53 pages • 1 hour read
N. H. KleinbaumDead Poets Society
Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 1989A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Summary
Background
Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Character Analysis
Themes
Symbols & Motifs
Important Quotes
Essay Topics
Tools
BetaBackground
Cultural Context: Impact on Teaching and the Humanities
When Dead Poets Society (the film) was released, it quickly rose to the number-one spot of films for and about teachers. The story pays tribute to the impact of educators on young minds, particularly those in the humanities. Education can be a thankless field at times, but Dead Poets Society reminds teachers, parents, and students alike of the importance of a great teacher. Moreover, the story warns against the dangers of enforced conformity in education.
While the film takes place in the 1950s, many of the traditions and values of Welton could easily transfer to the Ivy League culture of the Northeastern United States education system at the time of its release in 1989. The rituals and beliefs at Welton are dated in the 1950s, and even more so 30 years later. After a decade of technology booms and increased focus on capitalistic outcomes in the career field, Dead Poets Society urged viewers and readers to remember the oft-overlooked humanities.
The decline of humanities being taught/sought after in schools and colleges (which in some regions of the US are still declining today) and the increased focus on STEM majors left many students lacking important critical thinking skills that are often obtained in humanities classrooms. Ironically, the dangers of conformity and the restriction of free thought is a huge theme in George Orwell’s 1984, which takes place five years prior to the publication of Dead Poets Society. America’s youth were once again in danger of herd mentality, and the best way to prevent it was to start with meeting the young minds in their most formative setting: the classroom.
Cultural Context: Movie-to-Book Adaptations
From the late 1980s and into the early 2000s, a surprising trend hit the United States: movie-to-book adaptations. Titles such as The Blob, Gremlins, and a re-novelization of How the Grinch Stole Christmas (based on the film with Jim Carey) are just a few examples of this trend. While adapting previously existing literature into cinema is as old as cinema itself, it is much less common for a story that is originally a film to be adapted into a novel. However, this happens to be the case with Dead Poets Society. The film, written by Tom Schulman, was released first and was a huge success, racking up several Oscar nominations and a win in the category of Best Original Screenplay that year. The book borrows most of its dialogue from the screenplay, and most of the descriptions match the shots in the movie.
There are a few changes between the two. Most notably, in the book version of the party scene at Chet’s house, Knox caresses Chris’s neck and chest while she makes out with Chet on the couch. In the film, Chris falls asleep in Knox’s lap and Knox leans down to kiss her on the forehead before he is caught by Chet. Another difference is the addition of the scene in which Mr. Keating gives his students a pop quiz while flashing images of provocative women across the screen. Aside from these and a few smaller changes throughout, the book adaptation is fairly true to the original film.
While both mediums have their strengths, a movie-to-book adaptation serves to give viewers a different experience with their favorite characters, and a chance to relive the story in a different way.
