"Big Shoes to Fill"

In the opening scenes of Dead Poets Society (Peter Weir 1989), it was apparent that the boys' school had a long line of success and old traditions. The boys were all dressed uniformly in the same suits, and they walked stiffly in line as they entered the room. They held antique banners which displayed their words to live by: tradition, excellence, honor, and discipline. They all sat in straight rows with great posture as the headmaster of the school began to speak to the audience. When addressed, the older boys stood up in their dark suits and recited the school's motto. One young man stood out from the monotonous group though. He was wearing a lighter colored suit and was late to stand up and recite the motto with the group. He seemed to take less pride in his school than the other young men did. As this same standout boy left the building after the ceremony, the headmaster shook his hand firmly and informed him that he had high expectations for the young man. To quote the headmaster, he had, "big shoes to fill," with his brother having already gone through the school's program and excelled. It appeared as though he had no desire to "fill his shoes," illustrated by the boy's nonchalant manner throughout the ceremony. Although it was not his choice, the young man would seemingly always be compared to his older, successful brother.