My Dead Poet

O Captain my Captain is engraved in the thoughts of the school boys and is the first stepping stone Mr. Keaty lays in his goal to show the students how to think for themselves. The importance of “carpe diem,” making the best out of life and striving towards what the individual desires are the main lessons taught by Peter Weir in his film “The Dead Poets Society”. The film is influential in todays society and is often applauded for it’s excellent acting and deeper meanings.

The idea to seize the day, carpe diem, is often referred to in the film, first being mention when Mr. Keaty shows his students pictures of old graduates. He tells them that most of the graduates never took chances and were too narrow-minded in their studies. Most students believe they need good grades in sciences and math in order to be successful in the working world but that is not always the case. The idea to seize the day and open the mind to new ideas allowed the boys to see their full potential. Todd Anderson was pulled out of his shell where he stayed to himself not saying much and into the real world. Neil Perry stood up to his controlling father and started pursuing a career in acting when he got the main role in a play, and Knox Overstreet took advantage of Mr. Keaty’s advice, going after Chris, the girl he was in love with, rushing into her classroom and reading her a poem he wrote for her. All the boys to advantage of their time after hearing Mr Keaty’s words and were glad that they decided to seize the day.

Along with carpe diem the boys also put forth an effort to make the best out of life. Instead of hiding in their dorm rooms studying for hours to prepare for a chemistry test they decided to go and have fun. They gave the Dead Poets Society a new birth and held regular gatherings in the woods where they would read aloud to each other and have fun. Knox also took special advantage of this idea and decided to go to a public school party at the Danburry’s house. He made a bold move and kissed Charlie on the couch which ended with a black eye but was a major accomplishment for Knox.

With making the best out of life, another common theme shown throughout the film is the idea to strive towards the desires of the individual. Neil Perry showed the greatest level of desire when he pursued his passion for acting. He first told Todd about his idea to audition for the play but was met with doubt and worry. Todd knew Neil's dad would not approve and force him to drop it but Neil went forth with the plan. Neil rushed back into the dorm to tell Todd he got the main part and then went forth with forging a letter of approval from his father. The word eventually spread and Mr. Perry confronted Niel about the play. Neil was allowed to perform at the play and was the star of the show thinking he had proven to his father that he could go on in life acting. Neil was dragged home by his father where his dreams of acting were crushed by his father enrolling him in military school. Neil committed suicide that night and showed his father that what he really wanted to do, which was act. The perseverance Neil showed towards achieving his goal was cut short but still stood out as an important theme that the striving for the desires of the individual is an important part of life.

“The Dead Poets Society” demonstrates many themes throughout the film which deliver a powerful affect on the viewer. The ideas of carpe diem, making the best out of life and striving towards individual desires add to the suspense and overall mood of the movie. The boys will never forget their English teacher, or as they say: O Captain! My Captain!

Poetry Spoken With Words

Proofreading is very important when it comes to English class and if you miss this essential step of the writing process it can make your assignment, or poem, or story seem rough and lazy. Taylor Mali addresses this issue superbly in his poem The the Impotence of Proofreading. He gives the poem a funny twist in every line, poking fun at spell checker because it “can1t can1t catch catch” every word and it “might replace a word with one you had absolutely no detention of using.” He mocks people’s reliance on auto correct when it “only does what you tell it to douche. You1re the one with your hand on the mouth going clit, clit, clit.”  Taylor makes a great point because you are in control of your writing and if you don’t put the time and effort into polishing and proofreading it will never be special. Never think you can get around it because “there is no prostitute for careful editing.”

“A Rubik’s cube has 43 quintillion, 252  quadrillion, 3 trillion, 274  billion, 489 million, 856 thousand  possibilities.” How many possibilities does a life have? The way Benjamin Barker compares his grandpa to a Rubik’s cube is very interesting and eye opening. Rubik’s Cube becomes very intense at the end making it a very memorable poem that gets its message out. Benjamin “never found out the algorithm to solve [his grandfather” and that shows how complicated life can be. “Alzheimer’s made his mind into a Rubik’s cube” skewing his thoughts and rearranging his whole life. Benjamin had to try to solve his grandfather’s new Rubik’s cube but never had the time; because “time is a complicated algorithm.” Everyone has their own puzzle that can be solved and a different algorithm to be discovered.

“A man should never hit a woman” is what Jesse Parent has been teaching his daughter all her life and her future boyfriends now have knowledge of what is expected after hearing “To the Boy Who One Day May Date My Daughter.” Jesse contrasts humour with a serious tone during the poem hushing the crowd to tense them and then releasing by saying that “her mother [says]... you shouldn’t ever hit anybody,” before tensing up again. This dynamic expression adds to the poem and helps bring out what he’s trying to say. The poem is presented very well and gets it’s point across that if you treat a girl right there will not be issues. All that is needed is to “love her, befriend her, protect her, be there when [her dad] can’t,” and those little things will prevent any “daddy issues.”

In Defense of Obasanji Quagga

Obasanji Quagga
21 Jump St
Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, Wales
0BA5-ANJ1

June 34, 2064

Inspector Clouseau
Chief of Police
123 Rue Justice
Paris, France
1A2 R3T


Dear Inspector Clouseau,

I stand by my descision to save Ada Artlover. Some people may argue the action I took as it resulted in the loss of the world's most famous painting, the Mona Lisa. However, any sensible human being will understand why I chose to save Ada.

The main reason I saved Ada is because she is a human being. Ada is 92 years old and may not live much longer but that does not justify letting her die to save a painting. The Mona Lisa is just a painting. It may be a very famous, innovative painting but a human's life is more important than a piece of canvas lathered in color. 

I also believed saving Ada would allow me a better chance of survive the fire. When the fire started I was standing next to her having a friendly conversation. The Mona Lisa on the other hand was across the room, closer to the flames. I decided it was a better idea to save her life than to risk my own trying to save a painting. 

The conversation I had with Ada before also affected my decision. I got to know her and heard some of the wisdom she had to offer. She has had many experinces from past wars and global events that make her an interesting and valuable window into our history. The Mona Lisa also does this but Ada has more variety in her wisdom where as the Mona Lisa shows us the first time common painting techniques were used.

From where I stand I believe I made the right decision by saving Ada Artlover. The art community may be angry but the general public should understand the moral dilemma I faced and see than I made an honorable decision.

White Walls

         All I could see was white. White walls, white floor, white doors, everything was white. The air felt as if it had been sucked dry of oxygen and filled with the overwhelming scent of cleaner. I caught myself staring at long, narrow, fluorescent lights that flickered ever so slightly while letting out a soft buzz. It had been several hours since Andy went into the operating room and the screw poking out of the cheap plastic chair into my back finally got to me. I got up and started pacing back and forth, feeling the stares of every other person in the waiting room. Dark circles of sweat formed around my neck and armpits; it felt as if the room was getting warmer by the second. I looked down and saw my reflection in the perfectly polished floor as thousands of thoughts flowed and swirled through my head. I leaned against the smooth, tiled wall and let myself slide down to the sterile floor. Sitting in the chairs I saw frightened, sad, and worried faces. None of the people looked at each other. A man with a bandage wrapped around his head sat next to a girl, no older than ten, holding her wrist. I caught eye contact with a little boy in a wheel chair with a cast for each leg. He smiled at me. It was the first smile I had seen in hours; it pulled me out of my brief state of depression and made me think that Andy will be okay. The room seemed to fill with color at that moment. Plants stood out against the walls, colorful pictures leaped out of their frame, and everything seemed to become brighter. My body relaxed and I let out a long deep breath. As I looked up the door across from me opened with a bright flash of light revealing the tattered, bruised, yet smiling face of Andy.

Flesh, And Lies, With A Side Of Bluffing

Lying is something most people do on a regular basis and Liam from Gail Helgason’s short story “Bluffing”  is no exception. He thinks he can win Gabrielle's trust back after "running away as fast as he could" during an encounter with a grizzly bear. He puts his girlfriends life in danger by not following her calls to "[back] off slowly.... [and] bluff [the bear]". Gabrielle knows what to do in this situation because "she [is] the biology teacher" where as Liam is just an aspiring hiker who wishes that "one day he would have his photo in... magazines for... outdoor gear".  In order to try to regain her trust he says that "he wasn't trying to run away" and "meant [for] the bear to come after [him]". This blatant lie and the fact that he tells another couple he saw "an elk carcass by the lake" shows how cowardly and self centred Liam is. Gabrielle tries to be happy that Liam wakes up in the hospital three weeks later; but she can see through his lies and resorts to "Bluffing". She "can manage [that] way" for now but she knows that his whole life is based on lies.

Forgotten By All

Light shines brightly from above just like any normal day. People can be seen commuting along Alta Street to their regular old jobs as if nothing is out of the ordinary. However, underneath this seemingly uneventful overpass is an entirely different universe. Light ever so slightly seeps in around rough concrete pillars which are cool to the touch. Smoke bellows from steel containers and rises to the barricaded sky, giving the air a hazy, clouded look. Graffiti, dirt, and grime line the walls. Concrete floors have become littered with waste. This floor is where she sits. A tattered hat goes well with her worn clothing and bony figure. Her skin, stained grey from years of struggle and hardship has been eroded into many deep creases. Her hair starved of moisture, aged jewelry lost, now found, and cheek bones as high as mountains. It would be a marvel to see her stand on such weak legs let alone become erect. The only joint that appears to work would be her elbow which allows her to accelerate her time to death. In her hand she grips a cigarette, inhales, and feels the fumes stream down to her lungs, poisoned from years upon years of constant abuse. She exhales and the process is reversed. The smoke pours over her cracked lips, and cascades down her carcass before colliding with the ground and growing into a wide, creeping ring. She is one of many under Alta Street, under society, to be forgotten by all, and have her niche filled by another unlucky soul.

Some Say...

Some say his brain is a sponge that absorbs an unfathomable amount of knowledge and wisdom. This tall, somewhat awkward young man is Rylan Potter. Rylan obsesses over his dreams and will work for hours on end to learn, grow, and become something more than he ever imagined. He has been observed to only accept absolute greatness, perfection is the benchmark for this hard working, intelligent, and athletic student.

Dreams of racing, hitting the apex just right, going faster and faster fly through his mind. Jeff Gordon, Michael Schumacher, and Sebastien Loeb are his idols, his holy grail. Oil and grease flow through his veins with his desire to drive, to race. One summer it is believed that he spent days at a time researching every component that made a car move. Although Rylan loves cars he also has other hobbies and talents.

Music flows off his fingers as smoothly as water drains down a calm river, if you challenge him to a post game, you will lose. He also has a strange yet quiet interest in the universe, and one day hopes to become a world renowned engineer.

His family life is relatively quiet, apart from his brother who contributes heavily to noise output within the house. Going to the tropical beaches of the Mayan Rivera is a good change of pace where he can sit back and take a break from his life often buried beneath mountains of responsibilities. Some say he's just a normal high school student, but others see past the common fallacy and observe greatness in the making.