Critique on Class
Amber Davis
Professor Strange
English 103
April 2, 2013 Who Deserves to Live? In 1997, James Cameron’s screenplay Titanic was released. Although the film is solely based on a fictitious romance between two star crossed lovers, there are particular aspects of the movie that deal with realistic issues between different socio-economic classes as well. When the Titanic began to sink, class ranking determine the lives that were more valuable. The author utilizes the historic tragedy of the infamous sinking ship to display how significant class becomes when trying to survive an unfortunate event. Additionally, Cameron incorporates a fictional romance to display how two people (Rose and Jack) can be in love regardless of class. The film argues that the lives of higher social status on the Titanic were more beneficial than lower class citizens and that the different class groups should not engage with each other; however, class should not be a determining factor of who survives a tragedy or the interactions of diverse people. Eliminating the social class hierarchy during the rescue of the Titanic’s inhabitants would have eliminated chaos, increased the survival rate and given the opportunity for Rose and Jack to find true love.
The film is set on a ship in the twentieth century. The Titanic was the biggest of its kind ever constructed. It was claimed to be unsinkable and boarded according to economic classes: first, second and third classes respectively. While on the voyage from England to America, Rose and Jack (two main characters) meet and fall in love despite their class differences. One evening, the ship collides with an iceberg causing it to submerge into the water. Shortly after the sinking, there is a battle for survival for everyone aboard the ship. The people in lower class begin to exit but are locked downstairs by the crewmen because they want first class guests to have first priority on the lifeboats and
Professor Strange
English 103
April 2, 2013 Who Deserves to Live? In 1997, James Cameron’s screenplay Titanic was released. Although the film is solely based on a fictitious romance between two star crossed lovers, there are particular aspects of the movie that deal with realistic issues between different socio-economic classes as well. When the Titanic began to sink, class ranking determine the lives that were more valuable. The author utilizes the historic tragedy of the infamous sinking ship to display how significant class becomes when trying to survive an unfortunate event. Additionally, Cameron incorporates a fictional romance to display how two people (Rose and Jack) can be in love regardless of class. The film argues that the lives of higher social status on the Titanic were more beneficial than lower class citizens and that the different class groups should not engage with each other; however, class should not be a determining factor of who survives a tragedy or the interactions of diverse people. Eliminating the social class hierarchy during the rescue of the Titanic’s inhabitants would have eliminated chaos, increased the survival rate and given the opportunity for Rose and Jack to find true love.
The film is set on a ship in the twentieth century. The Titanic was the biggest of its kind ever constructed. It was claimed to be unsinkable and boarded according to economic classes: first, second and third classes respectively. While on the voyage from England to America, Rose and Jack (two main characters) meet and fall in love despite their class differences. One evening, the ship collides with an iceberg causing it to submerge into the water. Shortly after the sinking, there is a battle for survival for everyone aboard the ship. The people in lower class begin to exit but are locked downstairs by the crewmen because they want first class guests to have first priority on the lifeboats and
Bibliography: Titanic. By James Cameron. Perf. Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, 1997. Film.