Dead Poets Society

Dead Poets Society
"Tell them you are quitting"
1959. Welton Academy (Vermont, New England)
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NEIL: "Father!"
MR PERRY: "Neil, you are going to quit this ridiculous play immediately," Mr Perry barked.
NEIL: "Father, I..."
Mr Perry jumped to his feet and pounded his hand on the desk.
MR PERRY: "Don't you dare talk back to me!" he shouted, "It's bad enough that you’ve wasted your time
with this absurd acting business. But you deliberately deceived me!"
He paced back and fourth furiously as Neil stood shaking in his shoes.
MR PERRY: "How did you expect to get away with this? Answer me!" he yelled. "Who put you up to
this? That Mr Keating?"
NEIL: "Nobody..." Neil stammered. "I thought I'd surprise you. I've gotten all As and..."
MR PERRY: "Did you really think I wouldn't find out? ‘My niece is in a play with your son...’ Mrs
Marks says. ‘You must be mistaken, I say. My son isn't in a play.’ You made a liar out of me, Neil. Now
you will go to rehearsal tomorrow and tell them you are quitting."
NEIL: "Father, I have one of the main parts," Neil explained. "The performance is tomorrow night, Father,
please..."
Mr Perry's face was white with rage. He moved toward Neil, pointing his finger.
MR PERRY: "I don't care if the world is coming to an end tomorrow night, you are through with that
play! Is that clear? IS THAT CLEAR?"
NEIL: "Yes, sir." It was all Neil could force himself to say.
Mr Perry stopped. He stared long and hard at his son.
MR PERRY: "I’ve made great sacrifices to get you here, Neil. You will not let me down."
Mr Perry turned and stalked out.
N. H. Kleinbaum, Dead Poets Society, 1989
First Reading
1. Find out about:
a. the time;
b. the place;
c. the two main characters (names; how they are related to each other);
d. the three other characters mentioned (names or relation).
2. Sum up the situation briefly using the following words: a play / angry / act (v.) / disapprove of /
want / quit.
READING AGAIN
1. Pick out two phrases (groups of words) relating to Neil's activity as seen by his father. What do
they reveal about his father's state of mind?
2. Pick out the words and phrases showing the different ways in which Mr Perry's anger is
expressed:
¾ one adverb (his mood);
¾ three verbs (his tone of voice);
¾ three phrases (his gestures or movements);
¾ two verbal phrases (his moves "on stage");
¾ one phrase (his countenance).
3. One verb and two phrases show how Neil feels and reacts to his father's words. Which ones?
What do they reveal about Neil?
4. What do the following words refer to in the context or in the situation: this (l. 9); them (l. 12);
here (l. 21)?
Dead Poets Society
The world of words
1. Which words in the text mean: jouer (au théâtre) / une pièce de théâtre / un rôle / une répétition /
une représentation?
2. Use the context to infer the meaning of: deceived (l. 6) / stammered (l. 10) / liar (l. 13) / stared (l.
20).
3. Find equivalents in the text for: leaving / have finished / abandon.
CHECK WHAT YOU HAVE UNDERSTOOD
1.
2.
3.
4.
Why is Mr Perry so angry? What does he reproach Neil for?
What does he want Neil to do?
What arguments does he use to dissuade Neil?
How does Neil react? What does he try to explain to his father about his studies and his acting?
Now, speak or write!
1. Complete Neil's sentences: "Father, I..." (l. 3); "Nobody..." (l. 10); "I've gotten all As and..." (l.
10); "Father, please..." (l. 14-15).
2. When addressing his father, Neil uses "Father" first and then "sir". Explain why.
3. Imagine Neil's reaction and feelings after his father left the room.
4. If you were in Neil's shoes, would you do as you were told?
5. Which of the two characters do you sympathize with? Why?
6. What can you guess about Mr Keating (job, relationship with Neil)?
7. Do you think parents should interfere in their children's choice about their future lives?
Explain. (150 words)
LA DERIVATION
Observez les mots suivants tirés du texte: ridiculous, immediately, acting, liar, furiously, rehearsal,
mistaken, deliberately, performance.
1. De combien d'éléments est formé chacun de ces mots? Isolez ces éléments et précisez-en la nature.
Ex.: liar (n.) = lie (v.) + suffixe -ar
2. Classez ces mots suivant la catégorie grammaticale à laquelle ils appartiennent. Ex.: liar Ö nom.
Observez la place qu'occupent ces mots dans le texte pour vérifier vos réponses.
3. Comment le nom disapproval est-il formé?
a. Indiquez d'abord la catégorie grammaticale des mots dt rives manquants dans ce texte: nom (n.),
verbe (v.), adjectif (adj.) on adverbe (adv.).
A few days later, Mr Perry sat (adv.) …………………… at his desk. The door opened and Neil walked in,
still wearing his (…………) ………………………………... ’s costume, while his father looked at him
(…………) ……………………………………… . Neil (…………) ……………………... and started to
speak, but his father (…………) ……………………………………… interrupted. "Son, be (…………)
………………………………………! You can't (…………) ……………………………………… waste
your time like this. (…………) ……………………………………… is not a job for you. I won’t let you
ruin your life." Neil stood there, (…………) ……………………………………… (…………)
………………………………………, and tears rolled down his cheeks.
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Dead Poets Society
b. Maintenant complétez le texte avec ces mots dérivés donnés dans le désordre: quickly, helpless,
rigidly, acting, possibly, actor, reasonable, completely, reddened, suspiciously.
c. Complétez les phrases avec les mots dérivés de la base donnée entre parenthèses.
1) Neil had now to face his father's (approve) ................................................. .
2) Mr Perry addressed his son with a (reproach) .............................................. tone.
3) He shouted at him so (angry) ................................................ that Neil started to cry.
4) His voice was so (fright) ..............................................that Neil stood shaking in his shoes.
5) Neil felt (comfort) ............................. in front of his father, who always (critic) ................................ him.
6) Their (relate) .................................. (permanent) .....................................tense.
LES VERBES A PARTICULE SUIVIS, OU NON, DUNE PREPOSITION
Observez les verbes suivants tirés du texte: talk back (to), get away (with), put up (to), let down, be
through (with), find out (about).
1. Pour chaque verbe, nommez la particule adverbiale. Précisez son rôle.
2. Quelle est la nature du mot qui se trouve entre parenthèses? À quoi sert-il? Retrouvez les verbes
dans le texte et vérifiez votre réponse.
a. Utilisez un dictionnaire bilingue pour traduire les phrases suivantes tirées du film. Choisissez pour
chacun des verbes à particule le sens qui convient dans le contexte.
1) Don't you dare talk back to me. ………………………………………………………………………………………
2) How did you expect to get away with this? ………………………………………………………………………….
3) Who put you up to this? ……………………………………………………………………………………………...
4) Did you really think I wouldn't find out? …………………………………………………………………………….
5) You are through with that play. ………………………………………………………………………………………
6) You will not let me down. ……………………………………………………………………………………………
b. Dans un dictionnaire bilingue, choisissez pour ces verbes le sens approprié à la situation:
1) carry on (with): …………………………………………………………………………………………..................
2) do away (with): …………………………………………………………………………………………..................
3) get on (with): ………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
4) get round (to): ………………………………………………………………………………………………………
5) go along (with): …………………………………………………………………………………………..................
6) go in (for): ………………………………………………………………………………………………..................
7) make up (to): ……………………………………………………………………………………………..................
8) put up (with): ……………………………………………………………………………………………..................
9) stand up (for): ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
10) take up (with): ………………………………………………………………………………………………………
c. A l’aide de certains de ces verbes, commentez la situation.
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