Tradition
The first and arguably most important of the four Welton pillars, Welton prides itself on its adherence to tradition. This is evident in the first scene in the film, when the older man in the procession passes the flame of his candle to the young boy in the first row, who passes his flame onto the boy beside him, and so on. Welton’s emphasis on tradition comes into conflict with Mr. Keating’s unconventional lessons and teaching methods, which by their unorthodox nature are inherently opposed to Welton’s traditional values. This conflict reaches a peak when Neil’s dreams of pursuing a less traditional career path, stoked by Keating’s influence, are shattered.
Discipline
Another of the Welton pillars, the threat of discipline is present in every aspect of the boys’ lives. Punishment for being out of your bedroom after hours or even speaking during study time looms above their heads, and venturing beyond the school’s campus to meet in secret is a violation of school rules and is subject to significant punishment, possibly even expulsion. That the boys choose to form the Dead Poets’ Society anyway speaks to their disregard for the threat of discipline, even though it comes back to bite them once Charlie publishes an article advocating that girls be admitted to Welton.
Freedom of Choice
The boys come up against many potential conflicts with regard to the choices placed before them: Knox must decide whether or not pursue Chris’ affection despite her commitment to Chet; many of the boys, including Todd, must choose whether or not to form the Dead Poets’ Society at all; and Neil must choose whether his love of acting is worth going behind his father’s back. Ultimately, it is when their freedom to choose is taken from them that the boys are the most miserable, particularly in the form of Neil being forced to withdraw from Welton, and the boys having to sign a document implicating Keating in Neil’s suicide.
Coming of Age
As teenagers in secondary school, the main group of boys experience a range of coming-of-age events that run the spectrum from the innocent to the downright tragic. Among the more light-hearted of them would be Knox’s pursuit of Chris Noel’s affection, likely the first girl he’s engaged with in a significant romantic way given how infrequently the boys are able to meet girls. Knox discovers the trials and tribulations of attempting to woo a woman, particularly one already involved in a decidedly unhealthy relationship with a jerk like Chet. On the darker end, the boys deal with the hardship of suicide and the mourning that accompanies it when Neil takes his own life, a form of maturation that only tragedy can elicit.
Carpe Diem: "Seize the Day"
One of Keating’s main, overarching lessons for the boys is the idea of “seizing the day”—that is, making the most of the time they have now and taking advantage of the opportunities available in order to realize their goals. This comes in many forms for the boys: Knox successfully calling up Chris and getting invited to a party; Neil auditioning for and landing a prominent role in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” One could argue that it’s the lesson that stays with the boys most, and the one that the administration is least happy to see the boys embracing.
Rebellion
Going hand-in-hand with the theme of discipline, the boys are only able to form the Dead Poets’ Society by engaging in a bit of rebellion—and in the context of Welton’s strict rules, some pretty consequential rebellion at that. Many of the main characters, like Charlie and Neil, are introduced as being prone to a certain level of rebellion from the film’s beginning, as with their vulgar reinterpretation of the school’s four pillars. Others must work their way up to the idea, like Cameron, Knox, and Todd, who initially hesitate at the idea of forming the Society.
Individuality
Keating places a particular emphasis on helping the boys to find their own individuality. This come in many forms: he asks them to compose original poetry, sparking an intense episode in which he teaches Todd the power of invoking one’s inner passion in front of the whole class. He also teaches the boys Robert Frost’s “Two roads diverged in a yellow wood” through his exercise in which each boy must find their own way to walk. This search for individuality is met with harsh opposition and criticism by the more conservative and traditionalist members of Welton’s faculty.
