Dpsblr post its been a while
Dps main theme is indiviualism right but Neil perry's plot and character in general can definitely be seen as a allegory for gay people and their struggles with societal acceptance
Okay so picture this neil is the gay person (obvi) Mr perry his the part of society that doesn't accepts it and that discourages individualism, and Mrs perry can just be seen as part of society that accepts it but turns a blind eye in order to not involve itself but indirectly seals the idea of non acceptance
Theater is considered a very queer thing established in most spaces including movies and even in the 40s-50s it was seen as a inherently safe place for queers to be who they are, the theater IS Neil's safe space in the movie, somewhere he can live a thousand good lives and where he's free to express himself as who he is (queer in this allegory) without the fear of society (his fathers) unaccepting nature
Mr perry doesn't want neil to be in this place of course, but instead he pushes him to go to college and forget this little phase of acting in favor of being something else, something more 'important ' and more socially acceptable but it's ultimately something that neil isn't (sounds familiar?)
Neil feels trapped between his happiness and acceptance from his father, in a way keating filled that void by supporting Neil's individuality and queerness, he's the part of society that accepts who people are and wants to be, keating tells Neil to he straight forward with Mr perry and to be who he is and that society (Mr perry) will accept him for himself, neil however ultimately decides that he cannot after seeing how his father reacts to hearing about acting, Mr perry rips Neil away from everything supporting him by taking him out of acting (a gay space) and out of Welton (another place teaching him to be who he wants)