Dead Poets Society: Themes

I feel like the central theme in Dead Poets Society is what the boys say to themselves through out the movie; carpe diem. Mr. Keating encourages the boys to seize the day and make the most of their lives. It is evident the boys take this to heart because they all find their unique way to apply carpe diem into their own lives. With Neil, he uses carpe diem as a motivator for him to follow his dreams in acting not matter what his father says about it. Charlie seizes the day by being his loud outgoing self and standing up for others and himself. Todd realizes towards the end that he must learn to seize the day and do what makes him truly happy in life. At the end of the movie he puts Mr. Keating's teachings into action when he stands on the desk and salutes Mr. Keating as he leaves Welton Academy. When analyzing the characters and the plot in Dead Poets Society it is evident that carpe diem had an affect not only on all the lives of the students, but on the faculty as well. The idea of seizing the day is a theme relevant throughout the movie and changes all of the characters for different purposes as they all attempt to achieve a sense of carpe diem.