The Dead Poet's Society

So, I'm kind of blogging about the same thing twice, but I absolutely love this movie. You should watch it if you haven't.

I can't find a clip of it on youtube, but there is a scene where they quote Thoreau, which is what made me think of this movie.

If you've never seen it, Dead Poets Society is about a group of friends in a very conservative all boys boarding school, and how their English teacher, John Keating (Robin Williams), teaches them to see the world differently.
While the Welton Academy actively curbs the idea of freedom of thought, Professor Keating encourages the boys to think for themselves. He teaches them of free thinkers from transcendentalist literature to Walt Whitman. His motto is carpe diem.

Though all of the boys in their group of friends are important, I'd say that two characters, Neil Perry (Robert Sean Leonard) and Todd Anderson (Ethan Hawke) are the major characters.
Neil has struggled with his father all his life. He comes from a middle class family, and his father strives for him to be a doctor. Mr. Perry will not allow Neil to be distracted in any way from his studies - he even makes him resign from being the editor of his school's newspaper. When Neil gets the role of Puck in Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream and finally realizes that he wants to act, he and his father get in a great disagreement.
Todd Anderson is a very quiet boy, living in the great shadow of his hugely successful brother. He is constantly overlooked by his parents. He struggles with his shyness, though Professor Keating and his roommate Neil encourage him as best they can to break out of his shell. The scene I posted before was of Todd: When he failed to write a poem to preform in front of the class, Professor Keating asks him to make one up on the spot about Walt Whitman.

Anyway, this movie is fantastic. It is rich with literary references, and is a great story about friendship and free thought.
Watch it.

I Sound My Barbaric Yawp Over the Roofs of the World

"The spotted hawk swoops by and accuses me, he complains of my gab and my loitering.

I too am not a bit tamed, I too am untranslatable,
I sound my barbaric yawp over the roofs of the world.

The last scud of the day hold back for me,
It flings my likeness after the rest and true as any on the shadow's wilds,
It coaxes me to the vapor and the dusk.

I depart as air, I shake my white locks at the runaway sun,
I effuse my flesh in eddies, and drift it in lacy jags.

I bequeath myself to the dirt to grow from the grass I love,
If you want me again, look for me under your boot-soles.

You will hardly know who I am or what I mean,
But I shall be good health to you nevertheless,
And filter and fibre your blood.

Failing to fetch me at first keep encouraged,
Missing me one place search another,
I stop somewhere waiting for you."
-Walt Whitman, Song of Myself, #52

Walt Whitman is actually my favorite poet. Well, my favorite poet who writes in English (Pablo Neruda is fantastic). While I think his poetry is absolutely amazing, his prose is very thick.
Going back to first semester, I think this poem embodies one aspect of the American Dream.
My favorite quote, "I too am not a bit tamed, I too am untranslatable / I sound my barbaric yawp over the roofs of the world." suggests that he is experiencing freedom, or yearning for it at the very least.

This is my favorite poem. I think it's beautiful.

I'll leave you with a scene from one of my favorite movies, The Dead Poet's Society. Some of Whitman's work is sprinkled within the movie - this poem appears, and the other prominent one is "Oh Captain, my Captain".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbzLUQKTDQE

Blog Posts

Oh goodness.
I probably won't be able to post three times this week, what with this paper, three other midterms, and 2(+?) callbacks. Just thought I'd let you know.

Cool.
Gotta go study.
Bye.

And on a Completely Unrelated Note...

As I sit here in writing club watching the Princess Bride, I just wanted to share with you how amazing a movie it is.

If you haven't seen it, you should definitely watch it. It's a great feel-good movie and always makes me feel better when I'm down.

That is all.

:)

Social Capital

Thought I'd make a list for you of communities I am/have been a part of;

At St. Olaf
Classes
Writing Club
Deep End APO
Member of Hoyme
Ballroom Club
DnD
Corridor Meetings
Manitou (but I left)

At Conserve School
Classes
Writing Group
Bobcat Wing
Drama
Elaine House
Quiz Bowl
Community Service team
Choir
Anime Club
Conserve Community
Food Committee

Other
Girl Scouts (till 5th grade)
Apple Valley Foundation
Tennis

Bowling Alone

“There is striking evidence, however, that the vibrancy of American civil society has notably declined over the past several decades.”

Putnam acknowledges that America has greatly changed since de Tocqueville’s visit. He agrees with the rest of the class that our values as American’s have shifted since the 19^th century. I am thinking of the “letters” we wrote to Fredrick Douglass when I say this.
The “average” American citizen has changed their focus from creating a fair place for everyone to just themselves. The focus on associations has lessened, and we are more likely to “bowl alone,” as Putnam states. But we should not be focusing on ourselves.

“Successful outcomes are more likely in civically engaged communities.”
He stresses de Tocqueville’s point of associations.

He also talks about how the quality of membership has declined.
“For the vast majority of their members, the only act of membership consists in writing a check for dues or perhaps occasionally reading a newsletter. Few ever attend any meeting of such organizations, and most are unlikely ever (knowingly) to encounter any other member.”

Perhaps people joining organizations have just joined others. Maybe the decline of organizations is not true – it’s just to other organizations.
For example – The League of Women Voters. Membership of this club is down 42 since 1969, according to this article. I feel like this is because voting is something women take for granted now.
I wouldn’t join the League of Women Voters because, well, throughout my life, women have always been voting. It doesn’t seem as special to me as it would to someone who spent half their life fighting for these rights. I’m not proud of the idea that I can vote – it’s just a fact to me.

To Keep in Mind...

Yesterday we made a list in class of advice/cautions we would give a country, say in North Africa, that was reforming their government to a democracy.

Here's what I got in my notes:
Have a broad educated base
Self interest in the government
The right to assembly
Identification of oneself with the nation - patriotism
Making fixable mistakes
Checks and Balances
"Democracy is a means, not an end"
Dangerous sense of individualism - scale governments (township government, to county, to state, to nation)
Communication
Many smaller cities, rather than one big city (Eg. Cairo, Egypt)
Make the Constitution with a pencil and eraser
Leaders that will step down (Eg. George Washington)
Humility - Mistakes happen. Nobody can achieve perfection
Unity
Accountability

...You know, I was going to reflect on these, but I think they pretty much say it all. I think they're all good ideas, and all necessary to keep in mind when building a democracy.
Yessirs.

March! And other things.

I know I haven't been keeping up by blog quite as well as I should have been this past month because I've been sick and such, but it's a new month, and I'm completely healthy (and hopefully going to stay that way).

I think one thing that set American's apart from the rest of the world at that time was that they didn't just expect the government to solve their problems for them. "The inhabitant of the United States learns from birth that he must rely on himself to combat the ills and trials of life." (DeTocqueville, 189).
I'm not sure whether we discussed this in class or not... (It's in my notes, but it could have been my own thoughts...)
Maybe it was because the government was still forming, or because the government didn't function the same as where citizens came from, but if an American wanted something, chances were that they'd go after it themselves. I feel like this created a very individualistic society. This is probably what Putnam's "Bowling Alone" talks about.
But then again... the Second Great Awakening brought them back together again.
And this is why associations were formed - to find a solid purpose and work with others to reach a common goal.
I don't know, really. I'm just thinking out loud. Probably incoherent. But, those are just a few of my thoughts.