“Dead Poets Society” by N.H. Kleinbaum

The book takes place in 1959 at the best private school in the United States. In the book we then follow the students Todd, Neil, Knox, Richard, Steven and Pitts. When the school term started, the class got a new English teacher, Mr Keating, who was very keen that the students go their own way and follow their own dreams and not the dreams that others want them to have. The students quickly took after Mr. Keating and his way of looking at things and what´s important in life. One day, Mr Keating told the students about when he went to school and he and his friends had a club called Dead Poets Society. In the dead poet’s society, the students told poetry to each other.

Neil’s biggest dream is to become an actor, and later into the book opens the application to a role in a theatre. and because Neil wants to become an actor, he applies for the role. Neil got the role in the theatre, but his dad wasn't happy with that because he has already decided that Neil will become a doctor. Neil's dad then forbids Neil to attend the theatre. Neil was very sorry that he was not allowed to attend the theatre for his father, this was something that Mr. Keating noticed and encouraged instead to follow his dream of becoming an actor.

Later, after all, Neil participated in the theatre, which his father did not appreciate, and he became very angry with this and then brought with him Neil home from school. That night, Neil felt it was not worth living a life he didn't have to do what he wanted to do. Neil then decided to commit suicide that night.

After Neil's suicide, Mr. Keating blamed it because they felt he was wrong in teaching the students to make their own decisions and follow their own dreams in life. The book ends with the students standing on their benches and say “O Captain My Captain” to protest the headmaster against the decision to fire Mr. Keating.

The time the students spent at the school with Mr. Keating as a teacher I think was important to the students as they were changed in a positive way by becoming more indpendent and daring to say what they think and what they want and not what other people wants.

I think the author's thought when writing the book was to show the reader that it´s important that you as a youth and as your own individual must choose their own path in life and not do the other you think you should do. I also believe that the author wanted to show that it´s important that you are yourself.

I think parents should read this book to understand how important it is for children and young people to choose for themselves what they want to work and do with in the future because I think there are many parents that are trying to choose for their children what they should do in the future. I did not like the book so much because it was not a book of the genre I like, this book was more like a book of drama. If the book had been a comedy, I liked it more because I think the genre on books is the most fun. To sum up what I wrote I would say that this is a book that is completely okay for those who like drama books. The book also has a very good message that I think people especially adults should take after.

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