Dead Poets' Society

WARNING: If you haven't seen the movie and want to, don't read this - it spoils the ending.

I just watched the phenomenal "Dead Poets' Society" flick this past weekend - I love movies where free thinking and overall freedom of expression trump the powers that be and undermine, even if for a brief time, the authoritative head(s) - and related very much to its overall plot. Although I did not attend the the fictitious, all boys-prep school 'Welton Acadmey,' I did Gilmour Academy of Gates Mills, OH for high school, and drew several parallels between Gilmour and Welton - the school's conservative values, core principles, and hierarchy, to name a few. Gilmour did treat me well, don't get me wrong; I did learn to think more analytically about things and apply classroom knowledge to the "world classroom" (God it sounds like a fuckin advertisement for the ol' Academy) but nevertheless, the school was run by the Brothers of the Holy Cross; a benevolent, but VERY traditional, order of the church.

Anyways, I digress - I was really getting into the movie (D.P.S.) and felt a personal connection with the character Neil Perry, an outgoing student of Welton who applied the 'Carpe Diem' philosophy to his everyday life. Although he had dreams of becoming an actor, Neil's father, a hard-nosed and stubborn old mule, insisted that Neil go on to pursue medicine at Harvard and subsequently become a doctor. Hid father becomes irate when Neil gets a leading role in the school play, insists that he drop out, but later gives in and let him perform. Just when you think all is well - dear old dad even shows up to see his son's stellar opening-night performance - things take a turn for the worst. Upset that his father is withdrawing him from Welton and forcing him to enroll in a military Academy, Neil commits suicide - that's right - he shoots himself with his father's gun. When this happened, it threw me - I mean i did NOT see it coming - and oddly, this unfortunate and depressing plot twist has been haunting me for the last couple days.

Why did Neil, and for that matter, young, bright adolescents, have to die?

I know, I know, you're thinking, "Joey, get a grip - it's a goddamn movie!!" (I guess it's a testament to the director/actors who really MADE me believe it) but I really began thinking about the concept of tragic death, be it suicide, murder, or just of natural causes. Catholics will say it's God's plan for us - that people die - and it's all part of an agenda we don't even understand. I don't know if I buy that!! Maybe it was because I connected with Neil's character - I saw some of myself in him - but I can't justify and/or understand the death of a young adult. This is a written script, and the actor who portrayed Neil is alive and well today (I IMDB'ed him & the movie), but I'm sure in the history of the world, in one era or another, a young boy took his life because his dreams were thwarted by an stubborn-as-ever an/or demanding parent(s).

Only in death will we truly understand death, I believe. Until then, we will continue to LIVE with the agonies of DEATH, and have no solace and/or comfort because we JUST DON'T KNOW. Neil's soul might be at peace; he might just be rotting in the ground. Who's to say? I know not all life is cotton candy and gumdrops - I'm not asking it to - but I struggle with the concept of death in all its forms, the implications of fictitious Neil Perry's death, and the reasons behind it all.