Dead Poets Society

Medicine, law, banking—these are necessary to sustain life. But poetry, romance, love, beauty? These are what we stay alive for!

because no matter what anyone tells you, words and ideas have the power to change the world

reads poetry because he is a member of the human race, and the human race is filled with passion! Medicine, law, banking—these are necessary to sustain life. But poetry, romance, love, beauty? These are what we stay alive for!

“O me! O life! of the questions of these recurring,

Of the endless trains of the faithless, of cities fill’d with the foolish, …

What good amid these, O me, O life?

Answer

That you are here—That life exists and identity,

That the powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse!”

“What do you care about me?” Todd shouted back. “He cares about me! You don’t!”

He believed he was a brittle empty shell that would soon be crushed by the weight of the falling snow.

“We are dreaming of tomorrow, and tomorrow isn’t coming;

we are dreaming of a glory that we

don’t really want.

We are dreaming of a new day when the new day’s here already.

We are running from the battle when it’s one that must be

fought.”

Todd nodded. Everyone read, “And still we sleep.” Todd continued:

“We are listening for the calling but

never really heeding,

Hoping for the future when the future’s only plans.

Dreaming of the wisdom that we are

dodging daily,

Praying for a savior when salvation’s in our hands.

“And still we sleep.

“And still we sleep.

And still we pray.

And still we fear …”

Praying for a savior when salvation’s in our hands.

“‘I went to the woods because I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life! To put to rout all that was not life. And not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.’”

“Sucking out the marrow doesn’t mean getting the bone stuck in your throat, Charles. There is a place for daring and a place for caution, and a wise man understands which is called for.”