The movie Dead Poets Society is about a controversial English teacher, John Keating, who shakes up a New England prep school for boys in the 1950s. While at Helton Academy, Keating (played by Robin Williams) introduces his students to classic poets, teaching them to look at life from new vantage points instead of simply relying on knowledge that has been passed down to them.

Inspired by their mentor's example, the boys resurrect a society of dead poets that Keating established while he was a student at Helton. Because of the club, a particularly shy student finds the courage to express himself poetically, and another student begins acting despite his father's disapproval.

On the first day of school, Mr. Keating walks into his class whistling the "1812 Overture." At once, the students recognize that he is unlike any other teacher they've had at Helton Academy. He motions for them to follow him out into the hall where they stand in front of the school's trophy case. A student reads aloud a famous poem about the passage of time, which Keating proceeds to interpret.

Keating says, "We are food for worms, lads. Believe it or not, each and every one of us in this room is one day going to stop breathing, turn cold, and die." Motioning them to draw nearer to the displayed, aged photographs, he continues:

I'd like you to step forward over here and peruse some of the faces from the past. You've walked past them many times, but I don't really think you've ever looked at them. They are 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. Their eyes are full of hope, just like you. Did they wait till 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. If you listen real close, you can hear them whispering their legacy to you.

As the boys press their noses near the trophy case, Mr. Keating stands behind them and whispers, "Carpe Diem. Seize the day!"

Elapsed time: Measured from the beginning of the opening credit, this scene begins at 00:11:33 and lasts approximately five minutes.

Content: Dead Poets Society is rated PG for profanity and vulgarity.