Dead Poets Society - "Rip it out" scene

Summary

In a classroom setting, Mr. Perry introduces a method by Dr. J. Evans Pritchard for understanding poetry through evaluating its meter, rhyme, and speech, then assessing its artistic execution and importance. Mr. Dalton, however, vehemently disagrees, urging students to reject this mechanical approach and instead embrace poetry's ability to stir emotions and change the world. He emphasizes the human need for beauty, romance, and love, quoting Whitman to inspire students to contribute their own verse to life's powerful play.

Takeaways

• 📚 The script is set in a classroom where Mr. Perry introduces a book on poetry by Dr. J. Evans Pritchard.
• 🎨 Dr. Pritchard's method for understanding poetry involves evaluating the meter, rhyme, and figures of speech, and then assessing the artfulness and importance of the poem's objective.
• 📊 A quantitative approach is suggested to measure a poem's greatness by plotting its perfection on a graph and calculating the area to represent its greatness.
• 🗣️ Mr. Dalton disrupts the class, expressing disdain for Dr. Pritchard's method, which he likens to a superficial rating system.
• ✂️ Mr. Dalton instructs the class to rip out the introduction, symbolizing a rejection of the prescribed approach to poetry.
• 🔥 The scene escalates into a metaphorical battle, with Mr. Dalton advocating for personal interpretation and emotional connection over academic analysis.
• 🌟 Mr. Dalton emphasizes the importance of poetry as a human experience, beyond the confines of academic disciplines like business or medicine.
• 💭 He encourages the students to think for themselves and to appreciate the power of words and ideas to change the world.
• 📖 The script includes a quote from Walt Whitman, highlighting the enduring nature of life and the individual's potential to contribute meaningfully.
• 🌈 The message concludes with a call to the students to consider what their own 'verse' will be, implying the importance of personal expression and legacy.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the book 'Understanding Poetry' by Dr. J. Evans Pritchard?

The main theme is to understand poetry by first being fluent with its meter, rhyme, and figures of speech, and then evaluating the artfulness and importance of the poem's objective.

According to Dr. J. Evans Pritchard, what are the two key questions to ask when evaluating a poem?

The two key questions are: 'How artfully has the objective of the poem been rendered?' and 'How important is that objective?'

How does Dr. Pritchard propose to measure the greatness of a poem?

Dr. Pritchard suggests plotting the poem's perfection on the horizontal axis and its importance on the vertical axis of a graph, then calculating the total area to measure its greatness.

What is Mr. Dalton's opinion on Dr. Pritchard's method of evaluating poetry?

Mr. Dalton is critical of Dr. Pritchard's method, comparing it unfavorably to 'American Bandstand' and suggesting it reduces poetry to a mechanical process rather than an art form.

What action does Mr. Dalton instruct his students to take regarding the introduction of the book?

Mr. Dalton instructs his students to rip out and remove the entire introduction of the book, indicating his strong disagreement with its content.

What alternative approach to poetry does Mr. Dalton advocate for in his class?

Mr. Dalton advocates for an approach that encourages students to think for themselves, savor words and language, and appreciate poetry for its ability to express human passion and emotion.

What does Mr. Dalton believe is the true purpose of reading and writing poetry?

Mr. Dalton believes that the true purpose of reading and writing poetry is not just for academic study, but because it is an essential part of being human, filled with passion, beauty, romance, and love.

How does Mr. Dalton describe the relevance of poetry to other fields like medicine, law, and business?

Mr. Dalton acknowledges that fields like medicine, law, and business are noble and necessary, but he emphasizes that poetry, beauty, romance, and love are what give life meaning and are what we stay alive for.

What quote from Walt Whitman does Mr. Dalton reference in his speech?

Mr. Dalton references the quote from Walt Whitman: 'Oh me! O life of the questions of these recurring, of the endless trains of the faithless, of cities filled 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 is the significance of the verse 'that the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse' in the context of the script?

The verse signifies that each individual has a role to play in the ongoing narrative of life, and through their actions and contributions, they can add meaningfully to the 'powerful play' of human existence.