Biography
Neil Perry (portrayed by Robert Sean Leonard) is the deuteragonist of Touchstone Pictures' 1989 film Dead Poets Society.
He is one of the co-founders of the Dead Poets Society group and a popular, idealistic student of Welton Academy, whose life-dream is to become an Actor. However, his domineering and tyrannical father; Thomas Perry, strictly forces him to take his life seriously into the medical field in order to become a doctor, an occupation which Neil himself doesn't want him to be.
As one of John Keating’s most loyal disciples, His connection with Keating helps him pursue his own dream of becoming an actor, which unfortunately led to his downfall in committing suicide after his father cost him the very happiness that Neil so wanted to achieve.
As Todd Anderson’s roommate, Neil is instrumental in inspiring Todd to be bolder and more confident. For his own part, Neil is highly intimidated by his father, Mr. Perry, and yearns to find a way to rebel against his family. In John Keating, Neil thinks he’s found a model for rebellion. Neil decides he’s going to become an actor, and gets a part in a school Shakespeare production, lying to his father in the process. When Mr. Perry finds out the truth, he’s so furious with Neil that Neil shoots himself with his father’s revolver, sure that his family will never support his dreams. Neil’s death sets in motion the final chapters of the novel, in which Welton Academy tries to find a suitable scapegoat for his death. In all, Neil Perry is a tragic example of how Keating’s love of freedom and art can go terribly wrong—Neil is arguably more rebellious than Keating himself, to the point where he’s willing to sacrifice his own life for the sake of his beliefs.
Neil can first be seen during Welton Academy's annual ceremonial tradition as he reaches his senior year alongside the introduction of the new English teacher, Mr. John Keating. Neil carries the banner reading "excellence." Soon after he is seen meeting his new roommate Todd Anderson.
Neil, like many other boys attending Welton, participated in several extracurricular activities. However, he was forced to drop the School Annual by his father, Tom Perry, after Headmaster Nolan spoke with him about his son's extra curricular activities. Mr. Perry then reprimanded Neil, telling him that he should obey his father's orders and focus on studying for medical school. Though his father does add that after finishing medical school Neil can do as he pleases. This is of no comfort to Neil; he does not want to go through another decade of school when his dream is to act.
Upon the arrival of Mr. Keating's unorthodox teaching methods, Neil slowly began to rebel against conformity. He, along with his classmates, follow Mr. Keating's teaching by ripping out the pages of J. Evans Pritchard's "ridiculous" essay. Thus truly starting the beginning of their new understanding of real poetry.
The discovery of Mr. Keating's Senior Annual eventually leads Neil to be responsible for reinstating the Dead Poets Society. The boys find Mr. Keating and ask him what the Dead Poets Society was. Their teacher tells them what it actually was and Neil is eager to create his own Dead Poets Society. Charlie Dalton is the first to join the fray, happy to join in with Neil. Richard Cameron agrees as well, even though he had complained moments prior he agrees to join without much hesitation. Pitts seems unsure; his grades are not faring well and he doesn't think this will change that for the better. Meeks "will try anything once" and agrees to join the DPS. Knox is also unsure but is swayed to join upon hearing Charlie say that it will help him get Chris. It seems like Todd has been forgotten about by this point but Neil asks him again as they settle in during class. Todd is reluctant. He does not want to speak in front of the others, much less read out his own personal writings. But that is an important part of the DPS and Todd feels he will not be welcomed if he does not speak. Neil is able to convince Todd to join by telling him he will just take minutes and not speak(which Todd is never actually seen doing in the film).
Neil finds out that Henely Hall is holding auditions for the play “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” He is thrilled and rushes back to tell Todd that he has finally found what he wants to do. There is a moments argument between the pair as Todd is worried how Neil’s father will take it and Neil is eager to simply enjoy the moment. The argument is over quickly and the pair end up running around their room laughing. Unfortunately, the happiness does not last long. Neil forges a letter in his fathers name so he can be in the play but his father finds out the night before the play. Neil returns to his room to find his father. His father demands that he quit the play and focus only on his school work. Neil agrees but in the end he decides to act in the play regardless of his fathers demands. Neil had spoken to Mr. Keating after his father left and was given the advice “show him who you are…prove it to him by your conviction and your passion.” Neil believes himself to be trapped even as Mr. Keating tells him he is not.
During the play, Neil seems to become himself again. He is thriving as he performs in front of the audience, and his friends. Yet, this all beings to fall apart as Mr. Perry appears in the back of the theatre; his disapproval is clear and Neil recognizes it immediately. The play finishes and the audience erupts into cheers, claps, and yawps. Neil takes a solo bow and is momentarily free. The moment ends sooner than Neil would like as his father asks to see him. Mr. Perry ushers Neil out of the building as Charlie, Todd, and Mr. Keating all attempt to speak with him. Neil is unable to speak with them; his father tells Keating to stay away from Neil. Neil is driven away as the rest of the boys and Mr. Keating watch as the car retreats.
Upon arriving at home Neil is told that he will be withdrawn from Welton and enrolled into military school. And that he will attend medical school and become a doctor. Neil is, rightfully so, distraught and upset. He tries to take Mr. Keatings advice and tells his father that he must tell them what he feels. But after hearing his father he becomes dejected and simply says, “nothing.” Mr. Perry is annoyed by Neil’s answer and says that they should all head to bed. After Mr. Perry leaves Mrs. Perry pauses on her way out and kneels behind Neil. “I was good. I was really good,” Neil tells his mother only for her to reply, “go on, get some sleep.”
That night Neil kills himself in his father's study with his father's gun. His death ripples through the people he knew. The Dead Poets find out and are devastated by this loss. The school deems Mr. Keating as the responsible party and force the Dead Poets Society to come forward and sign a letter placing blame on him. The boys all refuse amongst themselves but Cameron has already snitched and given the school all they need. In the end, Charlie is the only one who does not sign the letter. He is expelled and the Dead Poets Society is no more.
