The Dead Poets Society: Seize the Day
by Ashley Bakker
There I was walking at a slow, steady pace. My eyes were barley opened. I sat down in my seat and thought about my boring life. I realized that I was living like a zombie, doing the same things over and over again every single day. I was stuck in a rut and didn’t know how to get out. Eventually, I realized that life is about living, not just being alive.
Carpe diem is Latin for “seize the day.” The gospel of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is all about seizing the day and living life to the fullest. The movie Dead Poets Society revolves around carpe diem and displays why it is so important to seize the day and live life in an astonishing way that brings happiness.
Throughout Dead Poets Society, the characters grow by seizing the day. After the students get a lesson from their new, controversial teacher, Mr. Keating, they realize that life shouldn’t be wasted away. Mr. Keating tells his students, “Carpe diem, seize the day boys, make your lives extraordinary.” The gospel parallels to living extraordinary in every way. In the gospel, people try to live their lives in a way that shows gratitude and willingness. The gospel teaches people to work at life and make it meaningful. A life is extraordinary when it is lived in a significant way. As long as a person tries their best and is willing to change and work hard each day, then that person is seizing the day and living an extraordinary life.
Another aspect of seizing the day is focusing on the present. As the movie continues, the boys stop thinking about the past and start to think about the present. They decide to live for themselves. One character in particular decides to live his life in a way that makes him happy. His name is Neil. All throughout Neil’s life he has lived how his father wanted him to, instead of living for himself. Neil really takes to heart Mr. Keating inspirational words, “carpe diem.” He decides to go after his dream of acting and then gets the lead part, Puck, in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
In the gospel, people are taught to be like Neil. People live in the present and don’t focus on the past. Life is about starting fresh each day and knowing that we cannot put things off. We need to live for today because there might not be a tomorrow. We are here on this earth for a short time; therefore, we need live each day like it is our last.
The gospel relies heavily on the present, but doesn’t focus on the quantity of life. In the gospel, people focus on the quality of their lives. In Dead Poets Society, Mr. Keating says, “sucking the marrow out of life doesn't mean choking on the bone.” This is exactly what the gospel teaches. We must live life to the fullest, but live it in a way that is charitable as well as exciting.
Dead Poets Society is a heart warming movie that inspires people to live and be happy. Everyone should follow Mr. Keating words, “Carpe diem, seize the day boys, make your lives extraordinary.”
There I was walking at a slow, steady pace. My eyes were barley opened. I sat down in my seat and thought about my boring life. I realized that I was living like a zombie, doing the same things over and over again every single day. I was stuck in a rut and didn’t know how to get out. Eventually, I realized that life is about living, not just being alive.
Carpe diem is Latin for “seize the day.” The gospel of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is all about seizing the day and living life to the fullest. The movie Dead Poets Society revolves around carpe diem and displays why it is so important to seize the day and live life in an astonishing way that brings happiness.
Throughout Dead Poets Society, the characters grow by seizing the day. After the students get a lesson from their new, controversial teacher, Mr. Keating, they realize that life shouldn’t be wasted away. Mr. Keating tells his students, “Carpe diem, seize the day boys, make your lives extraordinary.” The gospel parallels to living extraordinary in every way. In the gospel, people try to live their lives in a way that shows gratitude and willingness. The gospel teaches people to work at life and make it meaningful. A life is extraordinary when it is lived in a significant way. As long as a person tries their best and is willing to change and work hard each day, then that person is seizing the day and living an extraordinary life.
Another aspect of seizing the day is focusing on the present. As the movie continues, the boys stop thinking about the past and start to think about the present. They decide to live for themselves. One character in particular decides to live his life in a way that makes him happy. His name is Neil. All throughout Neil’s life he has lived how his father wanted him to, instead of living for himself. Neil really takes to heart Mr. Keating inspirational words, “carpe diem.” He decides to go after his dream of acting and then gets the lead part, Puck, in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
In the gospel, people are taught to be like Neil. People live in the present and don’t focus on the past. Life is about starting fresh each day and knowing that we cannot put things off. We need to live for today because there might not be a tomorrow. We are here on this earth for a short time; therefore, we need live each day like it is our last.
The gospel relies heavily on the present, but doesn’t focus on the quantity of life. In the gospel, people focus on the quality of their lives. In Dead Poets Society, Mr. Keating says, “sucking the marrow out of life doesn't mean choking on the bone.” This is exactly what the gospel teaches. We must live life to the fullest, but live it in a way that is charitable as well as exciting.
Dead Poets Society is a heart warming movie that inspires people to live and be happy. Everyone should follow Mr. Keating words, “Carpe diem, seize the day boys, make your lives extraordinary.”
