Before becoming one of the two films that must be played in the middle school classroom (the other was "Spring in the Cattle Herding Class"), and completely "pan-chicken soup", "Death Poetry Society" had a huge impact in China at the beginning of its release, which is unimaginable to us today.
When recalling the cultural life of a university in those years, some Tianya netizens described that "Death Poetry Society" was "full of madness and rebellion" because it was "about an unconventional way of education" at that time, which was very close to the spiritual temperament of the students at that time, and it was warmly welcomed.
More than 30 years later, the Death Poetry Society now seems to have hidden its sharp side with the passage of time, and most people are mostly willing to remember its tearful grand ending, and this idealistic and humanistic hymn, because it is more difficult to touch the truth, has gradually become a distant dream.
One
In 1959, the year when the world was no longer studying well was brewing, the most dreary year before the storm, and the boys in the Death Poetry Society happened to be sent by their parents to the most serious dogmatic preparatory school.
As early as the end of the 19th century, the American philosopher and educationalist John Dewey put forward the view that "life is education" and "the purpose of education is to continue education", but half a century later, wilden preparatory colleges that advertise "tradition, glory, discipline, and excellence" are still carrying out purposeful and stereotypical education.
After the opening ceremony, the warm greetings of Principal Nolan and the parents made people chill, and behind the teaching policy of promoting to a famous school, there was an impenetrable conspiracy between the system, the family and the society.
According to the script, following the rules, suppressing nature, what should be cultivated here is a plug-and-play tool after entering society.
Two
In the works of director Peter Weir, there is always a fierce collision between nature and system, so there is the image of Mr. Keating, a teacher who is completely contrary to the creed of the preparatory school.
As soon as he appeared on the scene, he grabbed the attention of the students in a dramatic way, whispering like a ghost in front of the photos of the deceased alumni - "Just in time".
His approach to education is embedded in director Will's essence—the dull old-fashioned education is more rigid, and how strong his desire to preach and teach is.
Peter Will boldly removed the setting in the original script that Keating was terminally ill, and made his pursuit of personality education more pure—looking for what he was born for, not because of his dying self, but because of the desire to be born again.
"We read and write poetry because we are part of humanity. And human beings are full of enthusiasm. Medicine, law, commerce, engineering, these are noble ideals and are necessary conditions for survival. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are the reasons for our existence. ”
Whitman's free-spirited poetry becomes the perfect vehicle, and Keating hopes that students will develop from the feelings of these romantic poems the consciousness of breaking free from the shackles and finding their own voice.
Three
Keating in Will's lens succeeded in igniting the fire, but it also caused controversy that has not stopped since its release.
Is his bold way of intervening in the shaping of students' concepts creating another kind of overriding and blind obedience?
In particular, is the tragedy of Neil's suicide also the price that must be paid for the liberation of personality?
It is worth noting that Mr. Keating is almost an alternate existence for the students and even the society in the film in 1959.
Although he originated from the reworking of screenwriter Tom Shulman based on a teacher in his youth, he was attached with too much imagination and sustenance beyond this era (or earlier), and the ambiguous experience background deepened the simple idealization of the character.
Interestingly, Robin Williams took on the role because Keating was like the perfect teacher he dreamed of meeting as a student.
Therefore, "The Society of Dead Poetry" is not so much an extreme educational experiment as it is more like an adult's self-examination, and in The teaching of Mr. Keating, who does not shy away from the eyes and even slightly exaggerated, the flames of humanism that are urgently ignited, every minute and every second, with an overflowing desire to talk to young people, and a kind of consciousness that "it is possible to die at night".
Four
Liberation and surveillance, silence and discipline, wandering poetry in caves and scholastic laws, under the strong confrontation, "Death Poetry Society" can no longer be simply regarded as a tragedy of juvenile growth, but has more possibilities for interpretation.
However, the classical humanism and romanticism that the film passionately embraces, whether in 1959, when the story takes place, in 1989, when the film was released, or even 30 years later in 2019, have never become the mainstream of the world, and the lakeside campus where bagpipes are played, and the language classroom that sings individuality, innocence and virtue has always been a utopia that has no place in reality.