Here are your responses to the fifth question of which of the boys was
the bravest. (NOTE: Most of the people who sent responses did not mention
if they wanted their email addresses displayed. To be safe, I assumed they
did not. However, if you would like your email shown with your response,
please
.)
Luana: The bravest of keating's
boys was knox. He was the only one who totally captured Keating's point
about carpe diem. He took a chance without 'choking on the bone'. Todd
was right behind him though. After all, he was the first to stand up at
the end!
Ray:
The bravest of the boys has to be Todd followed by Charlie aka Nwanda.
Todd had the most to overcome since he was so introverted but Charlie had
the guts to put everything on the line and get kicked out of the school.
True his parents had money but we have no idea of knowing if his parents
would cut off his fortune.
DJ:
I think the bravest could either be Todd (but only at the end), or Knox,
because he went after Chris and basically risked his life (or at least
his limbs) by going behind Chet's back. And in the end, he does get the
girl, proving, I think, that nice guys finish first.
Katleen: I think
Todd was the bravest. It was very difficult for him to stand on his desk
and say "O Captain, my Captain". I believe it was even more difficult for
him to do that, than it was for Neil to kill himself, or for Nuwanda to
push Cameron. Todd overwon himself, that is one of the most brave things
you can do...
Lauren: I feel that the
"bravest" of Keating's boys was Todd Anderson. He took an emotional risk
by getting involved in the club, even though he didn't want to read, he
wanted to be part of a group. He also took the risk to get up in front
of the class to share his feelings (with Keating's help). This takes a
lot of courage.
Catherine: I think that the bravest
of Keating's boys was Charlie. I have come to this conclusion because when
Charlie was questioned by Mr.Nolan about the Dead Poet's Society he had
the courage to hold up for his comrades and face expulsion and his parents
in the end. Also it DID take alot of guts to go through with the prank
. Hey, even if it did expose the society, it takes some courage to be stupid,
right? Neil wasn't all that brave because he took the easy why out and
couldn't even stand up to his dad for his passion's sake. After all that,
I must give him some credit, it did take alot of bravery to try out for
the play and all.
David:
I would say that Todd was the bravest because he took everything he was
given and dealt with it and survived; and because he didn't take his life.
However, he kept everything inside and never let it out. To me this
is partially a cowards way out. Therefore, to me, Charlie was the
bravest. He took everything given to him. Dealt with it and
expressed his feelings. He didn't take crap from anybody and did
do what he felt was right, as seen in the scene when he gets back from
being questioned and says to Neil, "It's Nawanda." He lived life
to its fullest and the way he thought he was meant to. He did not
run from his problems, but instead faced, voiced, and dealt with them.
Aixla: Todd, definitely. His
character grew so much from the beginning of the movie to the end, and
personal growth requires great strength and courage. We don't get to see
what he does with his life after he takes his stand in the classroom, but
I'm sure that that moment was a turning point from him, and his life was
radically different and bold from that point on!
Adam: The "bravest" boy as
a result of Mr. Keating's teachings was Todd Anderson. When he joined the
class he didn't have any self confidence. The more classes he attends the
braver he becomes. His confidence never reaches that of someone like Charlie
Dalton, but he does develop courage when it comes down to something of
utmost importance. Through Mr. Keating's inspiration he makes the choice
to join the DPS. Still lacking in confidence he manages to get out a poem
at the front of the class. For someone who feels useless this would of
taken a lot of courage. For the final and greatest display of bravery he
stands on his desk at the end of the film. By leading this emotional movement
he is risking expulsion. This is also a great display of bravery because
earlier in the film he says to Neil Perry that he isn't like him, people
don't listen to what he has to say. So as a result of these feelings, Todd
decides never to make a stand and is only one who follows others, in the
same way as Cameron. However in the end we see him leading others and declaring
Mr. Keating's innocence all the way, including in Mr. Nolan's office. Charlie
is not the bravest. He interprets the meaning of Carpe Diem incorrectly
and remains the 'rebel without a cause' he was at the start. Risking
what he did through his pranks were not as bigger deal for him as what
Todd did. Second behind Todd was Knox. He was brave enouph to follow his
dream of dating Chris. When considering Knox's courage we must set aside
the incident at the paty for he was under the influence. He never displays
bravery when faced with the figure of his hesitation (Chett). Todd did.
Charlie: I feel that Neil was the bravest,
after all, he did take his own life. Someone would have to be pretty
brave to do such a thing. He was the one who re-established DPS.
He was the one who willingly accepted Mr. Keating's teachings no matter
how far from realism they were. He was bold enough to forge the letter
saying that he could act in the play, knowing good and well that he could
get caught by his father. The only aspect of boldness that he never
portrayed was the very boldness that he never possessed so as to stand
up to his father and it ended up taking his life.
anonymous: That is an interesting question,
although I feel it is a bit limited. It should be rephrased to ask
who was the bravest character in the movie. It's no mystery that
Todd, Neil, Charlie, and Knox were all brave in their respective ways.
They seized the day in a way that fulfilled their characters. They
were all brave, that is for sure. At the same time, hasn't anyone
given a thought to Mr. Keating? After all, he too was a graduate
of Welton, and the founding member of DPS, so doesn't he deserve some kind
of credit for his bravado? He knew the situation he was entering
into and probably knew that he would receive negative feedback for his
rather unorthodox teaching methods. To sum up, everyone else is brave,
but Keating is the hero of the movie. I would have killed to have
had a teacher like him.
Christie: Todd. He learned the lesson
Keating was teaching by finding the middle ground between passion and control.
He also learned that he had a verse to contribute, and did just that.
Ana:
Todd. I would usually give a more ambiguous answer to this, but during
the final scene we can feel Todd's courage. His life will never be
the same; he will follow his dreams--he will seize the day. We realize
this when we see him standing up on that desk and letting Mr. Keating know
how he's changed his life. Completely ignoring the jerk, Mr. Nolan, unconcerned
about the expulsion that will follow-(sarcastically) what a tragedy THAT
would be, anyway!- Such an extremely powerful scene.
Charles: Knox Overstreet.
Bravery, as suggested by Keating, is the denial of that which is conformity.
To seize the day and take every opportunity is to be brave. Yet Keating
warns us to suck out the marrow, but not choke on the bone. Overstreet
is able to give his dream (a noble pursuit of hormonal love) every chance
of realisation, through denial, embarrassment, angst and torment, without
crossing the line into denial of other potential experiences in life. Charlie
crosses the line. Whilst he is brave to tell the truth when others would
have him lie, it does indeed cost him some opportunities that his education
at Welton would offer him. Knox acheives the dream, yet maintains the potential
for more. He seizes the day, and lives to fight another.
Sharon: Todd was the bravest. He lived
all his life in his brother's shadow, and he changed into someone who could
speak for himself, and show how he felt, and not worry about what the others
thought.
Neil - suicide is brave.
Todd - faced his own indecision and faced up to the world.
Knox - truly took the spirit of Carpe Diem and entered uncharted waters
(girls).
Charlie - went all the way to keep his beliefs. He risked everything.
All have their possibilities but I think that Todd's facing up to the
unthinkable and doing it, was strength beyond belief. Neil's bravery would
have come if he had continued and found his dream come true. I don't say
that what he did wasn't brave. I wouldn't belittle his action.
Nuwanda: I think that the bravest of
Keatings boys must have been Todd. Now, I know that some people won't agree
with me but the change from beginning to end for him is bigger than anyone
elses. To surpass your own personal goals is far greater bravery than to
surpass a standard goal. Knox is a very close second though.
Ilias / Maria: We strongly believe
that Todd was really the bravest of Keating's boys and that was revealed
at the very end of the movie. At first, one gains the impression that Todd
is a very introvert guy who is reluctant to act according to what he feels.
However, Mr Keating obviously affects him regarding LIFE in general. In
the wake of this effect he eventually erupts at the most burning moment
of the whole film, by crying out indirectly the inalienable truth that
Mr. Keating was indeed the one who signed the turning point of Todd's
life.
TGFAPD@aol.com: I feel that
Neil was the bravest of the boys. He took his own life because he
would rather be remembered for his acting, his boldness, his love for poetry;
for himself. He would rather have died and been remembered as unique
than
to have given in to the pressures of conformity. He knew who he was
and who he wanted to be. " The difficulty of maintaining your own beliefs
in the face of others. We all have a great need for acceptance, but
you must trust that your beliefs are unique, your own. Some people may
think them odd or unpopular."
Remember this quote? Neil wanted to maintain his own beliefs.
He didn't want to fall victim to conformity. I feel that when his
father wanted to send him to military school, that has a deeper meaning.
Being in the military or military school, IS conformity! If he went
there, his beliefs, his uniqueness, his pride, would all be lost in the
shuffle. So, even in death, he is maintaining his own beliefs, his sense
of pride, and that is brave!
Lauren: Knox and Todd were equally
brave, but each in his own way. Todd, obviously, grew the most during the
film. He was able to overcome his shyness and stand up for what he believed
in, even if not until the end. He found his own voice and realized that
he was indeed worth something. He had the most obstacles to overcome in
that respect. Knox, on the other hand, was brave in that he followed his
heart, even when others tried to step in his way. Some might say that he
was cowardly for not standing up to Chet, but the truth is that he knew
what he felt, and shared those feelings with the only other person that
needed to know about them. The fact that he was able to do this while avoiding
a confrontation that would only end in his face getting bashed in (again)
is a definite plus!
Amy: I think Todd was by far the bravest
for a number of reasons. Mainly because he changed so much throughout
the film. He went from a guy who can barely speak to someone who
literally stands up for what he believes in. Todd, in a way, took
the road less travelled (travelled by his parents and the school) and became
a better, more passionate person due to Keating's teachings. Before
going to Welton I'm sure Todd expected to live a life of his parents expectations,
and now I bet he stood up to them and lived an extraordinary life.
Angelius: I think Todd was the bravest
of the characters because he had the courage to face up to himself and
stand on his desk at the end to say goodbye to Mr. Keating. I think he
was probably the only one who truely understood and applied Mr. Keating's
teachings, the only one who understood that "there is a time for caution
and a time for daring". Nwanda was mostly silly instead of brave, but his
courage for refusing to give up the names of the other DPS members was
definitely courageous.
Verachai: Todd Anderson. Because in
the last scene, he braves being different from most students and showing
his feeling to Mr.Keating by standing on the table. That also led other
students who felt like him, standing up on the table too. All of all, it
is the purpose of Mr. Keating's teaching "learning in individual ways and
to brave being your own way although it is different from most people".
anonymous: I mean, damn it, they're
all brave. There's no degree of bravery. they've all done things that I
don't have the courage to do. They break away from themselves. Did you,
yeah, YOU, did you ever have the courage to do that?
Jennifer: I think that everyone is
brave except Neil. This is because everyone has mettle to face the music,
alternative of life, even ego. At the same time, this is also cause that
Neil chose this way to close his road of his life--he can't face and realise
the bondage of ego. He chose death to become a key to the padlock of his
mind in order to get a relief.
Neil - suicide is brave.
Todd - faced his own indecision and faced up to the world.
Knox - truly took the spirit of Carpe Diem and entered uncharted waters
(girls).
Charlie - went all the way to keep his beliefs. He risked everything.
All have their possibilities but I think that Todd's facing up to the
unthinkable and doing it, was strength beyond belief. Neil's bravery would
have come if he had continued and found his dream come true. I don't say
that what he did wasn't brave. I wouldn't belittle his action.
Kristian: I think that Todd was the
bravest of Mr Keating's boys and of course Neil. Todd was brave because
he stood up for what he believed in at the end. Neil was brave because
he had the courage to take his own life.
Helmut: If you answer such a question,
I think, first of all you have to define the word "brave". When I hear
the word "brave" I think of heroes. But aren't we all heroes in some ways
and so aren't the Dead Poets and Mr. Keating? Every person in that movie
had his own character(except Camaron, he was shown as someone without charaxter)
and so everyone had his own special development throughout the whole movie.
The most remarkable one was without any doubt the one Todd went through.
He was able to change his personality in some ways and so I think he was
the one who had the most emotional part. But summarizing Neil is still
the one who I have to pay most credit to. He was the one who really understood
the meanng of "Carpe diem". He knew that this didn't mean to dare yourself
to do things you could get determits for (like Charlie). He know that "make
your lives extraordinary" is nothing about other people thinking of you,
he knew that it's always about yourself and your dreams. So Neil had the
courage to fulfill his dreams... We don't know so much about the family
of the others (except Todd who was caught in the role of his older brother)
and so for me Neil stood up. He stood up against conformaty and against
a life under the rule of his father. I think you can't say he escaped from
that problem by commiting suicide. He was just realistic enough to see
that there was no way for him to realize all his dreams without the permission
of his father. I know for us today it might sound stupid, but life then
and especially Neil's life was different from ours now. We can speak up
against our parents, if it works out, that's something different to talk
about. We even can cut our relation to them, but only in the worst cases.
But what chances or possibilities did Neil have? He depended on his Dad.
So if you want to define these things with the term of bravery. Neil was
definitely the bravest, not because of his suicide, but for is courage
to live his dream, for the try to make his life his OWN life.
Millicent: I don't feel that Todd was
as brave as Neil was. I'm not saying that suicide made Neil brave
- in fact I think it was the cowards way out. But Neil was more drastic,
and could handle the dark, while it was all Todd could do to keep his own
beliefs in the eyes of the world.
Anchi: Todd Anderson won the prize
with no doubt (although Charlie was our favorite boy in the movie)!
Unlike Charlie, who had been brought up in a family that encouraged him
to be assertive, Todd had been chased to the cold lonely corner by his
brother's excellence and there seemed not much room left for him to speak
up. Charlie had always been the brave rebellious one, while Todd
was stumbling all the way to finally stepping up on the desk calling out
"captain, my captain", inspiring other boys to stand up and show their
true feelings toward the education authority.
Linda: I think that Todd Anderson is
the bravest student. At first, he was the shyest boy in his class. He was
afraid to express himself and his feeling. But he has changed a lot in
the end of the movie. He stood up for Mr. Keating. He showed his courage
to everyone. He didn't care what will be happened to him if he stood on
his desk and shouted out "Captain, my Captain." I think that is very difficult
for people to change themselves. Therefore, in my opinion, Todd Anderson
is the bravest of Mr. Keating's students.
Jason Harris: I can't
really choose a "bravest". But I think the one that learned the most and
took the advice had to be Todd. Knox was very daring and brave. But he
was like that through the entire movie. He didn't make a drastic change
like Todd. Nuanda also stood up for Keating which really makes me respect
him. But I am going with Todd.
Cutegirl: Todd. Because he used to
be an extremely shy boy...but at last he could stand up on his desk and
call his teacher as " Oh, captain, my captain" inspite of a requirement
of his strict principal - I mean "Sit down!!! Mr. Anderson!!"
Cynthia, William, JunHo: Todd, he shows
his respect to Mr. Keating by standing on the desk. This action also shows
that he has courage to go against the authorities. He is one of those guys
who are encouraged most by Mr.Keating.
Sylvia: Who was the bravest?
Todd. He's got the guts to own up to Keating that he and the other
boys weren't brave enough not to sign. Admitting failure publicly
takes real courage. He isn't self-dramatising, like Neil or up himself,
like Charlie, and he hasn't had a vision like Knox (like I said, he's still
waiting for the new day, for salvation). There's nothing in it for
him. But he still seeks clarity and he knows that the relationship
of teacher and pupil that they had, although it was betrayed on both sides,
was a good one and ought to be acknowledged
Class of 99 Alberton , South Africa:
To say which is the bravest is to say the rest were weak. In their own
ways each was a hero and a failure so each must be looked at in their prime
and in their failures and then compared to your outlook on Bravery.
Neil: he took Mr K's work to heart and became what he wanted , but
couldn't take the consequences.
Todd: Was not ready to make a full commitment to the CARPE DIEM and
was self doubting however it he proved to understand the lesson of
sucking the marrow out of life , but not choking on the bone.
Charlie: He was already free in his will; he used the lesson as a excuse,
in order to stretch his limitations and the regulations at Welton
Knox: He used the lesson for love, but not with out destructing a relationship
and nearly seeing the hospital.
Cameron: Can not be forgotton as he also followed the carpe diem but
would not disobey the authority.
Meeks and Pitts: They don't really feature much so I can not comment.
Du Toit Albertus: Knox
wasn't bright, Nwanda was a joker, an attention seeker, Neil opted out
and though that was a MAJOR decision, I think Todd was the bravest.
He stood up for the truth (Keating) when it went against his whole being.