The Dead Poets Society

                “The Dead Poets Society” is a story that takes place in an all-boys boarding school called Welton Academy. Welton Academy represents pure conformity because everything is always the same. The teachers look alike, the classes are similar, and the traditions are always kept. But this all changes when a new teacher, Mr. Keating, begins to work at the school. Mr. Keating brings nonconformist ways to his classroom by teaching the boys unique ways of learning. He inspires his students to be who they want to be. Although all of the students love Mr. Keating’s class, the staff at the school does not. They strictly believe that keeping tradition is vital at Welton, and since Mr. Keating is not doing this, they eventually fire him. It was dangerous for Mr. Keating to express nonconformity at this school because he knew there would be severe consequences, but yet he still practiced nonconformity because he truly believes in it.

                A group of students at the school decides to form a Dead Poets Society, something that Mr. Keating had once taken part in when he was a student. Forming something like the Dead Poets Society is completely against the rules, but the students are willing to break the rules to be unlike all other students. They act as nonconformists by taking part in the Dead Poets Society, even though it is against the rules. At the end of the movie, one member commits suicide because his father was too demanding. It opens the eyes of the teachers at Welton and they question all of his friends. They reveal that they are in the Dead Poets Society and are punished for their actions. The boys were only in trouble because of their nonconformist ways. Showing nonconformity was very dangerous, but they realized how important it is to not always be like everyone else, but to be oneself.  

Transcendentalism Shirt

This past weekend, I created a t-shirt that revealed many things about my personality. I included weird facts about myself that I rarely tell people. It definitely took courage to walk around school with so many embarrassing facts written across my shirt.

I expected to receive funny looks and maybe some confused comments. To my surprise, people liked my shirt! The neon yellow attracted many viewers. I received compliments and most people asked if they could read it. I do admit that some things were hard to share. Some of the things I wrote on my shirt were a little bit silly. People laughed at quotes such as, "I am an awkward dancer" and "I have a blanket named nosey," and some were surprised when they read things like, "I am at church five days a week" and "I skipped first grade." The shirt exposed many secrets about myself.

Being a transcendentalist for a day was more fun than i expected. I enjoyed being able to reveal my true self through my clothing. Expressing who you truly are is very daring. To have that kind of courage for one day was bearable, but I do not know if I would be brave enough to do something like that every day. I respect transcendentalists and I now realize how hard it must be for them to truly express themselves daily.

Modern Transcendentalist

A transcendentalist must be completely comfortable with who they truly are. They are not afraid to show the world their individuality, and they embrace it. A perfect example of a modern day transcendentalist is Ellen Degeneres. Ellen is a young woman with a well-known reputation. Everyone knows Ellen as a lesbian; and depending on someone's view, her ways may be considered gross or intolerable. There truly are people in this world who do not agree with Ellen's life choice and they believe that Ellen’s decision to be a lesbian is unacceptable.

Ellen and Portia- People Magazine

Despite these heartbreaking opinions, Ellen embraces her unique quality. She opened up to millions of television viewers in a 1997 Oprah show. Some were shocked, and automatically stopped watching Ellen’s show. In an interview with Stone Phillips from MSNBC, Ellen shared her feelings when she came out:

DeGeneres: "When I made the decision to come out, everything was great. And I really naively thought nobody's going to care, you know. It's like, I'm going to just now say, by the way, I'm gay. I mean, all of my business people, all my people, were saying, don’t do it, you know."

Phillips: "Is that right?"

DeGeneres: "Oh, yeah."

Phillips: "They were telling you, bad move?"

DeGeneres: "Oh, yeah. Don't do it. Don't do it."

Phillips: "But you just weren't going to listen to them?"

DeGeneres: "I couldn't listen to them. I had to listen to me. You know? It's my life. It's my heart. It's my soul. It's my journey. And it's who I am."

The above statement is a definite act of transcendentalism. It takes so much courage to admit something so fragile about oneself, especially with the fear that some people might not accept what is revealed. Ellen took that risk because she realized that it is her life and she is going to live it the way she wants to. She took this leap with the fear that people may stop watching her show; and many people did just that. Ellen stayed true to herself, and to her wife, Portia De Rossi. Ellen has openly expressed her feelings towards Portia through photos, interviews, and television. It is actions like this that prove her to be a true transcendentalist. She is who she is and is not afraid of others judging her. 

Ellen Degeneres

Reference:

Phillips, Stone. "Catching up with Ellen DeGeneres - Dateline NBC - Newsmakers - Msnbc.com."          Msnbc.com - Breaking News, Science and Tech News, World News, US News, Local News- Msnbc.com. Web. 13 Nov. 2011. <http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6430100/ns/dateline_nbc-newsmakers/t/catching-ellen-degeneres/>.

Walden Essay

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tSlIVWpqyc&feature=relmfu

In this century, it is difficult to maintain a simple lifestyle. There is so much to do and so many tasks to perform that it is easy to lose sight of the simple and wonderful things that life has to offer. People question if simplicity is even attainable anymore. The answer is yes; a simple way of living can be experienced if one sets their mind to it. Henry David Thoreau was a man who believed in this simplicity and strived to attain it in his life. He left his complicated life in the city and created a much less complicated life for himself. Although this modern age is complex, people can simplify their lives by becoming peaceful,not becoming too involved, and learning to enjoy what has been given to them.

One factor that can lead to a complex life is continuous arrogance. If one is constantly at war or expressing hatred towards others, a tranquil lifestyle cannot be achieved. People must strive towards expressing a peaceful attitude. It will keep them away from trouble and conflict. “Why should we knock under and go with the stream? Let us not be upset and overwhelmed in that terrible rapid and whirlpool called a dinner, situated in the meridian shadows” (Thoreau, 493). Here, Henry David Thoreau supports the theory that when life is acting as a whirlpool, humans must avoid becoming tense. Doing so will result in a flustered outlook on life. Thoreau's words preach that one cannot spend their life depressed or busy. It is not possible to become serene with such manners and feelings.

With so many activities and events going on daily, it is not difficult for one to become caught up in the activities they take part in. New ideas and pressures are constantly being introduced to our rapidly progressing Earth. All of this may become overwhelming and some people can find themselves lost in a sea of countless chores. By limiting strenuous tasks and decreasing undesirable stress, a person can live more of a laid back life. “I say, let your affairs be as two or three, and not a hundred or a thousand; instead of a million count half a dozen, and keep your accounts on a thumbnail” (Thoreau, 491). By this,Thoreau is saying that people should decrease the number of tasks they need to perform. Doing this will result in a carefree and much simpler life because there is not as much pressure present in their life.

http://george.loper.org/interests/housing/thero/thoreau.html

Life has so many things to offer in the forms of everyday actions and objects. For example, nature itself is seldom recognized for it's beauty. If one took the time to realize what they have and learn to enjoy it, life would be much simpler. This would eliminate the constant striving for new things that will act as a provider of happiness. “Why should we live with such hurry and waste or life? We are determined to be starved before we are hungry” (Thoreau, 491). Thoreau proves here that humans constantly want more in life. They need to learn to be satisfied with their belongings in order to feel simple and complete. People must stop and take a look around them in order to realize that the world is beautiful. Thoreau came upon the realization that the Earth alone is beautiful and has not been recognized as such. It is this discovery that gave him a sense of simplicity when he visited Walden Pond.

http://amcboston.org/walks/areas2.html

By keeping a small list of things to do, enjoying what they have, and being peaceful, one can experience an uncomplicated lifestyle. These steps may not be easy, but the results are surely worth the effort. Surrounded by constant changes and new inventions, people living in the twenty-first century are not in the midst of a serene world at all. People still have the ability to simplify their lives, though. Life is too short to be wasted; humans need to learn to live by the guidelines of a simple lifestyle.