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."