DEBATE : Mr Keating tells Neil that he is "not an indentured servant". Look this up and make sure you know what it means. He advises Neil to talk to his father about the play and his passion for acting. What do you think about this advice from Mr. Keating? Did he defy Neil's father by support Neil and encouraging him to standup to his father? What would you do if you were Neil? Be as realistic and honest as you can in this answer.
Read and comment on at least one other students post.
I think that Mr. Keating's advice to Neil was very supportive and obviously Mr. Keating cares about Neal and what he wants. I think that in encouraging Neil to stand up to his father, he is helping Neil to become stronger and more independent. He doesn't tell him to go behind his fathers back and act in the play anyway, which i think would have been defying Mr. Perry, he just tells him to talk to his father. However, i also think that this advice is also quite dangerous considering Mr. Perry's dominant, authoritative personality. He had been angry at Neil for just talking back about having to quit working on the year book, so he clearly expects Neil to do as he says, no questions asked. It's hard to imagine just what he would do if Neil stood up to him about the play when he has clearly put the matter to rest. I think that Neil just bringing the play up again would cause him to be angry, let alone asking his father to reconsider his decision and talking about his passion for acting. Clearly, Mr. Perry has Neils future planned out and would be extremely angry at Mr Keating for challenging that.
ReplyDeleteI honestly have no idea what i would do if i were Neil unless I was put in that situation myself. I'd like to say that i would stand up to my father, but i really can't tell you that honestly. I know I always put off conversations like that as long as possible, and considering Neil only has a day to talk to his father about the play, i think i would find it very hard to build up the courage for that. But then i also wouldn't want to let everyone on the play down by telling them i can't do it at the last minute, because it is the main role it would be very difficult to find a replacement at such short notice. So i honestly don't know what I would do, but I would want to try to talk to my father about it.
So true, I agree!! I don't know what I would do but I really hope that I will speak up if something like this happens to me..
DeleteI agree with Lucy, Mr Keating was helping neil become a more confident person by supporting him, HOWEVER, Keating had to know that, as Lucy pointed out also, Mr. Perry had already planned a whole perfect, successful future for Neil, which would not be very smart if Neil just threw away all opportunities gained by his father.
ReplyDeleteBut Neil still ISN'T a 'indentured servant', he, as well as all of us should, makes up his own future, his OWN destiny. In my opinion, Mr Keating should have advised Neil about what he COULD do and go talk to his father about his feelings, but not fill Neil's head with an idea of: "your father treats you like a indentured servant, he is a tyrant, and YOU SHOULD defy your family", antagonizing his family (not so exaggeratedly).
On the other hand, I really don't know what I would do in Neil's place in real life, probably I would do the same as Neil, not tell his father, after all, he should have been far away in Chicago, but probably I wouldn't kill myself.I truly cant be certain about it because I would NOT EVER imagine my parents like Neil's.
I agree
DeleteI agree with Lucy and Pedro. This is kind of a repeat of what they said but I think Mr. Keating did the right thing to advise him to think for himself but should have been cautious about Mr. Perry because he has set a "perfect" future for him: going to Harvard and become a doctor. Mr. Perry is a dad who has very high expectations for his son and is a very difficult person to speak against to so I think Mr Keating should have been careful about encouraging Neil to stand up against him.
ReplyDeleteIf I were Neil, I would tell them what i want to do. This might go off topic but I watched this Japanese television show about this girl who goes to a very intelligent school and is told to go to tokyo university and beome a doctor. However the girl wants to be a fashion designer and she meets this teacher who encourages her to tell her parents about what she wants to do in the future and her parents realize that they were forcing her too much and tell her to do whatever she wants and becomes a fashion designer in America. From this tv show I learned if you tell your parents what you want to do they will understand you so if I were put in this situation I would tell them I want to do whatever I want to do. And if they didn't let me, I will just ignore them, not killing myself. I would never want to commit suicide just because of my parents :P
I don't think it made sense :/
In my opinion, Mr. Keating intended well and takes account of Neil’s passion for acting. As Lucy mentioned, It was not Mr. Keating who influenced him to defy his father, he simply advised Neil to talk to his father and somehow reason with him and let Neil continue with the play. Mr. Keating being a former student of Welton should have known the limited freedom that the students had and how the parents are usually strict. Giving that type of advice for Neil to stand up to his father after Mr. Perry clearly stated that he did not want him to continue with it may seem like Mr. Keating has influenced him to defy his father. If I were Neil, I would listen to my father. He has worked very hard to get Neil into Welton and having wasting that prestigious opportunity just to follow a passion that would probably not get me anywhere would be a waste. However, after becoming a Doctor like Mr. Perry wanted Neil to be, I believe he could pursue acting as a side hobby.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Mr keatin were trying his best to help and support his very own students by suggesting what would the best him to do and this did not meant that mr Keating planning to plot him between neil and his father. However, Mr Keating should be more wise and carefull about how and what to suggested to neils that are related to his father since he knew how strict is his father is about his ambition towards his child which is after how Neils explained why he cant go to the play. This ay lead to Neils to rebels against his father or worst. If i were Neil, i would rather do what Mr Keating told me, its because i do have a right to do whats fit for my life and not ordered by my father what to do. I probably going to discuss about how i feel and tell him why i should chose my own path until he understand that my life is my own responsiblity.
ReplyDeleteSorry, i type this when i was about to sleep, no time to checks grammar and etc
Ahh where to begin? Mr Keating undoubtedly did this out of good intentions, and NEVER thought it would result in such tragedy. Mr Keating tried to help Neil to understand that in life there are times where you need to stand up for what you believe. As Lucy said and as the movie proves, he never once actually tells Neil to defy his father, instead he just encourages him to talk it out and define his passion for acting, which is more than acceptable in my opinion. Also, Neil comes to Mr Keating for advice, which he then gives, therefore how is it inappropriate? He was put in the position as a trustworthy adult, wasn't telling Neil his opinion on the situation the right thing to do? Although Mr Keating was aware of Mr Perry’s expectations for Neil’s future, he didn't encourage Neil to pursue a career in acting, or to give up any educational or beneficial activities. Likewise, Mr Perry is an incredibly strict, patriarchal man, who needs to understand that his son has his own views on how he wants to live his life. While its true that Mr Perry worked extremely hard for Neil to have opportunities as such, and given the potential he has to succeed, I understand that he would be upset if all of his expectation were to be gone against, I believe a passion as strong as Neil’s for acting should AT LEAST be given a chance.
ReplyDeleteAs pretty much everyone has said, its hard to know what you’d do in this situation without having experienced it. My parents have mostly always been open-minded and encouraging about my passions and desire to try new things. I would like to think that I would stand up for myself and fight for what I believe in, and in minor situations where my parents don't accept my decisions, I know I always argue and try to get my way or negotiate, however they are not as important as the one in the Dead Poet Society. Neil is outgoing, confident and the kind of character I would expect to stand up for himself, but as he is so terrified, I question whether I would be able to stand up to a father that strict.