John Keating No matter what anybody tells you, words and ideas can change the world.
Most-quoted character in Dead Poets Society (1989): in 42 of its 62 quotes
Most scenes with: Charlie (4), Neil Perry (3), Headmaster Dean Nolan (2)
"Dogs, sir? Oh, not just now. I do enjoy a good dog once in awhile, sir. You can have yourself a three-course meal from one dog. Start with your canine crudites, go to your Fido flambe for main course and for dessert, a Pekingese parfait. And you can pick your teeth with a paw."
More lines from John Keating
25 quotes John Keating John Keating There is a time for daring and a time for caution, and a wise man knows which is called for.
John Keating [talking about the people in the old awards pictures]
They're not that different from you, are they? Same haircuts. Full of hormones, just like you. Invincible, just like you feel. The world is their oyster. They believe they're destined for great things, just like many of you, their eyes are full of hope, just like you. Did they wait until it was too late to make from their lives even one iota of what they were capable? Because, you see gentlemen, these boys are now fertilizing daffodils. But if you listen real close, you can hear them whisper their legacy to you. Go on, lean in. [the students lean in] Listen, you hear it? [whispers in a raspy voice] - - Carpe - - hear it? - - Carpe, carpe diem, seize the day boys, make your lives extraordinary.
Note: the bolded portion is ranked #95 in the American Film Institute's list of the top 100 movie quotations in American cinema.
John Keating Boys, you must strive to find your own voice. Because the longer you wait to begin, the less likely you are to find it at all. Thoreau said, "Most men lead lives of quiet desperation." Don't be resigned to that. Break out!
John Keating [after hearing "The Introduction to Poetry"]
Excrement! That's what I think of Mr. J. Evans Pritchard! We're not laying pipe! We're talking about poetry. How can you describe poetry like American Bandstand? "I like Byron, I give him a 42 but I can't dance to it!"
John Keating This is a battle, a war, and the casualties could be your hearts and souls.
John Keating Language was invented for one reason, boys--to woo women--and, in that endeavor, laziness will not do.
John Keating We're not laughing at you; we're laughing near you.
John Keating Now we all have a great need for acceptance, but you must trust that your beliefs are unique, your own, even though others may think them odd or unpopular, even though the herd may go, [imitating a sheep] "that's baaaaad." Robert Frost said, "Two roads diverged in the wood and I, I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference."
John Keating But only in their dreams can men be truly free. Twas always thus, and always thus will be.
John Keating Though much is taken, much abides; and though We are not now that strength which in old days Moved Earth and Heaven, that which we are, we are; One equal temper of heroic hearts, Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.
John Keating We don't read and write poetry because it's cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for. To quote from Whitman, "O 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. That the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. What will your verse be?
John Keating ...stroll down amnesia lane...
John Keating When you read, don't just consider what the author thinks, consider what you think.
John Keating "O captain, my captain". Who knows where that comes from? Not a clue? It's from a poem by Walt Whitman about Mr. Abraham Lincoln. Now in this class you can call me Mr. Keating. Or, for the slightly more daring, "O captain, my captain".
John Keating Now I want you to rip out that page. Go on, rip out the entire page. You heard me, rip it out. Rip it out! Thank you Mr. Dalton. Gentlemen, tell you what, don't just tear out that page, tear out the entire introduction. I want it gone, history. Leave nothing of it. Rip it out. Rip! Begone J. Evans Pritchard, Ph.D. Rip, shred, tear. Rip it out. I want to hear nothing but ripping of Mr.Pritchard. It's not the Bible, you're not going to go to Hell for this. Go on, make a clean tear, I want nothing left of it.
John Keating I see that look in Mr. Pitt's eye, like nineteenth century literature has nothing to do with going to business school or medical school. Right? Maybe. Mr. Hopkins, you may agree with him, thinking "Yes, we should simply study our Mr. Pritchard and learn our rhyme and meter and go quietly about the business of achieving other ambitions."
John Keating "O Titus, bring your friend hither." But if any of you have seen Mr. Marlon Brando, you know, Shakespeare can be different. "Frenns, Romans, countruhmen, lend me your eahhs." You can also imagine, maybe, John Wayne as Macbeth going, "Wayull, is this a dagger I see before me?"
John Keating "I sound my barbaric yawp over the rooftops of the world." W. W. Uncle Walt again. Now, for those of you who don't know, a yawp is a loud cry or yell. Now, Todd, I would like you to give us a demonstration of a barbaric "yawp." Come on. You can't yawp sitting down. Let's go. Come on. Up. You gotta get in "yawping" stance.
John Keating Don't you forget this.
John Keating Mr. Anderson! Don't think that I don't know that this assignment scares the hell out of you! You mole!
John Keating No grades at stake, gentlemen. Just take a stroll.
John Keating Mr. Pitts, taking his time. He knew he'll get there one day. Mr. Cameron, you could see him thinking, "Is this right? It might be right. It might be right. I know that. Maybe not. I don't know." Mr. Overstreet, driven by deeper force. Yes. We know that.
John Keating Phone call from God. If it had been collect, it would've been daring.
John Keating Suck the marrow out of life, but don't choke on the bone
Scenes with John Keating
16 scenes
Student in class
[reading his poem]
"A cat sat on a mat."
John Keating Congratulations. You may have just written the first poem to get a negative score on the Pritchard scale.
Mr. Keating! They made everybody sign it.
Mr. Nolan
Quiet, Mr. Anderson.
You gotta believe me. It's true.
Keating I do believe you, Todd.
Mr. Nolan
Leave, Mr. Keating.
But it wasn't his fault!
Mr. Nolan
Sit down, Mr. Anderson! One more outburst from you or anyone else, and you're out of this school! Leave, Mr. Keating.
Mr. Nolan
I said leave, Mr. Keating.
Mr. Nolan
Sit down, Mr. Anderson! Do you hear me? Sit down! Sit down! This is your final warning, Anderson. How dare you! Do you hear me?
Mr. Nolan
Mr. Overstreet, I warn you! Sit down! Sit down! Sit down. All of you. I want you seated. Sit down. Leave, Mr. Keating. All of you, down. I want you seated. Do you hear me? Sit down!
Keating Thank you, boys. Thank you.
John Keating I thought the purpose of education was to learn to think for yourself.
At these boys age? Not on your life!
Keating You don't have to perform. Just make it for yourself. Mr. Dalton? Will you be joining us?
Exercising the right not to walk.
Keating Thank you, Mr. Dalton. You just illustrated the point. Swim against the stream.
John Keating Why do we need language?
To communicate...
John Keating Nooo! To woo women!
Keating Seize the day. Gather ye rosebuds while ye may. Why does the writer use these lines?
Because he's in a hurry.
Keating No, ding! Thank you for playing anyway. Because we are food for worms lads. Because, believe it or not, each and every one of us in this room is one day going to stop breathing, turn cold, and die.
McAllister You take a big risk by encouraging them to be artists John. When they realize they're not Rembrandts, Shakespeares or Mozarts, they'll hate you for it.
Keating We're not talking artists George, we're talking free thinkers.
McAllister Free thinkers at seventeen?
Keating Funny, I never pegged you as a cynic.
McAllister Not a cynic, a realist. Show me the heart unfettered by foolish dreams, and I'll show you a happy man.
Keating But only in their dreams can man be truly free. 'Twas always thus, and always thus will be.
McAllister Tennyson?
Keating No, Keating.
Keating Why do I stand up here? Anybody?
To feel taller.
Keating No! Thank you for playing, Mr. Dalton. I stand upon my desk to remind yourself that we must constantly look at things in a different way.
"Oh to struggle against great odds. To meet enemies undaunted."
Keating Sounds to me like you're daunted. Say it again like you're undaunted.
“Oh to struggle against great odds. To meet enemies undaunted."
Keating Now go on.
Boy #1
"To be a sailor of the world, bound for all ports."
Keating Next. Louder!
Boy #2
"Oh, I live to be the ruler of life, not a slave."
Boy #3
“To mount the scaffolds. To advance to the muzzle of guns with perfect nonchalance."
Keating Come on, Meeks! Listen to the music.
Meeks "To dance, clap hands, exalt, shout, skip, roll on, float on."
Keating Yes!
Hopkins
[without energy]
"Oh, to have life henceforth the poem of new joys."
Keating Oh! Boo! Come on, Charlie, let it fill your soul!
Keating Mr. Anderson, I see you sitting there in agony. Come on, Todd, step up. Let's put you out of your misery.
I, I didn't do it. I didn't write a poem.
Keating Mr. Anderson thinks that everything inside of him is worthless and embarrassing. Isn't that right, Todd? Isn't that your worst fear? Well, I think you're wrong. I think you have something inside of you that is worth a great deal. [writes "I sound my barbaric yawp over the rooftops of the world." W. W. on the chalkboard] Uncle Walt again. Now, for those of you who don't know, a yawp is a loud cry or yell. Now, Todd, I would like you to give us a demonstration of a barbaric "yawp." Come on. You can't yawp sitting down. Let's go. Come on. Up. You gotta get in "yawping" stance.
A yawp?
Keating No, not just a yawp. A barbaric yawp.
Keating Come on, louder.
Keating No, that's a mouse. Come on. Louder.
Yawp.
Keating Oh, good God, boy. Yell like a man!
Keating There it is. You see, you have a barbarian in you, after all. Now, you don't get away that easy. The picture of Uncle Walt up there. What does he remind you of? [Tod hesitates] Don't think. Answer. Go on.
A m-m-madman.
Keating What kind of madman? [Tod hesitates again] Don't think about it. Just answer again.
A c-crazy madman.
Keating No, you can do better than that. Free up your mind. Use your imagination. Say the first thing that pops into your head, even if it's only gibberish. Go on, go on.
Uh, uh, a sweaty-toothed madman.
Keating Good God, boy, there's a poet in you, after all. There, close your eyes. Close your eyes. Close 'em. Now, describe what you see.
Uh, I-I close my eyes.
Keating Yes?
Uh, and this image floats beside me.
Keating A sweaty-toothed madman?
A sweaty-toothed madman with a stare that pounds my brain.
Keating Oh, that's excellent. Now, give him action. Make him do something.
H-His hands reach out and choke me.
Keating That's it. Wonderful. Wonderful.
And, and all the time he's mumbling.
Keating What's he mumbling?
M-Mumbling, "Truth. Truth is like, like a blanket that always leaves your feet cold."
Keating [Class laughs]
Forget them, forget them. Stay with the blanket. Tell me about that blanket.
Y-Y-Y-You push it, stretch it, it'll never be enough. You kick at it, beat it, it'll never cover any of us. From the moment we enter crying to the moment we leave dying, it will just cover your face as you wail and cry and scream.
Keating [the class claps because of his excellent poem] [whispering to Todd]
Don't you forget this.
Keating Language was developed for one endeavor, and that is… Mr. Anderson? Come on, are you a man or an amoeba? [pause] Mr. Perry?
To communicate.
Keating No! To woo women!
Charlie Dalton
Welton Academy. Hello? Yes, he is. Just a moment. Mr. Nolan, it's for you. It's God. He says we should have girls at Welton.
Keating [Later, when Keating is admonishing the boys that the Dead Poets Society is not a license for lawbreaking]
Phone call from God. If it had been collect, that would have been daring!
I just talked to my father. He's making me quit the play at Henley Hall. Acting's everything to me. I- But he doesn't know! He- I can see his point; we're not a rich family, like Charlie's. We- But he's planning the rest of my life for me, and I- He's never asked me what I want!
John Keating Have you ever told your father what you just told me? About your passion for acting? You ever showed him that?
I can't.
John Keating Why not?
I can't talk to him this way.
John Keating Then you're acting for him, too. You're playing the part of the dutiful son. Now, I know this sounds impossible, but you have to talk to him. You have to show him who you are, what your heart is.
I know what he'll say. He'll tell me that acting's a whim and I should forget it. They're counting on me; he'll just tell me to put it out of my mind for my own good.
John Keating You are not an indentured servant. It's not a whim for you. You prove it to him by your conviction and your passion. You show that to him, and if he still doesn't believe you - well, by then, you'll be out of school and can do anything you want.
No. What about the play? The show's tomorrow night!
John Keating Then you have to talk to him before tomorrow night.
Isn't there an easier way?
John Keating No.
John Keating No you're not.
