Monday, March 3, 2008

Dead Poets' Society-Todd

During Part 1 of Dead Poets' Society, we were introduced to one of the movie's main characters, Todd Anderson (played by Ethan Hawke). Todd transferred to Welton Academy because his older brother, "one of Welton's finest," had attended Welton. Todd seems to live in his brother's shadow and doesn't speak out much. Although reluctant, his roommate, Neil, convinces Todd to join the Dead Poets' Society.

Todd is one of the characters who experiences fear in this movie. What do you think Todd's fear is?If you can remember one, provide an example from the movie to support your answer.

118 comments:

NoviceLD said...

Todd is afraid of going wrong, of being judged and not living up to expectations. From this sprouts the fear of speaking in public. He could communicate something wrong and the first three fears I listed could be realized.

Erica said...

I think that Todd is afraid of speaking in front of people. He doesn't even feel comfortable speaking in front of a few guys that he knows. In the movie, he says he doesn't want to read poetry out loud.

Maggie A (LRT 7/8b) said...

I think Todd is afraid of public speaking, and talking in front of a lot of people, he is judt really shy. I think he just wants to keep quiet so he can fit in with everyone. In the movie whenever Mr. Keating asked him a question, he was really scared, and didn't really give him an answer. He also didn't want to read at the Dead Poet's Society.

Emma P (1/2 B) said...

Todd is afraid of other peoples thoughts. He doesn't want to do anything WRONG, he doesn't want to be noticed.

Fallon S. 5/6B said...

I think Todd is afraid of speaking in front of other people. He doesn't want to say something wrong that might make people think he isn't as good as his older brother. An example from the movie is when he tells Neil he will go to the meeting he just doesn't want to read.

Michelle L. (LRT 5/6B) said...

Todd's fear is that he is afraid of speaking in front of people. The reason why he didn't want to enter the Poets society was that he didn't want to read poetry in front of other people.

Addy Z (LRT 1/2A) said...

He doesn't like public speaking, because he asked not to do it when he joined the Dead Poets Society.

That One Guy said...

Todd is afraid of speaking in front of other people. He doesn't want to sound "stupid" and is nervous.

Nora said...

Todd is afraid of public speaking. He was reluctant to join the Dead Poet's Society because he didn't want to have to read poetry out loud.

Alex S said...

One of his fears is speaking in front of people. He doesn't want to read out loud during the meeting.

Philip C. (LRT 1/2A) said...

Todd is afraid of public speaking. In hte begginning you can tell that he is very shy. I think that he doesn't want to mess up in front of everyone.

Brian B (1/2 B) said...

I think Todd has a fear of speaking in front of people. I think this because he nevers speaks unless spoken to, and when he is spoken to, his answers are very short. He also didn't want to join the D.P.S. at first.

David K (1/2 B) said...

Todd is afraid of speaking infront of a large group of people. Todd did not want to read during the dead poets meetings.

aaronp.(5/6B) said...

I think Todd is afraid of public speaking. he doesn't want to do anything wrong. He didn't want to read the poem when they went to the meeting.

Julia said...

Well besides fear of speaking in public I think todd has a fear of not being good enough, not living up to his brothers standards. Everyone always calls his brother 'one of Welton's finest' and todd thinks that if he can't live up to that he is a failure.

Fresa S. said...

I think Todd is afraid of public speaking. I think he doesn't want to read at the Dead poets' Society because he is afraide of reading the poem the wrong way. He doesn't what anything to be imperfect because his brother was one of the school's finest. Todd doesn't whant people to be let down by his actions, even if it is his friends.

Max F (LRT 5/6B) said...

So far in the movie I can tell that Todd is afraid of not being as good as a reader as his brother. Its not just reading, Todd is afraid of not being as good as his brother was when he went to school in the same place.
He is afraid of messing-up when he is reading, and is very subconscious about messing-up.

Emily A said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Emily A said...

i think that todds fear is that if he does bad people will be harder on him because of his brother.one example is like mr.b said he is living in his brothers shadow and people expect a lot from him.

Megan R (1/2 B) said...

I think Todd's fear is speaking in front of groups. An example from the movie is that when Neil invited him to join the Dead Poet's Society he didn't want to read the poetry.

patty w (5/6 A) said...

Todd is afraid of speaking in fron of a group. He is afraid of what people will think of him. One example of this is when Neil askes him to join the dead poets society and Todd doesn't want to have to read out loud.

Ellen G (LRT 5/6 B) said...

I think that Todd is afraid of public speaking because he said that he didn't like to read in front of groups.

Mackenzie Sorensen said...

I think Todd is afraid of public speaking because he wouldn't read the poem for the society.

Dan M said...

Todd is afraid of speaking in public and speaking out. He is afraid to be wrong and have people think of him the wrong way.

Julia P. (5/6 B) said...

I think Todd is afraid of saying something wrong in public that people might make fun of him for. He is afraid of speaking in public, so that is why he didn't want to join the Dead Poet's Society.

wheremypancakes said...

Todd is afraid of being judged by other people and looking stupid in front of them. An example is when he didn't want to read at the first Dead Poets' Society meeting.

Alexis L. said...

I think Todd's fear is being able to talk in front of people. He is probably way too scared to say anything that might hurt his or his brother's reputation because his brother had a very good one. In the movie he doesn't want to read a passage from a poem in front of everybody.

Maddie F (LRT 1/2A) said...

i think that todd is afraid of speaking in front of people because he didn't want to read in front of people at the Dead Poet's Society.

GAGALOVER said...

I think Todd's fear is speaking in public. When Neil asks Todd to join the Dead Poets Society he says yes but he says that he will not read a poem, he will just listen.

Anonymous said...

Todd's fear is speaking to a group. He is also afraid that he will be judged by others. In the movie he tells Neil that he doesn't want to read aloud since he doesn't like doing that.

laura s (5/6a) said...

I think his fear is public speaking because he didn't want to read in front of the boys at the Dead Poet's Society.

sam r said...

Todd is scared of speaking in front of a group. He was scared to read poems aloud.

Emily D said...

I think Todd is scared of public speaking or saying something wrong. An example of this is when he doesn't want to read at The Dead Poets' society meeting.

Zach G said...

I think todd's fear is talking in front of people. he feels uncomfortable.

monica o (1/2 B) said...

Todd's fear is speaking in front of a group. An example of this was when he didn't share the poem that he wrote on purpose (in front of the class) because he was too afraid.

Ashley S said...

I think Todd's fear is speaking in front of others. Like when he told Neil that he did not want to talk in front of anyone at the meetings.

KaTyH 5/6 A said...

I think Todd is afraid of speaking in front of groups. He doesnt not like to speak in front of groups because he is probably afraid he will mess up and embarass himself.
Also he is very quiet because he doesnt know the other people that well and he wants to be able to fit in so he doesn't want to do something dumb and be judged so he just keeps quiet.

Shannon Awes said...

I think Todd is afraid of not living up to his brothers standards. Though he wants to fit in, he is fearful that stepping out of line could jeopardize his chances of keeping up with his brothers legacy.

Brooke D (7/8B) said...

i think he is afraid to act any diffrent than a quiet little goast bacause he needs to fit in because he is afraed of people juging him.

james m said...

I think Todd has two major fears so far. One is he doesn't like speaking publicly. This can be seen when he doesn't talk at all in the cave. The other fear i think he has is being compared to his brother. Worrying if hes better or worse than his older bro, "one of Weltons finest", would be alot of intimidation.

Jon M (LRT 5/6 A) said...

I think that Todd is afraid of speaking in front of people and embarrassing him self-he wouldn't speak in front of just a few kids, let alone his entire class.

Emma C said...

Todd's fear is public speaking. For example he doesn't want to read aloud at the Dead Poet Society.

Eric H (LRT 7/8A) said...

I think Todd is afraid of not filling his brother's shoes. An example of this can be seen in the scene where I believe it was the dean that said he had some big shoes to fill. Immediately Todd showed signs of fear at this. He mumbled something quickly and without clarity afterwards.

Allie B said...

I think Todd's fear is reading out loud and speaking in front of people. In the movie he says he will only join the Dead Poet's Society if he doesn't have to take turns reading aloud.

KelseyE said...

I think todds biggest fear is talking in front of people because in the Dead poets society he wont read aloud.

~kelsey E. 5/6A

Uzi M. said...

think Todd is afraid of saying something wrong in public that people might make fun of him for. He is afraid of speaking in public, so that is why he didn't want to join the Dead Poet's Society.

danbach said...

Todd is afraid of speaking in front of a crowd. This is shown when he does not give his poetry speach.

Loic.A(LRT 7/8A) said...

i think todd's fear is speaking in front of people. for example in the movie,the dead poets society you had to read a poem but neil made it so he would only have to listen.

paul7/8 said...

I think he just not social

Sam.c said...

I think that Todd is just a little shy but he might have some fear

Olivia A. (LRT 7/8A) said...

I think Todd is afraid of letting his family down and making a mistake. I think he's also afraid of being judged like when he didn't want to read in front of people.

XOXO said...

I think Todd's fear is speaking in front of others, AKA public speaking. He demonstrates this fear when he refuses to be part of the dead poets society when he hears that they have to read out loud to each other.

sarsteffen said...

I think Todd is afraid of speaking in front of others. He did not even want to read at the DPS.

Lindsey S said...

I think Todd is afraid of public speaking. I think he doesn't want to read at the Dead poets' Society because he is afraid of reading the poem the wrong way., and of what people will think

Danie N (1/2 B) said...

Todd is afraid of speakink in frount of others. He doesnt even feel comfortable speaking in frount of the guys that he knows or even his teacher.

holle g (5/6b) said...

i think todd's fear is public speaking.

Alyssa K said...

His fear is of speaking in front of people he doesnt want to read in the dps dead poets soicety

Kate O 7/8b said...

Todd's fear was speaking in front of others. He didn't want to share his poem in front of class so he said he didn't have one.

mackenzie kelley said...

One of his fears is speaking in front of people. He doesn't want to read out loud during the meeting.

Josie W said...

Todd is afraid of speaking infront of people. I think he thinks that they will make fun of him and laugh at him.

Andrew P (1/2 B) said...

I think todds fear was public speaking lik he didn't waqnt to talk at the dead poets scociety.

muntaas h (LRT 7/8B) said...

Todd is very shy, he doesn't like talking in front of his own class even with his friends when they are around with other people. Todd also doesn't like reading in front of students too or class.

Alison P (5/6 A) said...

Todd is afraid of not following in his brothers footsteps and is afraid to really speek his thoughts.

Alma P (LRT 1/2 A) said...

I think Todd is afraid to speak in front of people. In the movie, he didn't want to join The Dead poet's Society because he doesn't want to read poetry in front of people.

Sawyer K (LRT 1/2A) said...

Todd is afraid of getting up in front of people and speaking. He can't even bring himself to speak in front of the dead poet's society, a few guys who he is friends with.

Kelli said...

I think Todd is afraid of speaking in front of others. In the dead poets society meeting, he doesn't want to read anything, not even in front of his friends.

Nick L (LRT 5/6 A) said...

1) I think that Todd is afraid of public speaking. I think this bacause in the movie when ha is asked if he wants to join poets society he has a stearn look and I could tell he didn't want to read.

-Nick L

Nateglewwe said...

Todd is afraid of speaking on front of a group of people, even a small one. He doesn't want to make himself look weird

Laurel W(7-8 B) said...

Todd is afraid of public speaking. He shows this when he tells Mr. Keating he didn't bring a poem.

allie a [LRT 5/6 A] said...

Todd is afraid of doing something wrong because he feels like he has to follow his brother. He doesn't speak up much because he doesn't want to say something wrong

jordieee s! said...

I think todds fear is speaking in front of a class or people. An example of this is when he didnt want to talk when he went to the dead poets society.

adriana o (5/6 a) said...

I think Todd is affraid of speaking in public. When one of the boys asked him to go to the meeting and read he said he will only go if he doesn't have to read.

Peter M (1/2 B) said...

Todd is afraid of speaking in front of people. An example of this is he does not want to read poetry out loud.

rachaelc said...

Todd is afraid of speaking to people in public and talking in front of the classroom. When Todd worked really hard on his poem and then told Mr. Keating that he didn't (he did this because he was too afraid to speak in front of the class).

Nick S. 5/6B said...

I think Todd's fear is being ridiculed for what he thinks. Maybe he is afraid that if he stumbles in what he says, he'll be cast even further into his brother's shadow.

muntaas h (LRT 7/8B) said...

I think that todd is afraid of speaking in front of the class, just like in the part when mr. keeting called todd to stand in the front of the whole class, and todd had some problems going on he had butterflies and all kinds of stuff.

kami h 7/8 b said...

Todd is afraid that if he speaks in front of others, they will laugh at him, and tease him. He doesn't want to be judged

Matt H (LRT 1/2 A) said...

I think that Todds fear is speaking in front of others. FOr example, the poem assignment.

Kriften G!! said...

he is scared of talking to a group of people

Anonymous said...

I think Todd has two major fears so far. One is he doesn't like speaking publicly. This can be seen when he doesn't talk at all in the cave. The other fear i think he has is being compared to his brother. Worrying if hes better or worse than his older bro, "one of Weltons finest", would be alot of intimidation.

shelby h said...

Todd's fear is speaking in public. an example of this is when mr. keating told the boys to write a poem and to tell it in class the next day todd said he didnt write one even though he did.

clara k!! said...

I think todd's fear is public speaking. He didnt want to speak at the dead poets society meeting.

Chris M 5/6B said...

i think that todd is afraid of speaking in front of people. He does not even like to talk at all when he is by his friends.In the moviw, he says he didnt want to read a poem in their club.

Michael W (LRT 5/6B) said...

I think todd's fear is not living to be as good as his brother because every time someone brings that up he shys away

Preston B said...

Todds fear is speaking infront of other people. When he was saposed to write a poem for class he did. but when his teacher said they had to present them infront of class he said that he didnt have one but he did and he was just afraid of sharing it infront of the class.

Morgan W said...

fear of public speaking
he decided not to read his poem in front of the society

Libby said...

He's afraid of speaking in public like when he didn't want to be in DPS because he didn't want to read aloud.

sofia h (7/8 b) said...

I think Todd is afraid of public speaking. I think he doesn't want to read at the Dead poets' Society because he is afraide of reading the poem the wrong way. He doesn't what anything to be imperfect because his brother was one of the school's finest. Todd doesn't whant people to be let down by his actions, even if it is his friends.

Anonymous said...

he is afraid of speaking in public.mabey he is afraid theat he will mess up and the will be mean to him.an example is how he did th poem homework but then said he didnt do it.

brittany said...

i think todd is afraid of speaking in front of people because when he was meeting all the boys he was having a hard time just speaking in front of them.

Nick B (lrt 5/6 B) said...

Todd's fear is that he is afraid to talk with groups of people. In the movie he says he doesnt want to read poetry out loud.

Matt M (5/6 B) said...

Todd is afraid of speaking in public. He doesnt feel comfortable talking to a group of people. One time in class mr keating let him show the way he feels by poetry.

Lara R (LRT 7/8 B) said...

Todd is afraid of speaking infront of others. thats his fear

John R (1/2A) said...

I think todds fear is speaking in front of other people because he doesn't speak up or volunteer in class to do things.

John R (1/2A) said...

I think todds fear is speaking in front of other people because he doesn't speak up or volunteer in class to do things.

ellie w. 7/8A said...

Todd is afraid of public speaking. An example is when he wouldn't read out loud at the D.P.S. meeting.

Jacob L. said...

Todd is obveously afrade of speaking openly.

cailyn c said...

Todd is afraid of public speaking. Mr. Keating tried to help him over come his fear when he took him to the front of the class.

Sofia B (LRT 5/6 A) said...

Todd is afraid of other peoples thoughts. He doesn't want to do anything WRONG, he doesn't want to be laughed at.

Alex H (LRT 1/2A) said...

not here

Unknown said...

I think his fear is speaking infront of groups, he would't answer mr keatings question, until mr keating forced him to.

Hannah A (LRT 7/8 A) said...

Todd is afraid of speaking infront of people. In the movie, he is scared of reading poetry infront of the Dead Poets Society

Mikey L 5/6B said...

I think todd's fear is speaking in front of others. He always tries to avoid it. He says he didn't write a poem for class. With his friends, he almost never says anything. And he says he doesn't want to join the DPS because he doesn't want to read to others.

christian w (lrt 5/6b) said...

I think Todd is afraid of public speaking. He doesn't want to say something wrong and is afraid people will compare him to his older brother. An example of this is when he tells Neil he'll go to the meeting as long as he doesn't have to read.

Loic.A(LRT 7/8A) said...

todd's fear is speaking in front of public and i think he's gonna overcome that fear

Nika W! (1/2 B) said...

Todd is afraid of public speaking even with his friends. In the movie he only joins the DPS if he doesnt read.

Unknown said...

Todd is afraid of people making fun of him if he does something wrong.

john h 7/8B said...

Todd is afraid of speaking in front of others i knew because he didnt want to speak in front of the class

Isabel B (LRT 5/6 A) said...

Todd is afraid of public speaking. When they were supposed to present poems in front of the class he lied and said that he hadn't written one when he really had he just didn't want to speak in front of the class.

Greg M (7-8A) said...

Todd is afraid of being wrong and being judged by the toher kids by he way he talks and not living up to his brothers expectations. He could say something wrong and everyone would make him feel insecure.

jessica G said...

Speaking in front of people because when he is asked to join dps he says that he does not want to recite peotry.

JohnB said...

I think Todd has a fear of speaking in front of people. I think this because he nevers speaks unless spoken to, and when he is spoken to, his answers are very short. He also didn't want to join the D.P.S. at first.

braschill said...

todds fear is deffinetly talking out in front of other people like when he has to come to the dead poets society he doesnt want to talk also when they get the assignment about talking a poem outloud to the class.

wes F. said...

1. Todd is afraid of speaking in front of people because he lied saying that he did not write a peom when he really did.

Mitlentz said...

Todd's fear is speaking infront of a crowd
an example would be when he lies about writing a poem

Anna B said...

I think todd is afraid of speaking in public and expressing his thoughts. One example of this is when they have to write a poem and read it out loud to the class, and he doesn't do the assignment because he is to scared.

Lizzie H. (7/8B) said...

todds fear is speaking in front of group, an exanple is when he said he didnt have a poem because he was too scarred

nicole h said...

todd has a fear of public speaking.
one example of this from the movie is that he forgets his poem to read in front of the class