The film's attitude towards youth is mainly that one should find their own interest in the world, develop's one's passion and realise one's dream -to find true reason in whatever they do, instead of letting things be and let the education system take control of them without them truly developing their true talents and really having fun in their daily lives. The film shows youths being truly passionate to the extent of being daring to being at total disregard for rule or in this case adults and thus portray them as either dead or expelled and this rebelliousness crushed.
The film deals with 'growing up' by displaying open defiance, and this defiance being crushed. The various main characters each have their own way, their own view of how "Carpe Diem" should be done and how reckless as to what extent of recklessness or in this case passion.
For Neil, he had a passion for acting and chose to do the best that he can, be it at the disagreement of his parents but he chose to be over filial in which he dared not defy his parents if they have given the deadpan straight faced no-go. When his parents forced him to leave school in which case leave the Society and leave acting as well , he dared not object to his parents and chose the final way out - by ending it all and killing himself.He is someone who is courageous and passionate enough but lacking in guts to defy the people that he loved.
For Charlie Dalton, he is rather the daring and rebellious person even before Keating arrived and i would say that he is the most daring amongst them all in which he thinks himself very important and somehow very highly in which he seems to think that he is above many things, like above reprisal or punishments . He seems to do things and say things to gain attention , often giving rather funny stuff like saying that his name is "Nuwanda" as well as the most famous quote from him in the whole movie -"It's a phone call from God! And its for You!" He is someone who is indeed rather reckless and at the end he punched the do-gooder who sold the Society out , in which he probably refused to sign the paper and was therefore expelled.He is someone who believes in himself and is extremely reckless a true person who believes in "Carpe Diem".
Knox Overstreet is the one who went after the girl whom he thinks is extraordinarily beautifu l and is someone who is at first not really very daring, till being inspired and being taught by Keating .He was one of the most influenced and became courageous and determined to make his life count in which he is someone who pushes his luck to the end and has extreme confidence in his daring actions and hearty even after being rejected and denied.
Todd Anderson is the guy who was always lonely and dejected and rather emo~tional in which Keatings boosted confidence within him and he finally found the confidence within him at the very end in which he emerged from the most lonely and timid guy to become the most courageous guy in the whole lot for he was the first to stand up.