Theme of Dead Poet's Society

 The central theme that is apparent throughout the entire movie is that you need to be an original person and think for yourself. This is first represented by Mr. Keating, when he asks his students to get out their textbooks and read about the poem scale, he tells them to simply tear the pages out. He tells them that they do not need someone, or something telling them how to view a situation, he encourages them be an original person, think for themselves. Keating eventually has them stand on his desk and tells them that everything has a different view to it, there is not just one way to look at something. All of these things, presented by Mr. Keating, are the traits of a free thinker. An individual who has original thoughts, and is not told how to think, as they are free to think for themselves. An example of a student implementing this mindset is Neil. Neil decides to not become the doctor that his father wants him to be, instead, he wishes to pursue a career in acting. There are now confines for the human mind, but only the ones that you put on them.