sociological perspective of the movie "dead poets society"
TRANSCRIPT
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1 TABLE OF CONTENTS
2 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 3
3 Summary: ........................................................................................................................................ 3
4 Narration: ........................................................................................................................................ 4
5 Sociological Perspective of the movie ............................................................................................ 5
5.1 Durkheim Suicide ................................................................................................................... 5
5.2 Strain Theory .......................................................................................................................... 5
5.3 Symbolic Interactionism: ........................................................................................................ 6
5.4 Looking-glass self-Analysis:................................................................................................... 6
5.5 Dramaturgical Analysis: ......................................................................................................... 6
5.6 Labelling Theory ..................................................................................................................... 7
5.7 Social Control Theory ............................................................................................................. 7
5.8 Ethnomethodology: ................................................................................................................. 8
5.9 Social Learning theory: ........................................................................................................... 8
5.10 Conflict Theory: ...................................................................................................................... 8
5.11 Reinforcement Theory: ........................................................................................................... 8
5.12 Functionalist Perspective: ....................................................................................................... 9
6 Conclusion & Recommendation ..................................................................................................... 9
7 references ...................................................................................................................................... 10
8 Appendix i: ................................................................................................................................... 11
8.1 Labelling theory: ................................................................................................................... 11
9 Appendix ii: .................................................................................................................................. 12
9.1 Dramaturgy ........................................................................................................................... 12
10 Appendix III .............................................................................................................................. 15
10.1 Social Learning Theory:........................................................................................................ 15
10.2 Social Learning Theory and Dead Poets Society: ................................................................. 16
11 Appendix IV .............................................................................................................................. 18
11.1 Conflict Theory: .................................................................................................................... 18
11.2 Power Conflict: ..................................................................................................................... 18
11.3 Power Conflict in Dead Poets Society: ................................................................................. 18
11.4 Conflict between Realism and Idealism: .............................................................................. 22
12 Appendix V ............................................................................................................................... 22
12.1 Symbolic Interaction Theorey: .............................................................................................. 22
12.2 Charles Horton Cooley (1864–1929): ................................................................................... 23
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12.3 George Herbert Mead (1863–1931): ..................................................................................... 23
12.4 Herbert George Blumer :....................................................................................................... 24
13 Appendix VI: ............................................................................................................................ 25
13.1 Carpie diem: .......................................................................................................................... 25
14 Appendix VII: ........................................................................................................................... 25
14.1 Various Lectures: .................................................................................................................. 25
15 Appendix VIII: .......................................................................................................................... 26
16 Appendix IX: ............................................................................................................................ 26
17 Appendix X: .............................................................................................................................. 27
18 Appendix XI .............................................................................................................................. 28
18.1 Strain theory .......................................................................................................................... 28
19 Appendix XII ............................................................................................................................ 30
19.1 Suicide................................................................................................................................... 30
20 Appendix XIII ........................................................................................................................... 33
20.1 Social Control Theory ........................................................................................................... 33
20.2 Social Control Theory and Dead Poet Society:..................................................................... 34
21 Appendix XIV ........................................................................................................................... 34
21.1 Ethnomethodology ................................................................................................................ 34
21.2 Ethnomethodology and Dead poet society:........................................................................... 35
22 Appendix VI .............................................................................................................................. 36
23 Appendix VII ............................................................................................................................ 37
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Dead Poets Society
2 INTRODUCTION
Our project is based on Tom Schulman’s screenplay “Dead Poets Society”. Our primary
object is analyzing social aspects of a character-Neil Perry’s suicide. We are also focused on
studying Conformity and later deviance as observed in the play, and how these concepts add
to the stability of society and maintaining Social order. School as social institute is also
centric in our project.
3 SUMMARY:
Welton is a renowned boarding school famous for its century old legacy of producing
successful graduates and its tradition and norms. On the very inauguration ceremony students
are read the School’s traditions, norms, discipline and expected behavior from pupils.
Students in one “aye” conform to uphold all the expectations. Neil Perry is one of major
character, a bright student and son of a strict father Mr. Perry who plans his life and imposes
all his decisions. Neil Perry’s roommate Todd Anderson is painfully shy and lacks confidence.
Too many expectations from Todd have killed all his confidence. Neil is supposed to end in a
medical school, suppressing his passion of acting; his father makes him drop extracurricular
activities.
John Keating, a new replacement for English teacher is an honor graduate of Walton. He is
against the tradional conservative teaching methodology of Walton and introduces new
progressive teaching methodology; he wants students to give up conformist way of blindly
following Walton’s norms and rather follow their own hearts to make their lives count.
Meanwhile students discovers about an old Dead poets Society and that John Keating was
one of its founders, upon knowing society was about understanding poetry and narrating
poetry, they repeatedly bunk hostel in midnights to gather and renew the society. This is
where they deviate from school norms, and gain control of their lives. Charles Dalton
publishes an article in school annual asking for co-education, Knox proposes his girl, Todd
fights his shyness, and Neil against his father’s directive participates in Play. Mr. Perry pulls
is outraged with anger and pulls him of school to admit him in Military School. Neil Perry
couldn’t absorb it anymore and commits society. Meanwhile John Keating is expelled out of
school.
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4 NARRATION:
Today is opening ceremony of Welton School. All students learn the college code.
That’s is tradition, honor, discipline, excellence.
Mr. Keats is also introduced in this function as a new teacher for English.
Everyone is allotted their rooms. Neil finds Todd as his roommate.
Next day they first meet Keating at the class, they are all amazed at his unorthodox
teaching methods. Mr. Keating during his first lecture introduces the term “Carpe
Diem “.
At the library journal students find the diary of Mr. Keating and comes to know about
DPS.
The next day Keating tells them about DPS and Neil resurge it by organizing meetings.
As the school year progresses, Keating's lessons and their involvement with the club
encourage them to live their lives on their own terms
Knox pursues Chris Noel, a girl who is dating a football player and whose family is
friends with his family.
Keating also helps Todd come out of his shell and realize his potential when he takes
him through an exercise in self-expression.
Neil discovers his love of acting and gets the lead in a local production of A
Midsummer Night's Dream, despite the fact that his domineering father wants him to
go to medical school.
Neil was happy doing Shakespeare drama “MID NIGHT SUMMER”.
Knox: “I have been calm throughout my life. Now it is time to do something”. “Carpe
diem, even if it kills me”. He kisses a girl.
Charlie publishes an article in the name of dead poets society, which demands girls to
be admitted in Welton. He faces punishment.
Neil's father discovers Neil's involvement in the play and tells him to quit on the eve
of the opening performance
Devastated, Neil goes to Keating, who advises him to stand his ground and prove to
his father that his love of acting
Neil lies and says that his father will let him pursue an acting career provided that he
keeps up with his schoolwork
He discovers he is wrong when his father unexpectedly shows up at the performance.
He takes him home and tells him he is forcing him into military school
At home Neil try to convince his father to allow him to become an actor, But his
father with his usual angry attitude override his idea. At the end Neil finishes the
conversation by saying
“Yes Sir”.
That night, Neil commits suicide in his father's office.
Nolan begins an investigation into Neil's death, at the request of the Perry family.
Cameron goes to him, blames Neil's death on Keating to escape punishment for his
own participation in the Dead Poets Society
Each of the boys is called to Nolan's office to sign a letter attesting to the truth of
Cameron's allegations, even though they know they are false.
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At the end Keating interrupts the class for collecting some personal items. Todd first
stands up on the desk and says “O captain-my Captain”
5 SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE OF THE MOVIE
5.1 DURKHEIM SUICIDE Emile Durkheim (1858-1917) stated that suicide is not an individual act; it is a social act. It is
shaped by society or it has effects on society. It can be Altruistic suicide (for community),
Anomic (Insufficient regulation), Egoistic (Insufficient integration), Fatalistic (excess
regulation).
In this movie, initially Neil was a conforming to his father’s instructions. Keating teaching
induces in him wish to control his own life. But the tragic end of the story was that the very
full of life Neil Perry just shot himself. It was fatalistic suicide where Neil experiences
excessive regulation of work which he don’t like and pervasive oppression of father. He
wants to be an actor, and his passion was choked by father oppression. Neil’s father was
controlling his life and he doomed himself to be a slave. It was his attempt at controlling his
own life. Researcher analyzed other aspects of Neil’s suicide which involves anomic and
egoistic suicide (Durkheim typology). He was feeling guilt that he was misguided and strain
from father shows anomic suicidal behavior. Also he commits suicide due to his
disappointment and dissatisfaction from familial bonds. It has egoistic suicide perspective
because of his low social interaction with father. This way he was unable to convince his
father. His father strict behavior pitilessly blocks the possibilities of future so he had no hope.
So he commits a suicide.
5.2 STRAIN THEORY Strain theory states that social structures within society may pressure citizens to commit
crime. Merton (1938) stated that Crime breeds in the imbalance between aspirations for
success and possibilities of achievement.
In this movie, Neil Perry was a rebellion. Neil Perry had a passion to be an actor, as he says
“I know what I want to do. I want to be an actor”, but his father suppresses his passion. He
commits suicide because of this strain applied to him. He sets a new goal which is controlling
his own life by sacrificing his life. He sees his cause of controlling his life and to get relief of
this pain is more valuable (carpe diem), than his life. John Keating was another character, a
rebellion. He was English professor, uses unorthodox methods to stress the idea of "seizing
the day". This concept especially effects Neil Perry in all of his students. He want to be an
actor, but the pressures to succeed placed on Neil by his parents and society prevent him from
exploring his own individuality. Perry warned him to leave extra-curricular or he will be sent
to a military school. Perry says to Neil, “Until you graduate, follow my instruction”. Strain
theory associated with low social control (low familial bonds) applied on Neil carry. In the
end, he commits suicide because of this strain, and to take control of his own life.
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5.3 SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONISM: Symbolic interactionism [Appendix V] is a theoretical perspective, in which society is
viewed as composed of symbols that people use to establish meanings, develop their views of
the world, and communicate with one another.
Mr. Keating character was totally based on symbolic interactionism. His all messages
converged to one point i-e “Don’t care about future because future is now”. On his very first
day,he introduced a term ‘Crappie diem’ (seize the day) [Appendix VI]. He in his various
lectures [Appendix VII] compelled the students to torn pages from their books (self-
expressing), to stand on their desk (look things in different way), to walk in their own style
(creativity) and to believe in themselves that they can do everything.
Actually he was changing the attitude of students towards their lives. He was to say that
living a life in its pure form is more important than to equip it for future. He conveyed the
message that our usual practices and social pressures, kills our inner self and we lose our own
identities. To impose norms on ourselves is wrong practice because a single idea can’t change
the fate of human life and to live a life in its actual form is its charm. Every person must
represent himself as he actually is and this simple thing can make our life extra ordinary. We
are free to live and feel the purity of our lives. [Appendix VIII]
5.4 LOOKING-GLASS SELF-ANALYSIS: The looking-glass self [Appendix IX] is a social psychological concept, stating that a person's
self grows out of society's interpersonal interactions and the perceptions of others.
The story ‘Dead poets society’, is a big picture of looking-glass self-theory and teaches us
that how to plan our lives in a way that we can live our own lives in a true manner.
Almost all of the students in Welton School were shaping their self-concepts based on their
understanding of how others were perceiving them. They were conforming to how they think
others were thinking of them to be. And it is quite difficult or arguably impossible, to act
differently from how a person is being perceived. In fact they were imposing this thing on
themselves to an extent that they actually were losing the beauties and charm of their lives.
They were not able to live freely their and were not contributing to actual charm of life.
Then Mr. Keating came in as a teacher and he proposed the set of solution to this problem by
his orthodox way of teaching. He showed the students, the difference between actual life and
equipped life. He told them to live their lives on their own conditions and do not let others to
drive their life. Because the thing that matters is that how you live your life not how people
thinks of you, to live your life. Also the words and norms don’t matter because one good idea
can change a wrong perception and thus whole world. [Appendix X]
5.5 DRAMATURGICAL ANALYSIS: According to Erving Goffman (1922-1982), the social life should be analyzed as a drama or
stage. A person have two faces one is when he confronts audience (front stage) and another
when he is alone (back stage). Most of the times at back stage, persons prepares himself for
the front stage. [APENDIX II]
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I think Neil character was static, meaning that he never changed. Just by considering his
suicide, doesn’t mean he changed at the end. Neil life was an act-to his father, to his teacher
Keating and even to himself. He wasn’t the type of person that he was acting of. Neil in
himself was an actor and he always wanted to perform on stage. Neil was as lost as Todd
when he first came to Welton. Neil took different role just to fit the circumstances. He never
was upfront and honest about his passions to anyone. He even lied to Keating about his father
giving him permission to act because he knew that Keating would disapprove if he knew
Neil’s father wouldn’t allow it. In one of the scenes he says “Think about it, most people, if
they’re lucky, get to lead half an exciting life, right? If I get the parts I could live dozens of
great lives.” That means he could express his emotions given the right audience but he acted
completely differently while confronting his father. [Appendix I]
5.6 LABELLING THEORY This theory describes how the self or personality may be discovered or influenced by the
terms people use to classify individuals. Labelling has a very strong effect on the
development of a person, thus channeling their behavior into either deviance or conformity.
Most of the people will try to resist negative labelling, like no one wants to be called a
“whore”. [Appendix II]
Labels can have a very strong impact on individual. If we consider Neil character he was
labelled as a doctor and studious person by his father. Neil had such a strong impact of these
labels that it changed him completely, although he wanted to be an actor but he had to live up
to the expectation of the label. People usually accepts labels due to the need of acceptance by
the society. The story goes on while Neil constantly fights with his inner self and his label
expectations. At the end when he fails to live up to his label, Neil gives up on his life and
commits suicide.
In the story we also see that Neil’s teacher Mr. Keating also labels him with an actor. This
label constantly reminds him of his desire to become a professional actor. In the end he is a
confused person who would rather kill himself than live this life of a loser. [Appendix II]
5.7 SOCIAL CONTROL THEORY Social control is the study of the mechanisms, in the form of patterns of pressure, through
which society maintains social order and cohesion. [Appendix XIII]
Certain doze of pressure tactics are necessary to keep society in order. Discipline and
traditions installed in Welton keeps school in order and keeps the legacy of producing
successful graduates. When John Keating inspire students to stop being conformists and
break installed norms to follow their own legends, school order is shattered, students start
bunking hostel, later on, another student commits suicide. To keep school (mini society) in
order, school administration pressurize students to sign application against John Keating and
expel him out of school.
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5.8 ETHNOMETHODOLOGY: A technique for studying human interaction by deliberately disrupting social norms and
observing how individuals attempt to restore normalcy.[Appendix XIV]
People behave in accordance to the assumed background. Any unexpected behavior in
accordance to the assumed background shocks. John Keating enters the class, whistling.
Being teacher; students do not expect such behavior and shocked. Then again, when John
Keating asks them to rip out the “understanding poetry” pages from text book, they find it
very strange.
5.9 SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY: Learning is a cognitive process that takes place in a social context and can occur purely
through observation or direct instruction, even in the absence of motor reproduction or direct
reinforcement. Albert Bandura (1977) [Appendix III]
School is a basic social learning institute. Dead poet society is centered in a boarding school.
Their behavior is shaped with strict rules and enforced tradition. One teacher, John Keating
engages students in different learning environment, with a unique teaching methodology,
without any enforcement he changes them completely. The once conformist students with
soft poetry and practical learning are made to follow their own hearts and minds against all
the expectations of society and installed tradition
5.10 CONFLICT THEORY: Social conflict theory views society as an arena of inequality that generates conflict and
social change. Karl Marx (1818–1883)[Appendix V]
Power and powerlessness is the heart of conflict theory, an unbalanced distribution of power
oppresses the minor and ultimately society collapses or end in disorder. The relation between
Mr. Perry and his son Neil Perry is of Power grit and powerless minor. Throughout the story
Neil Perry addresses his father as Sir; he is scolded every time he disputes his father. His say
is never listened, Mr. Perry plans all his life and impose all his decision. In the end the
unbalanced distribution of power pushes Neil Perry to extreme step, taking his own life,
ending things in disaster.
5.11 REINFORCEMENT THEORY: Reinforcement Theory proposes that social behavior is governed by external events (events
outside the human psyche)
Reinforcement theory applies on Neil, his father repeatedly refrain him from what he do in
extracurricular activities. The scene of their second meeting reflects the reinforcement from
his father. The father considers his involvement in extracurricular activities a Deviance. He
conforms to his father by leaving all the societies in college. Neil, then again shows deviance
after motivation from his teacher, John Keating. He decides to follow his ways and say ‘I will
go to the act whatever my father thinks’. He conforms to his teacher John. The deviance is in
the eye of the beholder, even though he tires to follow his legend and want to act, but his
father stubborn behavior leds him to lose all his courage and commits suicide in the end.
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annual, the very dear post of assistant editor which means a lot to him, he conforms and drops
it.
John Keating, the teacher inspires him and the class to give up being conformists and pursue
their own dreams no matter it collide societies expectations or manmade norms. Of many
inspired students Neil Perry is one; he deviates from the school’s imposed restrictions and
along with his friends bunks hostel for renewal of dead poets society; he stops accepting all
his father’s imposed restriction and against his father’s directive participate in annual Play.
The deviated behavior of students has consequences, both positive and negative.
5.12 FUNCTIONALIST PERSPECTIVE: Social conflict theory views society as an arena of inequality that generates conflict and
social change. (Karl Marx (1818–1883)) [Appendix VII]
Power and powerlessness is the heart of conflict theory, an unbalanced distribution of power
oppresses the minor and ultimately society collapses or end in disorder. The relation between
Mr. Perry and his son Neil Perry is of Power grit and powerless minor. Throughout the story
Neil Perry addresses his father as Sir; he is scolded every time he disputes his father. His say
is never listened, Mr. Perry plans all his life and impose all his decision. In the end the
unbalanced distribution of power pushes Neil Perry to extreme step, taking his own life,
ending things in disaster.
6 CONCLUSION & RECOMMENDATION
On the basis of the sociological study by the researchers, the following recommendations are
made:
This event serves as a reminder that authority should always act as a guide, never as
an absolute power, as in Neil’s unfortunate situation.
Also a sudden change in a society must be avoided, as human mind can’t bear this and
as result something unexpected happens as in Neil’s case.
The students should be allow in choosing their priorities during their schooling.
The extracurricular activities must be given a specific grade in the overall results.
The social institutions like schools must do its function in way which conforms
student’s legend.
The parents/ guardians of the students must be counseled about their dealings with
them.
Every person should be allowed to follow his personal legend, irrespective of the
social pressure and reinforcements.
The Deviance should be treated in a kind way, not in a way that may led to a disorder
like suicides
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7 REFERENCES
Agnew, Robert, Francis T. Cullen and Velmer S. Burton Jr. (1996). A new
test of classic strain theory. Justice Quarterly, 13(4), 681−704.
James M. Henslin. Essentials of Sociology, A Down-to Earth Approach,
11E-
Margaret L. Andersen and Howard F. Taylor. Sociology The Essentials,
7th Edition
James M. Henslin. (2011). Label Theory. Essentials of Sociology. 11 (1),
164-165
Cardullo, Bert. What is Dramaturgy? New York: Peter Lang Publishing,
2005. p. 4.
Tannenbaum, F. 1938. Crime and Community. London and New York:
Columbia University Press
Paris, J (June 2002). "Chronic suicidality among patients with borderline
personality disorder". Psychiatric services (Washington, D.C.) 53 (6):
738–42
Emile Durkheim. (1896). Durkheim’s Study of Suicide. Le Suicide. 1 (1), 1-
4.
KEVIN J.H. DETTMAR. (2014). Dead Poets Society Is a Terrible Defense
of the Humanities. Atlantic. 1 (1), 1-5.
Fifty Key Sociologists: the Formative Theorists, John Scott Irving, 2007,
pg 59
Herman-Kinney Nancy J., Reynolds, Larry T. (2003). Handbook of
Symbolic Interactionism. New York: AltaMira.
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8 APPENDIX I:
8.1 LABELLING THEORY: This is what labeling theory focuses on: the significance of reputations, how reputations or
labels help set us on paths that propel us into deviance or divert us away from it.
Rejecting Labels: How People Neutralize
Deviance. Not many of us want to be called
“whore,” “pervert,” or “cheat.” We resist
negative labels, even lesser ones than these
that others might try to pin on us. Did you
know that some people are so successful at
rejecting labels that even though they beat
people up and vandalize property, they
consider themselves to be conforming
members of society? How do they do it?
Sociologists Gresham Sykes and David Matza (1957/1988) studied boys like this. They found
that the boys used five techniques of neutralization to deflect society’s norms.
James M. Henslin. (2011). Label Theory. Essentials of Sociology. 11 (1), 164-165
How do labels work? How labels work is
complicated because it involves the self-
concept and reactions that vary from one
individual to another. To analyze this process
would require a book. Here, let’s just note
that unlike its meaning in sociology, in
everyday life the term deviant is emotionally
charged with a negative judgment. The labels
can challenge a person personality and can
make his life miserable. There is a great
chance that the person starts playing the role
of the label
In Sum: Symbolic interactionist examine how people’s definitions of the situation underlie
their deviating from or conforming to social norms. They focus on group membership
(differential association), how people balance pressures to conform and to deviate (control
theory), and the significance of people’s
reputations (labeling theory).
There is a great chance that the way
society treat a person, he/she starts playing
the part.
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9 APPENDIX II:
9.1 DRAMATURGY Sociologist Erving Goffman (1922–1982) added a new twist to microsociology when he
recast the theatrical term dramaturgy into a sociological term. Goffman (1959/1999) used the
term to mean that social life is like a drama or a stage play: Birth ushers us onto the stage of
everyday life, and our socialization consists of learning to perform on that stage. The self that
we studied in the previous chapter lies at the center of our performances. We have ideas
about how we want others to think of us, and we use our roles in everyday life to
communicate these ideas. Goffman called our efforts to manage the impressions that others
receive of us impression management.
From the above picture:
we can see that when behind the stage Neil Perry can express himself. He knows what he wants
to be. Given the right type of audience he started acting completely differently.
Neil tells Keating that he has been a slave to his father who plans about his future, his teacher
tells him to tell the same to his father. There might be a chance that his father accepts what he
wants to be but Neil rejects the idea saying that he cannot do it I-e “I can’t talk to him this way”.
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This is the second picture where he confronts his father right after his teacher convinces him
to open up to his father and express your deeper emotions.
As we can see he slightly tried to prove the gravity of his performance in the first line when
he tells his father about the show and his role.
His father with his usual attitude tells him that it means nothing in front of what he was
dreaming for Neil. When his father commands him to quit playing the role. Neil with a little
hesitation accepts it by saying “yes sir”. His father adds a little more weight into his argument
by making him realize all the sacrifices (mostly economical) he has made for Neil.
Presentation of the Self
Do you act differently in front of your boss than your best friends? Your coworkers compared
to your children? What about your posts on Facebook? Goffman argued that we put on
different performances based on who our audience is.
The presentation of the self is a person's efforts to create specific impressions in the minds
of others. This process, sometimes called impression management, begins with the
performances we carry out each day. Our performances might include the way we dress (our
costume), the objects we carry or use (our props), and our tone of voice and gestures. We
might also vary our performances based on where we are (the set). Most people would act
differently in a church than a local bar or restaurant. People also design their own homes and
offices to bring about a desired impression or reaction in others.
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Impression Management
Central to Goffman's theory is the notion of impression management. In this, he argues that
all social situations with two or more people involve attempting to persuade others of
your definition of the situation. If, for example, you are buying a new car, the salesperson
will attempt to convince you that you need to have a pricier vehicle because you are a
deserving person who works hard. You are trying to construct a definition that suggests that
while you appreciate the added perks of a pricier vehicle, you also have financial
considerations to take into account. It becomes a struggle over who is more convincing of
their definition of that particular situation.
James M. Henslin. (2011). Label Theory. Essentials of Sociology. 11 (1), 115-116
Stages: Everyday life, said Goffman, involves playing our assigned roles. We have front
stages on which to perform them, as did Jennifer and Jeffrey. (By the way, Daniel Mackey
didn’t really die—he had just fainted.) But we don’t have to look at weddings to find front
stages. Everyday life is filled with them. Where your teacher lectures is a front stage. If your
parents are in a very good mood you can go to them and ask for a favor, but however we try
to avoid them when they are in angry mood.
A front stage is wherever you deliver your lines. We also have back stages, places where we
can retreat and let our hair down. When we enter the bathroom and close the door we reach
our back stage.
The same setting can serve as both a back and a front stage. For Example when we enter our
Car we are free to do anything, you are using the car as a back
Stage. But when you wave at friends or if you give that familiar gesture to someone who has
just cut in front of you in traffic, you are using your car as a
front.
Becoming the Roles We Play:
Have you ever noticed how some
clothing simply doesn’t “feel”
right for certain occasions?
Have you ever changed your
mind about something
you were wearing and
decided to change
your clothing? Or
maybe you just
switched shirts or added a necklace?
What you were doing was fine-
tuning the impressions you
wanted to make. Ordinarily, we are
not this aware that we’re working on impressions, but
sometimes we are, especially those “first impressions”—the first day in college, a job
interview, visiting the parents of our loved one for the first time, and so on. Usually we are so
used to the roles we play in everyday life that we tend to think we are “just doing” things, not
that we are actors on a stage who manage impressions. Yet every time we dress for school, or
for any other activity, we are preparing for impression management.
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A fascinating characteristic of roles is that we tend to become the roles we play. That is, roles
become incorporated into our self-concept, especially roles for which we prepare long and
hard and that become part of our everyday lives.
Helen Ebaugh (1988) experienced this firsthand when she quit being a nun to become a
sociologist. With her own heightened awareness of role exit, she interviewed people who had
left marriages, police work, the military, medicine, and religious vocations. Just as she had
experienced, the role had become intertwined so extensively with the individual’s self-
concept that leaving it threatened the person’s identity. The question these people struggled
with was “Who am I, now that I am not a nun (or wife, police officer, colonel, physician, and
so on)?”
10 APPENDIX III
10.1 SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY: (Bandura, Albert (1963). Social learning and personality development. New York: Holt,
Rinehart, and Winston.)
The social learning theory emphasizes the importance of observing and modeling the
behaviors, attitudes, and emotional reactions of others. Thus it focuses on learning by
observation and modeling. The theory originally evolved from behaviorism but now includes
many of the ideas that cognitivists also hold; as a result it is sometimes called social cognitive
learning.
Social learning theory talks about how both environmental and cognitive factors interact to
influence human learning and behavior. It focuses on the learning that occurs within a social
context. It considers that people learn from one another, including such concepts as
observational learning, imitation, and modeling (Abbott, 2007).
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Social Learning Theory
(http://www.southalabama.edu/oll/mobile/theory_workbook/social_learning_theory.htm)
Key tenets of social learning theory are as follows.
Learning is not purely behavioral; rather, it is a cognitive process that takes place in a
social context.
Learning can occur by observing a behavior and by observing the consequences of the
behavior (vicarious reinforcement).
Learning involves observation, extraction of information from those observations, and
making decisions about the performance of the behavior (observational learning or
modeling). Thus, learning can occur without an observable change in behavior.
Reinforcement plays a role in learning but is not entirely responsible for learning.
The learner is not a passive recipient of information. Cognition, environment, and
behavior all mutually influence each other (reciprocal determinism).
( Grusec, Joan (1992). "Social learning theory and developmental psychology: The legacies
of Robert Sears and Albert Bandura". Developmental Psychology )
10.2 SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY AND DEAD POETS SOCIETY: School makes the base of social learning, both in form of formal learning through re-
enforcement and
informal learning
through observation
from surrounding and
company. Since Dead
Poets Society is themed
in a school-Welton
boarding School,
students are supposed to
share a hostel
magnifying learning
environment. Students
from different
backgrounds, classes
and of different natures share same hostels and a big learning environment.
In social learning we focus on character of John Keating , how he provides students with a
different learning environment and how through mere poetry and unique methodology make
Page 17
them learn the true meaning of their lives.John Keating is a new teacher in English
Department . John Keating is a an honor graduate of Welton and a passionate teacher aiming
to replace the conservative teaching methodologies of Walton with progressive teaching
methodologies.
On the very 1st day rather than teaching in traditional ways, Mr. Keating enters class
whistling takes student out into corridor and make them see the pictures of early graduates,
how short they lived and how their lives would have been different if they made every
moment of their lives count.He introduce them to a powerful concept of “carpe Diem”-seize
the day. The next day he asks to stand on table, his way of asking them to look at things from
different perspective, how different things look. He introduces them to the idea of non-
conformity in a single stanza of Robert Frost. After he tells students the secret of dead poet
society, a new learning environment is opened to them-learning about life.
John Keating introducing students to new learning environment.
Students going through all the experiences learn to take control of their lives, rather being
enslaved to society’s expectations, they start following their own heart and minds. Todd take
Page 18
control of his life and learns to fight his shyness and gain confidence, Charlie proposes his
girl against all the fear of society for his girl is engaged to his parent’s friend’s son. Knox
publishes articles in school annual, and Neil takes part in “midsummer night’s play”
11 APPENDIX IV
11.1 CONFLICT THEORY: Conflict theory emphasizes the role of coercion and power, a person’s or group’s ability to
exercise influence and control over others, in producing social order.
Derived from the work of Karl Marx, conflict theory pictures society as fragmented into
groups that compete for social and economic resources. Social order is maintained not by
consensus but by domination, with power in the hands of those with the greatest political,
economic, and social resources. (Sociology and Essentials)
We apply conflict theory on micro level and specifically work on Power Conflict on micro
level, how It maintains social order and sometimes how it can result in social disorder or
destruction.
11.2 POWER CONFLICT: Power is present in each individual and in every relationship. It is defined as the ability of a
group to get another group to take some form of desired action, usually by consensual power
and sometimes by force (Holmes, Hughes &Julian, 2007)
These decisions cause inequality in society and resentment from people who are excluded
from the decision making process. The unequalness of this decision-making and power
allocation enables the fortunate to enforce their will on the less fortunate (Graetz, 2001,
Walters & Crook, 1995)
Marx believed individuals hold their own personal power, which is in harmony with each
other and nature, rather than wrestling with it (Hurst, 2000). Hurst (2000) elaborated further
by stating that people become enslaved when their actions are controlled by something
outside themselves.
11.3 POWER CONFLICT IN DEAD POETS
SOCIETY: Main conflict in dead poet society is power conflict
between father and son. Mr. Perry- father is master
imposing all his decisions on Neil Perry-son while
giving no ear to Neil’s say. In opening scenes when
Mr. Perry drops Neil in hostel and is about to leave
for him, he comes to know Neil is taking too many
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extra-curricular activities this semester, he approaches Neil and asks him Drop the school
Annual. Neil Perry argue for, he is the assistant editor of School’s Annual- a post which is
very dear to him. Mr. Perry do not appreciate disputing him in public and scolds Neil, forcing
him to drop the annual. The very Father-son relation looks more like master slave. Neil Perry
digests his father’s commands in a single “yes” against all his wishes.
The conformist Neil Perry when inspires by John
Keating to take control of his own life, he finds his true
passion i.e. acting. He gets the main role of “PUNK”
in “The Midsummer dream” annual play in local
theatre. Neil is excited for the character, fearing that
his father will never allow him to participate in play,
he bypasses his father and write a no objection letter
signing it in his Father’s name.
The gap of power has pushed Neil to a point that he
cannot even dare to ask his father’s permission to
participate in play despite the fact he has good grades
and he is really good in acting.
Neil
excited about play
His father through his friend comes to know, Neil is participating in play, he visits him in the
school. The moment Neil enters room and find his
father, he is shocked, and the power-grit Mr.
Perry without listening to anything Neil has to say
scolds him for not only participating in Play but
for deliberately deceiving him. Neil tries to make
room for some explanation how he wanted to
surprise father for he has secured top grades in all
courses. But again Mr. Perry ends the
conversation in his traditional master slave
manner, forcing him to drop the role. Neil
surrenders in “Yes Sir”.
Mr. Perry scolding Neil Perry
Page 20
Neil Perry has been conformist all his life, he surrenders to his father’s decision but this time
he isn’t ready to give up on his passion. Rather than accepting his father’s directive, he visits
John Keating to ask his consent. The power gap is slowly making rebel of him. He explains
how his father is steering his life and making him do things he never wants to do. How much
he is passionate about acting and how good he is at. He is also honest about his father’s plans
of making docter of him,for he is not rich enough and
there isn’t enough capital nor Job
surety in acting as compared to
professional job like medical doctor(in
1950’s context).Class conflict can also
be observed here, how middle and
lower’s class passions and dreams are
tied with economic condition. John
Keating counsels him to talk to his
father and explain his passion for
acting. Neil Perry though knows Mr.
Perry will never listen to him, agree to
Mr. Keating and say he will talk to his
father. Later he never talks to father
and follow “Carpe Diem” Philosophy
of seizing the day no matter what it
cost. Passion comes in direct conflict
with power and rather being dictated any more, Neil Perry participates in Play.
Neil Perry plays the role of PUNK in the
play “Midsummer night” and is
applauded by every own for his
magnificent acting. Surprisingly Mr.
Perry comes to theatre and sees Neil
participating in play. Mr Perry is strongly
offended by this deviant behavior of Neil
and pulls him from school, takes him
back to home. Neil explains his position,
his love for acting and how he feels for
being deprived of his right of living his
life his way. Mr. Perry finds it insulting
to be disputed by Neil and decides to pull
him out of Walton and admit him in
Military school. He defines his next 10
years of how he will go to Harvard Medical School and peruse career in Medical.
Page 21
When Neil Perry finally concludes his father will
never let him live his life his way or let him
decide his future, he comes to conclusion of
deciding between Passion or 10 more years of
slavery.The feeling of toally dicated and sidelined
comes in direct conflict with the total power of Mr.
Neil Perry.The ultimate gap in power which for
years is running his course of life in accordance
to the Mr. Perry’s wishes finally results in
destruction of Mr. Perry’s plans; as Neil Perry
finally takes his own life recording his protest in
the only listenable way.
(Furqan Yousafzai)
Neil Perry commits Suicide!
Page 22
11.4 CONFLICT BETWEEN REALISM AND IDEALISM: Society as we know, has been shaped by numerous conflicts in the past, some between
nations, some between races, and some between the interests and issues of certain people.
Dead Poets Society in particular, is about the conflict between realism and idealism.
For example: Welton Academy is a school that is deep-rooted in realism, the teachers are all
realists and in turn did not allow the students to think for themselves, but taught them what
they thought was necessary. The students, being young, have ideals but were never able to
realise them. All it took was Keating with his idealism to show the students to think for
themselves. This set off a massive chain reaction.
Neil's death in particular was a example of the conflict between realism and idealism. Knox
Overstreet's infatuation with Chris was also an example between realism and idealism, but to
a lesser extent.
Firstly, Neil's conflict between realism and idealism was between his acting and his father’s
interests. In Neil's views, acting was all he wanted to do. He did not want to go to Harvard,
become a doctor, or anything his father wants him to do. That was his ideal reality. In his
father's view, he only wanted Neil to succeed in school, to go to Harvard, and to become a
doctor, so he would not let Neil be distracted from his main becoming a doctor. That was
Neil's reality. But even though his ideals were forbidden by his father, he still went after it,
against his father's wishes. But when his father found out, and was denied any further chances
to act as a result of him transferring to another school, he could not take his current reality.
He could not handle his conflict between his reality and his ideals, unable to give up on his
idealism and brace reality, he takes his life.
(http://www.writework.com/essay/ways-dead-poets-society-conflict-between-realism-and-
ideal)
12 APPENDIX V
12.1 SYMBOLIC INTERACTION THEOREY: Symbolic interactionism is a theoretical perspective developed by Charles Horton Cooley
(1864–1929) and George Herbert Mead (1863–1931) and is summed up by Herbert Blumer
(1969), in which society is viewed as composed of symbols that people use to establish
meaning, develop their views of the world, and communicate with one another.
The central theme of symbolic interactionism is that human life is lived in the symbolic
domain. Symbols are culturally derived social objects having shared meanings that are
Page 23
created and maintained in social interaction. Through language and communication, symbols
provide the means by which reality is constructed. Reality is primarily a social product, and
all that is humanly consequential self, mind, society, culture emerges from and is dependent
on symbolic interactions for its existence. Even the physical environment is relevant to
human conduct mainly as it is interpreted through symbolic systems.
Herman-Kinney Nancy J., Reynolds, Larry T. (2003). Handbook of Symbolic Interactionism.
New York: AltaMira.
12.2 CHARLES HORTON COOLEY (1864–1929):
Charles Horton Cooley (August 17, 1864 – May 7, 1929) was
an American sociologist and the son of Thomas M. Cooley.
He studied and went on to teach economics and sociology at
the University of Michigan, and he was a founding member
and the eighth president of the American Sociological
Association. He is perhaps best known for his concept of the
looking glass self, which is the concept that a person's self
grows out of society's interpersonal interactions and the
perceptions of others.
The Social Significance of Street Railways, Publications of the
American Economic Association 6, 71-7
12.3 GEORGE HERBERT MEAD (1863–1931):
George Herbert Mead (1863–
1931) was an American philosopher, sociologist and
psychologist, primarily affiliated with the University of
Chicago where he was one of several distinguished
pragmatists*. He is regarded as one of the founders of social
psychology.
Pragmatic philosophers focus on the development of the self and the objectivity of the world
within the social realm: that "the individual mind can exist only in relation to other minds
with shared meanings"
Page 24
. The two most important roots of Mead's work, and of symbolic interactionism in general are
the philosophy of pragmatism and social (as opposed to psychological) behaviorism(i.e.:
Mead was concerned with the stimuli of gestures and social objects with rich meanings rather
than bare physical objects which psychological behaviorists considered stimuli). Pragmatism
is a wide ranging philosophical position from which several aspects of Mead's influences can
be identified.
Baldwin, John (2009). George Herbert Mead. Sage. p. 7.
Cook, Gary A. (1993). George Herbert Mead: the making of a social pragmatist. University of Illinois
Press. p. 4.
12.4 HERBERT GEORGE BLUMER :
Herbert George Blumer (March 7, 1900 – April 13, 1987)
was an American sociologist whose main scholarly interests
were symbolic interactionism and methods of social
research. Believing that individuals create their own social
reality through collective and individual action, he was an
avid interpreter and proponent of George Herbert Mead’s
work on symbolic interactionism.Blumer eventually became
the leading symbolic interactionist of his time and wrote the
book Symbolic Interactionism, which is known as the
clearest theoretical statement of symbolic interactionism.An
ongoing theme throughout his work, he argued that the
creation of social reality is a continuous process.
Hermert Blumer (1969). Symbolic Interactionism: Perspective and Method. New Jersey: Prentice-
Hall, Inc. p. vii.
Symbolic interaction theorey was summed up by Herbert Blumer (1969), in the following
three points
1. Humans act toward things on the basis of the meanings that things have for them
2. The meanings of things derive from social interaction
3. These meanings are dependent on, and modified by, an interpretive process of the
people who interact with one another.
Page 25
13 APPENDIX VI:
13.1 CARPIE DIEM: Carpe diem is a Latin aphorism usually translated to
"seize the day", taken from a poem in the Odes (book 1,
number 11).
This term was widely used by Mr, keating in ‘dead poets
society’, and he used it as a symbol to convey the very
important message of life that enjoying the life on its
conditions is actual charm of life. He said, ‘Seize the day.
Because, believe it or not ,each and every one of us in
this room is one day going to stop breathing ,turn cold
and die’. He wanted them to think in a different way.
In actual he was to say that living a life in its pure form is
more important than to equip it for future. He was teaching the students that norms and
social practices don’t matter because these can be changed by a single revoloutionary idea.
He wanted them to live free and to avoid ‘looking glass self’. And if a person succeed to do
so, he can make history, he can add to the charm of life and this is what life is i.e not to
impose norms on ourselves but to express ourselves in a pure manner .
14 APPENDIX VII:
14.1 VARIOUS LECTURES: In one of his lectures he asked the students to torn a
particular portion of book as it was completely wrong.
He was to convey the message that words or norms
cannot change the fate of human life. A single good idea
can change the world and a person imposing social
pressure cant live free in society. A person must express
himself in a true manner because it is just matter of time
that a person will find his own way of living and can add
to the charm of life.
Page 26
He stood upon his desk in his one lecture and taught the students to change their perspective
of their livings. Try to look differently the things you face in the world and try to develop
your own concepts
About life. Don’t look the things from others
perspectives but try to make your own identity. It is
quite difficult in its initial phase but with time a
person can find his own way and can live his life in
a its pure form.
15 APPENDIX VIII:
Social Interaction analysis (continued):
It is the reality of life that people who make their names in history have only attitude as
distinguishing factor. The way we interpret things is the only point that makes difference in
life. A person must enjoy each and every second of life and don’t let social pressure to be
imposed on him, because this is the only way a person can feel and enjoy his life. Looking
the things and adopting own ways may involve some difficulties but a person gain stability
by expressing himself and this whole thing is just matter of time.
16 APPENDIX IX:
Looking Glass Self Theory:
The looking-glass self is a social psychological concept, created by Charles Horton Cooley in
1902, stating that a person's self grows out of society's interpersonal interactions and the
perceptions of others. The term refers to people shaping their self-concepts based on their
Page 27
understanding of how others perceive them. Because people conform to how they think
others think them to be, it's difficult, or arguably impossible, to act differently from how a
person thinks he or she is perpetually perceived. Cooley clarified that society is an
interweaving and inter-working of mental selves.
There are three main components
of the looking-glass self
1. We imagine how we must
appear to others.
2. We imagine and react to
what we feel their
judgment of that
appearance must be.
3. We develop our self
through the judgments of
others.
McGraw Hill Ryerson "Challenge and Change: Patterns, Trends and Shifts in Society"
New York: 2012 pp. 130 ISBN 0-07-094157-2 for quote ""In Cooley's words, "I am not
what I think I am and I am not what you think I am; I am what I think you think I am." ""
17 APPENDIX X:
Looking glass self-analysis (continued):
It is by nature that every person is born with his own identity. These are his methodologies
and ways of interpreting things that make the difference. So basically, attitude of a person
towards matters of life is the key to drive his life. If a person conform to how people perceive
him, then he let the others to drive his life and he kills or abandon his inner self. This person
can never taste the purity of life. But if a person let his inner self to drive his life, he
Page 28
eventually finds a way of living and feels the actual charm of life and enjoys every second of
his life on his own conditions. He can express himself in every field of life and this is what
life is.
18 APPENDIX XI
18.1 STRAIN THEORY Strain theory states that social structures within society may pressure citizens to commit
crime. It refers to pains experienced by the individual as they look for ways to meet their
needs (the motivational mechanism that causes crime).
In this case Neil commits suicide when he finds no way to get his goal. His father suppresses
his passion. This is an example of Individual strain where frictions and pains experienced by
an individual as he or she looks for ways to satisfy his or her needs.
Merton’s strain theory states that crime breeds in the imbalance between culturally induced
aspirations for success and structurally distributed possibilities of achievement.
When societal norms, or socially accepted
goals place pressure on the individual to
conform they force the individual to either
work within the structure society has
produced, or instead, become members of
a deviant subculture in an attempt to
achieve those goals. Merton termed this
theory Strain Theory.
Conformity involves pursuing cultural
goals through approved means.
In Innovation, Individual accepts the goal
of success but use illegal way.
In Ritualism reject the goals, but instead
work towards less lofty goals by
institutionally approved means.
In Retreatism, Individuals reject the goals and approved means of achieving it.
Rebellions reject the goals and approved means of achieving it. They substitute a new set of
goals and means.
Agnew, R. & White, H. (1992). "An Empirical Test of General Strain
Theory." Criminology 30(4): 475-99.
Page 29
Neil Perry was a rebellion. He was confident and popular student who excels in his studies.
He was well-liked by both his peers and teachers and is a natural leader. Inspired by his
passionate English teacher, Mr Keating, he reestablished the 'Dead Poets Society'. This
showed that he was prepared to challenge the school's authority. Neil's aspirations to become
an actor are snuffed by his controlling father who refuses to give Neil any choice about his
future. As a result, Neil commits suicide at the end of the film.
John Keating was a rebellion. He was English professor, uses unorthodox methods to reach
out to his students. With Keating's help, students Neil Perry, Todd Anderson and others learn
to break out of their shells, pursue their dreams and seize the day.
Keating stresses the idea of "seizing the day," a concept which especially effects Neil Perry,
an overachieving student with an extremely demanding father. The pressures to succeed
placed on Neil by his parents and society prevent him from exploring his own individuality.
Societal and parental pressures, along with a lack of family closeness prevents Neil from
developing an identity for himself, leading to rebellious activity and eventually suicide.
Agnew’s strain theory focuses on that type of strain involving the inability to achieve
monetary success. Inability to achieve a variety of goals, the loss of valued possessions, and
negative treatment by others.
Strain theory associated with low social control applies here, where Neil had weak social
interaction with his father. He sees less social support at home. Perry warned him to leave
extra-curricular or he will be sent to a military school. He tried to emotionally control Neil;
that we are not rich and we had made many sacrifices for you. This strain is a case of Parental
rejection. Parents do not express love
or affection for their children, show
little interest in them, and provide
little support to them.
Neil Perry had a passion to be an
actor, as he says “I know what I want
to do. I want to be an actor”. Neil did
participate in drama without
permission of his father, because he
was afraid he will not allow. Then in
the last of drama, the Puck epilogue
is said directly to his father, in hopes that his father will forgive him. But he didn’t.
Neil’s father, with hopes of improving his son's future and his own future, places such
extreme pressures on Neil to do well academically and become a doctor. Such pressures often
prevent adolescents from developing their own individuality. As parental pressure increases,
Neil also attempts to develop a new identity, which conflicts with his father's views and leads
to his rebellion.
Page 30
19 APPENDIX XII
19.1 SUICIDE
Emile Durkheim (1858-1917) stated that suicide is
not an individual act; it is a social act. It is shaped
by society or it has effects on society. Durkheim
discussed these four types of suicide
1. Altruistic suicide:
Individual so well integrated into society that they
sacrifice their own life out of a sense of duty to
others. e.g. Hindus kill themselves at their
husbands funerals.
2. Anomic suicide:
Anomic suicide is due to dissatisfaction in relation to expectations. It is due to
disillusionment and disappointment and is a consequence of the deterioration of social and
familial bonds.
3. Egoistic suicide:
Egoistic suicide occurs when an individual has a low level of integration into society. i.e
Unmarried and childless persons are less integrated, therefore have higher suicide rate.
4. Fatalistic suicide:
It is due to excessive regulation where the individual experiences pervasive oppression.
Fatalistic suicide occurs in a highly regulated, social environment where the individual sees
no possible way to improve his or her life. The sufferer considers himself condemned by fate
or doomed to be a slave and he feels that the only way to find escape is suicide.
In this movie, initially Neil was a conforming to his father’s instructions. Keating teaching
induces in him wish to control his own life. But the tragic end of the story was that the very
full of life Neil Perry just shot himself. It was fatalistic suicide where Neil experiences
excessive regulation of work which he don’t like and pervasive oppression of father. He
wants to be an actor, and his passion was choked by father oppression. Neil’s father was
controlling his life and he doomed himself to be a slave. It was his attempt at controlling his
own life.
KEVIN J.H. DETTMAR. (2014). Dead Poets Society Is a Terrible Defense of the
Humanities. Atlantic. 1 (1), 1-5.
Researcher analyzed other aspects of Neil’s suicide which involves anomic and egoistic
suicide (Durkheim typology). He was feeling guilt that he was misguided and strain from
father shows anomic suicidal behavior. Also he commits suicide due to his disappointment
and dissatisfaction from familial bonds. It has egoistic suicide perspective because of his low
Page 31
social interaction with father. This way he was unable to convince his father. His father strict
behavior pitilessly blocks the possibilities of future so he had no hope. So he commits a
suicide.
Analyzing Durkheim’s concepts, Neil Perry’s suicide as fatalistic. As Durkheim stated, the
people who are more likely to experience fatalistic suicide are those who have “futures
pitilessly blocked and passions violently choked by oppressive disciplines”. In the movie,
Neil had this passion for acting, something which his father would not permit.
In this story, we examined that when individual is given authority, what are the
consequences.
A new English teacher, John Keating uses unorthodox methods to reach out to his students.
With Keating's help, students Neil Perry, Todd Anderson and others learn to break out of
their shells, pursue their dreams and seize the day.
Both Neil and Knox were of the view that “Carpe Diem,
even if it kills me.” Both tries, in which Knox did it.
Take control of his life, tries his luck and propose his
girl and succeed but Neil tries of controlling himself
was overruled by his father by suppression. When he
sees no way out to live his life by what he wants, the
only way to get control over his life was suicide.
Throughout the movie, there are several situations in
which characters acted individually, deliberately
disobeying conventional authority, in order to follow
their dreams. In some cases, such conflicts had positive outcomes, like Knox
(transcendentalism); in other cases such outbursts of individualism had deadly consequences
for reckless individuals, like Neil (existentialism). In either case, however, the process of
self-discovery and free thinking was inevitable; after being granted freedom for the first time,
both Neil and Knox had experienced freedom and were reluctant to surrender their new
independence without a fight.
Rather than continuing to live a dreary half-life, Neil decides that the only way to gain
control is by taking his own life. Though he lost everything in the process, suicide was the
only way for Neil to stand up to his father and live life to the fullest (“Carpe Diem”).
“Can’t I just enjoy the idea for a while?” This is the
beginning of his loss of control to his passions.
He want to suck marrow out of life. In his school,
he was first to prompt Cameron to tear out J. Evans
Pritchard’s introduction to poetry. He is the one to
call Keating “Captain,” and is the first to ask what
the Dead Poets Society was. He is also the one to
organize the first meeting. Neil also tells Todd that
Page 32
he must participate in the club. Each are Neil’s attempts to lead – to gain control over his
own life.
Neil shared a story of madman in Dead Poets Society meeting with his friends. Neil was in
Puck costume at time of suicide. He opened the window to let the madman inside, which led
to his suicide. He take control of his life this way.
Who to blame??
Mr. Perry is responsible for Neil’s death because of his
wish of controlling his son’s life. With Keating's help,
students Neil Perry, Knox, Todd Anderson and others
learn to break out of their shells but not all commits
suicide. It was suppression on Neil by his father which
destined him to commit suicide. Professor Keating was
not the main reason for his suicide but he contributed
to the change of his way of thinking.
This event serves as a reminder that authority should
always act as a guide—never as an absolute power, as in Neil’s unfortunate situation. His
suicide can be avoided if his father had been flexible.
Generally, Suicide is high in areas of high income where there is more competition, and
when individual don’t fulfil their expectations, they become deviant. These strain societies
bear most of the suicide cases reported every year around the world.
Page 33
20 APPENDIX XIII
20.1 SOCIAL CONTROL THEORY Social control is the study of the mechanisms, in the form of patterns of pressure, through
which society maintains social order and cohesion.
The Social Control Theory, originally known as The Social Bond Theory in 1969, was
developed by. The central question of the theory asks why people follow the law. The theory
suggests that people engage in criminal activity when their bond to society has weakened.
“Social control theory refers to a perspective which predicts that when social constraints on
antisocial behavior are weakened or absent, delinquent behavior emerges.” In other words,
when an individual has experienced a lack of social connections or a lack of social network
that would normally prohibit criminal activity, the likelihood that the individual will
participate in criminal activity increases. Travis Hirschi (1969) identified four types of social
bonds that connect people to society.
1. Attachment
2. Commitment
3. Involvement
4. Belief
Travis Hirschi was born on 15 April 1935, in Rockville,
Utah. He earned his bachelor’s degree in sociology and
history in 1957 and his master’s degree in sociology
and educational psychology in 1958, both from the
University of Utah. He was drafted in 1958 and spent
two years as a data analyst for the US Army. After his
time in the army, he entered the PhD program in
sociology at the University of California at Berkeley.
While at Berkeley, Hirschi became interested in the
works of scholars such as Thomas Hobbes and Émile
Durkheim, and he took courses from the eminent
sociologist Erving Goffman. Both of these intellectual
undertakings set the stage for his classical/control
theory view of human nature and the causes of crime.
He also took courses from, and worked as a research
assistant for, Hanan Selvin, which lead him to acquire an interest in issues of measurement in
the field of criminology, an interest that culminated in the publication of his first book. In
1964, Hirschi joined Alan Wilson, the director of the Richmond Youth Project. This research
project provided Hirschi with the data he would use for his dissertation and first sole-
authored book, in which he presented his theory of social control, described how the concepts
were operationalized, and presented empirical tests of the theory alongside tests of learning
Page 34
and strain theories. While in the last stages of writing his dissertation, Hirschi took a job as an
assistant professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of Washington, Seattle.
In 1974, Hirschi took a visiting professor job in the School of Criminal Justice at the State
University of New York at Albany. This visiting professor position turned into a permanent
one, and Hirschi remained at Albany for the next several years. In 1981, Hirschi joined the
faculty in the Department of Sociology at the University of Arizona, where he remained until
his retirement in 1997 (he remains an emeritus professor at Arizona). It was at Albany where
Hirschi met Michael Gottfredson. Gottfredson and Hirschi collaborated frequently for the rest
of Hirschi’s career. Hirschi is one of the most cited criminologists in the field, and his work
continues to be relevant today.
20.2 SOCIAL CONTROL THEORY AND
DEAD POET SOCIETY: The head of the academy, in the addressing
ceremony tells the student to follow four basic
pillars. He take the bond from the students to
keep intact the Tradition, Honor, Discipline
and Excellence. These serves as external
control agents, to avoid any type of deviance
from the values which the institute wants to
enforce. He also tells about the incentives of
these rules, this devise the external control even
stronger.
21 APPENDIX XIV
21.1 ETHNOMETHODOLOGY Ethnomethodology is one of the strangest word in sociology. We’ll consider this term into
three basic components to understand it in a better way. Ethno means “folk” or “people”;
method means “how people do something”; ology means “the study of.” Putting them
together, then, ethno–method–ology means “the study of how people do things.” What
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things? Ethnomethodology is the study of how people use commonsense understandings to
make sense of life.
Let’s suppose that during a routine office visit, your doctor remarks that your hair is rather
long, then takes out a pair of scissors and starts to give you a haircut. You would feel strange
about this, because your doctor would be violating background assumptions—your ideas
about the way life is and the way things ought to work. These assumptions, which lie at the
root of everyday life, are so deeply embedded in our consciousness that we are seldom aware
of them, and most of us fulfill them unquestioningly. Thus, your doctor does not offer you a
haircut, even if he or she is good at cutting hair and you need
one!
In Sum: Ethno-methodologists explore background assumptions,
the taken-for-granted ideas about the world that underlie our
behavior. Most of these assumptions, or basic rules of social life,
are unstated. We learn them as we learn our culture, and it is
risky to violate them. Deeply embedded in our minds, they give
us basic directions for living everyday life.
James M. Henslin. (2011). Essentials
of Sociology, A Down-to Earth
Approach. 11E, 119-120.
Harold Garfinkel (October 29, 1917 – April 21,
2011) was a sociologist, ethn-omethodologist and
a Professor Emeritus at the University of
California, Los Angeles. He is known for
establishing and developing ethnomethodology as
a field of inquiry in sociology. He published
multiple books throughout his lifetime and is well
known for his book, Studies in Ethnomethodology,
which was published in 1967. Garfinkel's concept
of ethnomethodology started with his attempt at
analyzing a jury discussion after a Chicago case in
1945.
21.2 ETHNOMETHODOLOGY AND DEAD
POET SOCIETY: John Keating has its own way of doing things, he first show its glimpse, when he enters the
class and whistles. This surprises the students, but the reason behind this deviance is to create
a pressure free atmosphere in the class, which is very prominent in Welton. Thus, John
Keating practice his own way to enforce the values in the students.
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He tries to teach the students to follow what they want. The teaching method he devise also
differs greatly from those of the rest of the teachers, he tells the students to rip out the pages,
and the reason behind this was to make the students to understand the real theme of poetry,
not to just rhyme the monotonous explanations from the traditional books.
22 APPENDIX VI
School serves as a basic functional institute. It keeps social order and maintains the stability
of society. Welton, the subject school of Dead poets society works on four basic principles of
honor, excellence, traditions and Discipline. These basic ingredients help in maintaining the
order of Walton. The functionalist approach is a realistic approach, rules and norms intact
society to maintain its functionality. Deviance is necessary to make people understand the
consequences of violating society norms. On the very 1st day students are read the school four
basic pillars and students conforms in aye to uphold them.
Inauguration Ceremony
When john Keating-the newly inducted teacher replace the conservative teaching
methodologies with progressive
approach, and inspire students to take
control of their lives and give up being
conformists, students daviates from
school norms as well society’s
expectations. Students are inspired and
they start taking control their
lives,violates installed norms.These
idealistic actions come with
consequences.
John Keating inspiring students to give
up conformity.
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The deviant behavior of students brings disorder in scoped society .Charlie proposes the
girl he likes, beside she is already engaged to his Father’s Friend’s son. Her fiancée threaten
to kill him. Knox is expelled out of school for his deviant behaviour. Neil Perry participates
in play besides his father has strongly prohibited him to participate. Consequently Mr. Perry
pulls him out of Welton and Neil Perry couldn’t take it anymore and takes his life. These are
all consequences of deviances; everything was okay before they deviated. Administration
learns the value of conformity and expels John Keating to stabilize school order.
Consequences of Daviance
23 APPENDIX VII
Reinforcement theory is a limited effects media model applicable within the realm of
communication.
The social reinforcement is evident in the complex relation between Neil and his father. This
is the theory which tells us that a person deviates or conforms on the basis of the
reinforcement. He got negative reinforcement from his father but in the meantime, John
Keating, a deviant teacher in his own ways reinforces him to do whatever he like. There is a
clash between these two reinforcements throughout the movie. But, the boy surrenders to the
reinforcement of his father, which in the end led to his suicide in the end.
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Reinforcement theory predicts that people with already developed opinions will selectively
attend to and cognitively incorporate information that supports their own views.
Reinforcement theory has three primary mechanisms behind it:
Selective exposure
Selective perception
Selective Retention
To keep Neil bound, Perry warned him to
leave extracurricular otherwise he will be
sent to military school. This way he
reinforced Neil to conform.
Principal reinforced school norms by setting example
by kicking out Keating and Nuvanda. This way other
members of dead poet society conform to him, and
signed the forms to prove Keating was guilty of Neil’s
death.