Given the high rating on Goodreads and highly acclaimed movie adaptation, I did not find the book as moving as I expected. The characters lacked substance and came across as overly dramatic. The author tries to convey the message of education being more than just the learning of singular perspectives from textbooks. However, this message is casually conveyed primarily via Keating’s character. Sure, he opens up the students to new perspectives, but conveniently never leads them- instead, it seems to me as though he led them astray. This is ironic since he asks the students to call him ‘Captain’.
Overall, I get the overall message of the story i.e. individuality- which is undoubtedly an important one- I just didn’t enjoy the storytelling.