Symbolism+in+Dead+Poets+Society

> > flags carried are symbolic of ancient times and tradition Bagpipes are being played, which symbolize the very religious and traditional Scotsmen and Irishmen.
 * [|Film Techniques and the Use of Symbolism: Dead Poets Society]
 * ** The Four Pillars of Welton Academy
 * One candle burning at the beginning of the movie
 * The passing of the candle’s flame from one student to another
 * The crown Neil wears
 * Shots of birds flying
 * The open window
 * The open window
 * Four Pillars of Welton Academy
 * one candle burning at the beginning of the movie
 * the passing of the candle’s flame from one student to another
 * crown of thorns
 * snow
 * open window
 * vomit in the snow The snow is pure and white: it represents innocence. The vomit represents the loss of innocence
 * candle being lit symbolizes knowledge, which is backed up by the boys' school uniform. The darkness of the room is also symbolic of the boys' unhappiness. The candle may also be symbolic of the light to guide them out of their misery, which is Mr. Keating, who appears in the following scene, which incorporates symbolic, technical and audio codes to establish setting and characters. **

"The symbolic frame focuses on how humans make sense of the chaotic, ambiguous world in which they live" (Bolman & Deal, 2008, p. 248). Symbols defined in the film include:

**Myths:**
 * **//Four Pillar//****//s Banner//** //(//Tradition, Honor, Discipline and Excellence) – Characterizes the value of Welton Academy.
 * //**The myth of the existence of the former Dead Poets Society -**// becames a symbol of resistance and freedom for the students

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 20px;">**Vision:**
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 20px;">**//Single Candle//** - the "light of knowledge" representing the image of the future.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 20px;">**//Keating standing on desk//** – The vision offers a mental picture for the students to look at things a different way by linking historical and core precepts to future events (p. 255).

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 20px;">**Values:**
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 20px;">**//Photographs of past students//** – Demonstrates legacy, history, tradition to create a shared vision to illuminate new possibilities surrounding the myths and values - “seize the day” (p. 255).
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 20px;">**//Reading first pages of poetry book//** (preferred traditional method of teaching) - Discipline in learning the foundation of understanding poetry.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 20px;">**Heroes and Heroines:**
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 20px;">**//Ripping out first pages of poetry book//** (unorthodox method of teaching) - Keating encouraging students to think and appreciate poetry for themselves.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 20px;">**//Students standing on the desk//** - Represents unity of the students’, thinking for themselves and support of Mr. Keating.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 20px;">**//Neal’s participation in play//** – Courage to realize his dream in acting without the support of parents.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 20px;">**Stories, Fairy Tales, and Rituals:**
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 20px;">**//The Indian Cave//** - Served as a private place for Dead Poet Society to congregate to eat, smokes, tell stories and read poetry.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 20px;">//**Todd Anderson’s verbal poem**// where he describes the blanket as never being enough (Todd feeling he can never please his parents) - represents Todd’s ritual of initiation and fusing into the student group of Keating supporters

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 20px;">**Ceremony**:
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 20px;">**//Opening day of school//** - The head master marching students in with banner and single candle established order, clarity and predictability to reassure and convey message to parents, teachers, administrators and board members.
 * <span style="font-family: 'times new roman',times,serif; font-size: 20px;">**//Crown on Neal's head//**- Represents his suicide, his reality, a time of transition.
 * <span style="font-family: 'times new roman',times,serif; font-size: 20px;">//**Todd Anderson signing the paper condemning Keating with his parents present represents a type of ceremony each of the students endured**// -symbolizing the underlying theme that the students were always pressured to conform to their parents’ wishes

http://groupfilm.wikispaces.com/SYMBOLIC+ANALYSIS


 * 1) **<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">School uniforms, the original Four Pillars (tradition, discipline, honor, excellence) **
 * 2) <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Reinforcement of tradition/domination/conformity


 * 1) **<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">The candle-lighting ceremony at the beginning of the film **
 * 2) <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Irony – the boys will learn, but not how they expect to learn


 * 1) **<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Neil’s crown of thorns **
 * 2) <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Martyrdom – not always brave or heroic
 * 3) <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">His true self – he leaves the crown on the windowsill before committing suicide; he is leaving behind the man he cannot be


 * 1) **<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Todd’s birthday desk set **
 * 2) <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Conformity/lack of personal understanding
 * 3) <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Freedom when thrown/breaking free of that mindset


 * 1) **<span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Standing on the desks **
 * 2) <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Ultimate act of defiance to tradition (it means they will be expelled)
 * 3) <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Non – conformity?
 * 4) <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Respect for everything that Mr. Keating has taught them/helped them teach themselves