The Dead Poet's Society

The very concept and aspect brought up in Welton Academy leads to the main ideas aroused in the structure of the school and the minds of the teachers.  Mr. Keating, the new literature teacher at Welton Academy, had actually been a student himself there and stresses to all his students to "sieze the day" and be themselves, however hard that journey is.  Mr. Keating, through his lessons, shows the break from the usual old, white, strict men who teach at the school.  The structure of the change shows the viewer that the majority of society is contained under conformity, it is safe for everyone to a degree, and the few that are nonconformists are ostracized from the civil world, as Mr. Keating was at the end of the movie.  These dangers of being individuals are shown through unsuccessful efforts, in creating the Dead Poet's Society itself, and trying to grasp the true meaning of speaking out for what the individual believes in, which could be devastating unless perservered no matter what anyone says.

Unfortunately, growing up in a household full of conformists ideas can become the downfall of someone.  No one trusts anybody more than their parents, and Neil, who went to Welton Academy and created the ideas to ressurect the Dead Poet's Society, grew up with his parents ideas of him to become a doctor and be successful in that career.  These ideas inflicted on him made him feel constrained, while all along he aspired to become an actor, something he would himself be proud of.  When his father decided that he mustn't become an actor, and sending him off to a new school where he would not have such opportunities, Neil decided he had no way out.  He killed himself, and taking his own life, through death, led him to stand out from his family and drove him to die himself in every aspect.  These dangers, of being ridiculed and persecuted for being different, when it is truly who the individual is, is why conformity is so hazardous towards society, making people feel like they cannot be themselves without consequences, while conformity itself already has enough as it is.