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Meeting 1
NOTES
Watching the movie:
1. Keating’s 1st class, first 3 classes
2. Ripping introduction
3. Wastebasket shortly after
4. Walk to first meeting
5. Standing on table
6. Todd poem scene
7. Walking scene
8. Throwing desk
9. Knox drunk
10. Spanking Nuwanda
11. Midsummer’s Play
12. Neil’s suicide
13. Dead Poet Society standing on table (last scene)

Pre-Analysis
First scene: birds to Keating
- crowding of students + birds, could resemble each other in terms of hecticness
- teachers are monotone, students are loud (like birds)
- Keating shows obvious difference from other teachers
Second scene: tearing of papers
- zoom-in on poetry, why?
- emphasis on confusion expression obviously
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REFLECTION

The elements of the meeting most helpful to me were the identification of key scenes, as well as

the narrowing of choices. For example, we initially had roughly 15 to 20 scenes, in which I

personally had more because I over analyze and believe everything is key, as I am a staunch over

thinker. Through further discussion, we were able to narrow down the number of key scenes we

have, which has helped me when reviewing the movie. I was able to make the process of

rewatching the scenes much faster because I was able to review them with my group.

Additionally, Giang was essential to keep us on task, and Janah was able to provide an area

where we could all watch the movie with little to no distraction. We worked well as a group for

end of movie discussion, which was a primary goal for the meeting. The meeting was also

helpful in my understanding of the movie as a whole. There were some instances of plot and

certain shot angles/scenes I had not understood. Since my group was present, I was able to

clarify these points with them. For example, I was confused about the meaning of the birds

within the scenes, how there were flocks flying away as bells rang. My groupmates brought up

connections to how the birds are meant to be a transition into the students and how they are all

under one collective mindset as a flock, rather than individual thinkers. Again, this enhanced my

understanding of the movie. Our strengths include our combined analyzation and discussion

ability, which came in handy to identify key scenes and also begin to study the shots and what

they did to imply deeper meanings.

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Meeting 2

REFLECTION

This meeting was incredibly helpful to me, as we all analyzed similar scenes but had different

interpretations of some of the shots. For example, the scene where the students rip out the

introduction within the book also includes a shot of the word “Poetry” within the book, but

upside down. Giang introduced a new perspective that the upside down view parallels Keating’s

teaching style, which is flipped and focuses more on the student rather than the teacher.

Additionally, Adrian brought in that the shot from the teacher’s perspective places the audience

in the position of authority. I also had received agreeing perspectives on my own notes, which

signaled that I was not stretching to reach a conclusion that might have been too loose or had

minimal connection. The only weakness that I felt was that there was a disproportionate amount

of discussion. This was more me being excited, but I felt I controlled the conversation and was

the forefront of it. Janah, Adrian, and Giang did talk, but Gadiel was more distant. I would like to

be more inclusive of every voice in the next meeting. Overall, we were able to get through and

discuss half of the scenes during this meeting, which was not our original goal, but still suffices

as it was very helpful in furthering our understanding of the scenes.

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Meeting 3

NOTES
Conformity Scene:
- Dalton is displayed in bg, students are walking in front of him to show separation from
the group, characterization?
Tossing Desk Scene:
- Darker lighting, sets more serious tone
- Neil’s side profile is dark, meant to indicate mischievousness
- Todd is in brighter lighting, could indicate his mood, lighter spirit
- White shirt black tie on Todd, black jacket white shirt on Neil, could indicate balance
within two/between the two of them
Drunk Knox:
- top-down angle from Knox’s perspective when looking at Chris (while she sleeps), Knox
has authority/power in his position from the camera angle
- bright light on Chet shows hostility
- silencing of background noise to indicate a more intimate setting
Midsummer’s Play:
- light brightening also indicates that Neil’s confidence increases as he (indirectly)
confronts his father, who still chooses to stand in the darkness
- wide shots + close up of audience members, where as camera focuses on his father.
shows he has a different thought process/feeling behind the events
Neil’s Suicide:
- lack of light also indicates loss of hope due to his father’s actions
- extra notes (when father wakes up): out of place scream when he yells “no”, Neil moves
slowly and has direction, also calm, indicates he accepted what he was about to do and
maybe even thought of it already
O Captain My Captain:
- frequent close up, eye-level shots of Todd to emphasize the situation’s impact on him
- look down @ principal, shows immense shift in where power is placed
- last shot is Todd
- Keating through closet door, while he is in bg, is still clear. the door in fg is blurred,
which focuses attn to Todd and his reactions
- acquired same perspective + mindset as Keating through similar camera shots
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REFLECTION

During this meeting, we had continued from where we left off last meeting for our scene

analyzations. There was a similar effect from last meeting, where I was introduced to new

understandings of the scenes. For example, I indicate in my notes that there is a sort of yin and

yang complex between Todd and Neil when they contrast each other in the scene where they toss

the desk. There is an indirect meaning of a balance between the characters, which further

characterizes them. This was not something I have noticed within my viewings of the scene, and

this scene I had also felt was weak in terms of my analyzation of it. These new aspects of the

scenes that were brought up by my groupmates helps me to further understand the implications

of the themes, which helps me to stray away from literal translations and meanings of the scenes.

I also had a new understanding of the Knox kissing Chris scene that I am considering using

towards characterization, in which I can utilize the camera shots to contribute to the idea of

authority and power. In terms of strengths, I am able to rely on Adrian’s analyzations of shot

angles for my scenes, and I believe I am able to bring in symbolizations within scenes and

lighting aspects. I also think that our weaknesses were minimal, as we are mostly able to

encompass all aspects of analyzing film.

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Meeting 4

NOTES
Symbolism:
- Neil’s crown
- could resemble his stripped freedom/passion
- Todd’s desk (it being thrown)
- could resemble rebellion and taking action, Todd finally does something with this
gift he’s received every year
Parallels:
- birds resemble students
- introduction of Keating to his exit at the end of the movie, indicative of the characters’
development
- Neil in moonlight, Neil in spotlight
Possible Tools:
- Adrian picks camera angles to indicate authority and power throughout the movie as well
as perspective
- Different positions of characters in background, middleground, and foreground can center
focus or show a lack of knowledge.
- analyzing background music, ex. Knox “Baby, you’re not mine” and Overture (both
beginning and ending scenes)
- motifs of O Captain, My Captain and standing on desk, both significant actions that may
also fall into symbols or overall theme?
- multiple uses of lighting, ex. Neil shrinking into darkness/being shadowed into darkness
and Knox scene with red light, also scene where they leave the school to go to their
meeting
- different shots used to show students + teacher throughout the movie, ex. contrast of
Keating and other teachers and then the inclusion of both teacher and students
- Analyzing sound and effects, white noise during neil’s suicide to his father’s gasp, eerie
effects, dragged out “no!” from father upon body discovery
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REFLECTION
During this meeting, my group went over possible key tools what we could use as part of our six

quotes to help better link together abstract meanings and create a stronger base for our PA. What

was most helpful to me was the identification of possible tools, as well as the association of each

scene to the tools. This is because I had an initial struggle with trying to find a common link

between scenes from the beginning, middle, and end of the movie. However, when discussing

with my group members, I was able to grasp a stronger understanding from their different

perspectives and takes on the scenes. For example, Giang had identified motifs used throughout

the movie that connect beginning, middle, and end portions of the story. These motifs included

“O Captain, My Captain!” and the Overture playing. This had helped me to make a further

connection throughout the movie of how certain characters and symbols change. I was able to

connect the different scenes with Keating and the students, first from the beginning with the first

three classes, then to the conformity scene, then again to the ending scene. All use key shots and

angles to reveal a deeper meaning behind the development of the characters, and also give me a

clue to a possible theme. I do hold a weakness in which I am not able to find connections

between film tools and deeper meanings, which Adrian and Giang combined (Adrian is able to

identify film tools, and Giang is able to deepen an understanding of the scenes).
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Final Reflection

Improvements into my scholarship have included being able to create connections, learning from

other perspectives, and understanding that I genuinely like film analysis. Through working with

my group members, I realized that verbalizing my thoughts and having discussions had assisted

me in making unique connections that, if I were alone or had never truly talked about the film, I

may have never found out. For example, in my fourth meeting, I had never made the connection

between the introduction of Keating, the conformity scene where they all walk in a line, and the

ending scene where they stand on the desks. While these are very different scenes, they all

encompass a sequence of events, where it is first focused on teachers, shows teacher and student

to be regarded equally, and then student finally learning from the teacher. These are all implied

through a multitude of shot types, wide, pan, etc. Additionally, my group members had

introduced new ideas throughout the meetings we had. They explained new ways to look at the

same scenes, different interpretations of the same elements, and also pointed out film tools that I

had not originally caught. Lastly, I really do enjoy film analysis and find that it comes relatively

easy to me. However, based on what I have heard from seniors, the worst may have yet to come.

Either way, I have learned that I do find film analysis fun, and would not mind a challenge in

conducting deeper interpretations of the scenes I have watched. What I have learned about

studying is that it is much more effective to understand material when working with others.

Especially with English and analysis, working with others and collaborating understandings is

essential when encountering such a large amount of information. For example, if I were to watch

the movie on my own, I would not be able to ask my group members questions on what was

significant or important within the plot to note, which was a common theme during our first
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meeting. I would have been much more lost and confused, had I been working independently. I

will be looking to incorporate this information in future studies by trying to collaborate more in

classes where understanding information is much harder when it is up to interpretation or

memorization. Apart from English, I would want to work more collaboratively with others in AP

US History. This is because this class has a lot of information that also requires connections to be

made and synthesized together, and since memorization and understanding is enhanced when I

verbalize and discuss my thoughts, this methodology of studying and learning will be helpful, if

not essential, in this class.