"Dead Poets Society" never endeavours to sweeten the bitter pill of disappointment or tragedy by playing to whatever cliched expectations you might have. Neil's father Mr. Perry isn't going to suddenly relent and admit what a stupid and selfish fool he has been and then decide to change his uncompromising viewpoint in relation to his son's disputed future. He actually becomes even more entrenched in his stubborn determination that his son will live his life the way he wants it lived. However, this film isn't content to end on such a desperately dispiriting note as Neil's tragic suicide, so it returns to the original stance championed by Keating throughout when some of his now former students stand on their desktops in an act of defiant solidarity and also as a final salute to their departing captain. They now have the potential to see life from a completely different angle than the rest of us because of him and that is precisely what a solid education is supposed to do. It is the precious gift of being able to think and reason and draw intelligent and well informed conclusions for yourself on any number of various subjects.