Dead Poets Society Todds Transformation

Peter Weir’s Dead Poets Society takes place in 1959 New England, in the distinguished Welton Academy, where students are expected to follow tradition and where creativity is shunned. Todd Anderson played by Ethan Hawke is a young reserved boy who is obedient to what he is told. When Mr. Keating becomes his teacher, Todd fears his technique and decides to follow authority. Over the progression of the film Todd starts to be inspired by the concept of Carpe Diem or seizing the day and applies it to the current situation.

One significant scene in the Dead Poets Society, is when Todd struggles to write a poem for Mr. Keating, and throws his first draft away before class begins. When Keating finds out, he calls up Todd to the middle of class, so he could conduct poem, feeling that Todd has potential but knows that Todd feels that he's "worthless and embarrassing." Todd is told to describe Walt Whitman, which he compares him to a "sweaty- toothed madman," and tries to continue using his imagination to create a poem. After that experience, Todd is impressed with himself and this sparks his transformation, from becoming a nothing to something.
Compared to Todd’s relationship towards the other characters, he seemed closet to Neil. Neil had taught him to be more spontaneous, and to live in the moment. When the boys are outside in the snow, Todd has a moment and blames Neil’s death his father. This scene refers back to the poem that Todd had conducted, his poem had meant that your passion for something will never be enough, no matter how much you try. So this scene, symbolizes how Todd finds his