Dead Poets Society

Compare and contrast the characters of Charlie and Cameron. Be sure to track their growth or regression throughout the novel and focus on their relationship to the rules of Welton.

In Dead Poets Society, Welton is a symbol for the isolation that comes along with striving to maintain certain traditions and standards. Pick one character that experiences isolation in the novel and explain how they escape (or don’t escape) that feeling of loneliness.

How does the author put existing texts and poems in conversation with the themes in Dead Poets Society? Pick one poem that is featured in the novel and use it as an example to explain your answer.

Walt Whitman is referenced throughout the novel. How do his words, specifically those that are repeated at critical points in the story, change meaning over time?

How are the events in Dead Poets Society similar to those in the play A Midsummer Night’s Dream? Do you think there is a reason the author/screenwriter chose that play specifically to highlight in the story? Why or why not?

Compare and contrast the father/son relationship that Neil has with Mr. Perry versus the one he has with Mr. Keating.

Describe the significance of the symbolism of standing on the desk. Pick a few examples of new perspectives the students gain throughout the novel to support your answer.

Out of the boys who join the Dead Poets Society, who do you believe experiences the most character growth?