Dead Poets Society.The cloistered nature of a boarding school adds impact to the films exploration of conformity. Discuss.

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The cloistered nature of a boarding school adds impact to the film’s exploration of conformity. Discuss. 

Conformity caused by subconscious influences as well as direct and overt pressure is investigated thoroughly in the movie, ‘Dead Poets’ Society’. The director, Peter Weir uses fundamental aspects of the film to convey and develop of this main theme. It is through the setting of Welton Academy and its surroundings, the movie shows that the influence of institutional values is constricting and almost claustrophobic. The audience are able to further understand the development of conformity and individuality.

The predominant setting undoubtedly depicts the restriction of personal freedom in Welton Academy. The rigid structure of the school with high interior walls and ceilings, shown in high angle camera shots, exemplifies the power and authority of the administration on the students. Furthermore, the dull colours of the buildings and the stiff architecture of Welton Academy portray a sense of formality and discipline. The images of students, wearing the same monotonous coloured uniform and moving around in classrooms, corridors and dormitories demonstrate the loss of students’ individuality since they seem to blend into the background. This further portrays the influential role of Welton Academy on students’ lives. Moreover, the claustrophobic aura of the school is vividly shown through narrow corridors and dark, gloomy rooms, emphasising the restrictions placed on the boys in order to maintain order and discipline. In addition, the constant tolling of bell represents subconscious mental constraints on students by the society and institutions.

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Furthermore, the lack of individuality in Welton Academy is exemplified through the constant crosscutting of camera shots from interior of the school to the surrounding autumnal landscapes. The long shot of the flying birds into the vastness captures an image of independence, which the students of Welton Academy are denied. When compared to the inside of the boarding school, the sceneries outside are shown in more dynamic and vibrant colours and the environment is more spacious. This epitomises the ready-availability of identity and the lack of constraints to personal freedom. Moreover, in the nearby school where Chris Noel studies, ...

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