The Dead Poet's Society ~ Characters

Mr. Perry

• Father of Neil Perry
• Intrusive
• Wanted Neil to do what he could not
• Flat/static character

Neil Perry

Charlie Dalton A.K.A. Nwunda

Mr. Keating

Works Cited

• English teacher at Welton Academy
• Encouraging
• Optimistic
• Flat, Dynamic character

• Charlie is one of the main characters in Dead Poets society

• He attends Welton Academy

• Charlie is a static character

• He is also a round character because he is fully developed

• He is also a protagonist

Neil Perry

Static, Round Character

• A smart, talented, and outgoing individual.
• Was an actor who had a passion for acting.
• Round because of personality and conflicted
• - Humor: Todd's Desk Set
• - Submissiveness: Father
• - Defiance: Not telling father about the play
• Played a role in bringing Todd out of his shell

Character Development

• Throughout the film, Neil does not change. He remains submissive, reserved, and silently conflicted. - At the beginning of the movie, we see Neil's submissiveness in the first scene with his father.
• As the story goes on, there continues to be instances in which we see Neil's different traits. - We see how conflicted he is when he speaks with Mr.Keating.
• He commits suicide, but that does not mean that he experienced any significant changes in his personality. He didn't transform.
• Did it because it was the only thing he could control. Can see it as resolved or unresolved.

Todd Anderson

Round, Dynamic Character

• In the beginning of the film, we see that Todd’s fear is his inability to speak up for himself.

-He is very shy and timid, but he is as well filled with compassion for others as he takes Neil’s death the hardest, and he stands up for Mr. Keating when no one else would.

Richard Cameron

• A Midsummer Night's Dream. Digital image. Clarence Brown Theatre. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Apr. 2015.
• Cast of Dead Poets Society. Digital image. Peterweircave. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Apr. 2015.
• Dead Poets Society Todd Anderson. Digital image. Good Pix Galleries. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2015.
• "Fiction Factor - Seven Common Character Types." Fiction Factor - Seven Common Character Types. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Apr. 2015.
• KgTheOctopus. Holding Hands. Digital image. Deviant Art. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Apr. 2015.
• Knox Overstreet Dead Poets Society. Digital image. Pixshark. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Apr. 2015.
• Prytulak, Lubomyr. Dead Poets Society. Digital image. Twelve by Twelve. N.p., 17 June 2012. Web. 1 Apr. 2015.
• Richard Cameron Dead Poets Society. Digital image. Online Image Arcade. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2015.
• Robertson, Mark. O Captain, My Captain! Digital image. Manifest Investing. N.p., 1 Apr. 2008. Web. 1 Apr. 2015.
• Sanders, Ryan. The Father Factor. Digital image. National Fatherhood Initiative. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Apr. 2015.

Flat, Static Character

• Cameron is an ambitious student who completely conforms with both the school and his parents expectations.
• He is willing to betray his friends in order to further his own interests.

Character Development

• The first turning point in the characters development occurs when Mr. Keating makes Todd recite a written poem in front of the class.

-This allows him to finally express what he feels and speak his mind.

- As well, this allows him to start to break out of his shell.

• The most pivotal point in the character’s development is when Todd is the first person to stand up for Mr. Keating by defying the principle, standing on his desk, and reciting the words, “O Captain, my Captain.”

-This shows that he no longer follows what everybody else says, but that he knows what he believes in and is willing to stand up for it.

John Keating (a.k.a. Mr. Keating)

Character Development

• Throughout the movie, he shows no development from the beginning, as he was always very tentative in breaking the rules.

-This is shown when he is tentative in ripping the books and deciding on whether to join the Dead Poets Society.

• This continues throughout the movie, as even towards the end of the film, he is the first to selfishly accuse Mr. Keating of encouraging Neil to commit suicide just to cover up for his participation in the Dead Poets Society.
• He even chose to stay seated when the boys chose to stand on their desks and stand up for Mr. Keating, thus showing no character development.

Knox Overstreet

Knox Overstreet

• Outgoing
• Impulsive
• Determined
• Romantic
• Round, Static character

The Dead Poet's Society ~ Characters

By Serra Perry, Arielle Reynoso, Miguel Rincon, William Aguilera, and Simran Bains