Dead Poets Society (16 page)

The boys stared at Keating. He stared back at them, taking them all in for the last time. Then he turned and walked toward the door.

“O Captain! My Captain!” Todd called out. Keating turned to look at Todd. The rest of the class turned, too. Todd propped one foot up on his desk, hoisted himself up onto it, and, fighting back tears, faced Mr. Keating.

“Sit down,” Nolan yelled as he moved toward Todd.

As Nolan started down the aisle toward him, Knox, on the other side of the room, called out Mr. Keating’s name and stood up on his desk too. Nolan turned toward Knox. Meeks mustered up his courage and stood up on his desk. Pitts did the same. One by one, and then in groups, others in the class followed their lead, standing on their desks in silent salute to Mr. Keating.

Nolan gave up trying to control the class and stood motionless, staring in amazement at this overwhelming tribute to the former English teacher.

Keating stood at the door, overcome with emotion. “Thank you, boys,” he said. “I … thank you.” Keating looked into Todd’s eyes, then into the eyes of all the Dead Poets. He nodded, then turned and walked out the door, leaving them standing on their desks in silent salute.

N. H. Kleinbaum, a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, is a former newspaper reporter and editor. Her other novelizations include the Bantam Starfire title
Growing Pains
and
D.A.R.Y.L.
She lives in Mt. Kisco, New York, with her husband and three children.

Touchstone Pictures presents in association with Silver Screen Partners IV

A Steven Haft Production in association with Witt-Thomas Productions

A Peter Weir Film

Robin Williams

Dead Poets Society

Written by Tom Schulman

Produced by Steve Haft, Paul Junger Witt, Tony Thomas

Directed by Peter Weir

Distributed by Buena Vista Pictures Distribution, Inc.

Copyright © 1989 by Touchstone Pictures

Based on the motion picture from Touchstone Pictures. Produced by Steven Haft, Paul Junger Witt, Tony Thomas. Based on the motion picture written by Tom Schulman. Directed by Peter Weir.

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