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.