The Dead Poets Society is clearly inspired by the transcendental values and beliefs of both Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. Most notably, the theme of "self-reliance" prevails as a popular philosophy among students, as a variety of characters in the motion picture either endorse or renounce this belief. Protagonists Todd Anderson and Neil Perry endure the test of maintaining individualistic ideals only with the aid of their inspiring teacher, Mr. Keating. Additionally, other …showed first 75 words of 819 total…

…showed last 75 words of 819 total…Keating teaches with transcendentalism which is a belief in higher reality than that found in sense experience, or belief in higher kind of knowledge than achieved by human reason. It was the dead poets society which taught the group of kids to “live freely”. “Living freely” was not of the administrations liking. “Living freely” was what led to expeltion and death. “Living freely” needs to be taken seriously, or it can be a deadly weapon.