Neil Perry

***Spoiler warning:** Plot and character fates will be shown on this page and in infoboxes and quotes.*

## Relationship Information

### Family members

* Tom Perry  (father)
* Mrs. Perry  (mother)

### Friends

* Todd Anderson  (roommate)
* Charlie Dalton
* Knox Overstreet
* Stephen Meeks
* Gerard Pitts
* Richard Cameron
* John Keating  (former teacher)

## Affiliation

### Occupation

* Student at Welton Academy
* Leader of the Dead Poets Society
* Performer in Henley Hall's production of 'Midsummer Night's Dream'

### Loyalty

* Dead Poets Society
	+ John Keating

## Actor/Actress

### Portrayed by

Robert Sean Leonard

"*For the first time in my whole life, I know what I wanna do! And for the first time, I'm gonna do it! Whether my father wants me to or not! Carpe diem!*"
— Neil Perry

**Neil Perry** is the only son of Tom Perry and Mrs. Perry and a deuteragonist of Touchstone Pictures' 1989 film *Dead Poets Society.*

## Biography

#### Before 1959

Neil was born at some point between October 1st, 1942 - September 30th, 1943. He was Tom Perry and Mrs. Perry's only son.

#### 1959 School Year

At the start of the school year, Neil was chosen by Gale Nolan to perform in Welton Academy's annual introductory ceremony. He holds up the banner that represents the pillar of Excellence. During the ceremony, he is first introduced to John Keating who will replacing Headmaster Nolan as his english teacher during his senior year at Welton. After, he meets Todd Anderson, his new roommate.

He starred in the Henley hall production of 'A Midsummer Nights Dream' as Puck. Committed suicide at 17.

## Friendships

### Todd Anderson

Todd Anderson was Neil Perry's roommate. Neil strived to make Todd feel included and this applies to the Dead Poets Society, where Neil found a way to get him to participate even though he didn't want to. Throughout the film, Neil seems to connect with Todd in a different way than he does with the other poets. He is often seen stealing glances or bashfully smiling at his new roommate.

The two became even closer because of the Dead Poets and Todd often helped Neil rehearse his lines for Midsummer Night's Dream by the dock. Neil found Todd writing his poem in his notebook and snatched the book from him, as he was being chased around their room he compared Todd to Walt Whitman, a poet like himself. Neil appears fascinated by Todd’s ability to write.

Neil was the only one to find out about Todd's birthday - when he learned that the Andersons had gotten him the same gift as the previous year, he cheered him up by creating the world's first "aerodynamic desk set" and helping Todd throw it from the roof.

When Todd found out about Neil’s suicide, he had an extreme reaction. Although he knew Neil for the shortest amount of time, he cared about him the most. During the snowing night he walked out into the snow, followed by the remaining members of the Dead Poets Society, he looked upon the snow and muttered “It’s beautiful,” before breaking down vomiting. The Dead Poets held onto him until he ran away towards the dock screaming the name of his friend, during a deleted scene it’s shown that the dock was where he and Neil practiced A Midsummer Night’s Dream together. It is probable that Todd's scream of Neil's name is his version of a 'yawp'.

Both Todd and Neil fall victim to the 'hourglass trope' meaning they both involuntarily switch positions in their lives. Todd starts out as a timid young man who is yet to understand his self worth. Throughout the film he is growing into his skin, finding comfort in the Poets and Mr. Keating. After Neil's suicide, Todd finally learns to speak out, as seen in the infamous 'O Captain, My Captain!' scene at the end of the film. At this moment in the film, Todd has learnt to appreciate himself and to stand up for what is true. On the contrary, Neil Perry begins the film an outspoken, positive force in the Poets' lives. He is fully accepting of himself and wears his heart on his sleeve. Neil pushes Todd outside of what he is comfortable with, rejecting the constricting hands of conformity. With the pressures of his father's expectations becoming increasingly more restrictive, Neil shrinks into his own skin, slowly losing his identity. Neil gradually grows more and more closed in as his life is planned out for him. Momentarily before he commits suicide, he attempts to stand up to his father, he is pushed back down again and Neil has become the version of Todd seen at the beginning of the film, quiet, compliant, and afraid. Ultimately, Neil takes his own life.

### Charlie Dalton

Neil and Charlie were childhood friends, and vaguely implied to have grown up together. The implication of their long-lasting friendship came from Charlie being the only one who seemed to know how Mr. Perry treated his son. Furthermore, Charlie was the one to try to talk to Mr. Perry after the play.

## Trivia

* If you look at the calendar in Mr Perry's office, you can see the date is December 15th, revealing the date of Neil's suicide.
* Neil states that his family is not as wealthy as many other students, specifically Charlie's. This is most likely why Neil's father is determined for him to become a doctor.
* Neil attempted to go to summer stock auditions in 1958, but his father didn't allow him to go.