Titanic

   Tragic, yet beautiful. ‘Titanic’ is based on a true event that occurred on 15 April 1912. Though the story of Jack and Rose may be fictional, the ship, the tragedy, and certain characters in the film are all verifiable. The tale of the Titanic is one of the most deadly and devastating in history. 

   Rose was an intelligent and rebellious woman. She was brought up by higher-class parents and had always been among people in the higher class, that is, wealthy people. Despite her upbringing, she craved a different life, a life that was full of mysteries and daring experiences. She was so sick of having to live among the rich. She thought that what the rich did - drinking, smoking, talking about money and treating the lower class like slaves - was pointless and unfair. She also wanted to break free from the chains of her forced marriage. Additionally, she detested the limitations she had because she was a female. She was ravenous for a more meaningful life, and wanted to escape the torturous life she was already in. She could do so thanks to a boy she met aboard the Titanic.

   Jack is an independent and adventurous survivor. He is a boy of the lower class. He lost his parents at 15, and since then, had been a vagabond. Despite his rather lonesome circumstances, he enjoyed his life. He absolutely loved travelling from place to place, exploring the areas he visited and living la vida loca. He was a fun and enthusiastic person too, and never failed to look on the bright side, even during the most distressing of situations. He, by the greatest luck in the world, won a ticket to board the Titanic when gambling. It was the greatest thing that ever happened to him for he met the wonderful, beautiful Rose. One of the most admirable aspects of him was how he saw Rose. Most men at the time saw women as porcelain dolls, and toys to be played around with. However, Jack never saw Rose that way. He saw her as a real woman, with a passionate fire burning inside of her which he loved so much. 

   When Jack and Rose first met, Rose was about to jump off the ship. She felt overwhelmed and plagued by the life she was forced to have just because she was wealthy and a woman. But Jack saved her. And since that day, they got closer and closer. Jack and Rose got to know each other during their time onboard the Titanic. Rose learned about Jack’s love and talent for drawing, and was particularly impressed by his sketches of nude women. Jack came to comprehend the dire situation Rose was in, and the reason why she wanted to commit suicide. The two spent lots of time together, mostly running around, going wild and partying. Jack showed Rose that there was a way out of her miserable life and that it was possible for her to live freely and go wild. 

   An interesting fact about their relationship is that Jack and Rose have different socio-economic statuses. Jack is of the lower class while Rose is of the higher class. At the time, those of the higher class did not like to mix around with those of the lower class as they saw underprivileged people as insects. And those of the lower class were mad at those of the higher class because they ill-treated people who were living in poverty. However, this norm at the time was no barrier between Jack and Rose. They really proved that money doesn’t matter when you truly love someone. 

   Rose’s fiancé was, of course, extremely unhappy about Jack and Rose’s growing closeness, and was hell-bent on keeping them apart. But despite his best efforts in doing so, including accusing Jack of theft in order to trick Rose into leaving Jack, the love birds just could not be separated. During the sinking of the Titanic, Rose left the lifeboat she was in because she couldn’t bear leaving the ship without Jack. He was the first man she met who truly understood her, and truly supported her desires and rebelliousness. She didn’t want to live without him. During Jack and Rose’s last moments together, Jack gave his life to make absolutely sure that Rose lived. This is so that she could live big, and live the life that she wanted.

   It’s genuinely beautiful and touching to see that, since the beginning, Jack had been saving Rose’s life.

   The sinking of the Titanic ends poignantly. The massive ship dips into the Atlantic Ocean, leaving the remaining survivors stranded there and uncertain if they would live. The survivors cooped up in the safety of the lifeboats watched woefully as the ship sank, trying to process the calamitous and haunting series of events that just happened to them. It leaves one’s heart empty, and at the same time full of sorrow. But that is not the end of the movie. At the end of the film, 100-year-old Rose passes away peacefully. Her consciousness, or spirit, is brought to the remains of the Titanic. The screen fades, and the Titanic is new again. All the people who died due to the sinking of the Titanic seemed to have revived, and they could be seen in one of the ship’s rooms. It’s a luxurious room that appeared multiple times throughout the film. On top of one of the staircases, staring at a clock was Jack himself. Then, 1912 Rose appears. And the two finally reunite.

   It’s an ambivalent ending that brings smiles and tears to viewers. I think that it’s a happy ending to a sad movie.

   One significant aspect of the film was the treatment of women at the time. Rose was obviously engaged against her own will. Her fiancé was abusive, domineering and wanted full control of Rose and her activities. He decided what Rose could or could not do. For instance, he didn’t allow her to see Jack, to her great disappointment. He expected her to be his definition, or perhaps, the period’s definition, of a wife - obedient and of service to her husband. More accurately put, a slave. He displayed unnecessary violence towards her - including throwing a tantrum when she disobeyed him and slapping her. 

  Besides her fiancé, Rose’s mother also treated Rose in an unfavourable way. She wanted Rose to marry for money, in order to keep the family legacy alive. She wanted Rose to be with a proper, rich man, and not a gutter rat. And she wanted Rose to “be a lady”, meaning no wild behaviour, no fighting back and definitely no freedom. In one scene, Rose was seen observing another mother who was teaching her very young daughter to sit up straight and behave “like a lady”. From Rose’s expression, one could tell that she wished society and women’s lives didn’t have to be that way. 

   Another significant aspect of the movie was the contrast and separation between the rich and the poor. There was a sequence in the film that took viewers on a tour aboard the Titanic. The sequence first displayed the section of the ship dedicated to the upper class. You could see people clad in intricate and expensive outfits, and their section of the ship was opulent and fit for any king. However, the section dedicated to the lower class was much more simple, cramped and even had rats. And then you have the boiler room, where coal is burnt for the ship’s steam engine to function. The people who worked there experienced intense labour, and obviously, weren’t paid enough. Their job was perilous and exhausting. The juxtaposition of the two different socio-economic statuses riding the ship was an important aspect of the film. And again, it showcased what society was like at the time.

   I, personally, have some favourite parts of the film. First off, I admired the characters who chose to sink with the ship. That is, the band, the captain, the creator of the Titanic and an amusing gentleman and his valet. I think it’s realistic and intriguing. The way they behaved before they died was…peaceful. Sorrowful but peaceful. They were more ready than ever to drown with the ship. It’s also devastating, of course. But somehow, you feel a tinge of happiness for them, and respect. It’s like a happy-sad feeling. Still trying to find the right word for it.

   Another one was the cold and watery grave of the victims. Most who didn’t drown with the ship, but didn’t make it on a lifeboat, froze to death in the sea. Their bodies were icy blue, and floating lifelessly in the ocean. The dead bodies were frozen into the people’s final positions, and one was even carrying her baby. It was a painful and gruesome landscape to look at, and emphasised how horrifying the event was. One of the dead ice statues included Jack. It was absolutely harrowing to watch Rose mourn Jack, and live up to the promise she made to Jack, which was to live for him.

   All in all, it was a beautifully well-done film. It breaks hearts and stitches them back together. No wonder why, after all these years, it’s still a very popular film. I think it will remain a popular film for a long time.