Dead Poets Society
Mr. Teague Tubach
CSMH 7th Grade Humanities
Dead Poets Society tells a story about the impact of an imaginative and unorthodox teacher on
a conservative prep school for boys in the late 1950’s. This movie takes place at Welton
Academy, a fictitious private prep school in Vermont which values tradition and obedience. Todd,
a transfer student, meets his roommate, Neil, and several of Neil’s friends. Classes seem to be
dull and tedious until they meet Welton’s newest teacher, Mr. Keating. Mr. Keating, a former
Welton honors student, uses unique methods to teach his students about different concepts
including “CARPE DIEM.” After hearing of Mr. Keating’s secret Dead Poets Society, Neil, Todd,
Knox, Charlie, Cameron, Pitts, and Meeks reconvene DPS meetings. As the story continues, the
characters react to Keating’s teaching in several different ways with many varying results. These
characters begin to find themselves evaluating their lives and conditions in new ways, perhaps
influenced by the new perceptions they’ve adopted.
Characters
It is very important to become familiar with the characters in the movie as soon as possible. This
is somewhat difficult, however, because some characters look similar and the boys are usually
dressed similar. Study this list of characters before the movie.
Neil: Todd’s roommate; Neil’s father is very controlling; Neil did summer school.
Tod d: Neil’s roommate transferred to Welton; Todd’s brother was “one of school’s finest”; does
not like to speak in front of people.
Knox: brown hair; looks like Charlie; his father is a friend of the Danbury’s; he meets Kris and
falls in love.
Charlie: brown hair; looks like Knox; very outgoing; funny, blurts out. Wealthy family.
Cameron: short red hair; pleaser; very by-the-book—uses ruler when writing notes.
Pitts: brown hair and crew cut; reads the poem “To the Virgins, Make Much of Time”.
Meeks: glasses and longer red hair than Cameron; considered to be a genius.
Mr. Perry: Neil’s father; tries to control Neil.
Mr. Keating: English teacher; “seize the day”.
Chris: blond hair; Knox calls her “Mrs. Danbury”; is dating Chet.
Chet Danbury: very spoiled; jerk; is dating Chris.
Mr. Nolan: Headmaster of Welton Academy. !
D.P.S.
