The following are two sets of questions relating to the movie Dead Poets Society. Answer one of the sets of questions. The reflection rubric will be used to grade this assignment.
Set One:
Answer the following three questions in a paragraph
- Would Neil Perry still have eventually committed suicide if Mr. Keating, his English teacher, had never come into his life? Why exactly did Neil take his own life? [Note: To properly answer a questions such as these, find out why people commit suicide] Who really was to blame for Neil’s death?
- Could have Neil’s death have been prevented? Could of his classmates have prevented his suicide? [Note: To properly answer a questions such as these, find out how suicide can be prevented] Could Neil have found another way out of his predicament? Was suicide his only answer?
- With similarly screwed up parents as Neil’s, why didn’t Todd take the same way out?
Set Two:
Answer the next two questions in a paragraph
- Just before the boys are called to testify, Cameron enters the room and is forced to defend his decision. He tells his friends, “Look, in case you haven’t heard, there is a honor code at this school, alright. If the teacher asks you a question, you tell the truth or you’re expelled”. Was Cameron following natural law? Why or why not? Was Cameron demonstrating character? Explain using specific examples from the movie.
- In the initial screenplay, Todd specifically does not sign the paper at the end. In the movie, we are not told one way or the other. Did Todd sign it or not? Why or why not? What would a person of character do? Explain.
