Welton Academy is a symbol of the isolation experienced by its students. The school is placed in the middle of the hills of Vermont, out of reach from those who might challenge the societal and academic expectations of this particular, traditional group of people. The school is described as a series of “[w]eathered stone buildings and a tradition of austerity isolated Welton from the world beyond” (6). The students, like the school itself, are sheltered from any thinking that contradicts the thinking at Welton.

If Welton is a symbol for being trapped within a particular mindset, Knox and Neil’s frequent excursions away from the school are symbolic of Keating’s teachings, which allow them to escape from Welton, metaphorically, and to expand their minds. Likewise, Charlie’s willing expulsion from the Academy is symbolic of him leaving that world behind for good, just as the boys standing on the desks at the end proves that they are willing to follow Charlie’s lead if it means preserving freedom of thought.

One phrase the boys learn from Keating is “Carpe Diem, […] Seize the day. Make your lives extraordinary.” (26-27). Those words are repeated throughout the novel as they fight for opportunities to live life to the fullest.