Transcendentalism In Dead Poets Society

Transcendentalism was a movement in the early 1800s that emphasized intuition, emotion, and imagination. Dead Poets Society is a 1989 movie set in an all-boys preparatory school that follows a group of friends who start a secret club inspired by their English teacher, who is a Transcendentalist. The movie explores themes of conformity, individualism, and the power of words and ideas. Dead Poets Society is a classic example of Transcendentalism in film.

The film, Dead Poet Society, was a wonderful production. The movie revolves around adolescent males who are inspired by their teacher, Mr. Keating, and encourage them to think for themselves and find their own way in society. Non-conformity, extreme success, and open-mindedness are all transcendentalist ideals represented in this work.

Dead Poet Society is a great movie for those who want to learn about transcendentalism and see how it works in the modern day. This film is also good for those who appreciate well-made movies with deep messages.

Non-conformity is one of the most prominent features of transcendentalism in Dead Poet Society. In “Self-reliance” by Ralph Waldo Emerson, another transcendentalist writer, conformity is discussed. Conformity, according to Emerson, destroys a person’s individuality.

Dead Poets Society takes this idea and displays it through the character of Neil. Neil conforms to his father’s wishes and goes to Welton Academy, where he is expected to become a doctor. However, Neil has other plans. He wants to be an actor. When he meets Mr. Keating, his English teacher, Neil finally has someone who supports his dream of becoming an actor.

With Mr. Keating’s help, Neil starts Dead Poet Society, a club for boys who want to express themselves through poetry. Through Dead Poet Society, Neil and the other boys learn to think for themselves and to follow their own dreams instead of conforming to the expectations of others. Dead Poet Society shows that transcendentalism is still relevant today. It is a movie that everyone should see.

The Dead Poets Society is an organization for students who want to find inspiration from poems. The movie will talk about the ideas of transcendentalism as they concern three key writers of transcendentalism, how these philosophers relate to the characters in=the film, and what sort of personal vocations the members discover.

The Dead Poets Society, set in 1959 at the prestigious Welton Academy, is a coming-of-age story about a group of friends who are united by their love for poetry. The film follows the students as they navigate through their final year of high school and face the pressure of choosing a career path.

Through the guidance of their English teacher, Mr. Keating, the boys are exposed to the works of three transcendentalist writers: Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Walt Whitman. As they read and discuss the writings of these men, the boys begin to see how transcendentalist principles can be applied to their own lives.

Ralph Waldo Emerson was a key figure in the transcendentalist movement. His essay, “Nature”, advocates for a more spiritual understanding of the world around us. Emerson believed that humans are connected to nature and that we can find truth and beauty in the simplest things. This philosophy is evident in the character of Todd Anderson, who struggles to find his voice throughout the film. However, after reading Emerson’s work and being encouraged by Mr. Keating, Todd is finally able to write a poem that expresses his true feelings.

Henry David Thoreau was another important transcendentalist thinker. In his book, “Walden”, Thoreau argues that humans should live simple lives in harmony with nature. He believes that material possessions only serve to distract us from what is truly important. This philosophy is reflected in the character of Neil Perry, who comes from a wealthy family but longs for a more meaningful existence. Neil’s father is very strict and has high expectations for his son’s future. However, after reading Thoreau’s work and being inspired by Mr. Keating, Neil decides to follow his heart and pursue his passion for acting.

Walt Whitman was the final transcendentalist writer that the boys studied in their English class. In his poem, “Song of Myself”, Whitman celebrates the individual and encourages everyone to embrace their unique quirks and qualities. He believes that we are all connected and that we should celebrate our differences. This philosophy is evident in the character of Charlie Dalton, who is initially shy and reserved but comes into his own after discovering Whitman’s work. Charlie begins to express himself more freely and eventually stands up to his father, who has been trying to control his life.

The Dead Poets Society is a film that speaks to the importance of transcendentalist principles in our lives. Through the characters of Todd, Neil, and Charlie, we see how exposure to the writings of Emerson, Thoreau, and Whitman can change our lives for the better. We are encouraged to find inspiration in nature, follow our dreams, and celebrate our individualities.

The critical aspect is that American citizens’ beliefs, as seen in this film, are strongly influenced by transcendentalist ideas from the 19th century. When it comes to individuality, various transcendentalist viewpoints frequently link to each character. Transcendentalism maintains that everyone has the potential to discover greater truth on their own through intuition.

This is shown in Dead Poets Society when Todd Anders begins to look up to Mr. Keating after he helps Todd gain confidence in himself. Mr. Keating also encourages his students to “seize the day” and follow their dreams, which is another main tenet of transcendentalism. Dead Poets Society illustrates how transcendentalist ideas are still influential in American society today.

The principles of transcendentalism encourage self-reliance and individualism rather than deferring to external authority or blindly following tradition. This can be seen in Mr. Keating telling Neil to speak with his father about being in the play, Charlie making up a phone call from God, and Knox going to Chris’ school to get her to accept his affections.

In Dead Poet’s Society, Mr. Keating is the English teacher who follows Transcendentalist ideas. In one scene, Neil’s father comes to see Mr. Keating because he wants Neil to quit the school play. Mr. Keating tells Neil to stand up for himself and talk to his father about what he wants. This shows that Mr. Keating believes in self-reliance, or the ability to make decisions without depending on others. He also believes that Neil should individualism, or thinking and acting independently, rather than blindly following his father’s wishes.

Later in the movie, Charlie makes a “phone call from God” to get out of going on a date with Mr. Nolan’s daughter. This is an example of individualism because Charlie is acting on his own beliefs, rather than blindly following what Mr. Nolan wants him to do. Charlie also shows self-reliance when he refuses to give in to Mr. Nolan’s demands that he stop seeing Christine, even though it means getting kicked out of school.

The final scene that demonstrates transcendentalist ideas is when Knox goes to Chris’ school to profess his love for her. Chris had previously rejected Knox because he was not “preppy” enough for her. However, Knox follows his heart and individualism by going to her school and telling her how he feels, regardless of what others may think. This scene also shows self-reliance, as Knox is making his own decisions and not relying on others to tell him what to do.

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Famous Poems and Best Poets

Transcendentalism in Dead Poets Society

In the movie Dead Poets Society, the literary philosophy of Transcendentalism is portrayed through the teachings of Mr.. Keating, a transcendentalist, at Walton, a private school grounded on conformity and Institution. The movie does not look at the school as a whole, but one can recognize the engagement concerning the transcendentalists and conformists In the movie when observing the fluctuations and activities taken by the group of boys who call themselves the Dead Poets Society. The Dead Poets Society is an organization of a select few students who aspire to discover inspiration through appraisal of poetry.

The movie will address the doctrines of transcendentalism as they pertain to three key transcendentalist writers, relating them to the characters in the film and their particular discovered vocations. The vital indication is that the doctrines of transcendentalism from the 1 9th century persist definitely in the beliefs of American people, as is evident in this movie. Various transcendentalist ideologies frequently relate to each character, principally when in concern with individuality.

Transcendentalism asserts that every individual Is capable of discovering higher truth on his or her own through intuition. Transcendentalists believe that self-reliance and Individualism must outweigh external authority and blind conformity to custom and tradition. Qualities of transcendentalism are revealed in the scenes when Mr.. Keating tells Nell to talk to his father about being in the play, when Charlie makes up a “phone call from God” and does not give in to Mr.. Nolan, and when Knox goes to Chris’ school to make her accept his affection for her.

In the scene when Mr.. Keating tells Neil to discuss being in the play with his father, Mr.. Keating assumes the role of father and comrade to Neil the night before the play. This example is one of the exhibitions of the relationships that Keating has generated with his students. This scene represents Mr.. Keating as much more than Just a teacher. Mr.. Keating intended to help Neil with his struggle against conformity and tradition. Knell’s father is a very potent example of someone opposed to transcendentalism, a conformist or institutionally.

Keating listens and asks Nell If he has ever been as sincere with his own father to which Nell responds, “l can’t talk to him that way” to which Keating asks, “Have you ever told your father what you just told me? About your passion for acting. You ever show him that? ” And Neil says sadly “I can’t. ” Seating’s words encourage Nil’s individualism, and self-reliance: “Then you’re acting for him, too. You’re playing the part of the dutiful son. I know this sounds impossible, but you have to talk to him. You have to show him who you are, what your heart is. Neil does not tell his father and lies to Keating. Mr.. Seating’s advice to Neil emulates the principle of civil disobedience as described in Henry David Thoreau excerpt from Civil Disobedience and Other Essays, “If the Injustice is part of the necessary friction of the machine of overspent, let it go, let It go: perchance It will wear smooth–certainly the machine will wear out… But If It Is of such a nature that It requires you to be the agent of Injustice to another, then say, break the law. Let your life be a counter-friction to stop the machine.

What I have to do Is to see, at any rate, that I do not lend myself to the wrong which I condemn. ” unfortunately, Nil’s father does not give into son, Neil. In contrast, Charlie is a fugue in the movie that does stimulate some progress against the idealism. Furthermore, in the scene when Charlie makes up a phone call from God”, Henry David Thoreau principle of civil disobedience is also exemplified. Charlie’s uprising is to put out an article under the name of the Dead Poets Society demanding that girls be allowed to attend Walton. This is Charlie’s best moment. A general assembly is called and Mr..

Nylon’s speech follows “In this week of Welter’s Honor there appeared a profane and unauthorized article. Rather than spend my valuable time ferreting out the guilty persons and let me assure you I will find them – – I’m asking any and all students who know anything about this article o make themselves known here and now. Whoever the guilty persons are, this is your only chance to avoid expulsion from this school. ” The sound of a phone ringing can be heard. It’s a false phone that Charlie has arranged. Charlie picks up a telephone and answers “Walton Academy. Hello. Yes, he is.

Just a moment”. Charlie stands up, holding a phone and bell in his hands. “Mr.. Nolan, it’s for you. It’s God. He says we should have girls at Walton. ” This scene pools non-conformity, revolt counter to the institution, self- reliance and, notably, a non-transcendental theme, humor, a retreat liberator of free speech. Charlie’s boldness and intrepid outburst in this scene best emulates Henry David Thoreau ideology of civil disobedience as observed in the excerpt from Civil Disobedience and Other Essays “Is a democracy, such as we know it, the last improvement possible in government?

Is it not possible to take a step further towards recognizing and organizing the rights of man? ” The notion that there is a possibility for greater development within the school is what stimulates Charlie’s rebellious nature and outbursts. Mr.. Nolan reprimands Charlie demanding Ames of the members of the Dead Poets Society but Charlie does not capitulate. On that note, when Neil asks, “So what happened? ” Charlie replies, “I’m to turn everyone in, apologize to the school and all will be forgiven. ” On Nil’s inquiry, “So, what are you going to do? Charlie! Charlie’s response in keeping with his defiance is “Damn it, Neil, The name is Undead. ” signifying that Charlie does not and will not give in. He has a lot of resilience and is a true radical. Similarly, another character that actually takes initiative in the movie to perpetuate the essence of transcendentalism is Knox. Likewise, when Knox goes to Chris’ school to make her accept his affection for her; he implements the instructions of self-reliance by Ralph Wald Emerson. Knox overcomes his “calmness” and takes initiative by going to Chris’ school with flowers.

He says, “Please, accept these. Please. ” Chris replies “No. No– l, I can’t. Forget it” and walks away. Impervious, Knox follows and reads his poem. The classroom becomes noiseless as everybody heeds his brave and powerful message for Chris. Knocks actions are enthused by the Dead Poets Society and Knox reveals the self-confidence e gained from the Dead Poets Society. The Dead Poets Society gave Knox the knowledge of Transcendentalism, which is expressed in Ralph Wald Emerson, Self- Reliance, “Is it so bad, then, to be misunderstood?

Pythagoras was misunderstood, and Socrates, and Jesus, and Luther, and Copernicus, and Galileo, and Newton, and every pure and wise spirit that ever took flesh. To be great is to be misunderstood. ” The point articulated in this quotation is that one must not quarrel over the truths of their beliefs, but embrace them. Only once Knox learns to embrace his love for Chris Chris venerates his resolve and moves toward progression and rebirth. This scene reaffirms Knocks self-reliance.

In summary, the subject is the principles of transcendentalism from the 19th century, which were expressed in this movie. During the course of the movie, both destructive and constructive consequences of transcendentalism in a conformist, institutional setting transpire. Unfortunately, nothing essentially reformed with the institution, but the boys established knowledge that would supersede new ideas for coming generations. The movie itself provided quality entertainment for the untrained mind.

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  • Have Americans always been big on sports?
  • Who invented baseball?
  • What did American Indians have to give up for pioneers?
  • How did imperialism spread around the world?
  • How did Imperialism in India come about?
  • What's the big deal about Manifest Destiny?
  • How did the Tet Offensive affect public opinion about the Vietnam War?
  • Why did Christian Lous Lange deserve the Nobel Peace Prize in 1921?
  • Where do the four suits in a deck of cards originate? What do they represent?
  • What was the Roe v. Wade trial?
  • Who is Constantine?
  • I need to know some info on the Monroe Doctrine. I have looked everywhere but I still can't find any information. Can you PLEASE help?
  • Where did the chair originate from? I was sitting on one the other day and it said Made in China," but where did it first come from?"
  • What kind of cash crops did they grow in the South in early America?
  • Everyone talks about how enlightened the Mayans were, but what did they really do?
  • What caused the fall of the Roman Empire? Did Christianity play a role?
  • What was the reason for the downfall of the Russian Empire in 1917?
  • What prompted slavery? Why were the Africans chosen for enslavement?
  • How did World War I start and end?
  • What is The Palestinian Conflict?
  • I don't really understand the French Revolution. What started it, and what stopped it?
  • What was the doctor's diagnosis of Helen Keller when she was a baby?
  • What is the Trail of Tears?
  • When speaking about Native Americans, what is the difference between an Indian tribe and an Indian Nation?
  • What happened during the Boston Massacre?
  • What was sectionalism in America before the Civil War?
  • How did the U.S. attempt to avoid involvement in World War II?
  • What is Ronald Reagan's Tear down this wall" speech about?"
  • Can you describe the United States policy of containment and show an example of an event when the policy was used and why?
  • How many countries are there in the world?
  • What did Columbus do besides sail to the New World?
  • My history teacher said that if your religious denomination isn't Catholic, than you are a Protestant. Is she right?
  • Do you think that Mormons are Christians? What is the full name of the Mormon Church?
  • What principles of the Belmont Report were violated in the Tuskegee Syphilis Study?
  • What is the size of Europe in square miles?
  • The United States was given the right to establish naval bases in the British West Indies during World War II by the British Government in exchange for what?
  • How were the Crusades a turning point in Western history?
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  • What does impertinent mean (from The American )?
  • I know that the verb pluck means to pull out or pull at, but what's the definition when used as a noun?
  • Which novels would you recommend to 15-year-olds on the theme of places and forms of power?
  • In The Pearl, why didn't John Steinbeck give the pearl buyers identifying names?
  • In the play, The Crucible , why would Arthur Miller include the Note on Historical Accuracy?
  • What is perfidy (from Sister Carrie, by Theodore Dreiser)?
  • Is being pedantic a good or bad thing?
  • Is a termagant a type of seabird?
  • What is ichor (from The Iliad )?
  • In The Hunger Games, why did Cinna choose to be the designer for District 12?
  • Is a rivulet really a river, only smaller?
  • Charles Dickens has this person called the beadle" in lots of his books. Is that like a nickname for a man with buggy eyes or something?"
  • In Brave New World, why are family words like father and mother viewed as obscene?
  • What is the main tenet of stoicism?
  • What's the meaning of obsequious (from Theodore Dreiser's urban novel Sister Carrie )?
  • Where are the Antipodes (from Much Ado about Nothing )?
  • What is a truckle bed (from Romeo and Juliet )?
  • What does truculent (from Great Expectations ) mean?
  • If someone inculcates you, should you feel insulted?
  • What does the phrase Ethiop words" mean in Shakespeare's As You Like It ?"
  • I was chatting with a neighbor who said I was quite garrulous . Nice or mean?
  • What does laconic mean?
  • At a restaurant famous for its rude servers, a waitress told me to lump it" when I asked for another napkin. Can you tell me about that phrase?"
  • What does urbane (from Daisy Miller ) mean?
  • I thought necro had something to do with being dead. So, what's a necromancer ? Sounds creepy.
  • In The House of Mirth, this guy named Gus Trenor is eating a jellied plover." Is that some kind of doughnut?"
  • What are some well-known novels whose titles are quotations from Shakespeare?
  • In Orwell's 1984, what does the opening sentence suggest about the book?
  • Understanding the literary genre Magical Realism
  • What's a prig?
  • I asked my granddad if he liked his new apartment and he said, It's all hunky-dory, kiddo." What did he mean?"
  • What does mephitic (from Man and Superman ) mean?
  • I hate finding typos in books. Here's one I've seen several times: jalousies instead of jealousies.
  • On the second week of my summer job at a bookstore, my boss handed me an envelope with what she called my emoluments. Looked like a paycheck to me, though.
  • In To Kill a Mockingbird, what are some examples of the characters having courage?
  • What's cud? I was once told to stop chewing my cud and get back to work.
  • What can you tell me about the word patois from The Awakening ?
  • What are thews (from Ivanhoe )?
  • What does pot-shop (from The Pickwick Papers ) mean?
  • Are all dowagers women?
  • If someone is the titular head of a political party, does it mean they have all the power?
  • The word flummox confuses me. What does it mean?
  • Somebody told me I looked pasty. Does that mean I've eaten too many sweets?
  • I started taking private bassoon lessons. When I arrived at my teacher’s house, he told me to wait in the anteroom. I wasn’t sure where to go.
  • Is anomalous the same as anonymous ?
  • I know that a fathom is a unit of measure used by sailors, but how long is a fathom?
  • What is a joss (from Victory, by Joseph Conrad)?
  • What does eschew (from The Pickwick Papers ) mean?
  • What does excrescence (from The Call of the Wild ) mean?
  • What does the word covert mean?
  • In Shakespeare's Sonnet 125, what is an oblation ?
  • In Moby-Dick , what does vitiate mean?
  • In War and Peace , what does bane mean?
  • In Jane Eyre , what are chilblains ?
  • Does mendacious refer to something that is fixable (mendable)?
  • Is kickshawses one of those weird words that Shakespeare coined? What does it mean?
  • You say in CliffsNotes that In Cold Blood was Truman Capote's undoing. How?
  • What is renege , in Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra ?
  • What is maxim ? I think it's a female name but I'm not sure.
  • Last Valentine's Day, this guy I barely know gave me a rose and said something about ardent love. What does ardent mean?
  • In Act I, Scene 1, of King Lear, what does benison mean?
  • What kind of literature is a picaresque novel?
  • What does culpable mean?
  • What's a cenotaph ? Every Veterans Day, I hear about the Queen of England laying a wreath at the Cenotaph in London.
  • What does gallimaufry mean in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo ? My vocabulary is pretty good, but that one has me stumped!
  • What does it mean to genuflect ?
  • Someone told me I was looking wistful. What is wistful ?
  • In David Copperfield, what does superannuated mean?
  • Does the word syllogism have something to do with biology?
  • I see the word benefactor a lot in my reading assignments. Is that somebody who benefits from something?
  • I found a funny word in The Glass Castle. Where did skedaddle come from and what does it mean?
  • Does sinuous mean something like full of sin"? I saw the word in The Devil in the White City ."
  • In Upton Sinclair's The Jungle, what is the meaning of the word propaganda ?
  • What are characteristics of Modernist literature, fiction in particular?
  • What does my brother mean when he says he's too ensconced in his studies to look for a girlfriend?
  • My grandpa complained about a bunch of politicians making what he called chin music . Did he mean they were in a loud band?
  • What is melodrama?
  • In Dracula, what's a missal ?
  • In the terms abject poverty and abject misery, what does abject mean?
  • In Moby-Dick, what does craven mean?
  • What does cicatrize mean?
  • What is a noisome smell" in Tolstoy's War and Peace ?"
  • What is an apostasy, from the George Bernard Shaw play, Man and Superman ?
  • In Jane Eyre, what's syncope ?
  • I just read Dracula. What's the forcemeat in Jonathan Harker's journal?
  • Can the word stern mean more than one thing?
  • Where is Yoknapatawpha county?
  • What does smouch mean?
  • I'm supposed to write a comparison of Hektor and Achilles from Homer's The Iliad, but I don't know where to start.
  • How do you pronounce quay ? And what does it mean, anyway?
  • What are some examples of paradox in the novel Frankenstein ?
  • In Ivanhoe, what does mammock mean?
  • What does rummage mean?
  • Is a mummer some type of religious person?
  • Some guy I don't like told his friend I was acting all demure. What does that mean?
  • When I complained about our cafeteria food, my biology teacher told me he wished they'd serve agarics. Was he talking about some kind of dessert?
  • Where did the name Of Mice and Men come from?
  • What genre would you consider the book, The Outsiders ?
  • In Fahrenheit 451, why would a society make being a pedestrian a crime?
  • What does the phrase, a worn-out man of fashion" mean from Jane Eyre ?"
  • Is sagacity a medical condition?
  • My teacher told me I was being obdurate. Was that a compliment?
  • What motives inspired Iago to plot revenge against Othello?
  • Who was the first king of Rome?
  • What does enervate mean?
  • What is a parvenu ? I saw the word in William Makepeace Thackeray's book Vanity Fair.
  • Is salubrity somehow related to being famous?
  • Do capers have something to do with cops?
  • What's the difference between a soliloquy and a monologue?
  • In A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, James Joyce uses the word pandybat . What's a pandybat?
  • Does the word inexorable have something to do with driving demons out of a person?
  • Do people who prognosticate have some sort of special power?
  • What is a hegemony, from James Joyce's Ulysses ?
  • What are fallow fields ? I'm a city gal who heard the term at a 4-H fair and just read it in Anna Karenina.
  • What's the difference between parody and satire?
  • Lord of the Flies uses the word inimical. What does it mean?
  • What does dreadnaught mean, as it’s used in Bleak House?
  • I saw vertiginous in Madame Bovary. What does mean the word mean?
  • What does overweening mean, in Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes?
  • Can you hear a dirge anyplace but a funeral?
  • Does imperturbable refer to something you can't break through?
  • What are the seven ages of man?
  • What is a chimera , in Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë?
  • What's dross ?
  • What is an injunction ?
  • For school I had to make a Napoleon hat, which called for a cockade. What is that?
  • If someone studies assiduously, does it mean they're working really hard or really slowly?
  • Define mood as it relates to a work of fiction. Distinguish mood from effect.
  • My sister calls me the Princess of Prevarication." What's prevarication ?"
  • What's turpitude, as in moral turpitude"?"
  • What's the definition of tenebrous ?
  • This biography I'm reading about Queen Victoria says that she refused to remove the hatchment she had for her husband Prince Albert. What does that word mean?
  • What does sine qua non mean?
  • What's lugubrious mean?
  • What's impugn mean, from Ivanhoe?
  • What does postprandial mean?
  • I love reading fashion magazines and occasionally come across the word atelier. What is that?
  • What does King Lear mean when he says that ingratitude is a marble-hearted fiend"?"
  • What is celerity , from Ivanhoe ?
  • In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein , what are disquisitions ?
  • What's shrive ? My neighbor said she's been unshriven for years, but I think her skin looks quite shriveled.
  • What's a dobbin ?
  • What's polemic ? Over winter break, my uncle told me I was polemic and asked if I was on the debate team at school.
  • I came across a list of homonyms: mu, moo, moue . I know mu is Greek for the letter m , and moo is the sound cows make, but what's a moue ?
  • What does trow mean?
  • In Far from the Madding Crowd , what does cavil mean?
  • What does Charles Dickens mean when he says “toadies and humbugs” in his book, Great Expectations ?
  • Where can I find the word naught in The Scarlet Letter ?
  • I found an old diary from the 1800s where the writer describes how he almost died but was saved by a sinapism . What is that?
  • I know what mulch is, but what's mulct ?
  • When our teacher was introducing the next reading assignment, he said we'll be using the unexpurgated version. What did he mean?
  • For some reason, the word dingle sticks in my head after having read Treasure Island years ago. I never did discover what it meant. How about it, Cliff?
  • In Dracula , what's stertorous breathing?
  • What does philippic mean?
  • I'm usually pretty good at guessing what words mean, but have no clue about exigence . What is it?
  • What's doughty ? How do you pronounce it?
  • What's sharecropping? I'm kind of embarrassed to ask, because it's one of those words everyone assumes you know what it means.
  • I'm working on my summer reading list with Kafka's The Trial. The very first sentence uses traduce , and I don't know what that means.
  • What does the cormorant (bird) symbolize in mythology?
  • I saw the word badinage in the book Uncle Tom's Cabin . Do you think that's a typo that really should be bandage ?
  • On a TV modeling contest, a judge said, Her simian walk is unbelievable." Was that a good thing?"
  • What is the definition of adverbiously , from Dickens's A Tale of Two Cities ?
  • In Oliver Twist , Dodger refers to Oliver as flash companion . Can't find a definition of this anywhere. What does it mean?
  • Do elocutionists kill people?
  • For my English homework, I have to write a love poem. I'm only 13 and I haven't had my first love yet. How would I go about writing about feelings that I haven't felt yet?
  • Where on the body would I find my sarcophagus ?
  • What's stolid ? It sounds like someone who's stupid and built solid like a wall.
  • What's a wonton person?
  • In which play did William Shakespeare state that misery loves company?
  • What's comfit ? Is it a different way of saying comfort?
  • Where did the story Frankenstein by Mary Shelley take place?
  • What kind of person would a shallow-pate be?
  • What are myrmidons of Justice" in Great Expectations ?"
  • Faseeshis … no clue on the spelling, but I kind of got yelled at in school today for being that. What did I do?
  • In The Red Badge of Courage , what's an imprecation ?
  • The word portmanteau shows up in a lot of the literature I read for school assignments. It sounds French. What does it mean?
  • I did something really stupid yesterday, and my grandfather told me I was hoist with my own petard." What does that mean? And what's a petard ?"
  • How do you pronounce Cymbeline, one of Shakespeare's early comedies?
  • What's a bourse ? I read it in my finance class.
  • In The House of Mirth, what are oubliettes ?
  • In Tess of the d'Urbervilles, what are thimble-riggers ?
  • In Wuthering Heights , what's a thible ?
  • Which Hemingway story references the running of the bulls" in Spain?"
  • What's a clink? My dad mentioned that his granddad was there for a long time during World War I.
  • If somebody is toady," does it mean they're ugly?"
  • Who said all's fair in love and war" and where?"
  • Why is there so much talk about baseball, especially Joe DiMaggio, in The Old Man and the Sea ?
  • In the movie Failure to Launch , there's a line that goes, Well, she certainly is yar," in reference to a yacht. What's yar ?"
  • What does mangle mean in Charles Dickens's A Tale of Two Cities ?
  • I got detention because a teacher said I was being contumacious . What's that?
  • What are encomiums?
  • What are billets in The Three Musketeers ?
  • In Orwell's 1984 , what is doublethink ?
  • What are orts ? That's a weird word that reminds me of orcs from The Lord of the Rings .
  • What are alliteration and assonance?
  • How is John the Savage's name ironic in Brave New World ?
  • What's quinsy?
  • What is a doppelgänger?
  • What is New Historicism?
  • I found the word unwonted in a book I'm reading. Is that a typo, you think?
  • In Heart of Darkness , what does cipher mean?
  • In the play The Glass Menagerie, would you describe Tom as selfish?
  • What does Kantian mean, from a philosophical perspective?
  • What's a colonnade ? My girlfriend is freaking me out with stories of her dream wedding where she walks down a colonnade. I know this is the least of my problems, but I'm curious.
  • My grandma says she knows how I feel when I knit my brows. Is she crazy?
  • Why is Shakespeare's play titled Julius Caesar , even though he is dead by Act III and plays a relatively small role?
  • I know bier has something to do with dead people, but what is it exactly?
  • My brainy brother owns a Harley and says his girlfriend is the pillion . Is he insulting her or just showing off?
  • I ran across the word mien in a book. Is it a typo?
  • Is a younker a person or a place?
  • Does precipitancy have something to do with the weather?
  • I'm writing a grade 12 comparative essay, and I need a book that I could compare with All Quiet on the Western Front. Any suggestions?
  • A friend says she suffers from ineffable sadness. What's ineffable ?
  • What's a scow ?
  • Is a maelstrom some kind of dangerous weather?
  • What is the meaning of this saying, The cat will mew and dog will have his day"?"
  • What is a paradox ?
  • The Picture of Dorian Gray mentions a panegyric on youth. What does that mean?
  • In Madame Bovary , what's a mairie?
  • In The Kite Runner, what's palliative mean?
  • So what's oligarchy ? In government class, my teacher mentioned that word when we were talking about the Blagojevich scandal in Illinois.
  • Is intrepidity a good thing or a bad thing?
  • My grandmother told me that she thinks grandpa should see an alienist. Does she think he's from another planet or what?
  • Do you have to have licentiousness to get your driver's license?
  • I ran across the word hardihood in something I read the other day. Is it some kind of clothing?
  • I saw mention of haversack in my history book. What does that word mean?
  • I'm guessing the word quadroon is four of something. But what's a roon?
  • I'm trying to understand Shakespeare's play, King Lear . Can you explain these quotes from Act 1, Scene 1?
  • In Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment , what's a samovar ?
  • I came across a music channel that featured tejano," and then I saw the same word when I was reading Bless Me, Ultima. What does it mean?"
  • In The Awakening , there's a term prunella gaiter." I'm guessing that gaiters are a type of covering for your legs, like the gaiters I use on my ski boots to keep snow out. But what the heck is prunella? Is it a purplish color like prunes?"
  • What's sedulous mean?
  • In Chapter 2 of Jane Eyre , what are divers parchments ?
  • A friend of mine said she hopes to get a counterpane for Christmas. What's that?
  • In Wuthering Heights, what does munificent mean?
  • The other day, my dad called my friends a motley crew. Is that his way of saying I should hang out with a different crowd?
  • Why is there an authorship problem with Shakespeare?
  • What is it called when something is out of place in time, like a jet stream in a movie about ancient Rome?
  • In 1984 , does Winston die from a bullet at the end of the book or is he in a dream-state?
  • I saw some old guy in a soldier's uniform selling fake red flowers. He said it was for Veterans Day. What's the connection?
  • I was kind of flirting with this really cute boy when my teacher told me to stop palavering. Did she want me to stop flirting or stop talking?
  • My grandmother says when she was a kid in China, she became Catholic because of the Mary Knows nuns. I tried to look that up on the Internet but couldn't find anything. Can you help?
  • In The Count of Monte Cristo , does cupidity mean love? I'm guessing that because of, you know, Cupid . . . Valentine's Day.
  • My theater teacher called me a name the other day. I don't think it was supposed to be a compliment. What's a somnambulist, anyway?
  • Why was Tartuffe such a jerk?
  • To Kill a Mockingbird has this word fey in it, but I don't know what it means. Does it mean short lived or fleeting?
  • In Pride and Prejudice , what's probity" &mdash
  • I never met my grandma, who my mom says lives in a hovel and wants her to move in with us. Then I saw that word in Frankenstein . What's a hovel? I thought it was like a place that had room service.
  • I have a friend who said something about phantasmagoric. That's not real, is it?
  • Which of the following literary devices is used in these poetic lines by John Milton?
  • In Faulkner's A Rose for Emily," what does noblesse oblige mean?"
  • What is love?
  • What is suggested by the coin image in Book II of A Tale of Two Cities ?
  • Why does Satan rebel against God?
  • I'm reading Candide, by Voltaire, and one of the dudes is an Anabaptist. What's that?
  • What does the poem Summer Sun" by Robert Louis Stevenson really mean?"
  • What did Shakespeare want to say about his beloved in Sonnet 18?
  • In Romeo and Juliet , who was the last person to see Juliet alive?
  • What is the Catechism?
  • What is the overall meaning of the poem Before The Sun," by Charles Mungoshi?"
  • What does ague mean?
  • Is there a reference to venereal disease in Romeo and Juliet ?
  • What is fantasy fiction?
  • What is the exposition in Othello ?
  • Who is the character Susan in Romeo and Juliet ?
  • What is a found poem?
  • What did Alice Walker mean in the essay Beauty"?"
  • Why did Dr. Frankenstein create his monster?
  • What is the name of the surgeon and the English ship he's on in Moby-Dick ?
  • What are the differences between an epic hero and a Romantic hero?
  • In Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead, does Gail Wynand commit suicide or only close The Banner at the end of the novel? I'm in a literary dispute over this!
  • What did W.E.B. Du Bois mean when he wrote of second-sight?
  • What is nihilism, and what should I read to get a better understanding of it?
  • What is the difference between an atheist and an agnostic?
  • What are intelligent design and creationism and how are they related?
  • What is misanthropy ?
  • I would like to understand the poem Blight" by Ralph Waldo Emerson. Please help."
  • Can you explain the significance of the question, Which came first, the chicken or the egg?""
  • In Little Lost Robot," by Isaac Asimov, why have some robots been impressioned with only part of the First Law of Robotics?"
  • Can you explain Cartesian Dualism and how Descartes' philosophical endeavors led him to dualism?
  • When reading Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice , what does entailment mean?
  • What does ignominy mean? (From Shelley's Frankenstein )
  • What does pecuniary mean? (From Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities )
  • How do I analyze Kant's philosophy?
  • What is an apostrophe in Macbeth ?
  • Is music a language?
  • Why should literature be studied?
  • In the book The Scarlet Letter , what is a vigil ?
  • The first week of school isn't even over yet and I'm already in trouble — I forgot my textbook at school and can't do my homework! What should I do now?!
  • What are the renaissance features/characteristics in Hamlet ?
  • What is the exact quote in Hamlet about something being wrong in Denmark? Something smells? Something is amiss?
  • What does Utilitarianism mean, from a philosophical perspective?
  • What was the form of English that Shakespeare used?
  • At the beginning of Act V, Scene 2 of Much Ado About Nothing, does Shakespeare insinuate that anything is going on between Margaret and Benedick?
  • What was the "final solution" in the book Night by Elie Wiesel?
  • With the many novels out there, is there a database of some sort that can narrow down your choices to a specific book of interest for pleasure reading? And if not, why hasn't there been?
  • How do you pronounce Houyhnhnms ? (From Swift's Gulliver's Travels )
  • I just took the quiz on The Great Gatsby on this site. How can Jordan Baker be described as a professional golfer? To my knowledge, the LPGA did not form until the mid-1950s. Shouldn't she be referred to as an amateur golfer instead?
  • What are the humanities?
  • If Father, Son, and Holy Ghost aren't names, what is God's name?
  • What classic novels take place in Florida?
  • In which Hemingway short story is the saying, "Children's shoes for sale"?
  • Who is the "lady" that Robert Plant speaks of in the song "Stairway to Heaven"?
  • Was Odysseus the one who planned the Trojan horse, in the Trojan War?
  • How do I get my smart-but-hates-to-read son interested in reading?
  • Poetry gives me problems. How can I figure out what poems are about?
  • How do you analyze a novel?
  • What does it mean to ululate ? (From Golding's Lord of the Flies )
  • Is ambrosia a salad? (From Homer's The Odyssey )
  • What is a harbinger ? (From Shakespeare's Macbeth )
  • What does it mean to be refractory ? (From Dickens' Great Expectations )
  • What is a querulous kid? (From Wharton's Ethan Frome )
  • What does the word runagate mean? (From Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet )
  • What is the word, imprimis ? (From Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew )
  • What does the word alchemy mean? (From Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter )
  • What is an estuary ? (From Conrad's Heart of Darkness )
  • What or who is a scullion ? (From Shakespeare's Hamlet )
  • What is a schism ? (From Swift's Gulliver's Travels )
  • What does it mean to be salubrious ? (From Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights )
  • What is a replication ? (From Shakespeare's Hamlet )
  • What is vicissitude ? (From Hawthorne's The House of Seven Gables )
  • Can you define indolent ? (From Wharton's House of Mirth )
  • What does the word replete mean? (From Shakespeare's Henry V )
  • What are orisons ? (From Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet )
  • What does it mean to be ephemeral ?
  • What does it mean to be placid ? (From Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre )
  • What is a paroxysm ? (From Stoker's Dracula )
  • My English teacher got really mad when I said I was nauseous . Why?
  • What does it mean to be farinaceous ? (From Tolstoy's Anna Karenina )
  • What does dejection mean? (From Shelley's Frankenstein )
  • What is animadversion ? (From Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter )
  • What does it mean to be timorous ? (From Shakespeare's Othello )
  • Someone called me erudite . Is that good?
  • What is a mountebank ? (From Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter )
  • What does incarnadine mean? (From Shakespeare's Macbeth )
  • What does it mean to be puissant? (From Shakespeare's Julius Caesar)
  • What is a purloiner? (From Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities)
  • What does it mean to be affable ? (From Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment )
  • What does it mean to be ostensible ? (From Twain's A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court )
  • What does compunction mean? (From Dickens's Bleak House )
  • What is behoveful ? (From Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet )
  • What is a precentor ? (From Golding's Lord of the Flies )
  • What does it mean to be loquacious ? (From Cervantes's Don Quixote )
  • What does imprudence mean? (From Ibsen's A Doll's House )
  • What is a conflagration ? (From Stevenson's Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde )
  • What does it mean to be spurious ? (From James' Daisy Miller )
  • What is a retinue ? (From Swift's Gulliver's Travels )
  • What does the word forsworn mean? (From Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet )
  • What does the word hauteur mean? (From Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby )
  • What are vituperations ? (From Jacobs' Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl )
  • What are ostents ? (From Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice )
  • What is a sockdolager ? (From Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn )
  • What does insuperable mean? (From Shelley's Frankenstein )
  • What is calumny ? (From Shakespeare's Hamlet )
  • What is an augury ? (From Sophocles' Antigone )
  • What does squally mean? (From Dickens' Great Expectations )
  • What does corporal mean? (From Shakespeare's Macbeth )
  • What does it mean to be plausible ? (From Sinclair's The Jungle )
  • What is a dearth ? (From Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre )
  • What does it mean to vacillate ? (From Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest )
  • What does it mean to obtrude someone? (From Dickens's Great Expectations )
  • What is a heterodox ? (From Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter )
  • What is felicity ? (From Austen's Emma )
  • What does it mean to be effacing ? (From Adams's The Education of Henry Adams )
  • What is a repast ? (From Chan Tsao's Dream of the Red Chamber )
  • What does insouciance mean? (From Sinclair's The Jungle )
  • What is a soliloquy ? (From Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn )
  • I was reading The Iliad and there's this word in it: greaves . What's that?
  • What does the word prodigality mean? (From Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby )
  • Is there an easy way to understand The Canterbury Tales ?
  • What does the scarlet letter symbolize?
  • What is the significance of Grendel's cave in Beowulf ?
  • How did Hawthorne show that Hester Prynne was a strong woman in The Scarlet Letter ?
  • What purpose do the three witches serve at the beginning of Macbeth ?
  • What can you tell me about Grendel from Beowulf ?
  • What figurative language does Stephen Crane use in The Red Badge of Courage ?
  • Why is Roger so mean in Lord of the Flies ?
  • How do Gene and Finny mirror each other in A Separate Peace ?
  • The old man and the young wife — what's up with story plots like this?
  • What part does vengeance play in The Odyssey ?
  • What kind of a woman is Penelope in The Odyssey ?
  • Do fate and fortune guide the actions in Macbeth ?
  • How does Frankenstein relate to Paradise Lost ?
  • How has the way people view Othello changed over time?
  • How does Henry change throughout The Red Badge of Courage ?
  • What's so great about Gatsby?
  • How is To Kill a Mockingbird a coming-of-age story?
  • Why did Ophelia commit suicide in Hamlet ?
  • What is the setting of The Scarlet Letter ?
  • What is a slave narrative?
  • What's an anachronism ?
  • Doesn't Raskolnikov contradict himself in Crime and Punishment ?
  • What is the main theme of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn ?
  • What does Shakespeare mean by memento mori ?
  • What are inductive and deductive arguments?
  • How does Alice Walker break the rules" of literature with The Color Purple ?"
  • What role does Friar Laurence play in Romeo and Juliet ?
  • Why did Elie Wiesel call his autobiography Night ?
  • How does Shakespeare play with gender roles in Macbeth ?
  • Where did Dickens get the idea to write A Tale of Two Cities ?
  • What's the purpose of the preface to The Scarlet Letter ?
  • What role do women play in A Tale of Two Cities ?
  • Who are the heroes and villains in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn?
  • What are the ides of March?
  • Was Kate really a shrew in The Taming of the Shrew ?
  • What role does innocence play in The Catcher in the Rye ?
  • How are Tom and Huck different from each other in Huckleberry Finn ?
  • What is blank verse and how does Shakespeare use it?
  • How do the book and film versions of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest differ?
  • What is a satirical novel?
  • What is the role of censorship in Fahrenheit 451 ?
  • How can I keep myself on track to get through my summer reading list?
  • How does Jim fit into the overall theme of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn ?
  • What is a major theme of The Great Gatsby ?
  • How does Shakespeare use light and darkness in Romeo and Juliet ?
  • Who is the narrator in Faulkner's A Rose for Emily"?"
  • In Lord of the Flies , what statement is William Golding making about evil?
  • How is The Catcher in the Rye different from other coming-of-age novels?
  • How does Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird show two sides?
  • Was there supposed to be a nuclear war in The Handmaid's Tale ? I couldn't tell.
  • What is experimental theater"?"
  • Does Jonas die at the end of The Giver ?
  • What is an inciting incident, and how do I find one in Lord of the Flies ?
  • How does King Arthur die?
  • In Julius Caesar , what does this mean: Cowards die many times before their deaths
  • How do you write a paper on comparing a movie with the book?
  • Please explain this Kipling quote: Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind.""
  • What is a tragic flaw?
  • What is a motif, and how can I find them in Macbeth ?
  • Why didn't Socrates write any books? After all, he was supposed to be so intelligent and wise.
  • Why are there blanks in place of people's names and places in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice ?
  • Was Othello a king? A prince? He's referred to as My Lord" but I'm not sure of his actual title."
  • I need to download some pictures of Juliet. Where would I find these?
  • Why does Odysseus decide to listen to the Sirens, in The Odyssey , by Homer?
  • What does prose and poetry mean? What's the difference?
  • In The Scarlet Letter, why is the scaffold important and how does it change over the course of the novel?
  • Why does the legend of King Arthur hold such a powerful grip over us?
  • Do you like to read books?
  • What are the metrical features in poetry?
  • What are the riddles that Gollum asked Bilbo in The Hobbit ?
  • Can you tell me what these two quotes from Much Ado About Nothing mean?
  • What is connotation, and how do you find it in a poem?
  • What is a dramatic monologue?
  • What is formal fallacy?
  • Why didn't Mina Harker realize she was under Dracula's spell when she witnessed her friend fall prey to him, too? Wasn't it obvious?
  • In The Three Musketeers by Dumas, Cardinal Richelieu is labeled as the villain. How could he be presented as a hero instead?
  • In Romeo and Juliet , what are the different types of irony used? Um, what's irony?
  • What is the main theme in Fahrenheit 451 ?
  • In Dickens's A Tale of Two Cities , what fact in Book the Second: Chapters 1-6, confirms Darnay's release?
  • Why is Invisible Man considered a bildungsroman?
  • In A Doll's House , what risqué item does Nora reveal to Dr. Rank that eventually prompts him to disclose his own secret?
  • What is a definition of short story?
  • What percentage of people are considered geniuses?
  • How do I write and publish my own novel?
  • Do I use the past or present tense to answer this question: What is this poem about?" "
  • A Closer Look at Internships
  • Consider Working for a Nonprofit Organization
  • Create a Top-Quality Cover Letter
  • Deciding Whether to Go for Your MBA
  • Dress the Part for a Job Interview
  • Appropriate Attire: Defining Business Casual
  • Famous Americans Who Started Out in the Military
  • The Benefits of Joining a Professional Organization
  • Five Job Interview Mistakes
  • Getting Good References for Your Job Hunt
  • Lying on Your Resume
  • Make the Most of Days between Jobs
  • Military Career Opportunity: Translators and Interpreters
  • Network Your Way into a Job
  • Prepare for a Job Interview
  • Preparing for Job Interview Questions
  • Putting Your English Degree to Work
  • Putting Your Education Degree to Work
  • Take Advantage of Job and Career Fairs
  • Tips for a Better Resume
  • Understand Negotiable Elements of a Job Offer
  • Visit the College Career Office
  • Write a Resume That Will Get Noticed
  • Write a Thank You Note after an Interview
  • Writing a Follow-Up Letter after Submitting Your Resume
  • Your Military Career: Basics of Officer Candidate School
  • Your Military Career: Requirements for Officer Candidate School
  • Know What to Expect in Graduate School
  • Paying for Graduate School
  • Plan for Graduate Education
  • Tackle the Graduate Record Exam (GRE)
  • What Does School Accreditation Mean?
  • Writing Essays for Your Business School Application
  • Apply to Graduate School
  • Basic Requirements for Grad School
  • Choose a Graduate School
  • Decide if Graduate School Is Right for You
  • English Majors: Selecting a Graduate School or Program
  • Getting Letters of Recommendation for Your Business School Application
  • Graduate School Application: Tips, Advice, and Warnings
  • Graduate School: Applying as a Returning Student
  • How to Find a Mentor for Graduate School
  • How to Prepare for Grad School as an Undergrad
  • How Work Experience Affects Your MBA Application
  • Master's Degree in Biology: Choosing a Grad School
  • In what countries does Toyota produce and market cars?
  • How would you use the PDSA cycle in your personal life?
  • I am confused about adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing negative numbers.
  • Who are some famous female mathematicians?
  • Given the set of numbers [7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42], find a subset of these numbers that sums to 100.
  • The speed limit on a certain part of the highway is 65 miles per hour. What is this in feet per minute?
  • What is the sum of the angles of an octagon?
  • In math, what does reciprocal mean?
  • How many grams in an ounce?
  • A number is 20 less than its square. Find all answers.
  • How much is 1,000 thousands?
  • How do I find the angles of an isosceles triangle whose two base angles are equal and whose third angle is 10 less than three times a base angle?
  • Explain with words and an example how any number raised to the zero power is 1?
  • If I had 550 coins in a machine worth $456.25, what would be the denomination of each coin?
  • What three consecutive numbers add up to 417?
  • How many 100,000,000s in 50 billion?
  • Of 100 students asked if they like rock and roll or country music, 7 said they like neither, 90 said they like rock and roll, and 57 said they like country music. How many students like both?
  • What's the formula to convert square feet into square meters?
  • In math, what is the definition of order of operations?
  • What's the difference between digital and analog?
  • What is the square root of 523,457?
  • What are all of the prime numbers?
  • Our teacher told us to look for clues in math word problems. What did she mean?
  • How do I figure out math word problems (without going crazy)?
  • What good is geometry going to do me after I get out of school?
  • I keep forgetting how to add fractions. Can you remind me?
  • My teacher talks about the Greatest Common Factor. What's so great about it?
  • Got any tips on finding percentages of a number?
  • What does associative property mean when you’re talking about adding numbers?
  • How do I use domain and range in functions?
  • How do I change percents to decimals and fractions? How about decimals and fractions to percents?
  • What should I do if my teacher wants me to solve an inequality on a number line?
  • What is a fast and easy way to work word problems?
  • How do you combine numbers and symbols in an algebraic equation?
  • How do I go about rounding off a number?
  • What is the First Derivative Test for Local Extrema?
  • Can you describe a prism for me?
  • How can I double-check my answers to math equations?
  • How do you factor a binomial?
  • I get the words mean , mode , median , and range mixed up in math. What do they all mean?
  • How do you combine like terms in algebra?
  • Can you make it easier for me to understand what makes a number a prime number?
  • Explain probability to me (and how about some examples)?
  • Solving story problems is, well, a problem for me. Can you help?
  • What's inferential statistics all about?
  • Finding percentages confuses me. Do you have any tips to make it simpler?
  • What's a quadratic equation, and how do I solve one?
  • How do you figure out probability?
  • How do you add integers?
  • How do you use factoring in quadratic equations?
  • What are limits in calculus?
  • I've looked everywhere to find the meaning of this word and I can't find it. What's the definition of tesseract ?
  • In geometry, how do you get the perimeters of a square and a rectangle?
  • What is the absolute value of a negative number?
  • A rectangle swimming pool is 24m longer than it is wide and is surrounded by a deck 3m wide. Find the area of the pool if the area of the deck is 324m 2 . Where do I even start to solve this problem?
  • How do you classify numbers, as in rational numbers, integers, whole numbers, natural numbers, and irrational numbers? I am mostly stuck on classifying fractions.
  • How do you convert a fraction to a decimal or change a decimal to a fraction?
  • I am trying to find all solutions to this algebra (factoring) problem, x 3 – 3x 2 – x + 3 = 0, and I keep getting the wrong answer. Please help!
  • Sometimes when I'm doing my pre-calculus homework I need help on some of the problems. Do you know where I can find help on the weekends or whenever?
  • How do you convert metric measurements?
  • I'm curious about converting Celsius to Fahrenheit, or Fahrenheit to Celsius. How do I convert from one to the other?
  • In basic math, the fraction bar shows division. So why does this equation show multiplication instead of division? 9/9 = 1 because 1 x 9 = 9.
  • I'm taking geometry and I'm having problem with the angles and the degree. Is there a way you can help me out?
  • The perimeter of a rectangle is 66m. The width is 9m less than the length. What is the length and width of the rectangle?
  • How many dollars are in 5,000 pesos?
  • How many ounces in a pound?
  • I'm having a hard time remembering percent of change. All I have is P (percent) = amount of change over original amount. Is there a better way of understanding it?
  • How do I figure out tangrams?
  • What are quadrilaterals?
  • What is the least common multiple of 8, 6, and 12?
  • How do you convert decimals to fractions?
  • How did the planet" Pluto get its name? I know it's named after the mythical god of the underworld, but why?"
  • What is the difference between the earth's core and its crust?
  • What does gender really mean?
  • What does plum pudding have to do with physics?
  • What is the functionalist perspective in sociology?
  • What does pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis mean?
  • Why aren't viruses considered living things?
  • Why does your breathing rate increase when you exercise?
  • Everyone says you shouldn't clean your ears with cotton swabs because you could break an eardrum. But if you do break your eardrum, will it grow back?
  • What is a mole?
  • How, and why, is body fat stored?
  • Where on the body do you find ciliated pseudostratified columnar epithelium?
  • Since she was only married for 72 days, does Kim Kardashian have to give back her wedding gifts?
  • In the United States, how can you get buried at sea?
  • What exactly is Salvia divinorum , and is it legal?
  • What is the composition and volume of whole blood?
  • Should I refer to a widow as Mrs., Miss, or Ms.?
  • Is it possible to catch more than one cold at a time?
  • Why does the Earth have more gravitational force than the moon or some other planet?
  • Did humans evolve from monkeys or apes?
  • What is the largest organ in the human body?
  • How did we end up with both Fahrenheit and Celsius scales?
  • What is absolute zero?
  • What is cell theory?
  • How come when humans flatulate, it smells bad?
  • How do I convert mL into µL, and vice versa?
  • What is the most abundant element in the earth's crust?
  • Is global warming man-made?
  • What exactly is wind? And why does it blow?
  • This sounds really disgusting, but I'm curious: Can humans drink animal blood, or any other kind of blood?
  • Why is space exploration important?
  • How is photosynthesis essential to life on earth?
  • What is the highest mountain in New Mexico?
  • What's the difference between a psychiatrist and a psychologist?
  • Who are the unbelievers" referred to in The Koran? What is it that they do not believe?"
  • What is the difference between Sunnis and Shi'ites?
  • What happens when you die?
  • Why is it important to memorize where the 50 states are on a map?
  • What kind of endangered species are there? Can you give me some examples, please?
  • It's impossible to sneeze with your eyes open, so when you drive a car, is it against the law to sneeze?
  • What are tectonic plates?
  • I have boy trouble. I want to ask out my friend, but I am not sure he is going to say yes. Plus, he said he had a girlfriend when we talked during school. Plus, my parents don't want me to date.
  • Why is the sky blue?
  • Do you really shrink at the end of the day and then grow in the morning?
  • What is the difference between matter" and "mass"?"
  • What does "nature versus nurture" mean?
  • What are closed contour lines?
  • What is homeostasis ?
  • What does the periodic table look like?
  • Do you know anything about the law of conservation of energy? Is it really a law?
  • I thought I knew what work means, but my physics teacher defines it differently. What's up with that?
  • How do plants know when to drop their leaves?
  • What's the surface of the moon like?
  • How does the number of neutrons in the nucleus of an atom differentiate it from another atom?
  • How do big rocks wear down over time?
  • What does genetic recombination mean?
  • How has DNA matching really made big difference in finding out who committed a crime?
  • What's the difference between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems?
  • What is incomplete dominance?
  • Can hydrocarbons be considered compounds?
  • Can you explain what molar mass is?
  • Aren't fungi really plants?
  • What information is contained in a chemical equation?
  • What are the endocrine and exocrine systems?
  • How do electrical charges interact?
  • Are there more than three kingdoms of life? I can never remember.
  • What are the characteristics of electrically charged objects?
  • How does anomie theory explain deviant behavior?
  • Why would anybody think there might be life on another planet?
  • What are chemical solutions?
  • Do you know of any way to simplify the overall subject of biochemical genetics?
  • Can a loud noise really shatter glass?
  • How do magnetic fields work?
  • Did Clarence Darrow really call an animal in to testify at the famous monkey trial?
  • What role does the thyroid gland play in the human body?
  • What did Mendel discover about heredity when he was playing around with plants?
  • How many laws of motion did Newton come up with, and what are they?
  • What in the world is constructive and destructive interference?
  • How do viruses do their dirty work?
  • What do bones do, except give us a skeletal structure?
  • Do all viruses look alike?
  • My teacher keeps talking about solubility. What does that mean, anyway?
  • How do positive and negative reinforcement work?
  • How does nondisjunction relate to birth defects?
  • With all the germs in the world today, how come everybody's not sick all the time?
  • What is thermal equilibrium?
  • How are sound waves created?
  • What do taste buds look like — up-close?
  • How often does an eclipse happen?
  • What is the chemical composition of saltwater?
  • I was told to write a 15-sentence answer to this question: When in life do you learn to expect the unexpected? I don't really know of an answer. Can you help me figure it out?
  • My school is having a blood drive and I am considering donating blood. Can you tell me more about the whole process and if it is painful?
  • Where can I download music for free? And if I do, is it illegal?
  • How do I convince my parents to give me ten bucks?
  • How should I deal with being a perfectionist?
  • How do I convince my little brother and sisters to stay out of my room?
  • Can you eat a rooster?
  • How do I work out a problem with a teacher who loses the assignments I turn in and then accuses me of not doing the homework?
  • Could a Tyrannosaurus rex kill King Kong?
  • How would you describe a rainbow to a person who has been blind their ENTIRE life and doesn't understand colors?
  • Will a tattoo inhibit hair growth?
  • When did gays come about?
  • I was wondering if the tilt on the earth's axis is important to animal life on earth. Could you explain?
  • What are the four types of tissue found in the human body?
  • Is there any easy" way to understand the Krebs Cycle?"
  • Why are prostaglandins sometimes called tissue hormones?
  • What is cell death? And what is the difference between apoptosis and necrosis?
  • How do I find the molar mass of the elements on the periodic table?
  • What do the symbols on the Periodic Table mean? For example, Gold-Au, Silver-Ag, Lead-Pb, Potassium-K, Tin-Sn, Iron-Fe, and Mercury-Hg, where did these symbols come from?
  • How is your mind connected to your dreams? Does this have anything to do with psychology?
  • What are the three main functions of the skeletal system?
  • What are the characteristics of a moneran, protist, and fungus?
  • Why does a placebo work? And who does it work for?
  • What are two properties of metals, nonmetals, and metalloids?
  • What is lymph? Is it part of the circulatory system in our bodies?
  • Can there be life on Mars?
  • How much of the ozone layer is left?
  • Is it possible for a marine mammal to be infected with rabies?
  • What exactly does the RNA do?
  • What is the sperm travel process?
  • What is a bacterial colony?
  • Dealing with the myth of Cinderella, written by the Grimm brothers, how could you analyze it in terms of archetypes that Carl Jung used?
  • What exactly is blood clotting and what are the processes involved?
  • What is the difference between nuclear fusion and nuclear fission?
  • Does a person have to have the same blood type as his or her brothers and sisters?
  • My teacher said that eating poisonous mushrooms can make you sick or even kill you, but that they're not the only fungus that can. What is she talking about?
  • What is the chemical equation for orange juice?
  • What kind of structures are opposable toes?
  • What is an oral groove?
  • Dogs are spayed, but humans have hysterectomies. Isn't it all the same surgery?
  • What does the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) do?
  • What is the angle formed by a horizontal line and a line of sight to a point below?
  • After I take the ASVAB, what is my obligation to the military?
  • If I choose to take the computerized version of the GRE, will I be typing or writing my analytical and issue essays?
  • Are there any MBA programs that don't require the GMAT?
  • Can you use a calculator on the GMAT? What are you allowed to take in with you to the test?
  • Should I keep taking the GMAT until I get a good score?
  • How is the ASVAB scored?
  • I canceled my GMAT score right after I took the test. Now I'm wondering if I did the right thing.
  • What is the ASVAB AFQT?
  • Where can I take the ASVAB?
  • Is it better to guess on GMAT answers or would that count against me?
  • How is my GMAT score used by grad schools?
  • Is it true that the writing assessment sections of the GMAT are graded by a computer?
  • What kinds of scores are reported on the GRE, and how long will it take for me to get my scores?
  • What do I need to bring with me to the GRE testing center?
  • How are GRE scores used?
  • How do I learn stuff for in-class exams?
  • How do I get ready for a math test?
  • Can I take a calculator to my ACT exam?
  • Do you have any tips for doing well on the AP Chemistry test?
  • What can I expect in the math part of the SAT?
  • How can I prepare for the SAT essay?
  • What is the Critical Reasoning section of the SAT like?
  • Is there a fun way to learn SAT vocabulary?
  • What books should I read for the AP English Literature exam?
  • How can I make sure I finish the AP essay question in time?
  • Since I made the soccer team, I don't feel like I have enough time to study. Do you have any study tips so I can use my time better and make sure I don't get kicked off the team for my grades?
  • I'm a huge procrastinator. How can I manage my time effectively to catch up on my assignments?
  • What kind or amount of note-taking is optimal? I get lost while making a notation and miss other parts of the lecture.
  • I study so hard for my tests that I know I know the material, but then I always panic and bomb. How can I reduce my test anxiety?
  • I do really bad on quizzes. I'm okay with tests and homework, but I do horribly on quizzes. What can I do to prepare for quizzes?
  • I've screwed up horribly this semester. I always say I'm going to change my habits, but I always end up getting lazy and doing something else. I want to succeed, but how can I get rid of my own laziness?
  • If you have any music or audio notes playing on tape, CD, or whatever and you fall asleep, is it true that you'll have whatever was played memorized by the time you wake up?
  • I have trouble understanding a book when I read. I try to read so that I can finish the book quickly but still understand what's going on. Could you give me a few tips on how to understand a book while reading at a quick pace?
  • What is the best study method when trying to cram three chapters all at once?
  • What if I have a really bad memory? When I read a page of a book, I can't go back and remember it.
  • Why do some teachers say light a peppermint candle? I mean, I don't think it helps you concentrate.
  • I really suck at taking multiple choice tests. Do you have any suggestions for not psyching myself out before a big test?
  • Is there a WRONG way to study?
  • Are the math questions on the GMAT extremely difficult and complex?
  • Does it matter whether I take the SAT or ACT in my junior year or my senior year of high school?
  • What does AP mean?
  • How can I explain to my friend what I mean when I call him tedious ?
  • Does the word privations has something to do with the government?
  • What's the difference between goulash and galoshes?
  • What exactly is a parallel structure?
  • I have a bet on this: Learnt is a real word, right?
  • Is a boor somebody who boos or somebody who bores?
  • Somebody in my drama club used the word ostentation the other day. What does that mean, anyway?
  • Define paraphrasing.
  • What's another word that means the same thing as malevolence ?
  • I find the same typo in a lot of books I read. Shouldn't connexion be connection ?
  • What do you call a word that only ever appears as a plural?
  • What s the difference between like and such as
  • Can you show an easy way to remember when to use I" or "me" in a sentence? (And please skip the technical grammar rules.)"
  • Should I say, “Can I have a banana?” or “May I have a banana?”
  • Is the proper capitalization Atlantic ocean or Atlantic Ocean ?
  • What does the word supercilious mean?
  • Is grippe something that makes you sick?
  • Does the word elucidation have something to do with drugs?
  • How would you use fervid and fervent in a sentence?
  • How can someone become a good writer?
  • How do you cite CliffsNotes in APA, MLA, and CMS styles?
  • What period in history does histrionics cover?
  • People used to die from consumption. Does that mean they ate too much?
  • Is it ever okay to start a sentence with the word but?
  • What is the longest word in the English language?
  • I'm learning English now, so I gave myself an English name — Vivi." However, an American told me that "Vivi" is not suitable for a name. There are some local reasons. So I want to know if "Vivi" really can't be used as a name."
  • When writing a paper, what do I do to the title of a book? Do I underline it or italicize it?
  • Please look at this sentence: Both Peter and John like soccer. Should it be: Both Peter and John likes soccer.
  • What are the four genders of noun?
  • What is it called when a word is the same both forward and backward?
  • Do swans really sing when they die
  • What does indignation mean?
  • What is a pundit ?
  • What is a cleft sentence
  • What is the difference between narration and first person?
  • Is it grammatically correct to say take some shots"?"
  • My teacher thinks I plagiarized an essay; what should I tell him?
  • Why do some authors use the word an before all words that start with an H? Is this form of writing correct?
  • My school newspaper claimed that I am. is the shortest complete sentence in the English language. Isn't Go. a complete sentence?
  • How did people make up the lb. abbreviation for pounds?
  • Which is correct: "if I was" or "if I were"? And why?
  • How would you use the word antecede in a sentence?
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The core beliefs of Transcendentalists generally include the following:

  • The importance of a direct relationship with God and with nature.
  • Belief in a kind of cosmic unity between mankind, God, and nature — sometimes called the Oversoul — which is a divine spirit or mind present in each and every person and in all of nature.
  • A sense of dignity and importance of human activity as expressions of the divine. And a belief in an individual's power to bring about personal improvement and social change in harmony with God's purposes.
  • The belief that truth is innate in all of creation and that knowledge of truth is intuitive.

Thoreau's life and writings are a great example of Transcendentalism. You may have studied about his decision to move away from the comforts of modern life to live alone in a small cabin in the woods of Walden Pond. He did this in order to get more in touch with nature and to test his beliefs. He believed that by being alone with nature, away from outside influences, he would better be able to understand universal truths present in nature and find wisdom for everyday life. Other people might turn to a religious leader or political figure for guidance, but Transcendentalists put the highest value in discovering truths for oneself.

As you watch Dead Poets' Society , look for characters who share some of the beliefs outlined above. How would someone who believes in a personal, intuitive path to truth approach poetry? Rather than being handed a book with step-by-step instructions for how to understand poems, a Transcendentalist wants to read and interpret the poems for himself — just like Robin Williams' character when he rips the instruction section right out of the textbook. Take a closer at his character and the influence he has on his students and you'll find more examples of the Transcendentalist world view.

For a closer look at the original Transcendentalists, check out the online literature note CliffsNotes Thoreau, Emerson, and Transcendentalism.

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Dead Poets Society Transcendentalism Analysis

The movie Dead Poets Society is based on the philosophies of transcendentalism. Transcendentalism is “any philosophy based upon the doctrine that the principles of reality are to be discovered by the study of the processes of thought, or a philosophy emphasizing the intuitive and spiritual above the empirical” (Transcendentalism, n.d.). Mr. Keating is a new teacher at Welton, a strict all boys school conducted by the principals of Tradition, Honor, Discipline, and Excellence. Mr. Keating is an English teacher who has an interesting way of thinking that will change the students forever. Mr. Keating shows that poetry can change lives, start romances, and go beyond the ordinary way of thinking. Some of Mr. Keating 's students start a club called the Dead Poets Society without the school 's …show more content…

Self-Reliance was a very important part of the Dead Poets Society 's philosophies. They believed that you should make decisions for yourself instead of being told what to do. This goes hand in hand with intuition and individuality. Self -Reliance is” relying on one’s own capabilities, judgment, and resources” (Self-Reliance, n.d.). Neil Perry is a prime example of a self-reliant person. He is willing to make a name for himself by doing it the way he sees fit. He wants to become an actor, so he auditioned for a play and got the part by himself. He used his own capabilities and natural talent to land one of the lead roles. Neil went against the will of his father and was willing to be disowned. Although his plan resulted in much fighting and ultimately Neil’s suicide, he was able to experience his dream that he achieved himself. "When you read, don 't just consider what the author thinks, consider what you think." says Mr. Keating (Weir, 1989). This quote promotes the idea of self-reliance by focusing on what each person thinks and not depending on others to carry you along. You must think and decided things for yourself instead of being told what to

Transcendentalism In Into The Wild, By Jon Krakauer

In the name of God, please remain to save me” (Krakauer 12). In the moments before his death, McCandless wished for life, but the possibility of survival was out of reach. McCandless shows that when someone puts themselves in a position to be completely isolated from society, they truly have no one to call out for help. In summary, Transcendentalism is a philosophy that harms the

Examples Of Transcendentalism In Into The Wild

There are many common themes that run through transcendentalism literature. In the book Into the Wild, written by Jon Krakauer, Chris McCandless goes on a journey any transcendentalist author would be proud of. The theme threaded throughout the book is that of following an individual's heart to make decisions. McCandless lived his life in an unusual way that veered away from society norms, and surprised most of the people he encountered. One such person was Gallien, “This [the Stampede Trail], Alex announced to Gallien, was where he intended to go.

The Secret Life Of Walter Mity, By Henry David Thoreau

During the Transcendentalist movement, Henry David Thoreau was a leading transcendentalist whose work focused mainly on nature and adventure. Walden, or Life in the Woods is an exceptional example of a story based on adventure. In Thoreau’s account of his life at Walden pond, he first states, “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.” Through this quote Thoreau explains that he was tired of the complexity of normal life and desired to go on an adventure to live simply. Additionally, Thoreau states, “I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life…,” which again reveals his motivation for new life by adventure and simplicity.

The Lion King Transcendentalism Analysis

The Hidden Meaning Inside The Lion King Transcendentalism has been embraced by society through the movie The Lion King. The Lion King is a story about a young cub, Simba, who is born son to the king in a thriving kingdom. Simba goes about his days playing and enjoying life until his uncle, Scar, decides to plot a scheme to overthrow the throne. When Scar puts his plan into play, Mufasa, Simba’s father and king, dies.

Into The Wild Risks

The reader gets to join McCandless in his adventure across the country as he invents a new life for himself. He embraces the ideas and morals of Thoreau and Emerson in his journey. In the book, a man by the man by the name of Westerberg discusses about how McCandless is not destroying his possessions and journey around the wild because the wild he is suicidal or unintelligent. “You could tell right away that Alex was intelligent… He always had to know the absolute right answer before he could go on to the next thing.”

Rhetorical Analysis Of Ralph Waldo Emerson's Self-Reliance

Many people rely on the opinions of others, never truly stopping to personally consider the subject at hand. Ralph Waldo Emerson, an impactful American writer, wrote a piece entitled Self- Reliance. In Self-Reliance, Emerson’s purpose is to promote ideas of individualistic thinking. Emerson uses strong, rhetorical strategies, such as figurative language, allusions, and complex syntax and parallelism to effectively persuade his audience to trust their own thoughts.

Kevin Sun Mrs. Cohen English 2CP --D February 22, 2018 Another Perspective The film Into the Wild is based on the life of Chris McCandless, a young man who rejected the consumerist society of America in order to live a more simple life. Through his travels, Chris carried essays by Transcendentalist philosophers Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau, suggesting that McCandless is impacted by Transcendentalist ideals. Two key tenets of Transcendentalism that clearly influenced McCandless’ choices are the value of simplicity and the importance of self-reliance.

The characteristics of transcendentalism is individual vs society and the connection between human and nature. A subject of Into the Wild is individual vs society because Chris McCandless tends to desire to chase freedom and be alone rather than with people. In the last letter ever received from Everett Ruess, to his brother Waldo on November 11th, 1934. He explains that he wants to live in isolation.

Dead Poets Society: Examples Of Transcendentalism In Dead Poet Society

Throughout the movie, Neil went to a cave away from people. Furthermore, Neil’s friends joined him to have fun with the Dead Poets Society, a group Neil recreated after hearing that his professor, Mr. Keating, had been involved in when he was a student at Welton. Overall, Neil Perry was a great example of transcendentalism throughout the entire movie. One transcendental quality Neil possessed was his love for the beauty of words. Neil Perry was a good student; he wanted to do what was best for him and not what his mom and dad wanted.

The Borderlands Poem Analysis

The poem fully develops the idea of the limited of privileges that some might have according to the their races and the racial division. The “borderlands” is the division of a place, but in the eyes of Gloria she makes the character grow up in a place where there is a racial division. The character is in the middle of how of her race is important as her cultural ways get in the way of trying to practice each one of them. The poet writes in both english and spanish to explain how she speaks to the different races she carries. As you read the poem you can feel how the tone changes as the author is speaking of the different events that she goes through in her life.

Transcendentalism In Neil Perry's Dead Poets Society

Throughout the entire movie one of the main characters Neil Perry is seen trying to embrace his decisions against his father 's which makes them fight very often making Neil want to become a nonconformist to not only his father but against society. Neil’s father always

Essay On Transcendentalism In Into The Wild

In the 19th and 20th century transcendentalism was a new and exciting topic that caused tremendous controversy. In the novel Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer, Chris McCandless was a man with a very unique character. In more detailed words Chris McCandless was a transcendentalist. His actions and moods played a big part in his life, from beginning to end. He was a transcendentalist because of his self-reliance, confidence and non-conformity.

Character Analysis Of Neil In The Play 'The Blizzard'

In the drama “The Blizzard,” Neil shows a strong example of being a comedic hero. Neil shows the traits of disorder, ordinary stature, and he is detached emotionally. Everything is out of order, they have no phones or radio. Neil is expecting his brother and sister-in-law. Neil should turn Natasha and Salim away, but he does not value his own safety.

Examples Of Conformity In Dead Poets Society

In the Dead Poets Society, the idea of conformity is the tradition for students in Welton Academy. For instance, in school, students we forced to dresses the same school blazers and follow the same "four pillars" (tradition, honor, discipline, excellence). That shows the repetition in school spirits even though it can't work for everyone. Similarly, in Neil's family, his father seems to care a lot about his son's success by layouts his own path to become a doctor. This illustrates through the discipline and conformity which leads to achieve 'success' but in a narrow, material sense of getting good grades, going to a good school to get a good job.

Issues In Dead Poets Society

He comes from a very wealthy family. Neil’s dad wants Neil to become a doctor. Neil has different plans; he loves to act and what to be an actor. Neil’s dad is overbearing and tells Neil he will have nothing to do with acting. This back and forth disagreement makes Neil’s commit suicide.

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Transcendentalism in Dead Poets Society

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Dead Poets Society Transcendentalism

dead poets society transcendentalism essay

Show More Throughout the 19th century, many writers emerged who strongly urged people to do what they pleased, be individuals, live simply, and experience life to its fullest potential. These writers, including Emerson, Whitman and Thoreau, believed in an enlightened way of life and spiritual being. Many of these writers ideals are presented throughout the film, “Dead Poets Society,” directed by Peter Weir that was produced years after these Transcendentalists lived. This film takes place at Welton Academy, an all boys school that encompasses beliefs revolving around tradition, honor, discipline, and excellence. The plot follows the lives of a group of close friends, Neil Perry, Todd Anderson, Knox Overstreet, Charlie Dalton, Steven Minks, and Richard …show more content… Keating’s guidance through the concepts of Whitman and Emerson, Todd is able to considerably develop as a character throughout the film. At the beginning of “Dead Poets Society,” Todd is portrayed as a very reserved character who does not talk much. He had major problems when forced to talk to people of authority such as professors at Welton and even his parents. Specifically, answering questions when called on in class was a struggle for him. Until Mr. Keating pushed Todd to find his own voice, like Whitman suggests in his poem “I Hear America Singing,” when he says, “Each singing what belongs to her, and to none else.” In order to encourage Todd to step out of his comfort zone, Mr. Keating provides an assignment for each student in his class to write their own poem to be read aloud to the rest of the class. When Mr. Keating calls on Todd to read his, and Todd says he has not prepared a poem for class, Mr. Keating does not give up on Todd. Instead, he calls him up in front of the class and pushes him to make a poem on the spot about a barbaric madman. At first, Todd is skeptical, but through Mr. Keating’s encouraging words, Todd is able to construct a poem and speak out in front of his classmates. This is the first time in the movie that Mr. Keating is able to help Todd through the use of transcendental ideals. The second time transcendental ideas are used in Todd’s life is after Neil dies when Todd goes out into nature. Considering the fact …show more content… Keating, he consciously makes an anti transcendental decision that proves Mr. Keating’s lessons were not successful with him. When the film first starts, Neil is perceived by the audience as a boy who is well liked and knows what he wants out in life. When Mr. Keating is assigned to teach at the school, the impact on Neil seems to prevail. Neil brings back a club known as the Dead Poets Society, one that was around when Mr. Keating attended Welton Academy as a young boy. This club was designed to help the boys learn to “suck all the marrow out of life,” a notion Thoreau strongly advocated for. He urged his readers to live life to the fullest and experience as much as possible. When Mr. Keating tells the boys about this club, he is essentially telling them to do the same with their lives, and live every moment with great enthusiasm. Many of the boys, especially Neil, take this to heart and push to bring back the club and mean to live life as the club intended them to, live with passion. Later in the film, when the opportunity to be in the play presents itself, Neil is eager to audition. When his father finds out he got the lead role, he tells Neil he has no other option but to quit the play because he is too busy with other activities and should not take on any more. Neil makes an attempt to stand up for what he wants, but ultimately is overruled

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Were they trying to make connections between the main character and transcendentalist? Maybe not, but throughout watching the movie many will notice the references that seem to be pointed towards transcendentalism. Without understanding the true beliefs transcendentalism, you most likely will not be able to point out the references…

Timothy Treadwell Transcendentalism

Despite the generational differences shared between Timothy Treadwell and the development of the transcendentalist movement, their beliefs of using nature as a way to transcend above the constraints of society, surmounts their generational differences. The fundamental principles of the transcendental movement are based on the idea that one can rise beyond the superfluous materialistic limits of society by reconnecting with nature and by living simple life. Similarly to the transcendentalist, he transcended or rose, above the constraints of society by defying the established boundary between humans and animals by immersing himself in natural habitat surrounded by bears. Despite the disapproval of others, Treadwell remained unyielding towards protecting…

Freedom In Henry David Thoreau's 'Civil Disobedience'

With such a title, Henry David Thoreau 's "Civil Disobedience" describes what it means to be civilly disobedient. “Let your life be a counter friction to the machine”(Thoreau “Civil” 373) is the overarching thematic quote of the 1849 essay, stating that oneself should be the force that fights against an unjust institution. The prestigious Welton Academy of Peter Weir’s 1989 film Dead Poet’s Society is an exceptional example of a controlling machine. Within the academy, there is the rebellious Charlie Dalton. Within his group of friends, better known as the Dead Poet’s Society, he is the defiant student who embodies Thoreau’s "Civil Disobedience" and proves that the movie is transcendental.…

Similarities Between A Separate Peace And Dead Poets Society

When watching movies and reading books, there are often many comparisons that can be made throughout. One example of this is seen in the book A Separate Peace by John Knowles and the 1989 movie Dead Poets Society. Although there are a vast amount of similarities between these two works, there are three prevailing comparisons between the characters. They include: the comparisons between Neil Perry and Finny, Todd Anderson and Gene Forrester, and finally, Neil’s father (Mister Perry) and Brinker’s father (Mister Hadley). These main points demonstrate one key example of how books can be similar to movies.…

Transcendentalism: A Fictional Narrative

"We just gotta make sure you've got a good understanding of the basics, and you ought to be fine." "What now? " she had asked, and in response, he turned the textbook around so that she could see the pages rightside up. "Let's start with Transcendentalism," he said.…

Similarities Between Catcher In The Rye And Dead Poets Society

Neil takes a leap and gets a role in a play, despite what his father tells him, Neil still takes part in the play. Neil knows this was against his father's wishes and could not handle the anger that his father had for him. If he simply thought through his actions before acting (literally and metaphorically) he maybe would not have had the same…

Charlie Dalton's Use Of Transcendentalism In Civil Disobedience

The Enlightenment thinking dominated the philosophical world in the 1700s. The Enlightenment way of thinking is to use rationality to answer the age old question, what is truth? In response to this movement, a group of American people in the 1800s believed that you should use your instincts to make decisions. Besides using your instincts, Transcendentalists also wanted to create a uniquely American literature and define human existence and spirituality.…

A Rhetorical Analysis Of Transcendentalism

His ideas encourage the reader to follow the path created by the higher power. He explains acceptance, satisfaction, and fear all using pathos.” Welcome ever move to gods and men is the self-helping man” (acceptance),”He cannot be happy and strong until he too lives with nature in the present, above time.” (Satisfaction), “We are afraid of from, afraid of fortune, afraid of death, and afraid of each other. ”(Fear).…

Transcendentalism In Into The Wild, By Jon Krakauer

Transcendentalism is described a person who finds satisfaction in solitude and nature. It was a nineteenth century movement in which mean people joined. In the book Into the Wild, by Jon Krakauer, Chris McCandless is a transcendentalist, from the modern age, which means he enjoys the simplicity of life and deliberate living or living life with intentions. McCandless goes into the wild with the aspiration of finding himself through nature. In the eyes of a transcendentalist, they believe that natures role in life is important.…

Social Class In Goodbye Columbus By Phillip Roth

Neil seems uneasy with the idea that he is becoming athletic and more like Brenda. He doesn’t agree with her attitude, but despite these feelings he still loves her. However, Neil is self-conscious and his insecurities about their relationship lead to further turmoil. He doesn’t believe that Brenda…

Neil Hughes Case Analysis

Finally, at age forty-two, Neil appears to be putting his life together. He is working as a part time political counselor and carries those political ambitions through age fifty-six. Neil’s incredibly unstable development was heavily influenced by his genetics and the environment he grew up in. These practically unavoidable factors, along with some defeating losses, contribute substantially to Neil’s non-normative development. Neil’s familial environment as a child consisted of two overbearing parents, both teachers, with seemingly no understanding of who Neil was.…

Knox Overstreet's Idea Of Transcendentalism In The Dead Poets Society

Transcendentalism is a philosophy that goes against conformity and challenges one’s own thought process rather than strict scientific thought. In the movie Dead Poets Society, boys in an all-boys preparatory school are inspired by their teacher, Mr. Keating, to think independently rather as to study what is given to them. These boys become interested in the art of poetry and reassemble the “Dead Poets Society”; a society dedicated to the transcendentalist ideals of literary geniuses such as Walt Whitman and David Henry Thoreau. These ideals and literary pieces cause some of the boys like Neal Perry, Charlie Dalton, and Knox Overstreet to become transcendentalists and exercise non-conformity in their lives.…

Examples Of Transcendentalism In Dead Poets Society

Dead Poets Society is a film, released in 1989 about a college professor (John Keating) who inspires his students to have more transcendental ideals. Charlie Dalton is one of Keating's most loyal followers throughout the movie. Charlie comes from a wealthy family and attends Welton private school. He has a hard time conforming to authority and believes creativity can be expressed best through writing. Mr. Keating's teachings do more than inspire him.…

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Dead Poets Society Transcendentalism Essay

Often people feel the need to fall in line with society, dress the same, look the same, and think the same. Everyone should step to the beat of their own drum and be an individualist, be different, be out of the ordinary. Transcendentalism, a philosophical movement of the nineteenth century, focuses on religious renewal, literary innovation, and social transformation (encyclopedia.com). Because of their belief that God exists in everyone and nature and that knowledge comes from individual intuition, led to the highlight of individualism, self-reliance, and breaking free from traditions(). In the movie the Dead Poets Society Mr. Keating “[stands] upon his desk to remind [himself] that we must look at life in different ways”(). Mr. Keating’s first lesson to his students is carpe diem. The Latin word carpe diem, from the Roman poet Horace, literally means “pluck the day”, but through his context, it is translated to “seize the day”(). Carpe diem does not just mean seize the day, but taking advantage of every little moment and finding enjoyment in life. This proverb exemplifies transcendental …show more content…

Neil’s vibrant and easygoing attitude turns upside down when faced by his father. Neil feels obligated and is compliant with his father's wishes for him becoming a doctor. As the movie progresses, Mr. Keating's lessons on thinking for yourself helps Neil truly realize his passion of becoming an actor. Dead set on “making his life extraordinary”, he auditions for a play and is cast. Unfortunately, Mr. Perry finds out and forbids him from being in the play. Tired of being out of control of his life he follows his heart and goes anyway. Sadly caught in the act, his father shows up to the play and Neil is told he will be sent to military school. Tragically, but not in vain, Neil commits suicide. Although dreadful, Neil ‘s action shows true carpe diem, When he finally takes control of his

Transcendentalism Essay

There are many challenges for people while they are growing up. In fact, these challenges are very common for most teenagers. However, many authors have written pieces with the intention to help students overcome their struggles. That is why a student who is struggling to find their inner self can trust several of the ideas of transcendentalism. In fact, Thoreau and Emerson include the ideas of optimism, intuition, and originality in many of their pieces of literature. It is clear that a teenager who is struggling developing their character should connect with the transcendent ideas from Thoreau and Emerson.

paint, I don't draw something realistic. When I am in front of my paper, I just

Transcendentalism In Dead Poets Society

Nowadays, people are like robots living in a trapped world, where they follow others opinions rather than their own. However, the greatest decision in life is to trust in their own opinion. [hook should highlight why Transcendentalism is important] Transcendentalism, a theory by Emerson, shows the importance of individualism. Moreover, he believed that it is vital for a person to rely on themselves rather than society. In Dead Poet’s Society, the tenants that is present in the film, is self-reliance, where the characters rely on themselves, and self-confidence, which is not being afraid of sharing thoughts to others. [Briefly explain the tenets of Transcendentalism that appeared in the movie] In addition, each character demonstrated Transcendentalism through their actions, which was standing up for what they believe in. [what behaviors and actions] More specially, it had a positive impact towards Todd and Neil. This is because Todd showed self-confidence while Neil described self-reliance.

Examples Of Transcendentalism In Dead Poets Society

Keating forces him to create a poem on the spot in front of the class, although he is well-aware of Todd’s resistance to speak in front of others, after he write a poem on his own as requested. Mr. Keating questions Todd and installs him with a sense of confidence in his own abilities, “Mr. Anderson thinks that everything inside of him is worthless and embarrassing. Isn't that right, Todd? Isn't that your worst fear? Well, I think you're wrong. I think you have something inside of you that is worth a great deal”. Mr. Keating teaches Todd to think freely for himself and that these thoughts and opinions he has are valued. In the end, Todd becomes self-reliant, confident in himself and his ideas and beliefs. He does not conform to society and distinguishes himself amongst the rest, maintaining his own voice, and he overcomes his previous shy and isolated self, becoming a leader, when introduced to these ideas of individualism and

Mr. Keating's actions of nonconformity in the movie Dead Poets Society benefitted his character in many ways. Mr.Keating was the poetry teacher of a group of boys who used to be in “Dead Poets Society” who chose to live transcentally. In his class he encouraged the boys to do whatever they want to do, to believe in themselves, and not follow the crowd. He told them to seize the day no matter what and just like Thoreau you should “[l]ive each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each”(Thoreau). As you live each day you should live it as simply as possible and live each like it was your last. Each of the boys in the Dead Poets Society benefited from living tanscentally with the help from Mr.Keating. One of the boys got the girl of his dreams and another got the confidence to stand up for

Essay on Dead Poets Catcher Inthe Rye

Neil Perry is also a troubled young man within himself because he doesn’t want to conform to the life his father wants for him. Neil wants to be his own person and to the things he likes to do but he is afraid to stand up to his father. His father is a phony conformist such as Holden describes his father in Catcher in the Rye. Neil’s father makes him quit the school paper because one of his teachers wants him to, when Neil tries to stand up for himself, his father scolds him and tells him when he graduates medical school he can do what he wants, until then, he must obey what his father tells him. When he does finally do what he wants, when he finally incorporates the ‘’carpe diem’’ phrase into his life and made the decision for himself to act in the play, his father decides to take him out of Welton and send him to military school. Neil felt the only to break his father’s shackles was to kill himself. I think that Neil felt that he couldn’t bare

Neil is told he's being taken out of Welton and sent to Braden Military School; this crushes all of Neil's dreams. Neil one day walks in the middle of the night into his father's office in his house and opens a drawer; a short time after his dad is woken up by a loud noise. When Mr.Perry wonders to discover what woke him, finding Neil dead, covered in blood, and holding his dad’s revolver. Neil showed he’d rather commit suicide rather than conform to his dad’s decisions. Before Neil’s death he showed non-conformity in different ways and it involved other

That was until Mr. Keating encouraged him and gave him spirit to pursue the arts. After trying out for a play, he gets the lead role and fakes his Dad’s signature on the permission slip to attend.

Dead Poets Conformity

Neil is presented as an aspiring young boy with the goal of becoming a doctor, or so it would seem. Later we find out that Neil’s true dream is to become an actor. It is Neil’s father who wants him to become a doctor. A great portion of the movie is taken up by this conflict of ideas. Tom Perry represents the conformity in Neil’s life and acting and the Dead Poets Society represent his outreach to individuality. Neil struggles direly to fulfil his own needs but in the end he is smothered by his fathers closed minded insistence that he drops his own interests in the name of sensibility. This represents that in the case of Neil conformity was far more powerful than individuality, as he is driven to death by the

Essay about Transcendentalism

Transcendentalism was an early philosophical, intellectual, and literary movement that thrived in New England in the nineteenth century. Transcendentalism was a collection of new ideas about literature, religion, and philosophy. It began as a squabble in the Unitarian church when intellectuals began questioning and reacting against many of the church’s orthodoxy ways regarding all of the aforementioned subjects: religion, culture, literature, social reform, and philosophy. They in turn developed their own faith focusing on the divinity of humanity and the innate world. Many of the Transcendentalists ideas were expressed heavily by Ralph Waldo Emerson, in his essays such as “Nature”, “Self Reliance”, and also in his poems such as “The

Peck's Theory of Love and Discipline in the film The Dead Poet's Society

The Perrys apparently are not a particularly rich family, and the parents sacrificed a lot to have their son go to a prestigious prep school, of which Neil is almost constantly reminded when meeting with his father. Anything that stands in the way of Neil becoming a doctor is unacceptable to his father. Even seeing his son perform wonderfully in a Shakespearean play does not change his mind, as he prepares to withdraw Neil from Hilton and send him to a military academy to ensure his medical career. Neil, who never finds in himself the ability to confront his father to defend his own interests and beliefs, commits suicide.

One of the main characters of the film Neil Perry, an overachieving, good natured young man who is unwillingly committed to the academic career of a doctor due to his very

Neil did well in the play and he thought that his dad would be fine with him acting if he was good at it and if he had maintained good grades but, he was wrong. Neil’s father wasn’t as understanding as Neil thought and they began to argue with each other, his father ends up telling Neil that he is going to a new school that adds 10 more years to his education. Neil tries to get through to his dad that he wants to do what he wants, but when his dad listens, he asks Neil to tell him what he wants but Neil can’t say muster up any words. Now, Neil feels like he has no freedom and can’t do anything anymore, so he goes into his dad’s office, grabs his dad’s gun and shoots himself, resolving his climax and

Dead Poet's Society Nonconformity

His father wants him to be a doctor, and disapproved of Neil’s action of participating in the play. Instead of conforming to his father's expectations, Neil takes his own life. Mr. Keating himself decides to anti-conform and he strays away from traditional ways of teaching. In response the principle of the school uses Neil’s death as an excuse to get Mr. Keating fired. Neil’s death

Neil Perry Death

Neil could not stand up to his father and decided to kill himself. Neil’s death can be blamed on Mr. Perry, despite

Related Topics

  • Ralph Waldo Emerson
  • Transcendentalism
  • Henry David Thoreau
  • Nathaniel Hawthorne
  • Concord, Massachusetts

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  1. Transcendentalism in Dead Poets Society

    Published: Mar 14, 2024. Transcendentalism, a philosophical movement that emerged in the early 19th century, emphasized individualism, intuition, and the inherent goodness of nature. In the film "Dead Poets Society," directed by Peter Weir, these transcendentalist ideals are prominently featured through the character of John Keating, an English ...

  2. Examples of Transcendentalism in Dead Poets Society

    Examples of Transcendentalism in Dead Poets Society. "There's a time for daring and there's a time for caution, and a wise man understands which is called for" (DPS). Transcendentalism is a somewhat daring and rebellious movement that encourages people to live with individuality and independence through the five major tenets: Importance ...

  3. Transcendentalism In Dead Poets Society Essay

    Transcendentalism was a movement in the early 1800s that emphasized intuition, emotion, and imagination. Dead Poets Society is a 1989 movie set in an all-boys preparatory school that follows a group of friends who start a secret club inspired by their English teacher, who is a Transcendentalist. The movie explores themes of conformity ...

  4. Transcendentalism in Dead Poets Society

    The Dead Poets Society is an organization of a select few students who aspire to discover inspiration through appraisal of poetry. The movie will address the doctrines of transcendentalism as they pertain to three key transcendentalist writers, relating them to the characters in the film and their particular discovered vocations.

  5. The Examples Of Transcendentalism In "Dead Poets Society"

    This essay provides a comprehensive analysis of how the movie "Dead Poets Society" embodies the principles of Transcendentalism through its characters, quotes, and literary references. The writer effectively explores the characters' struggles against conformity, highlighting Neil's journey as an example.

  6. In the movie Dead Poets Society, what are some themes and values that

    New England Transcendentalism was a religious, philosophical, ... Will mentioning my race in my college essay increase my chances of getting in? Is my summer vacation to Italy a good topic for my college essay? (I have pictures, too.) ... As you watch Dead Poets' Society, look for characters who share some of the beliefs outlined above. How ...

  7. In The Dead Poets Society, how are romanticism and transcendentalism

    Transcendentalism was an idea that basically says you need to do what your own conscience tells you is right. Never mind what society tells you, just do what you believe in. In this context, the ...

  8. Ideas And Examples Of Transcendentalism In Dead Poets Society

    Dead Poets Society is a 1989 American drama film written by Tom Schulman, directed by Peter Weir and starring Robin Williams. The action is set at the conservative and aristocratic Welton Academy in the northeast United States in 1959 and unreels the story of an English teacher who inspires his students through his teaching of poetry.

  9. Examples Of Transcendentalism In Dead Poets Society

    This famous line is only one example of these writer's works of transcendentalism throughout the film. Emerson's main idea portrayed in Dead Poets Society was non-conformity. One example of non-conformity in this film was Mr. Keating's teaching strategy, given the fact that it was extremely different …show more content….

  10. Essay On Transcendentalism In Dead Poets Society

    Essay On Transcendentalism In Dead Poets Society. Good Essays. 1344 Words. 6 Pages. Open Document. This essay assignment is very similar to some of the ideas discussed in class. All that was talked about for days was the basic principle of individuality and nonconformity, and according to Dead Poets Society, that pretty much sums up what ...

  11. Transcendentalism

    Download. Essay, Pages 6 (1281 words) Views. 1248. Dead Poet's Society was filmed through the eyes of transcendentalism using Emerson's philosophy, as seen in Nature and "Self-Reliance;" and Thoreau's philosophy, as seen in Walden. The film deals with a group of young men who attend a very strict boarding school and the English ...

  12. Dead Poets Society: Examples Of Transcendentalism In Dead Poet Society

    Dead Poets Society Transcendentalism is about life in which nature and the soul connect. In the movie Dead Poet Society, one of the characters who shows transcendentalism in Neil Perry. In the movie the students quoted poems and had their alone time with nature. They also relied on themselves and sought the spiritual side of things.

  13. Examples Of Transcendentalism In Dead Poets Society

    The Dead Poets Society portrays the views of transcendentalism seamlessly into movie through the characters Neil Perry, Todd Anderson, and Mr. Keating. These characters represent the ideals of transcendentalism by vicariously demonstrating the teachings of Emerson, Thoreau, and Whitman, who are all transcendentalists that practice self through ...

  14. The Core Ideas Of Transcendentalism In "Dead Poets Society ...

    In Dead Poets Society, Mr. Keating, an English teacher who makes use of unorthodox teaching methods, explains the idea of carpe diem, or seize the day, to his students. He encourages everyone to live in the present and fulfill their every dream.

  15. Dead Poets Society Transcendentalism

    In the movie "Dead Poets Society", the idea of transcendentalism is the predominant theme throughout, with a basic message of self-reliance and individualism. Todd Anderson, the awkward and shy sibling of one of Weldon's valedictorians, is well-liked by others and highly expected of, but he lacks self-assurance and resorts to social ...

  16. Essay On Transcendentalism In Dead Poets Society

    Dead Poets Society and "Self-Reliance" are two incredibly comparable pieces that express the transcendentalist ideas which begin during the 1830-40s. They both contain a plethora of common beliefs, most notably, non-conformity, carpe diem, and self-exploration. Each of the pieces, "Self-Reliance" and Dead Poets Society, obtain multiple ...

  17. Dead Poets Society Transcendentalism Analysis

    Transcendentalism is a philosophy that goes against conformity and challenges one's own thought process rather than strict scientific thought. In the movie Dead Poets Society, boys in an all-boys preparatory school are inspired by their teacher, Mr. Keating, to think independently rather as to study what is given to them.

  18. Dead Poets Society Transcendentalism Analysis

    The movie Dead Poets Society is based on the philosophies of transcendentalism. Transcendentalism is "any philosophy based upon the doctrine that the principles of reality are to be discovered by the study of the processes of thought, or a philosophy emphasizing the intuitive and spiritual above the empirical" (Transcendentalism, n.d.). Mr.

  19. Dead Poets Society Transcendentalism

    In the Dead Poets Society, many of the students exert certain traits of transcendentalism. Transcendentalism is the progressive ideology that divinity fuses into nature and humanity, and that to progress we need this moral divinity inside ourselves and to find that purity. Dead Poets Society demonstrates Nonconformity, Spark of Divinity, and ...

  20. Transcendentalism in Dead Poets Society

    Dead Poets Society is a movie set in the 1950 s But filmed in 1989 .Although it is set on the 50s the movie talks and is able to get through transcendentalist ideals to the viewer . The movie is set in a boy's only private school called Walton that sends its graduates to Ivy league colleges. Where Mr. Keating is the new English teacher were ...

  21. Transcendentalism In Dead Poets's Society

    In the movie "Dead Poets Society", the idea of transcendentalism is the predominant theme throughout, with a basic message of self-reliance and individualism. Todd Anderson, the awkward and shy sibling of one of Weldon's valedictorians, is well-liked by others and highly expected of, but he lacks self-assurance and resorts to social ...

  22. Dead Poets Society Transcendentalism

    In the film The Dead Poets Society, Romanticism is an emotion which has dominated logic and intellect; bring out the theme of transcendentalism in the film. This essay will discuss romanticism and transcendentalism portrayed in the film and Nature, Self-reliance, Walden and Resistance to Civil Government.

  23. Dead Poets Society Transcendentalism Essay

    Dead Poets Society Transcendentalism Essay. Decent Essays. 705 Words; 3 Pages; Open Document. Often people feel the need to fall in line with society, dress the same, look the same, and think the same. Everyone should step to the beat of their own drum and be an individualist, be different, be out of the ordinary. Transcendentalism, a ...