Artifact Analysis (Dead Poet Society)

For my COMM333 class named Persuasion, we are tasked with the assignment to analyze an artifact (piece of media) in order to understand the usage of persuasion in said artifact. We are analyzing this artifact to understand how this media can impact consumers who have viewed it. By using terminology such as ELM (Elaborative Likelihood Model) TRA (Theory of Reasoned Action), credibility and characteristics, I will be able to explain how this artifact effectively uses its characters, plot or message and how they approach persuasion. The artifact I chose to analyze is Dead Poets Society, a 1989 film directed by Peter Weir. 

Carpe Deim, a latin term that means ‘Seize the Day’. This term was the main morale of the artifact, and is used to influence the characters and the audience all at once. As the characters like Neil, Meeks, and Dalton, learn of this phrase, and witness how Professor Keating exemplifies this term, they begin to feel the immense influence this term can provide them. After Neil begins to flourish the idea, he exudes the power of interpersonal persuasion. For example, one of the first instances we experience of interpersonal persuasion being used, is when Neil tries to convince a student to rip out the pages of the book as instructed by Professor Keating. “We shouldn’t be doing this”, said the student, which is a good example of the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA). The Theory of Reasoned Action is a theory that explains how opinions of others create these social norms that can determine a specific attitude towards a behavior. As this student was worried about the administration's opinions on these actions rather than his own, those social norms constructed a different attitude towards the behavior he was witnessing. The student was then convinced by Neil, to “rip, rip, rip it out”, which can be used as an example of interpersonal persuasion as well as the Social Judgement Theory. This theory is explained as attitudes being mediated by judgemental processes and effects (Sherif et al, 1965).

Professor Keating utilizes his credibility to persuade a group of students to “seize the day”, and to add to that, he uses his vast intelligence and ethos, in order to make this group of students understand his message. This message, being a central component of the film, can be evaluated with the Elaboration Likelihood Model. For example, when Neil learns of this message “Seize the Day”, and has it put into his own perspective, we can observe how much impact this message had on his behavior and attitudes. Unfortunately, the impact of this message had a lasting change on his behavior, which brought him to the ultimatum of his fathers will versus his own.

Throughout the film, we see instances of the students seizing their moments. In particular, when the topic of the Dead Poets Society is brought up to Keating, Neil is obviously infatuated with the idea of this club. Once their conversation ends, Neil proposes to his group of friends, to reinstate this club. A couple of students conform instantly, while others hesitate to conform. At this moment, we can see how the Social Impact Theory and the Social Influence Model comes into play here.  This theory is the idea that as a group grows, its influence on others begins to level out. We can also utilize the Social Influence Model to assess that not everyone will be on board with the idea, as conformity begins to fade. A specific example of this can be found at the end of the film in the final scene, where the students climb atop their desks in a form of protest. Todd, a character who wasn’t as impacted or had a temporary change from the message given by Professor Keating, developed a better understanding of said message, and seized the day.

As the death of his friend Neil served as a catalyst to this change, it stirred Todds' motivation and ability to process the message that was initially given. The Elaboration Likelihood Model shows us exactly how Neil and Todd fit into their respective roles, one being highly motivated to understand the message, providing a lasting impression, versus Todd, who lacked the motivation to understand it at first.

We can further use the Theory of Reasoned Action to assess the ending sections of the film. Following the death of Neil, the students are pressured into signing a form that would inevitably rid Professor Keating of his duties. Although most didn’t want to conform, they felt that they had to, based on the opinions of relevant others and motivation to comply. The theory states that these opinions and motivations create the subjective norm, and combining that with one's attitude about a behavior can create or foster specific intentions (Nickerson, 2025). In this situation, you see Todd's attitude towards this is negative, he doesn't intend to do it, but with his parents and the principal present, he agrees to comply due to the social pressure. This can also tie back into that final scene of the film where he stands on his desk when he yells out “They told us to sign it Mr Keating, we didn’t want to”, showing his true intentions. His complicity with the subjective norm did not represent his attitude towards the behavior making his intentions misinterpreted, instead his intentions were only fully revealed while going against the social norm.

The artifact of choice, Dead Poets Society, is meant to persuade the audience to live freely, think freely and seize the day. With this constant message throughout the film, it is up to us as individuals to understand this message and be motivated by it, in order for it to truly have a lasting effect on our behaviors. As per myself, this artifact has motivated me to fulfill the means to understand the message in the film. In everyday life, we have the choice to stand out, or to shut ourselves in. The overall message is to, of course, seize the day, but we also must perceive that as doing what we want for ourselves, within the confines of society.

References

Sherif, M., Sherif, C., & Nebergall, R. (1965). Attitude and attitude change: The Social Judgment Involvement Approach. Philadelphia, PA: W. B. Saunders.

O'Keefe, D. J. (1990). Social Judgment Theory. In Persuasion: Theory and research, 29-44. Newbury Park, CA: Sage

Nickerson, C. (2025, November 10). Theory of reasoned action (Fishbein and Ajzen, 1975). Simply Psychology. https://www.simplypsychology.org/theory-of-reasoned- action.html

Gass, R. H., & Seiter, J. S. (2022). Persuasion: Social Influence and Compliance Gaining (7th ed.). Routledge.