In this blog post, we imagine meeting Mr. Keating from Dead Poets Society in person for an interview. We explore what questions we might ask and what educational philosophy and life messages we could hear, unfolding a deep conversation.
Bearing responsibility for Neil’s death, Mr. Keating left Welton Academy. He crossed the Atlantic to England and was now working as a middle school teacher in the Darlington area. There too, he was beloved by students for his innovative teaching methods and remained known as the most popular teacher. During lunch, he played soccer with the kids, and after school, he spent long hours talking and connecting with students. Only after all the students had gone home did the opportunity finally arise to speak with Mr. Keating.
○○○: Oh! Captain! My Captain! Hello. I’m ○○○, a university student from Korea. Thank you so much for making time for this interview.
John Keating: You’ve come a long way. It’s a pleasure. I had no idea I was famous enough to be known all the way in Korea. Here in England, I’m just an ordinary secondary school teacher. Ha ha.
○○○: To me, the term “ordinary teacher” doesn’t quite fit. Considering your teaching methods back at Wellton Academy in the US, you’re far from ordinary. I mean that in the best possible way. This interview is arranged to share your educational philosophy and insights widely with Korean society.
John Keating: I’m neither a famous educational philosopher nor a special person. I simply didn’t want my students to repeat the regrets and shortcomings I felt during my own student days. I’ve tried to translate that into action, even if only a little.
○○○: It’s precisely because you put that into practice that I want to call you a true educational philosopher. Now, let’s get into the main interview. Are you aware of the fervor for education in Korean society?
John Keating: Yes, I am well aware. I’ve often heard that among many countries, Korea’s passion for education is particularly intense.
○○○: Yes, Korea’s passion for education is truly intense. Parents, driven by their desire for their children to attend good universities and succeed, consciously or unconsciously steer their children toward the path they envision. As a result, students become so consumed by academics that they rarely have time to think about what they truly want to do. Even when choosing a major upon entering university, decisions are often based on college entrance exam scores and parental expectations rather than their own dreams. What are your thoughts on this reality?
John Keating: In any society, parents naturally wish for their children’s success. That in itself is natural. However, parents must also deeply consider their children’s happiness. It is extremely dangerous for children to suppress their own desires and potential by only following their parents’ decisions. Neil, a former student at Welton Academy, suffered deeply under his father’s coercive and unilateral career decisions. Ultimately, unable to endure it, he chose to take his own life. Children do not live their lives for their parents. Children must live their lives for themselves.
○○○: So what attitude do you think parents should have toward their children?
John Keating: Parents must patiently wait for their children to discover what they truly want for themselves. They must not lead their children to mistake their own desires for their child’s future aspirations. Humans perform at their best when they are passionately engaged in what they truly want to do. Their future aspirations must be what they genuinely desire.
○○○: Hearing you say that makes it even more clear. A future aspiration shouldn’t be what parents want, but what the child themselves wants. But something suddenly comes to mind. The scene at Welton Academy where you told the students to tear out part of their textbook. From a teacher’s perspective, having them tear a textbook was quite radical. What was the reason for instructing such a bold action at the time?
John Keating: The page they tore out contained Pritchard’s method of evaluating poetry. I didn’t want students to read poetry solely to memorize that theory and perform well on exams. I wanted them to read poetry with their hearts, to feel it with their souls. Tearing that page out symbolized precisely that point. I also hoped it would help them break free from passively accepting the textbook’s content. Students must think for themselves, make independent judgments, and act and speak according to those judgments. Teachers should not be entities that unilaterally present the correct answers, but rather entities that help students find their own answers.
○○○: Korean students, in particular, tend to accept textbooks or teachers’ words as almost absolute truth. This may stem from Korea’s traditionally one-way educational structure, lacking communication, unlike many countries where discussion-based education is common. The habit of rarely asking questions is also cultivated within this atmosphere. Consequently, some foreign educators assess Korean students as lacking independent thinking skills, merely memorizing and reciting textbook content. This is certainly an area that must be improved. Next, I was deeply impressed by what you mentioned during your first class at Welton Academy. It was “Carpe Diem,” “Seize the Day.” Could you elaborate a bit more on its meaning?
John Keating: When I speak of this, I always quote a poem.
“If you want to pluck a rosebud,
Time flows silently by
And the flower that blooms so brightly today
Will wither tomorrow.”
We often sacrifice today, dreaming of a rosy future. Students who studied all day to get into a good university then throw themselves back into their studies after admission, striving for good grades and a high GPA to land a good job. What happens once they land that good job? They’ll likely live each day in a relentless pursuit of promotion to higher positions. If we spend our entire lives this way, will we truly be happy? While society might label it ‘success,’ there’s something we must never forget. Middle school offers experiences unique to that age. High school and college each hold precious experiences only those stages can provide. Each of these moments is like a rosebud. But those buds don’t always bloom fully. Our lives are not infinite. Without exception, we all eventually face death. That’s why we shouldn’t spend our entire lives chasing only success. Carpe Diem! Don’t waste your life in vain.
○○○: Those words truly resonate deep within my heart. ‘Carpe Diem’… It makes me reflect on whether I too, since entering university, have focused solely on grades and academic performance, missing out on the very things I could have enjoyed in each moment. My university life, which I could have spent enjoying, feels like I’ve walked through it carrying a heavy burden. It makes me think I should try to enjoy the present, even now. So, what should I do to enjoy reality? How should I live to live a desirable life?
John Keating: A desirable life depends on what you yourself consider desirable. What is certain is that only when you clarify your own beliefs and live according to them can you truly say you have lived your own life. But maintaining your convictions within relationships with others is never easy. This stems from the universal instinct to seek others’ approval. We hesitate to act, fearing others might think us strange. Even if we believe it to be right. Robert Frost once said, “At the forking in the road in the woods, I took the path less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” From now on, walk proudly along the path you have chosen for yourself. Live your life with originality.
○○○: I will keep that in mind. I too will find my own path and walk it diligently. That concludes our interview for today. Finally, could I ask for one piece of advice you’d like to leave with Korean students?
John Keating: “Your worth cannot be validated by others. You are valuable because you believe you are. If you seek your worth from others, it will only ever be theirs.” These are the words of Walt Whitman. Don’t be swayed by others’ voices. Listen to your own voice and follow it. I hope you live a life solely for yourself.
