Soldiers and Poets Epic tales of childhood friendships, with all the camaraderie, adventure, and wit that defines them would certainly represent A Separate Peace and the Society of Dead Poets. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essayThese two works of art not only share the prestigious setting of an all-boys boarding school, but the theme of nonconformity. However, there are differences between the two pieces. A Separate Peace recalls one of the novel's minor themes, related to the danger of jealousy, while Dead Poets Society has Carpe Diem written all over it. Dead Poets Society is a film about conflict and passion. It is set in a Vermont school, Welton Academy, and the scenes largely involve the teacher, Professor John Keating, and his students. Robin Williams is well cast as an independent and passionate teacher. His portrayal of Keating is convincing and moving. Keating is a man who teaches because he loves to teach. He gives more than just knowledge to his students. It inspires them. He urges them to "seize the day!", pursue their dreams and believe in themselves. His teaching techniques are unconventional and appeal to children's imagination. He earns their respect and becomes their friend and mentor. The novel, A Separate Peace, tells the story of a young man's struggle to achieve and maintain such a separate peace. And although the setting is in an America in the midst of war, the focus of the novel is domestic. For most of the plot, the distant war is an illusion for the students in Gene's class, and for the reader the war becomes the novel's greatest metaphor: a metaphor for the internal conflict of a sixteen-year-old boy. Gene's soul becomes a battleground where jealousy, fear, love and hate battle for control of his actions. And in the turmoil of adolescence, it is the victory of the dark forces of human nature that makes Gene understand that each person is alone with his enemy, that the only significant wars are not made by external causes, but "by something ignorant in the world". human heart" (p. 193). Therefore, Finny's strong denial that World War II is an illusion maintains some truth in light of the real war occurring in the story. Nonconformity plays an important role in both themes of these stories. In A Separate Peace, Gene and Finny are a great example of this theme in action; Gene is naturally a rule-abiding person and Finny has an absolute disdain for rules. This difference is also represented in the differences between the summer and autumn sessions. Finny himself embodies both of these aspects, as he manages to fit in quite well at school, while maintaining his very eccentric opinions. Finny sees that those who conform to the world will never change, improve, or transform it, so Finny sees no problem in making statements with belt ties, pink shirts, and coming and going as he pleases. (Ex-trip to the beach) In Dead Poets Society nonconformity takes place in John Keating. Driven largely by a sense of tradition, Welton Academy imposes outdated teaching techniques on both its teachers and students. Students are encouraged to consider facts and regurgitate them on command. Teachers are expected to teach according to a strict set of rules. Keating believes that education requires the student to think for himself. He must be free to ask questions and learn the way he learns best. Few schools accept this basic premise, and Welton Academy is no exception. This film handles this age-old conflict between traditional constraints very welland freedom and flexibility. Keating rejects tradition and refuses to teach with the old methods. Welton refuses to accept the change, so a battle ensues. Like Finny, Keating also believes that those who conform to the world will never change, improve, or transform it. Both characters are very similar in this respect. However, the unconventionality is where the two pieces take different paths in their themes. Dead Poets Society is primarily based on the theme of seizing the moment. It is only in their dreams that men are truly free, it has always been so and always will be so, Keating. This quote reiterates the theme of seizing each day and loving it dearly. Every day an opportunity in life can present itself and you have to decide whether to take the chance or play it safe. A separate peace is based mainly on guilt, envy and jealousy. The novel's conflict arises from Gene's refusal to recognize his own feelings of jealousy and insecurity as the true enemy. Instead his fears are projected onto his closest companion, Phineas, who Gene suspects possesses the same feelings of envy and self-loathing as him. With Finny as his enemy, Gene finds himself immersed in a world of competition and hatred, where the only crucial elements worth preserving are his own survival and superiority. Ultimately, this act of self-deception pushes Gene into malicious thoughts and behavior, destroying any feelings of affection and friendship he might have once felt for Finny. After realizing his mistake and discovering that Phineas does not share the genies' envy and hatred, the genies' isolation and self-loathing deepens and he intentionally cripples the one person who wants to be his friend. As Gene writes, World War II is not the real battle scene, I was on active duty all the time at school: I killed my enemy there (page 196) In Dead Poets Society, John Keating is interrogated by an older man and expert teacher, whether they resist or not, 15-17 year olds are well and truly ready to handle Keatings' brand of freedom. Hell, I never thought of you as a cynic, says Keating. I'm not, says the other teacher. I'm a realist. The only forces that oppose Keatings' philosophy are the rigid and imposing ones, the headmaster, Mr. Nolan (Norman Lloyd), and a cruel and stubborn parent, Mr. Perry. After you finish medical school and are on your own, you can damn well do whatever you want! Mr. Perry lectures his son Neil, one of Keating's most popular students. But until then, do as I say! Ultimately, however, the film indicates that perhaps the cynical/realist teacher was right after all. Although there is a scene in which Keating tries to make the distinction between unbridled self-expression and self-destructive behavior, the principles behind the reformation of the Dead Poets Society ultimately lead to catastrophe. It becomes clear that at least some kids are not emotionally equipped to incorporate into their lives the kind of freedom and nonconformity that Keating is trying to instill in them. The result is tragic. Mr. Perry's son, Neil, feels pressured and commits the violent act of suicide. This could easily be compared to Gene's internal emotional conflicts in A Separate Peace. Gene and Finny come up with the idea of ​​a "Super Suicide Society of the Summer Session", a group for exciting and dangerous things, and make tree jumping a requirement for entry. Gene steps onto the diving limb with Finny and loses his balance; Finny stops Gene from what could have been a very dangerous fall, and Gene quickly realizes that his friend saved his life. However Gene has so much envy towards Finny, when they get together with a new one,.