Dead Poets' Society ~ Study Guide

This fifteen page study guide is intended as a complete self-contained work unit for students in Years 10 to 12 studying the film “Dead Poets’ Society.” It offers a wide range of analytical and creative activities for students to fully engage with and respond to the film and its themes. The study guide has been created for maximum visual appeal, calculated to reflect the idealism and romanticism of the film, and to provide your students with opportunities for both rigorous analysis of plot, characters, themes and film techniques, as well as activities to give scope to their own self-expression in the form of poetry writing, personal argument and script writing.

The study guide is made up of

1. Introduction to the film with questions based on prior knowledge and preliminary reflections on the purpose
   of education and the tension between conformity and individualism
2. Plot summary and close exercises on the storyline and conflicts
3. Character Analyses with questions on all major characters
4. Case study of Film Techniques, with analysis of scripting, camera and lighting, with comprehension questions
   about scene direction
5. Drama writing exercise for students to create alternative endings and additional scenes to the film
6. Poetry analysis of verse from the film with comprehension questions
7. Stimulus for personal poetry writing on the themes and ideas in "Dead Poets’ Society’
8. Paragraph writing exercises and essay topics
9. Discussion and debate topics

As a unit of work, this study guide is envisaged as covering two to three weeks of work