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.