1. The most influential leader I ever had was my grandmother. She has had such a big influence on me because she is so strong minded and willed. She has a very independent, hard working, and tough personality. This has influenced me to be very independent, stand up for myself, and be self sufficient.                                              
2. I think this means that poetry has a deeper meaning than just to rhyme. Poetry is a way to express feelings, emotions, and passions. I agree, I think that poetry is  wonderful way to release inner feelings whether they are good or bad. No matter who your are, how much money you make, what job you have, etc. everyone is human and one thing all humans have in common is feelings, dreams, and emotions. I believe that poetry is very deep and I think people read it in order to understand others and be able to empathize with how they feel.

3.This quote by Mr.Keating is very inspiring and actually makes me think on a deeper level about my perspective on things. I agree that no matter how much you think you understand something there's always a different way to think about it. There's always multiple perspectives on things and everyone will see certain things differently.

4. My verse that I will contribute in my lifetime is being an example of a person who constantly was faced with adversity but, was able to overcome it and succeed despite what everyone says and thinks. I hope the lasting impression that I leave behind will be that I was a leader, intelligent, and self sufficient. 

1. I think that Neil would have committed suicide way before he did if Mr.Keating had never come into his life. Mr.Keating encouraged Neil to follow his dreams, in particular acting. He even came to support him on the opening night of the play and praised him for doing such a good job. Mr.Keating was a source of encouragement for Neil and without him I think Neil would have killed him self way earlier in life.

2. I think Knox was really the bravest boy in the group. He continued to pursue the girl of his dreams despite her rejecting him. Her boyfriend even physically assaulted Knox, but that did not stop him from bringing flowers to her school and taking her to Neil's play. I think the real coward of the group was Richard. He turned on the boys at the end of the story and even went as far as too tell Headmaster Nolan that Neil's death was Mr.Keating's fault. He also told him the names of the boys involved in the Dead Poets Society and explained what the group was, where they met, and where they got the idea to start the group from.

3.Mr.Keating did put the book in Neil's room. I think that he did this to secretly encourage the boys to form a poetry group. This would allow them to express their feelings and emotions in a healthy way. 

The central theme in Dead Poets Society is that conforming ultimately leads to self-destruction. Throughout the entire film the boys started to realize who they are, what their dreams are, and what makes them truly happy. Neil, for example is the perfect example of the negative outcomes of conformity. His father constantly pressured and forced him to do things he thought were beneficial for his future. However, these things did not make Neil happy and he could not find the courage to stand up to his father. Neil constantly did things to make his father happy to the point he became depressed. After realizing he could not tell his father how he felt he thought that killing himself was the only way to escape his unhappiness, so he did. When someone conforms to others they often try to ignore their feelings of unhappiness. However, when a person feels trapped, unhappy, or hopeless they may take drastic measures to escape these feelings. Another example of this is at the beginning of the film when Todd was very conservative and quiet. He soon realized that all did was try to make his parents happy and live up to the high standards his older brother had set for him. By the end of the film Todd spoke up about his feelings and even became a leader. Neil and Todd’s situations are both example of how conformity can lead to self-destruction. However, Neil allowed his unhappiness to drive him to suicide while Todd overcame the pressure to conform and embraced his individuality. 

1. Todd is the character that I think transformed the most through his experiences in the film. When he first arrived at Welton he was shy, very soft spoken, and quiet. However, joining the Dead Poets Society, losing a very close friend, and his most influential teacher being fired allowed Todd to come out of his shell and learn to speak his mind. For example, at the end of the film as Mr.Keating exited the classroom Todd was the first of the boys to stand up and say "O Captain My Captain!". Todd grew as a individual throughout the film and learned that it is okay to think differently than others and express himself.
2. Neil, because even at the end of the film he would not stand up to his father. He would rather take his own life than tell his own father how he feels and that he is going to do what makes him happy despite his parents opinions.
3. Mr.Keating is a very strong minded, influential, and supporting character. I don't think that his experiences in the film changed him a bit. He never stopped supporting the boys and their dreams. He was always there for them whenever they needed advice, help, or simply someone to lend a ear so they could talk about their feelings. He was the most consistent character of them all and never strayed away from who he was and what he believed.
4. Neil - Neil was scared of standing up to his father. He was brought up to obey his parents without question and this lead to him allowing his father to completely control his life. He failed to overcome his fear because he chose to kill himself instead of doing what makes him happy despite his fathers opinion.
Todd- Todd was scared to be himself. He was very quiet and did not express his opinions and feelings very much. He was able to overcome his fear of branching out by standing up and speaking out against the injustice done to Mr.Keating at the end of the film.
Knox- Knox was scared rejection. He really liked a girl who had a very tough, aggressive boyfriend. Knox was able to overcome his fear by choosing to pursue the girl of his dreams despite her rejecting him and her boyfriend threatening him.
Charlie- Charlie was scared of being average. He was very outgoing and loved to be different. Charlie often did things to get others attention and express his opinions while disregarding possible consequences. Charlie was able to overcome his fear by writing poems and expressing himself during the Dead Poets Society meetings and through the article that he wrote about Mr.Keating. 

~ I do not think Betty was truly happy in her marriage with Spencer. I think she was so in love with the idea of being married and having a family that her mind fooled her heart into thinking she was in love with him. Betty simply wanted to live the American dream of being married to a wealthy man who can provide for her and have a family with her. Betty's mother refused to let her stay with her because she was also unhappy in her marriage ,but she never had anyone to run to. I think that deep down her mother was stuck in the same type of unfaithful, unhappy, distant relationship and since she did not find it morally correct to divorce she would not let her daughter leave Spencer either. Betty's mother wanted her to have man to take care of her so she and her husband no longer had to. Therefore, once Betty was married off she was not allowed to return and had to deal with everything her husband put her through just like her mom did. ~ Women in the 1950's were expected to focus on being the best housewife they could possibly be. They went to school until they were married and then they stayed home to clean, cook, and raise their children. They were expected to always look very presentable and appear to be happy no matter what. Also, they were supposed to cater to their husbands every need and want. Wives must listen to their husbands and do whatever they want when they want it done since they were not the masculine figure in the home. These typical roles placed upon women were very different from Katherine Watson's view on what women's roles should be. She saw nothing wrong with getting married ,but she believed that women should focus on their education first. She encouraged women who were already married that they could be both a wife and a student. Katherine thought that women should be able to help provide for their families and that men should take on some of the traditional "womanly" duties such as cleaning, cooking, and helping to raise their children. She believed marriage should be about love and support, not obedience, pride,and financial support. ~