Much of the emotional content of the film comes from poetic passages which the main character, Mr. Keating, uses to inspire his students. Some of these include Walt Whitman's "O Captain! My Captain!," Robert Herrick's "To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time",and Robert Frost's "The Road Not Taken". Students can research and write about one of the poems and discuss how it relates to the themes of the film.
Dead Poets Society is a film that is at least in part about ideas, as the interactions between Mr. Keating and the school community generate controversy, debate and counter-reactions. Students can participate in a debate about one of the ideas in the film, such as the power of the individual, returning to nature, seizing the day and challenging authority.
The film is set in 1959 in rural Vermont, during the middle of the modern civil rights movement, yet it depicts a hermetically sealed world of upper class white privilege. The students can examine the events of the film within their historical context, discussing the impact of race and class on the motivations and decisions of the characters.
Dead Poets Society is about the unfolding relationships between a teacher and a school community. Classroom discussion can focus on Mr. Keating's philosophy of education, examining the main differences between Mr. Keating's approach and the general outlook of the school, its impact on his students, and what if any responsibility Mr. Keating had for Neil's suicide. Students can compare their own educational experiences to those depicted in the film.