Dead Poets Society

Question: While Robin Williams is packing his things in his small room, he waves down out the window at whom I believe is the Latin teacher, walking along a snowy sidewalk. What is the teacher doing, exactly? It appears that he's giving a guided tour of the campus, but he's also muttering Latin words. It can't be a classroom exercise because there are only 4 or 5 people with him. Does anyone know what he's doing?

Matty Blast

Chosen answer: It is a classroom exercise. He is being followed by pupils and is reinforcing their latin vocabulary by taking them on a tour of the garden and showing them the things that the words actually relate to (edificium = building, flora = flower etc.) This contrasts with his earlier behaviour when he simply had them mindlessly recite conjugations (amamo, amamas, amabat). The point is that this illustrates how the Latin Master has been affected by his contact with Keating and has become a better teacher as a result.

Oscar Bravo

Answer: I thought it was a punishment for the pupils involved in the scandal.

Question: Just before Todd Anderson has his emotional breakdown about Neil's death, one of his friends grabs a handful of snow and shoves it at his mouth. Why did he do that? It makes no sense.

Matty Blast

Chosen answer: He is just trying to get something to help wash the taste of vomit out of Todd's mouth.

Macalou

Continuity mistake: Before going to the theatre to watch Neil's performance, the boys are grooming themselves at the school. Todd has combed his hair backwards and styling remedies has been applied. But when the group are about to leave the theatre after the play and Neil and his father passes them at the entrance, Todd has his regular hairdo again.

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John Keating: We don't read and write poetry because it's cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. 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. To quote from Whitman, "O me! O life! Of the questions of these recurring; of the endless trains of the faithless... Of cities filled with the foolish; what good amid these, O me, O life?" Answer. That you are here - that life exists, and identity; that the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. That the powerful play *goes on* and you may contribute a verse. What will your verse be?

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