Movie, Book, and Life Lessons: How Two Stories Changed My Perspective.

 "Oh Captain, My Captain"—this is my most favorite line from the movie I'm about to discuss.

On November 4th, 2024, at 9 p.m., I finished watching this film, and the ending left me truly heartbroken. It’s unlike anything I've ever watched as a viewer who pay special attention to the characters. This movie is about writers, or more specifically, poets, and it explores themes such as poetry, literature, adulthood, friendship, the relationship between teachers and students, dreams, passion, and love.

The story revolves around an English teacher named John Keating, portrayed by Robin Williams, and his two students, Neil Perry and Todd Anderson, at the prestigious Welton Academy.

Let me tell you more about Robin Williams' character, Mr. Keating. Once a popular figure at Welton himself, he later returned as a teacher. His character is kind, loving, charismatic, and sarcastic, yet incredibly impactful. Keating views the world through the lens of a writer, poet, and philosopher. While his teaching methods initially felt strange to some students, they were a revelation to a select few.

I recall a powerful scene where Keating is conducting his first poetry lesson. The students are seated with textbooks that contain a dull introduction to poetry. Keating instructs them to rip out the introductory pages and throw them in the trash. Confused and puzzled, the students listen as he explains:

"We don't read and write poetry because it's cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering—these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love—these are what we stay alive for."

This moment, among many others, made me fall in love with the movie and its characters. And I wish I could met with such a great teacher or mentor in my life. I think I’ll ever forget this film, and I'll definitely keep recommending it. Oh, I forgot to mention the title! The movie I'm talking about is Dead Poets Society.

If you think the two side characters aren’t significant, let me briefly tell you about them:

1. Neil Perry is a boy who reforms the "Dead Poets Society" club, inspired by his teacher’s background, to do bold and imaginative things and live with free will. He discovers a passion for acting and starts participating in theater, but his strict father wants him to become a doctor. The conflict between Neil and his father escalates, and it ends on a tragic note that I’ll discuss later.

2. Todd Anderson is a new student from a less prestigious school. Shy and lacking confidence, he gradually overcomes his insecurities under Keating’s influence. Todd also has a deep love for poetry and frequently writes poems. He becomes one of the brightest students at Welton Academy.

As for the plot, it’s a solid 10/10. When I finished watching, I sat in the bathroom for about 10 minutes, just processing what I’d seen. The plot focuses heavily on Neil’s struggle with his internal conflicts and the external pressure from his parents. When I first heard about this movie, I thought its themes wouldn’t interest me. But after two years, I finally gave it a chance, and it became one of my favorites.

Book I read this year.

Last year, while making my bucket list, I mentioned that I’d read at least four books per month. Well, I ended up reading only two ! Pretty impressive, right ? Before you say anything, let me explain. This year, I mainly focused on writing. I produced a lot of articles, short stories, poems, and scripts, which left me with less time for reading.

Among the two books I did read, one was a truly unique experience. It was a classic novella by Franz Kafka, a famous Russian writer and philosopher. The book was Metamorphosis. It’s quite popular among literature lovers, especially those interested in classic fiction, and it’s considered one of Kafka’s finest works.

Franz Kafka led a life filled with hardship. From a young age, he had a strained relationship with his father, who often scolded and even physically punished him. Despite this, Kafka respected him and never argued back. He disliked the traditional job culture and dreamed of becoming a writer, but his father never allowed it. Kafka once fell in love, but his father opposed the relationship. The only one who truly understood Kafka was his younger sister, who supported him and encouraged him to write.

Kafka’s work often explores themes of human fear, will, and relationships. Although he wrote extensively, Metamorphosis is one of the few pieces he completed. Tragically, Kafka instructed his close friend to burn all his writings after his death, but his friend published some of them instead. Imagine—Kafka’s work was never meant to reach the public!

Metamorphosis is a deeply moving story that captures emotions, drama, and fear. The story centers around a man named Gregor Samsa, a traveling salesman who one day wakes up to find himself transformed into an insect—a cockroach. At first, he thinks he’s dreaming, but soon realizes it’s his new reality. Although he hates his job, he still tries to get up for work, showing the endless loop many people find themselves in, balancing work with family responsibilities.

As the story progresses, Gregor’s family begins to resent him, and even his father beats him. The only person who cares for him is his sister, who cleans his room and brings him food. But, as usual with Kafka’s work, the story ends on a serious note, leaving me speechless. Through this tale, Kafka reflects on his own strained relationship with his father and his struggle to find acceptance.

Gregor Samsa, as a character, represents the part of us that dreads waking up, fears rejection, and yearns for love, support, and care. Kafka’s storytelling captures these complex emotions so well that I’ll never forget characters like Gregor Samsa.

This was my first venture into fiction, and I expected it to be entertaining, but it turned out to be a haunting experience. As a non-fiction reader, it was a great introduction to classic literature, and I look forward to reading more fiction next year.