"Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, and I –
I…"
I’ve been still thinking about these verses, it looks like I’ll be pondering over them all my life. Actually, there is a problem (and let it be the tidiest problem in the future:), I’ve failed to choose the only theme, so I’m going to speak a little of this and that. To be honest, I supposed the variety of the themes would be wider, why don’t we have an opportunity to write about some other film or book? Suggested topics are concentrated on the last film I really admire, but –
Ok. The first question my eye caught was What did Mr. Keating teach the boys, and did he succeed? To my mind, Neil’s death illustrates perfectly his success. Mr. Keating taught the students critical thinking, made them discover this world from the different point, taught them divergence, belief in themselves, encouraged personal opinion, tried to show each of them is a unique one, he taught them really a lot, I’ve mentioned very little. He’s a teacher with a God-given talent, I admire him. However I cannot approve all his methods.
For example, the idea of tearing the book into pieces. On the one hand, that’s an awesome example of independent mind, on the other hand he told he just thought the article to be nonsense, but it was his opinion, not the opinion of the students. What if somebody liked the given idea? I do believe the manuals are not written by the fools (though things happen). So, Mr. Keating neglected a reverent attitude to books and students’ opinion. But how to push the boys to admit they have it? They needed a shock. That’s tidy question.
When I watched the movie for the first time all my soul objected such a treatment to the book, but then in a month I watched it for the second one, I saw, if being a student of that school, that very moment I would also tear the book. At least just for fun. Like somebody approved inapprovable, I’m lucky to have experienced this feeling, as if the world turns upside down, but actually that’s not it, that’s your mind. Cool! Now I’m going to watch the film for the third time to refresh it, I wonder if I feel the same.
May be my idea seems vague or strange or crazy or cruel, – but I don’t regard Neil’s death as a tragedy, he made his choice, he expressed his opinion, he shows that he exists, I mean it. If it were not for Mr. Keating work, ideas he gave, Neil would never find it in heart to participate in the play. There would be no accident, he’d stay alive, but it would be not his life, it’d be the life of his father. What’s worse? His father was unconsciously (I hope) ruining the personality of his son, some parents make children live their lives, they often forget that their son or daughter is not a toy, s/he is a personality and their wishes and hopes are different. The father himself suffered inferiority complex, I wonder if he could raise a self-confident son. What happened is Neil’s personal victory, he made a great step against the system. And that’s not the teacher to blame. The teacher should be thanked.
The other thing is how in general one could prevent such a situation, if possible. I don’t want to be pessimistic, but in this very occasion I see no other way for Neil. Concerning Mr. Keating merits and demerits as a teacher, I’ve already explained why I enjoy his way of teaching, he turns routine into a fascinating adventure, he helps students to develop their minds, but for me he crossed the line, went too far, and it is supposed to be one of the reason of Neil’s death. Ado’s psyche is nonsteady and one should be careful if pretends to change the way of thinking, the habitual life of an ado. The young students are far from home, from parents, who mould the character, who observe the everyday changes of their child...
I’ve rewatched the movie up to the fragment with the books.
There will be no other chance
Well, Mr. Keating was too eccentric, too bright, if I may say so. A little of ordinary from his hand could prevent the accident, but it would also prevent boys‘ education. May be he failed to explain them, there are some cases when one shouldn’t show their individuality, but be a part of a crowd.
Turning back to Neil, I’ve been thinking a lot, who’s responsible for his death? I don’t know. The boy was completely suffering from parental pressure and all in all had a nervous breakdown. He’s a victim. The teacher perfectly did his job, but he was deceived. I suppose, the boy firstly was afraid the teacher to favour the father’s opinion; he didn’t want to disturb the teacher, didn’t want to pass the problem on to him, and that was the other reason that made Neil to lie. That’s why Mr. Keating wasn’t in the picture and can’t be accused. The mother suffered her husband pressure and was afraid to tell a word against. She is flabby, so is her character, she is unguilty. The father behaves terrible, he is an example “Not do in any case”, but he doesn’t understand his fault, he loves his son and want to give him everything he can. Yes, to my mind, the parental pressure is to blame and the father is a personification of it. But could we blame a man who seems to be unaware of his commitment, of the result of his bringing up the child? And if I go further, I see that the pressure was needed to help the boy to survive in the system of strict rules, ‘traditions’ etc. Should we blame the system? But it can’t be the butt of the joke, it will ‘butt’ everybody of us. That’s why I cannot give an answer.
I’ve ventured to suggest, I know how one could prevent Neil’s death. The only person had a power was the mother. If she stayed a little longer with her son, if she at least tried to express a slight interest about the play, Neil would have told everything he felt, the impulse would have been spent for this unburden of his heart. Why not just to listen? Who will ever listen to you if not the parents? It seems they had a strict rule about going to bed (oh my God!), however I believe the wife could agree with her husband about 15 minutes private talk to son. I firmly believe she was the only one who could have done something.
This movie has a lot to do with “One Flew over the Cockoo’s Nest”. Neil Perry recalls me Billy Bibbit and Charlie and Mr. Keating recall me McMurphy. The events are developing in a closed space, both Mr. Keating and McMurphy were trying to arouse people from their indifference, put them on their mettle, both fighting against the system and both suffered in the end. But to my mind they succeed, though in the world nothing changed, but these three, five, ten people they made to think, to live one day could help others to open the eyes and bit by bit the system would be ruined. (The other one will come for a shift, but that’s another story). Both Neil and Billy were suffering parental pressure, their psyche was already disrupt, both were victims. I feel relief that Neil will never suffer so deep as Billy.
After watching I’ve made a lot of conclusions. The most important for me is “Do what you want, do it now, there will be no other chance. Do it if you are ready to meet and to admit the consequences for you and for the people around you”.
After leaving a hospital in the 11th form I saw how happy we are just being healthy, how important each minute, each hour may be. I’ve decided to live like every day could be my last one. This movie also reminded me about the worth of every moment, moreover it has really pushed me to one of the most important decisions in my life, I understood that I dream to be a teacher. So, I feel lucky to come across this movie and I am grateful to have a chance to rewatch it and discuss it in class.
***
I’ve just remembered a few verses written by me when I was still writing something, now I don’t. They convey the idea that we should act in order not to regret about lose opportunities.
Ñâåòîôîð – çåëåíûé,
ß äîðîãó ïåðåéäó
Ñ ìûñëÿìè
«What should I do?»
ß ïîéäó ïî ïàðêó,
Âîçüìó ëèñòüåâ â îõàïêó,
Ìîæåò, âûõîä íàéäó
«What should I do?»
Çà îêíîì ñíåæíàÿ
Ïóñòîòà áåçáðåæíàÿ –
ß îò îêíà îòîéäó.
«What should I do?»
Ñâåòîôîð – çåëåíûé,
ß äîðîãó ïåðåéäó.
Øàíñ áûë ìíå äàí,
«But what have I done?»