If you have ever watched The Dead Poets Society film then you will know, or at least recognise, this phrase. Carpe Diem is latin for “Seize The Day”. This is a somewhat incredible quote on its own but when compiled with Robin Williams remarkable acting and the storyline of the film… it becomes my favourite film of all time (though obviously I love Jungle Book, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, etc.) and although I have mentioned in before in ‘What can I Watch? Edition 4′ (which also shows another amazing motivational film called Mr Magorium’s Wonder Emporium) I would like to take this chance at the beginning of the new year to show you why it is so motivational.

Warning – Spoilers!

Carpe Diem

At the beginning of the film, Robin Williams (who plays the unorthodox English teacher, John Keating) speaks to his class about how they can be successful and achieve greatness by showing them photos of previous students of Welton Academy prep school (a very conservative school set in 1959) and telling them to Seize the Day.

Carpe Diem is a very common theme throughout the film and it motivates the students to revive an old literacy club (the Dead Poets Society) as well as motivating Neil Perry (played by Robert Sean Leonard) to pursue his dream of acting, which his father (a very strict man played by Kurtwood Smith) refuses to allow him to do. Going against his father, he decides to audition for the part of Puck in Midsummer Night’s Dream in which he got the part and did very well. However, after the show his father takes him home and punishes him. He ends up committing suicide, using his father’s revolver.

Although it does have a sad ending, Neil commits suicide and John gets sacked for motivating him to pursue his dreams, it is an incredibly motivating film and there is an amazing ending where the new Dead Poet’s Society go against the headmaster and give the teacher a very good farewell.

How is it Motivational?

I expect you are wondering how such a sad ending can be so motivational. Well, Dead Poet’s Society, at least to me, is all about looking at life from a different angle and doing what you believe is right. In the first lesson that John Keating teaches, he gets the class to rip out a chapter of their textbook.

The chapter was about reviewing poetry through mathematics and had a formula for how to decide if the poem is good or not. Of course this is ridiculous and should not be taught by any teacher, but the way that the character of John Keating was performed by Robin Williams was really motivating. The way that he gets the class to rip out pages of their book, that is how he made them like him. It was something different, something controversial. Most of the students loved him for it. After this, he then stands on top of his desk to show what Henry David Thoreau meant when he said “The universe is wider than our views of it.” This was an excellent way of showing to the students and the audience (therefore, being motivational) that it is important to look at things from different perspectives.

I love watching that scene as John Keating really interacts with the students, which is vital for both motivating and teaching them.

It’s Just a Film

Okay, fine, yes it may just be a film (as many have told me) but you have to see how it can be motivational. It is very controversial, especially for the time it was set in, however, the film shows that it is important to live your dream.

Have you watched Dead Poet’s Society? If not, watch it. Please let us all know what you think of this and whether you find it motivational. And never forget… SEIZE THE DAY!