Your going to medical school to be a doctor your father demands, but what if you want to create your own future? In the film, "Dead Poets Society" directed by Peter Weir, a young boy, feeling the pressure of his families conforming views, believes that suicide is his only option. The film takes place at Welton Academy, a conventional and aristocratic boys prep school, where English teacher John Keating and his unorthodox teaching methods help inspire a group of young boys to "suck out all the marrow of life." There are numerous examples of theme present including the struggle to seize the day (Carpe Diem), the struggle to not conform, and the struggle of family pressure.

     Firstly, the theme of the film, "Dead Poets Society" is the struggles the boys of Welton Academy face to seize the day. "Carpe Diem" is the message that Mr. Keating gives the boys, which is saying he wants them to get all they can out of life. When Knox Overstreet meets Chris, a girl from another nearby school, he takes advantage of his opportunity and decides to do whatever he can to try and win her over. Also Neil had a sudden self-realisation that he wanted be an actor, and ended up getting the main role in a play. Even though his parents were greatly against him doing acting, he seized the day and did what he loved. Finally, as Mr. Keating was getting exiled from Welton Academy and collecting his personal items, Todd Anderson stood up on his desk as Mr.Keating was halfway out the door after being unjustly blamed for the death of Neil, and said "Oh captain, my captain" in admiration of his former teacher. Even though Todd might have gotten expelled for disobeying his new teacher when requested to sit down, Todd thought the time was right, and that was his only opportunity to do what he felt necessary.

     Secondly, the theme of the film, "Dead Poets Society" is the struggle individuals face to not conform. When Mr. Keating does a walking exercise during his English where he told his class to walk around the courtyard. It seemed that everyone would start walking, look around how everyone else was walking, and everyone ended up walking the same way. Although it was just walking techniques, it was still difficult to not conform to the other students. As well, even though all the other students were academic focused, Neil was all about his acting, and the Dead Poets Society. Unlike Steven Meeks, who was the most academically gifted and desired to live up to his fathers dreams, Neil cared about his happiness and well being too. Finally, and example of the struggles to not conform in the film is Todd Anderson wants to be part of the Dead Poets Society dearly, but he doesn't want to read aloud in company of the other boys. After contemplating whether to join the club or not, he decides to go ahead and join, but also stand up to the boys saying the he does not feel like reading.

     The last theme of the film, "Dead Poets Society" is the struggle Neil, a confident and extroverted young man, who faces problems with his families pressure on him to become a doctor. Upon his sudden self-realisation of his admiration of the acting industry, his father quickly denies him of anything to do with his new found love. When a young, freshly inspired young man such as Neil find an interest that they are willing to dedicate themselves to, his parents should have supported his interests instead of oppose to them. Secondly, when Neil's father insists on Neil becoming a doctor with no insight on what Neil wants to do, it puts a great deal of pressure on him to make his family proud. If Neil's father just consulted with Neil, he would have found out that Neil was very unhappy. Finally, and example of the difficulties of family pressure is after Neil's father finds out that Neil has enrolled in a play, he decides to disregard Neil's feelings and sign him up for a military school. Ultimately, Neil's fathers inconsiderate actions lead to the suicide of his son.

     The main themes of the film, "Dead Poets Society" is the struggle to seize the day, the struggle to not conform and the struggle of family pressure. The film which take place at Welton Academy prep school, investigates the conflicts the young boys of the school face in there everyday circumstances. The overall message portrayed by the movie is life is what you make of it, and it you seize up every chance you have in life, you will be successful. As one smart woman once said, "We all have two lives. The one we are given and the one we create."

Homework Blues

      In a sympathetic tone I replied, "Well it all started yesterday right after school when I missed the bus. It was quite the journey from the schoolyard to my house, and my family had left early to Vancouver for my sister's soccer. I had only myself to depend on if I wanted to get home alive, and do my English homework. With the assignment you had given out clenched in my dominant hand, I commenced on my long trip."

     "Alright, so you got home easily and did your homework?" commented Mr. VanCamp.

     "Well not exactly," I responded, "I was only half way to my house when I was seized by some terrifying mutants, and dragged into the darkness of the dense brush. I felt one of their large slimy hands upon me, engraving a code deep into my chest. Another was holding a plasma gun right to my temple. With calm, and cool movements, I threw the first gigantic monster off of me, took hold of the others gun, and destroyed the aliens. After discarding the evidence of their existence, I had noticed that my English homework was missing."

     "I don't suppose you expect me to believe this ridiculous occurrence of events?"

     "Why wouldn't you? Have you not seen the brutal markings those putrid mutants have left on me?"

     "There are no markings!" Mr.VanCamp exclaimed, with a tone of nervousness present. " You just made this up. I mean this can't be real. Show me these markings you speak of!"

     As I raised my shirt, the eyes of Mr.VanCamp depressed deep into his skull. Sweat was beading from his glistening bald head and he looked at me at me and stuttered, "what happened to your skin? There are black lines scrawled across your chest."

     "They have marked me! Their species now knows my whereabouts, and they are watching. I wouldn't think that you would want me in your classroom to redo my assignment, knowing your life is in grave danger, now would you?"

     "Of course not" Mr. VanCamp whimpered, with tears of fear running from his eyes. "Just run along and I will credit you with full marks"

     "I respect your decision" I greatfully responded. As I was walking out of the class with a smirk upon my face, the persperation of my body had started to smudge the lines of sharpie I had drawn across my chest.

The Great Rescue

          After Mrs. Mitty came out of the drugstore, they climbed into their automobile, Walter fastened his seat belt, turned on the windscreen wipers and carefully pulled away from the curb. As they drove out of Waterbury he noticed the whistling wind in the dead of winter of a ferocious tornado coming his way as far as the eyes could see. In the way of the of the terror was a young African American child, who seemed to be unaware of the disasterous event that was soon to happen and he was sure to bite the dust. It was quite improbable that the tornado which was now sprinting towards the two would leave them unscathed because it would cover a lot of ground. Feeling as free as a bird Walter leaped like a frog, picked up the child and dove out of the way of terror still feeling as light as a feather. As the storm started to settle the young boy looked right into the eyes of Mr.Mitty. "Your as strong as an ox and as brave as a lion" said the young boy said. Walter Mitty was a slow as a snail to respond. "What is your name?" Walter said boisterously. "Barack Obama" the child replied in a voice as deep as the sea. Then it hit him. The older the dirt Mr.Mitty just saved the life of the president to come. Timing really is everything Walter thought to himself. Suddenly Mr.Mitty woke up naked as a jailbird in a hospital bed. Calmly Mr.Mitty asked the nurse "What has happened? Why am I in here?" She responded "During your day dream at the wheel of the car, you sent the vehicle flying off the bridge just out of town." Walter was told it was only once in a blue moon when someone survived with injuries a terrible as yours by the doctor. "Where is my wife?" he questioned with his cheeks as red as a beet. "Well she is in a coma." said the nurse. Mr.Mitty rolled over feeling as fresh as a daisy.

Auschwitz

        It was about 2:00 pm August 29th 1942 and the smell of burning flesh was looming in the dense air. I was located in block 33, where I was exiled along with hundreds of other Jews. This was Auschwitz, the network of concentration camps built and operated in the Polish areas annexed by Nazi's and made for only for the purpose of extermination. If a prisoner was physically able to work the would be put the long brutal work days but that was not the case for most. Under order of the demon, Adolf Hitler, all not able to do work would be suffocated by cyanide based pesticide or even eaten by the steaming oven. I considered myself lucky that I was still alive, because I had seen so many others like me killed for no purpose at all. There are so many times I feel like sacrificing myself, and if I could just save one other person in here, I would have made my point. We worked like slave animals, working 12 hour days even in the gloomiest weather. I hadn't seen my parents, brother, or sister in months, and I did not even know if they were still aliove. I have been here to long, seen to much and I've had enough I thought. I had thought about trying to escape since I had gotten here, but that day was my attempt. With smooth, darting motions, I made my way for the main gate. I tackled down the only security guard at the gate, pounced back up with puma like reflexes and opened the gate. Freedom I thought, until a raining of pulsating bullets impaled my skin. There must have been half of the Jews in the camp running for the door. As I lie there, several bullets inside of me, I watched the security guards appear, and rapid fire on the escaping crowd. Then a slim man with a smirk on upon his face approached me with a calm hand, grasping a pistol. Suddenly he forced the gun upon my forehead, and without pause pulled the trigger. My desperate attempt to save a few lives, ended up causing only more mayhem. The sorrow still drifts upon the Auschwitz death camps.