When Neil objects, his father informs him that as soon as he graduates from medical school he may do whatever he pleases, until then he must do whatever his father commands. This first incident is followed later on in the movie by a more serious conflict between Neil and his father, when Neil has the lead role in the production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream"" at the public high school. When Neil's father finds out that he is in the play, he instructs him to quit immediately. Neil disobeys him and performs the role of Puck the following night. His father comes to the performance and afterwards forcibly takes Neil back home. He tells him that the next day he will leave Welton Academy and enroll in a military school. Mr. Perry tries his very best to make Neil change his mind about acting and become a doctor. However, That night, Neil takes a gun to his head and shoots himself. The cause for Neil's death is because he did not know how to get out from under the dominating hands of his father. Neil's father only wanted for his son to accept the opportunities in his life that his father never had. For many reasons this can be the cause of Neil's death, because he just wanted to escape from his father. However, there is a deeper cause behind Neil's death. Boys who have dominating fathers are more haunted by the disappointment they feel they cause their father than actually feeling as if they will never be able to live their own lives. Neil couldn't disappoint his father nor wanted to live a life that was controlled by others, which caused him to give up his life instead of hurting himself and others emotionally. .
Controlling one child's actions or future can cause some very serious psychological abuse. In Dead Poet's Society, Todd Anderson's unaffectionate father who was never supportive and never cared about his intentions made him fell helpless, isolated, shy and embarrassed. Todd is a type of character who has a very low self-esteem, and fears that his life has no meaning, and therefore, he has no verse to contribute.