather he gave up his life.
Becky you right about Nuwanda, he required little encouragement as Charlie was well on his way to departing from the idealism of his parents. your example of the genie in the bottle reminds me of the show on TV called "I Dream of Genie". The main character Major Nelson has to be careful as he is unsure of the outcome each time he opens the bottle and let the genie out.
I agree that it was a 180 degree turn in what they had been taught up to this point of their life and once they started to practice this way of thinking they didn't know how to handle it. However, I disagree with the idea of this thinking being too revoltuionary. There were free thinkers well before the 1950s. It's just that in this setting at the Welton school along with the era these teaching methods weren't as accepted. I feel as if it is more so that the ideals that they conformed too were behind their times more so than the teachings of Mr. Keating being too revolutionary for the time.
This was a great story and really liked how Willson (Niell) played out the part. I kept thinking to myself how that would turn out in todays world in which there is always someone at fault (not that there was not a red herring scene in the movie)?
Those in positions with great influence on young mind need to be careful of tipping the iceberg, as they generally do not know the folks they are teaching/mentoring well enough to foresee the issues.
This is also one of my favorite movies and it is amazing to me the impression that this movie has had on so many people. I feel like no matter where you are in life, the concept of "carpe diem" needs to be implemented. I do understand that it is impossible for most people to quit their jobs and follow their heart, but there are other ways to implement this as a way of life.
Mr. Keating was trying to instill a sense of independence to his students and help them overcome their fears, I think that Neil would have eventually gotten to the point in his life where he would have approached suicide if he hadn't attended Mr. Keating's class. Neil's true passion would have come out eventually and his father would have the same reaction.
I agree – a shift in worldview in a society that doesn't accept it can be overwhelming and would certainly contribute to depression. But that doesn't make someone's efforts to bring out our true passion any less noble.
I especially like the quote in the movie, "And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for." by John Keather. I feel like it explains really well the role of the arts in our society. It reconizes the importance of medicine, law, business and engineering (which is the priority of the school) but in that same soul is room for writing, poetry, photography and the arts. Also emphasizes the work, life separation that I believe is important too.
Wow! Great question! "How do you really seize the day when this routine we responsibility we must bear?" What do others think?
We must pick and choose our battles, but we can also choose to throw ourselves in head first into an issue. I ve done both.
I realize that Neil's father seemed overbearing and limiting but to Ernie's point he was just trying to protect his son. Growing up in a home with little direction or structure I wished someone would have said no, this is what is best for you. I feel like it would have saved me a lot of heart ache. Granted, Neil's father took it too far, but hey, this was the 1950's.
I understand the concept of carpe diem, seizing everyday and living it like it was your last..blah blah blah. But doesn't that seem completely impossible now-a-days? Putting in 10 hour days, keeping up with a house, raising a family, carpooling, sports, cooking, cleaning. How do you really seize the day when this routine we responsibility we must bear. How do we make the most of each day in our corporate role. Is it mentoring? Kindness? Innovation?
So many of us settle for average, I feel like carpe diem is a reminder to not let life slip through the cracks. I feel like carpe diem is about cherishing the burden our routine and finding beauty in it all. Not all of us will be worldly inventors, warriors, politicians or musicians but in our own little world we can face each day with courage and love and most importantly…CHERISH it.
Was there something faulty in the Mr. Keating’s worldview itself, perhaps something that even Mr. Keating wasn’t aware of? Was there something lurking just beneath the waterline of the iceberg of existentialism that ultimately led to Neil’s tragic Titanic ending?
In my opinion, existentialism definitely has a loose footing when not rooted in some physicalism. Without a basis in the firm reality of consequences for actions, existentialists can get caught up in the subjectivity of their own ideas. I don't think this is effectively shown in the movie, even though Neil's suicide may be alluding to this notion.
The despair that can come out of a solely existentilist worldview can and is crippling. If your reality is open to your own interpretation, in essence, you are your own god/master of your own fate, and your only responsibility is to yourself and your own whims. Drawing this thought process out to its natural conclusion, one cannot but become depressed at relying solely on yourself for all the answers.
I saw Beckett's "Waiting for Godot" when I was in high school and I thought it was a very strange play. Now that I know what is was about I can see why I thought it was strange. What I remember about the play was that two guys were just "waiting for Godot". It didn't have much of a plot or story other than that. If every action or thought is just like any other action or thought and there really isn't anything else,what would be the point of life? No wonder Neil committed suicide, that is just the same as anything/nothing else. Ideas do have consequences when we act upon them.
Mr Keating inspired his students to think outside the box and be there own person. This quality is what allows humans to be who we are as individuals. Todd is a great example of a character transformation as he becomes the leader of the DPS at the end of the movie. He is no longer afraid to be an individual as many of the other students are. Neil is the ultimate extension of the search for personal freedom. Neil tries and tries again to get his father to accept what he wants to be (an actor) but his father can't change his worldview to accept Neil wants something better than his father's plan.Neil finds that suicide is the last act to his play in life and that is the only statement he can make as an individual.
Dave, you are right. Neil needed to grow and take control of his destiny. The only way he was able to take control away from his father was by killing himself. Even though Todd's character gets lost at the beginning of the movie, he is a great example of someone transforming to an Idealism worldview. Throughout the movie, we see several characters living their lives with the philosophy of carpe diem: love, self-esteem, leadership and death. What a great movie!
You are right!!
That was a great movie. Mr. Keating did made a difference in many of his students as he did with Todd, Charlie and Knox. He talked to Neil and told him what to do. He provide options for theirs lives, but ultimately the decision was on their hands.
Dave,
I like the way you describe Neil's actions his failed attempts to talk to his father and the "statement" he made was loud, but Neil’s dad had a worldview that did not allowed him to understand the reason of Neil’s suicide; unable to comprehend he blame it on Mr. Keating.
This is one of my favorite movies of all time, top 10 at least. For me, whether you believe Mr. Keating's message to his class was age appropriate or not, the message in itself was important. Having gone there himself he knew what the life of the students at wheaton was like, they way they were treated by there parents and faculty, not being able to in a sense think for themselves or doing anything for that matter if it wasn't part of their parents plan. Their school was picked for them, there classes were picked for them and in most cases there future career was picked for them. There was a reason why Mr Keating "Didn't want to be anywhere else", he wanted to show these kids that it was o.k to want things . He wanted to show the students to not be afraid to be who they really are, to allow themselves to find what they were really passionate about and go for it.
I can appreciate your love for this movie Nate.
On the flip side, I feel like I have a different perspective on this group of priveledged young men. I went to school with these guys. Their lives were indeed determined for them and it is important to grow and learn to think for themselves. But, alas, my perspective was "poor little rich kid". Maybe this is heartless and cold; I just didn't have much patience for my schoolmates who had a complete full ride to any Ivy League school of their choice and complained about how they were being pushed so hard.
My suggestion for the "Mr. Keatings of the world" is to expose these kids to 'the rest of the world' so to speak. Seize the day to better the world, not yourself. We all can get caught up in the bubble of our lives and forget that, while we feel we have no choice or option, we still have all the opportunity in the world. I think the core selfishness of Existentialism just repels me to the very extreme of this particular worldview. I can't handle it when people look inward for 'truth'.
You are right, I feel like Mr. Keating knew the state of the students being that he was a student there himself. He had a purpose for being there. He was trying to give his students a sense of individuality.