Walt Whitman

     Walt Whitman is an incredible author who uses vivid imagery and enticing vocabulary in order to capture his readers and carry them through each word and phrase, as if they are living the image he is portraying. In the film, Dead Poets Society, Walt Whitman plays a major role, through both imagery and the personalities of the characters.

     Understanding Whitman’s love and fascination of young boys and men, the first influence is the use of all male characters (with the exception of Mrs. Perry, who essentially plays an insignificant role.) In addition, the use of an all-boys school adds to the implication of Whitman’s attraction to males. The second and third influences coincide with this fascination. Mr. Keating, a professor at Whelton Academy, is, in essence, the Walt Whitman of the film. Throughout the film, Mr. Keating consistently quotes many phrases and stanzas from legendary Whitman poems. He also tends to speak in the same tone and manner as Whitman writes. The works he chooses to convey his message have a poetic rhythm and a certain intellect that Walt Whitman portrays throughout his works, such as in “Song of Myself.” Another connection from Whitman to Mr. Keating is their efficient methods of conveying a literal meaning by using concrete methods. For example, in order to prove to the boys that they need to think for themselves, Mr. Keating, for starters, tells them to tear out the introduction of their poetry book. He could have simply said, “Boys, you need to think for yourselves,” but he did not. He chooses to make them do something completely irrational in order to get his point across and to give the boys a way that might make them remember his lessons. Another example of this method of teaching is when he takes the class and makes them walk in circles in the foyer of the school. His point is to show conformity. Everyone starts as an individual, such as the pace in which each boy walks or the first person to cheer the others on, yet, eventually the steps conform to one pace and eventually the rest of the group joins in the cheering. Mr. Keating uses many of these methods as part of his teaching style. Lastly, Mr. Keating represents Walt Whitman by playing the role of an English teacher who loves poetry (especially that of Whitman); not to mention he asks to be called “O’ Captain my Captain” which is one of Whitman’s most famous lines.

     The last influence of Whitman in the film Dead Poets Society is his imagery. In his poems, such as “Song of Myself,” Whitman uses incredible imagery. The descriptions he uses makes the reader feel as though he or she is living the scenes. In the film, almost every scene has vivid imagery. Two specific scenes are when the Mr. Keating and the boys are outside in the foyer practicing how to be an individual and just after the boys find out about the tragic death of Neil Perry. In the first scene, the imagery is of the bright foliage of the trees surrounding the foyer. The second image is of the frozen lake, hills and trees that the falling snow is covering with a thick, white blanket. The use of imagery in both Whitman’s poems and in the film also demonstrates his relationship with and interest of nature.

     In conclusion, Walt Whitman plays a relatively large role in the formation of the ideas behind the film, Dead Poets Society. The characters and the scenery make known the presence of Whitman in the film. The film proves just how inspirational Whitman is to everything, especially poetry and imagery. 

 

 

    

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