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Chapter 2 : Comparison Of Classism In Fiction Versus Reality

The Theme Of Social Classes and Inequalities In The Movie Titanic

Everyday people are faced with the harsh reality of sociological issues. Including classism and inequality due to sex and gender. For instance, 76%

of all countries have at least one law treating women and men differently including, applying for a passport, conferring citizenship to their children, and

having their testimony hold the same evidentiary weight in court. The harsh truth to reality is that gender inequality is real but often swept under the rug. To

top it all off, classism is often overlooked as well. The American dream is a common trope in much of the United States’ mythology. The core of its ethos is

that with hardwork and dedication, anybody can achieve success and prosperity. While optimism and perseverance are admirable traits, the path to financial

success in the United States is not as simple and straightforward.

The chances of one becoming wealthy in this country are slim to none, and there exist many barriers that impede upon those seeking

opportunity. It is said you are nothing in life without money but to who’s aggression. No one person is better than another due to their class in society. No

one person is superior because of their gender. But people live by those unbalanced opinions. It's something society teaches you. Money means power.

Titanic, a movie directed by James Cameron (1997), is the story that captures the harsh reality of classism, sex/gender inequality and ethnic inequalities.

Throughout the movie Titanic, social class is a problem. Social class is the division of classes based on social, economic and

achieved status. All of the events on the ship are broken down based on which social class each person falls under. The upper class was those who were on a

luxury trip and were those who attended all of the fancy dinners and events. Jack, one of the main characters, wins tickets onto the Titanic after getting

lucky in a game of poker. He is a penniless artist whose income falls below the poverty line putting him in the social class of the working poor. He is

constantly reminded of being a lower class while on the ship. He must attend all of the 3rd class dinners and events. He was not expected to be in the

company of anyone in the first class. With the entry of Rose, another main character, one of the main conflicts of the movie comes into play. Within the

upper and middle class, it was more common to be in the company of one another. The middle class was mainly the professional working individuals.

As the middle class wasn't considered as low as the lower class, the relationships between the upper class and middle class were

accepted. Since Jack was in 3rd class and Rose was in the 1st class, once they met their interactions were not acceptable. There was a great class conflict

between the two. There was such a class conflict between the two due to the difference in their status and their competing socio-economic interests. But

despite their class difference, they couldn't hold back their interest in each other after Jack saved Rose from committing suicide. Once Rose's fiance learns

that Jack is the one who saved Rose, he is invited to a 1st class dinner. For Jack, it was a very new experience, but he enjoyed spending time and making
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new connections with Rose. This led to social stratification between Jack and others at the dinner. As social stratification means that some people have

greater power, status and wealth than those in other groups, Jack was looked down on for simply not having money like the rest of them did. Throughout the

whole scene the others think that they are better than Jack, presenting the issue of classism.

Rose enjoys the company of Jack despite his class, but understands that she needs to marry into a wealthy family for the survival

of hers. This is alluding to the idea that classism is something learned socially through family and interaction. Her father died and left her and her mother in

a difficult situation as he made most of the money. She must now marry into a family with a ton of wealth to continue the type of lifestyle she was used to,

the abundance of valuable possessions and money.

Gender stratification is also a big role in their relationship. Cal, Rose's fiance, is one that makes it clear on her place in their relationship. Cal

makes it exceptionally clear that Rose must obey and reflect well on him, and if she doesn't, consequences that include violence may be put in place. Gender

Stratification shows that Cal is the higher between the two according to their gender. Cal felt that he had prestige over others like Rose and Jack. That his

achievements and his high class and being a successful male made him much more qualified to be with Rose, even if Rose didn't agree. Rose didn't care

about her fiance's achievements and prestige, as her feelings for Jack were growing. They snuck off to hide from her fiance and because their relationship

wasn't accepted for many social reasons. Class and sexism weren't the only problems presented, there were also many ethnic situations on the ship. The

Titanic also known as “the ship of dreams” wasn't necessarily the dream many were hoping for. There was little opportunity for those who didn't speak

English or speak it well. They were not treated well and nearly all of them died once the ship sank, after being locked where they were staying and not

allowed on the lifeboats. This shows a great example of minority versus dominant group in the Titanic. Those of different ethnicities were singled out due to

not being American and speaking English like all of the first and middle class. They had no power, privileges, or social status because they were minorities.

The Titanic was a prime example of the difference between the social classes and how many were treated for not being a part of the upper and middle class.

It shows how being a male from a wealthy family was key if you wanted respect and prestige. Also that being American was very important if you wanted

privileges. All of those who thought they were on the “ship of dreams” were very disappointed when they were treated so horribly due to the fact that they

were the minority in the population on the ship. The movie Titanic had hidden messages that relate to the real world. Such as a male making a woman feel

as if she was a step down from him to address the issue of classism and poor treatment of minorities.

Analysis Of Classism In Titanic, The Movie :

The movie Titanic is an excellent example of the difference between the first class and lower class areas. First class was equipped with the

best of everything. The first class passengers enjoyed fine china, nice restaurants, and being waited on for anything they wanted. The lower class areas had
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the bare minimum of accommodations. Lower class passengers ate in their own areas. This difference is shown in Titanic in the scene where Jack took Rose

to the lower class areas. The passengers there were having fun.The movie seems to suggest that people in the highest social class don't have as much fun as

other people. Their lives were very restricted, especially for women. Rose experienced both the upper and lower class existence. She knew that her life in

the social elite would be very controlled with certain expectations about how she should act, dress, speak, and eat. One scene in Titanic shows a young girl

of the upper class being taught how to have tea. Her napkin had to be placed just right and she had to be sure not to slouch when sitting. Rose watched the

girl being told exactly what to do and could not stand it anymore. If she had a life with Jack in the lower class she knew she would have more freedom to do

what she wanted instead of having every thought and movement controlled by social expectations. A third example of class difference is when people were

getting into the lifeboats. Someone commented that there weren't enough lifeboats and that half of the passengers would die. Cal Hockley commented, "Not

the better half." It is interesting how the upper class of that time period had everything that money could buy but they were also very restricted by

expectations. The lower class was barely scraping by but had more freedom from strict manner requirements and more fun.

Social Problems Shown In The Movie:

The fallout of social inequality is also brightly depicted in the movie. The number of lifeboats that are available on the liner is too small; there

are only enough to save approximately half of the people on the ship. When Rose says, “Half the people on the ship are going to die,” Cal answers her: “Not

the better half”, for the boats, are reserved for those who use the first class, the rich and the noble. While they are boarding the lifeboats, the passengers of

the economy class are forced to wait on the lower decks, locked so that the rich could board the boats without interruptions.

Therefore, the people who could only afford the economy class tickets were forced to stay on the ship and die. This is why Rose jumped

back to “Titanic” when she was already in a lifeboat; she understood that Jack, being a poor person who was traveling by the economy class, would not get

a place on a boat and that he would most likely die together with the other lower-class passengers. She decided not to abandon him. And still, she lost him

when he froze to death while they were waiting for a ship to come and save them.

Social Inequality According To Sociological Perspectives :

Social inequality is a situation when resources are distributed unevenly in the society, according to people’s social status. The types of inequality

include racial, ethnic, gender, age inequality, etc. One of the most obvious types of social inequality is economic inequality, an uneven distribution of wealth

among people, or the representatives of different social groups. Social inequality can be analyzed through the prism of different theories; we will look at it

using the conflict and interactionist perspectives.

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According to conflict theories, which are most often associated with Karl Marx and Marxian economics, economic inequality is the result of the

economic system of the society (Bartos & Wehr, 2002). Today, this economic system is capitalism, which is based on the free-market economy. In such a

system, the members of the wealthy class use the members of the working class in order to produce wealth. According to Marx (2004), they hire them as

employees but achieve income by accumulating the surplus value (i.e. the value created by workers that is more than what the capitalists pay the workers for

their labor) and turning it into capital, which is then used to obtain even more income.

Capitalists possess capital that they can use to produce more wealth by using workers, whereas the workers can only sell their labor to

capitalists, and are forced to do so in order to make their living. But, however hard a laborer works, they will not be able to get an equal share of income. It

also means that e.g. a worker’s children are extremely unlikely to become rich, for they do not have starting capital, as well as other resources needed to

enter the higher class. Also, even if one manages to become a member of the higher classes, the vast majority of people are still forced to sell their labor to

the few who possess capital. This means a conflict over valuable resources between the rich and the working classes continuously exists (Marx, 2004).

It should be stressed that possessing great amounts of wealth, large capitalists have enough resources to obtain a share of political

power as well. They often use governments to maintain their position, to create subsidies, tax breaks, and other means to help their business. Therefore, the

rich not only receive an unevenly large share of money but also have much more power than the others. In addition, it means that they can control or affect

the media, the education system, etc.; they use it to spread an ideology which is beneficial to them. For instance, according to such an ideology, the wealth

of the rich is a result of their own hard work rather than the structure of the society and their starting position, whereas the poor are poor because they are

not hard-working enough, and so on. The wealthy create the image of “self-made men” in order to maintain their position via cultural influence.

Social Inequality in Titanic According to Sociological Perspectives :

It is now possible to apply the described sociological perspectives to Titanic. If we use the conflict perspective to analyze the movie, it is easy to see

that Rose and Jack come from different classes, which prevents them from being together; even even though they wish to leave their social difference

behind, the low status of Jack prevents him from escaping, and he, along with many other lower-class passengers, dies in cold waters of the ocean. On the

other hand, according to the interactionist perspective, both main characters do not keep to their social roles; however, they are still interacted with by the

others as the carriers of those roles, and this fact eventually seals their fate.

As it was possible to see, the problem of social inequality is presented rather vividly in Titanic. In fact, social inequality is one of the main

reasons why the protagonists could not be together. There are some sociological perspectives that can be used to analyze social inequality. According to the
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conflict perspective, which is closely associated with Marx, social inequality comes from the economic system of society. On the other hand, according to

interactionists, it results from daily interactions between people. Both perspectives can be used in order to understand these social phenomena.

Titanic, The Movie : True Representation Of Class And Race

The movie Titanic presents a dominant ideology because it appeals to many audiences. The main target audience was young and old white

males and females from a middle class and upper class background. However, due to the storyline involving a poor young Jack from a working class

background falling in love with a rich upper class woman (Kate) who is engaged to her fiancé Cal but had to leave him to be with Jack and their struggles

during this course, many more audiences like working class people can be able to relate to the movie. For instance, in the book “Women read the romance”

Janice said that Smithton women read romance novels in order to escape reality or relaxation of their goal. According to the study, 50 percent of Smithton

women have a high school diploma while 32 present attended some college and work part time outside their home. Titanic was big in Asia because the

movie shows how difficult it is coming from a low class and wanting to be with someone from a higher class. It is a big problem in countries like India

where they have what is called the “caste system” and if you mingle with people from a lower class it brings down your reputation which is shameful to the

family.

The movie even goes so far as to provide the audience with the stereotype representation of class and race which we studied in

class. It shows that different classes of people will get different treatment. For example, the higher class will look down at the lower class. It also showed in

the movie that the same social class should be grouped together. Race was displayed in this film, because it showed the different races in titanic ships. For

example, Jack, a white Caucasian man who is poor, is being invited to dinner with Rose and the wealthy first class passengers, only to find Jack surprised at

the idea of more than one spoon and fork at the place setting. After the dinner, Jack invites Rose to a “real party” in third class, and Rose’s willingness to

drink and smoke with Jack’s friends is made into a point of self humor.

In Titanic, Jack and Rose are lovers and they break the tradition of class differences as they come closer. It appeals to a younger

audience too because the characters are young and they represent “teenage love” which means that love is possible even if you are young and since in the

movie, the struggle is about Jack and Kate and how they learn to live with each other. It also appeals to an older audience as Rose from the beginning is seen

as an old woman telling her story of how she loved and lost her significant other and many old people can relate to it. This film’s main target audience are

male or female from a working class background from their teens till early forty.
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Class Consciousness : An In-Depth Study Of James Cameron's ‘Titanic’

James Cameron’s film ‘TITANIC’ was one of the most expensive films in history. The film ‘TITANIC’ is based on the one and only voyage of

RMS TITANIC in 1912 and highlights the continuing fascination with the tragic episode of history. The main story of Cameron’s ‘TITANIC’ is not that of

TITANIC itself, rather the romantic liaison between Jack Dawson, played by Leonard Dicaprio and Rose Dewi H Bukatar, played by Kate Winslet.

The second story that brings the film title is the tale of one of the greatest disasters of the modern industrial age, the sinking of TITANIC. But it is a

romantic story which is celebrated among the viewers to a great extent. However, in the film, there are historical lessons to be learned from the retelling of

this tragedy.

The real story of the TITANIC is not about the celebration of heroic individualism and personal autonomy. It is about a single machine which became the

symbol in the 20th century for man’s technological brilliance, resourceful imagination and inability to completely master his universe. TITANIC was built

during the early and formative years of the 20th century and the construction was completed in 1912. TITANIC was the largest moving man-made object of

its day.

The glaring presence of class conflict in the movie has caught many critics by surprise. Men and women from every class of society and

many ethnic origins were on the maiden voyage of the TITANIC. The early part of the 20th century was characterized by an extreme form of class

consciousness. People were extremely conscious about their class and financial status and upward mobility was very rare.

In the film ‘TITANIC’, Cameron has highlighted the concept of class by positioning the story of Jack and Rose against the backdrop

of the sinking of TITANIC. The two main characters of the film are from the two extremes of the class system. Rose appears to be from the wealthiest of

families whilst Jack has won his ticket on TITANIC in a game of cards. The conflict in the story arises from this ‘love across the classes’. In the film, as in

real life at the time, the poor and the rich have little association with one another. On the occasions when their lives intersect, it is the rich who have all the

benefits and the poor who endure most of the pain and suffering. The fictional romance of the story highlights the social conditions of the day. Moreover,

Rose’s character, her demand for independence and the expectations that Cal Hockley has for her, also raises the issue of the social position of women at

that time. There is a dialogue by Molly Brown, the mother of Carl Hockley, when she was looking in the mirror with Jack after she dressed him up in her

son’s tuxedo, “you shine up like a new penny”.

In the film we have a scene where a crew member locked the steel door under the deck to block the path of third-class passengers who

wanted to get onto lifeboats while the ship was sinking.

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From a Marxist point of view, we can state that “history is based on unending class conflict”. This film conveys that the inequality

and unfair treatment between the bourgeoisie and proletariat must be corrected. The passengers of TITANIC had their destinies decided through classes. The

sinking of TITANIC which combined the destiny of survivors with the deceased, proves resolutely that ‘class’ is indeed ‘life chance’.

Another issue of the time that is raised by the film is that of race. As the ship sinks, many of the third-class passengers, who cannot

speak English, have no way of knowing what they should do and consequently they fail to escape. Cameron set out to make a history lesson for his

audience; obviously he wished to entertain his audience for the duration of the film and to give them an exciting story which they would enjoy watching.

The presence of natural, moral and gratuitous evil in the world is one of the greatest challenges to the consistency of Christian truth

claims. ‘TITANIC’ is a wonderful opportunity for believers and non-believers to engage one another. When we think that over 1500 people perished in the

1912 TITANIC disaster, the problem of pain and suffering should not be neglected. Anyways, we can use the film as an easy escape and a vehicle for

vicarious living, we should both realize and maximize the potential for dialogue and opportunity for contact with our culture, offered through a film like

‘TITANIC’.

Titanic, Directed By James Cameron, From a Psychoanalytic, Marxist, And Feminist Lens :

(I) Psychoanalytic Perspective :

From a psychoanalytic view, Titanic is the depiction of Rose’s struggle with the consequences of her dysfunctional relationships with

her parents and, subsequently, her fiancé. Since childhood, she was obliged to follow the social norms accepted in higher society. The audience learns it

from the episode when Rose sees a mother teaching her four-year-old daughter to keep the correct posture and hold a teacup. This was exactly what Rose

experienced as a child, and she grew tired of all the conventions characteristic of the high social class. However, she could not object to her mother’s

commands, even being a grown-up 17-year-old girl. After her father’s death, Rose was obliged to marry Cal in order to cope with her family’s debts and

preserve status. He was a wealthy man who treated her like his possession. These relationships negatively affected her character and laid the foundation for

her struggle depicted in the movie.

It seems that Rose was so deeply affected by the necessity to obey that she developed an intense fear of death. However, she was

afraid to die not literally but spiritually; it means that she was sure that if she married Cal, her individuality would cease to exist. Jack described Rose’s

feelings as being “stuck on a train you can’t get off ‘cause you’re marrying this fella” (Cameron). According to Tyson, when the fear of death reaches the

extreme, living one’s life becomes so painful that one’s only choice is death (23). This happened to Rose when she desperately ran toward the ship railing

and started to climb over it, aiming to commit suicide.

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Luckily for her, Jack witnessed her suicide attempt and gave her a helping hand. It seems that Jack could not stay aloof because of

his worldview shaped by his past experiences. When he was fifteen, his parents died in a fire, and it greatly affected his attitude toward life. Jack said to

Rose, “Something like that teaches you to take life as it comes at you. To make each day count” (Cameron). In a sense, Jack also had a fear of death.

According to Tyson, this psychological issue translates into a more general fear of loss (23). Having experienced the death of his parents, Jack was afraid to

lose any valuable things that came to him in his life. In a conversation with Rose, he said that his father always wanted to see the ocean but never managed

to do so (Cameron). Jack feared that something similar could happen to him, which was why he decided not to miss any opportunities that arose before him.

For this reason, he was happy to win the ticket to Titanic, and he seized the chance to rescue Rose when she was about to jump.

Rose’s behavior demonstrates her unstable sense of self, which becomes especially evident after her acquaintance with Jack. Tyson defines

this core issue as “the inability to sustain a feeling of personal identity” due to which individuals change their conduct depending on who is around them

(16). Among people of high social status, Rose behaved as required by the rules accepted in that society, even though she did not like it. However, when she

joined the third class, she changed her conduct as if she were one of them. In a conversation with Jack, she shared that she did not possess a firm sense of

self: “There’s something in me, Jack. I feel it. I don’t know what it is, whether I should be an artist, or, I don’t know… a dancer” (Cameron). Since she had

been told what to do throughout her whole life, she was unaware of her true aspirations and only had a sense that her current position was wrong.

In the face of death, Rose managed to overcome the constraints imposed on her by her parents and fiancé. Instead of trying to save

herself, she rushed to rescue Jack. Running into the lift operator who attempted to stop her, she exclaimed: “I’m through with being polite, goddamnit! I

may never be polite for the rest of my life!” (Cameron). The fear of losing Jack urged her to forget the proprieties taught to her since childhood. Jack was

Rose’s rescue from her imperious mother and fiancé; losing him would mean the loss of herself and the return to the situation that forced her to attempt

suicide. Although Jack eventually died, she managed to escape the fate of Cal’s wife by threatening to spoil Cal’s reputation. Thus, Titanic depicts Rose’s

liberation from her dysfunctional relationships with her mother and Cal, which was driven by her fear of loss of her freedom and identity.

(II) Marxist Perspective :

From the Marxist perspective, Titanic is a movie that invites the audience to condemn capitalism by showing an unequal struggle for

survival between the rich and the poor. In the film, the ship represents a capitalist society: the first class was separated from the third class, and there was a

startling difference between them. People from the first class resided in opulent rooms, had servants to assist them, and were served with various delicacies.

In contrast, the third class was located at a lower deck in rooms with plain interiors. Passengers from the lower deck were not allowed to enter the premises

intended for the upper class. This design of the ship represents the societal divide between the bourgeoisie – those who control resources – and the
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proletariat, composed mainly of manual laborers (Tyson 52). As Tyson notes, Marxists focus on the distribution of economic power because this is the field

where the fiercest battles take place – the ones “between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have-nots’” (52). Titanic depicts one such fight that demonstrates the injustice

of the capitalist system.

Cameron sets the scene for the struggle for survival by vividly demonstrating the relationships between the rich and the poor. The upper class treated the

lower class contemptuously and as if they were less worthy than themselves. For example, when Jack was invited to have dinner with Rose’s family in

acknowledgment of his rescue of Rose, one first-class passenger noted: “What is Hockley hoping to prove, bringing this bohemian up here?” (Cameron).

Cal Hockley is the main character representing the ruling class and can also be regarded as the adherent to the ideology of rugged individualism. His phrase

“A real man makes his own luck” may be considered his personal motto as he was highly concerned with doing anything to increase his wealth (Cameron).

Marxists oppose rugged individualism because it encourages people to value their own interests higher than those of society, especially of unprivileged

people (Tyson 57). Indeed, in the movie, the majority of the first class did not care about the passengers of the lower class.

When the ship hit the iceberg, and it became clear that the vessel would sink, the unequal fight for survival began. The upper-class

passengers possessed money and, consequently, power, which was why it was the priority to save them first. Realizing these circumstances, Rose shouted to

her mother: “Don’t you understand? The water is freezing and there aren’t enough boats… not enough by half. Half the people on this ship are going to die”

(Cameron). Her fiancé’s reply reflected the whole upper class’s attitude toward the poor: “Not the better half” (Cameron). The difference between the value

that rich people assigned to their lives and those of the poor became even more evident when the third-class passengers were locked behind the gates. The

poor were hindered from the rescue, while the rich cared more about saving their belongings rather than helping those on the lower deck.

Titanic shows not only rich people’s indifference toward the poor but also overt cruelty. Lifeboats were departing half-full, but no

one was willing to return and help the remaining passengers. On lifeboat 6, Molly, a first-class lady who was not respected by her peers, asked the crew,

“What’s the matter with you? It’s your men back there! We got plenty of room for more” (Cameron). However, no one listened to her. In another lifeboat,

Cal hit the people in the water with the oar when they tried to cling to the sides of the boat. As a result, many third-class passengers froze to death because

the rich did not consider their lives worth saving. Thus, from the Marxist point of view, Titanic shows a story of a fight for survival between the wealthy and

the poor. In this battle, the lower class is defeated because the power to allocate the available resources is concentrated in the hands of the rich, but they use

it only for their own interests.

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(III) Feminist Perspective :

From the feminist perspective, Titanic is also deeper than a love story against the background of the sinking ship. The movie shows the classic

patriarchal society and how women struggle to survive in it. Patriarchy is defined as “any culture that privileges men by promoting traditional gender roles”

(Tyson 81). In Titanic, this culture is evident among the upper class, in which men are considered superior to women.

Rose and her mother, Ruth DeWitt Bukater, represent two different approaches that women can take in a male-dominated society. Ruth is

a traditional “patriarchal woman,” which means that she internalized the values and norms of patriarchy (Tyson 81). She sincerely believed that it was men’s

work to provide for the family, which was why she urged Rose to marry Cal: “It is a fine match with Hockley, and it will ensure our survival” (Cameron).

When Rose said to her that it was unfair for her mother to force her to marry the man she did not love, Ruth answered: “Of course it’s unfair! We’re women.

Our choices are never easy” (Cameron). Thus, Ruth thought that it was unjust that women had to rely on men if they wanted to lead a decent life. However,

she accepted these patriarchal values and saw no alternatives to her lifestyle.

In contrast, Rose opposed patriarchal ideology because she did not want to feel inferior to men, particularly her fiancé, Cal. In

Titanic, Cal is depicted as a traditional patriarchal man who believes in male superiority and women’s obedience. For example, when Rose said that she was

his fiancée, not “some foreman … you can command,” Cal replied, “Yes! You are! And my wife… in practice, if not yet by law. So you will honor me, as a

wife is required to honor her husband!” (Cameron). However, this was not the fate that Rose wanted for herself. Instead, she eventually refused to act like a

lady and even asked Jack to teach her to spit “like a man” (Cameron). Due to her courage to act against traditional gender roles and behavior patterns, she

was able to avoid marrying the domineering man and managed to live the life of her choice

Marxist Film Theory :

Marxist film theory is an approach to film theory centered on concepts that make possible a political understanding of the medium. An individual

studying Marxist representations in a film will take special interest in its representations of political hierarchy and social injustices.

Sergei Eisenstein and many other Soviet filmmakers in the 1920s expressed ideas of Marxism through film. In fact, the Hegelian dialectic was

considered best displayed in film editing through the Kuleshov Experiment and the development of montage. While this structuralist approach to Marxism

and filmmaking was used, the more vociferous complaint that the Russian filmmakers had was with the narrative structure of the cinema of the United

States.

Eisenstein's solution was to shun narrative structure by eliminating the individual protagonist and tell stories where the action is moved

by the group and the story is told through a clash of one image against the next (whether in composition, motion, or idea) so that the audience is never lulled
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into believing that they are watching something that has not been worked over.Eisenstein himself, however, was accused by the Soviet authorities under

Joseph Stalin of "formalist error", of highlighting form as a thing of beauty instead of portraying the worker nobly.

French Marxist filmmakers, such as Jean-Luc Godard, employed radical editing and choice of subject matter as well as subversive

parody to heighten class consciousness and promote Marxist ideas. Situationist film maker Guy Debord, author of The Society of the Spectacle, began his

film In girum imus nocte et consumimur igni with a radical critique of the spectator who goes to the cinema to forget about their dispossessed daily

life.Situationist film makers produced a number of important films, where the only contribution by the situationist film cooperative was the sound-track.

Can dialectics break bricks? (1973), a Chinese Kung Fu film was transformed by redubbing into an epistle on state capitalism and Proletarian revolution.

The intellectual technique of using capitalism's own structures against itself is known as détournement.

Effects Of Classism On The Sinking Of ‘Titanic’ In Reality :

Differential effects are present in every disaster, and the Titanic was not exempt from its own share of disproportionate burdens placed on

certain groups of individuals. Socioeconomic status, for example, plays a key role in the outcome of several disasters, including in the Titanic. Whether it

be that those with more socioeconomic power can afford to build their homes on more stable land to protect against earthquakes, or that they can afford to

escape a flood zone in the wake of a tsunami or hurricane, or the fact that they simply have access to better care and priority in rebuilding processes, it is no

secret that class has clear implications in times of crisis. Since everyone onboard the Titanic was physically in the same location, the nature of differential

effects was different than other disasters where certain people are able to escape the catastrophe. This is not to say, however, that differential effects did not

exist, but rather that they prevailed in terms of chances of survival, access to information and lifeboats, and even in the collection of bodies in the aftermath.

This had implications most obviously in survival rates, but also in terms of social norms and movements in the Titanic’s wake.

Likelihoods of survival :

There is no doubt that class, gender, and age played a huge role in passengers’ likelihood of survival. Table 1 illustrates the survival rates

from the Titanic disaster as a function of class and gender/age. First class passengers had the highest survival rate at 62 percent, followed by second class at

41 percent, and third class at 25 percent. Women and children survived at rates of about 75 percent and 50 percent respectively, while only 20 percent of

men survived (Takis, 1999). The role of class such that first-class passengers had the best chance of survival, followed by second- and third-class

passengers was not necessarily surprising.

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Information and Lifeboat access :

Socioeconomic status on the Titanic created critical boundaries between first-, second-, and third-class passengers. In terms of the physical

space that was occupied by each class of passengers, first- and second- class cabins were much closer to the boat deck (where the lifeboats were located)

than third class passengers. First- and second-class cabins were primarily separated by purely social barriers whereas physical gates separated the third-class

quarters from other areas of the ship. This of course, made accessing lifeboats much easier for first- and second-class passengers, as time is of the essence

on a sinking ship. However, access to lifeboats was not the only type of access that favored upper classes. Access to information was widely dispersed, but

information access tended to be separated along class lines. Since lifeboats were in close proximity to upper-class cabins, these passengers were better able

to see firsthand the severity of the situation. Those in first class also were advantaged in the sense that they had more connections to crew members (many

of whom congregated for an elegant dinner amongst first-class elites and top crew members just a few hours prior to the collision) and they were able to

gain access to information through these connections.

Pervasiveness of inequality :

Differential effects on the Titanic did not cease to exist after her final plunge. After the ship sank, the Mackay-Bennett sailed around the scene,

to pick up floating corpses. The bodies of first-class passengers that were recovered were placed in coffins on the main deck, while the bodies of second-

and third-class passengers were put on ice in the hold in sewn-up canvas bags (Levinson, 2012, 151). This is similar to the aftermath of many disasters, in

which effects of socioeconomic status persist even after the loss of life, which is not to say it makes it any easier to comprehend.

Social Norms and Movements:

Rather than spatial location and access to information, the differential outcomes in terms of gender and age could be widely attributed to

the social norms that were strictly followed on the night of the Titanic disaster, all the way through its very last moments. In situations of life and death, a

widespread social norm is that the safety of women and children should be prioritized (Frey, 2011, 216). On the Titanic, Captain E.J Smith gave specific

“women and children first” orders to the first and second officers (each of whom was responsible for filling lifeboats). Officer Lightoller, on the port side of

the ship, took this order to mean women and children only, resulting in lifeboats being lowered prior to reaching full capacity. On the starboard side of the
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ship, Officer Murdoch interpreted the orders as they were stated, meaning that men were offered seats on lifeboats so long as there were no women and

children waiting to board (Levinson, 2012, 149). In either case, established social norms that defined women and children as vulnerable, weak, and in need

of protection were honored by most men even when faced with imminent death. Thus, the pervasiveness of these norms was a driving factor behind the

disproportionate number of deaths suffered across age and gender. As a consequence of how social norms played out in disasters such as the Titanic,

fighting for women’s rights during the suffrage movement was even more difficult. As women fought for independence and voting rights, their voices

seemed less legitimate when most women accepted the “women and children first” rule without question when onboard the Titanic.

The sinking of the Titanic was similar to many disasters in the sense that certain groups were disproportionately burdened with the

tragedy. A striking and direct link between class and gender to the likelihood of survival in the Titanic disaster, however, was fundamental to the outcome

of the event, so much so that people’s lives quite literally depended on these two characteristics. Several factors and decisions accounted for these

differential effects including unequal access to information, social norms, as well as the division of cabin locations along class lines. While “differential

effects” in the case of the Titanic really just came down to who was given the choice of survival or not, they did go on to have consequences in later

movements, such as in the United States’ and Britain’s women’s suffrage movements less than a decade later.

Titanic Passengers Based On Class System :

The total number of passengers on board the Titanic was 1,317 people, with 324 in First Class, 285 in Second and 709 in Third. This seems

like a lot, but the Titanic was actually under capacity on her maiden voyage and could accommodate up to approximately 2,450 passengers.

There were 908 crew members working on the Titanic as officers, deck crew, stewards, electricians, engineers and much more. There

were 885 male crew members with 693 casualties and 23 female crew members with 3 casualties. The Titanic crew members had a fatality rate of 76%,

even higher than third class. Only 212 crew members survived the sinking.

In total there were approximately 2,208 people on board the Titanic when it sank. The final Titanic survivors number was 706,

meaning around 1500 lives were lost.

Anyone could buy tickets for Titanic but they were expensive; the cheapest costing around £7, nearly £850 in today’s money. There were three different

classes of ticket: First, Second and Third. As well as people, the Titanic also carried more than 3000 sacks full of letters and parcels thanks to its additional

function as a Royal Mail Ship. There was a big difference in the quality of accommodation and food depending on your class. The difference between the

survival rates for each class shows how the wealthy first-class and the moderately wealthy second-class passengers were prioritized over third-class

passengers even when the ship went down.

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(I) First Class :

The First Class was made up of wealthy and prominent individuals, such as the aristocracy, celebrities, politicians and businessmen. First-class

passengers had access to all facilities on board. They were able to bring huge amounts of luggage with them and some had an entourage of maids, a butler,

their dog or even their car. The most expensive first-class cabins were beautifully decorated and had two dressing rooms and a private deck. The cheapest

First Class fare cost around £23 (£2,795 today) and the bigger, more luxurious suites could cost up to £870 (£105,735 today).

The majority of survivors were First Class women and children. First Class men generally remained behind due to the “women and

children first” policy, though many of them accepted this with honor and bravery. Female help typically survived as they accompanied their mistress onto

lifeboats. Similarly, male help likely perished because they stayed behind to assist their masters. Only one first-class child didn’t survive the sinking. Her

name was Loraine Allison and she perished with her parents, who didn’t board a lifeboat because they couldn’t find their baby son, Trevor, and his nanny.

The nanny and Trevor had already boarded Lifeboat 11. First class on board the Titanic was the ultimate in luxury. It included veranda cafes, a smoking

room, restaurant, a dining saloon and a reading and writing room. The facilities on Titanic far surpassed those of rival ships of that time.

The first class passengers really dined in style. The dining room was the largest ever seen on a ship and a live orchestra played

background music. The furniture and paneling was carved in fine detail in oak, mahogany and sycamore. The more energetic passengers could play deck

games, such as shuffleboard, and use the gym, squash courts and swimming pool on board. Games such as chess and backgammon could be played on the

deck. Titanic had 39 private suites located at the top of the ship. They had 2 large bedrooms, 2 walk-in wardrobes and a bathroom.

(II) Second Class :

The Titanic’s Second Class was made up of middle-class families, tourists and traveling professionals. The ticket price for traveling as a

second-class passenger was £13 (around £1,579 today). Second Class on the Titanic was smarter than it would have been on other liners; in fact, Second

Class on the Titanic would have been to the standard of First Class on smaller, less expensive liners. While the second-class cabins were handsomely

furnished with sinks and mirrors, second-class passengers had to share a communal bathroom. Second-class passengers did not have access to the full range

of facilities that First Class did, but they still enjoyed considerable comfort and leisure with a spacious outdoor promenade, a smoking room, library (where

afternoon tea was served) and a dining room where a pianist would play for them.

The Titanic musicians traveled in second-class. The musicians were not classed as crew members because they were employed

through a third-party agency by the White Star Line. They would likely have been too busy working to fully enjoy the facilities however, they weren’t on

holiday like other passengers. Most of the second class accommodation on Titanic consisted of cabins with bunk-beds. Each cabin had either two beds or
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four and in total there was room for around 550 passengers. These cabins didn’t have private bathrooms, but inside there were sinks and mirrors and the bed

linen was changed every day.

Passengers in second class had facilities such as a spacious outdoor promenade, a smoking room, a library and dining room. Afternoon

tea and coffee was served in the library. The dining room could seat almost 2,400 people at one time and a pianist would entertain the diners. All of the

furniture was mahogany with crimson red upholstery and pivoted lights to add to the atmosphere.

(III) Third Class :

Many passengers in First and Second Class were returning home to the US from vacation, while many third-class passengers were emigrating

and planned to carry on from New York to more rural states to start a new life. Third-class passengers paid £7 (£850 today) for their tickets.

Third-class passengers were a very diverse group with many nationalities and ethnic groups. The majority were British and Irish

immigrants, but many other passengers were from Scandinavia, Eastern Europe, Lebanon, Syria and Hong Kong. The third-class were also known as

“steerage passengers” as they traveled in the ship’s steerage section, and they didn’t have access to the Titanic’s luxurious facilities that attracted the

ultra-wealthy. However, to compete with rival shipping companies the White Star Line provided steerage with modest facilities that would have been

considered quite luxurious for that class at the time. This was done with the idea that steerage passengers would write to friends and family also considering

emigrating, and convince them to travel with the White Star Line.

Third-class passengers on the Titanic had a dining hall with chairs and their meals were prepared by the third-class kitchen staff. Prior

to this, on other ships, passengers would have been expected to squash onto benches and bring their own food, even for a long journey that might spoil food.

Similarly, rather than communal sleeping areas, the Titanic’s third-class passengers enjoyed their own cabin with bedding, electricity,

heat and even running water! However, even with these upgrades the distinction between classes was still strictly upheld. The third-class areas of the ship

had grilles (a type of gate) to prevent third-class passengers from wandering into areas they were not permitted to enter. During the sinking many stewards

either forgot or did not have time to unlock the grilles, as they were supposed to in an emergency, meaning many third-class passengers were trapped below

deck. Third class was much more basic with very few facilities, but passengers still enjoyed a high level of luxury compared to other liners of the day.

The general room was where most passengers gathered, talked and socialised. There was a piano for passengers to make their own music in

the evenings. There was also a male-only smoke room which was panelled and furnished in oak with teak furniture.

Third class passengers ate in their own dining room which could seat around 470 passengers in 3 sittings. The food was very simple but

plentiful consisting of rice soup, biscuits, roast beef and fruit. On most other ships, third class passengers were expected to bring their own food which was
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supposed to last for the entire journey. With over 1000 third class passengers on board, accommodation was basic. Cabins slept up to 10 people and were

located at the noisy bottom part of the ship close to the engines. Single men and women were split up at the front and back with families in the middle.

There were only two baths for everyone in third class.

The Food Menu Abroad The Titanic Shows What Class Diffrence Really Means :

The surviving menus of the food served on the Titanic, which sank mid-journey in 1912 after hitting an iceberg, show that those two love-birds

could not have dined on the same food. While Rose dined on classic French cuisine of the Edwardian era, Jack and his friends would have lived on the most

dismal-looking porridge and biscuits.

The First Class passengers had a 10-course dinner menu, which was served in lavish dining halls. Each dish, from the consommes to

poached salmon and roast beef, was a perfect representation of contemporary French cuisine. Not only were the dishes cooked by experienced chefs like

Alexis Joseph Bochatay and bakers like Charles Joughin (who survived the sinking), the ingredients themselves were expensive and top-quality. Fillet

Mignon, Roast Duckling, Beef Sirloin and fresh oysters were served for the First Class dinners, and they had four desserts to feast on.

The Second Class dinner menu was a slight step down from the First Class menu. It might not have had the same quality of products,

and there definitely wasn't any sirloin or salmon on offer. But this menu had a good amount of chicken, lamb and turkey spread including the classic roast

turkey, cranberry Sauce. Their desserts might not be as sophisticated as a waldorf pudding that the First Class diners got, but they two had three desserts,

from American ice cream to fresh fruits to indulge in.

While the First and Second Class passengers had a separate menu for each meal of the day, the Third Class had one page of it. This menu

was rather dismal. The Third Class breakfast included Oatmeal Porridge, Smoked Herrings and Jacket Potatoes--and that might not sound too bad,

especially with Ham & Eggs also on the table. The Third Class passengers had an ordinary tea spread with Cold Meat and Stewed Figs. Their dinner

included Roast Beef, which was also the only protein on offer for them. A Plum Pudding was the simple dessert reserved for these passengers. But this was

not all. Their supper included Gruel (which sounds just cruel, given that it was a thinner and less nutritious version of porridge) and Cabin Biscuits. Jack

and Rose might have met and dined together in a fictionalised movie based on this ship, but their likes in real life had to deal with this wealth gap every day.

But this isn't just the story of the Titanic. This is just how eating patterns have developed across the globe, the rich have access to the

cream while the rest make do with skimmed milk. Or, like in the Indian case, the upper classes can afford the best of ingredients, while the lower classes

make the best they can of lauki peel, posto and cheap roots and veggies. We might still be years away from cancelling out the wealth gap between classes,
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but with the recent interest of chefs in integrating marginalised cuisines in the mainstream, there's hope that passengers on trains and flights can get access

to the same quality of food.

Income Inequality On The Titanic :

The Titanic carried enough lifeboats for only 52% of its passengers, and judging by which passengers got a seat, class clearly mattered.

Some 62% of first-class passengers found places in the boats, compared with 41% of second-class passengers, and 25% of steerage (or third-class)

passengers. The crew fared even worse, with just 24% saved.

As Walter Lord, author of the classic account of the Titanic disaster A Night to Remember, observed, the famous “women and children

first” rule of the sea only went so far. "In first class, just one child was lost," Lord noted in a later book, "…while in third class, 52 out of 79 children were

lost—about the same percentage as first class men.”

True, some of the Titanic’s one-percenters didn’t take advantage of their position. Most famously, John Jacob Astor IV, age 47, put his

pregnant 18-year-old wife in a lifeboat and went down with the ship. Reputedly the richest American of his day, Astor controlled a family fortune estimated

in contemporary newspaper accounts at as much as $200 million in 1912 dollars, the equivalent of nearly $5 billion today. When his body was recovered a

week later, his pockets held the soggy equivalent of nearly $60,000 in 2015 dollars, plus an ample supply of English currency, French francs, silver, and

gold. Other one-percenters behaved perhaps less admirably. Among those vilified in the disaster’s aftermath were Sir Cosmo and Lady Duff Gordon, a

Scottish aristocrat and his fashion designer wife. They and their secretary left the Titanic in a lifeboat that held just 12 people, despite having a capacity of

40. Sir Cosmo was later accused of bribing the crew to row away from the sinking ship as well as not to turn back and rescue other victims, a charge he and

his wife denied. Their lifeboat was mocked in the press as the “Money Boat.” Still, no one seemed to deny a remark attributed to Lady Duff Gordon.

Watching the huge ship disappear beneath the waves, with some 1,500 children, women, and men still aboard, she supposedly lamented to her secretary,

“There is your beautiful nightdress gone.”

American Culture's Social Classes During Titanic Era :

Social status was identified in the 1990s by evaluating one's financial status, educational level and occupation.

Lower Class :

Typically in the 90s if a person made less than $25.000 a year or had a high school diploma, some education, or a GED this could qualify for

lower Class.
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Lower Middle Class :

If the yearly income was between $25,000-$30,000, earning just enough income to cover bills and still being able to save some money

would be an example qualification for this class status.

Middle Class :

If the yearly income was between $24,198 to $40,000, then the person belonged to this class. Education and occupation levels also contributed

to this social class. People belonging to this class usually had bachelor degrees that were required to work for an individual.

Upper Middle Class :

If the yearly income was between$40,000-$99,000, then the person belonged to this class. Majority of Americans qualified for this class

status during the 90's, this was considered the financial median.

Upper Class/Wealthy Class :

Individuals who made over $100,000 during the 90's were considered wealthy. Typically individuals who were CEO's for big corporations,

Doctors, Lawyer, etc…would be an example of Upper Class status. A Master's, Doctorates, or PHD degree would also classify a person as upper class.

Titanic Movie's Enduring Impact On The World : A Cinematic Truimph That Transcends Time

In the annals of cinematic history, few films have left an indelible mark on the world’s cultural fabric quite like James Cameron’s 1997 masterpiece,

“Titanic.” Beyond its breathtaking visual effects and heart-wrenching love story, the movie’s impact on global culture, society, and the entertainment

industry is immeasurable. Over two decades since its release, “Titanic” continues to resonate with audiences worldwide, shaping perceptions of history,

romance, and human resilience. This article delves into the multifaceted impact of the Titanic movie on the world, exploring its influence on the film

industry, historical consciousness, fashion, and the enduring appeal of tragic romance.

While “Titanic” masterfully incorporated fictional characters and a love story, it also served as a poignant reminder of a real-life tragedy. The

sinking of the RMS Titanic in 1912 claimed over 1,500 lives, making it one of the deadliest maritime disasters in history. The film’s meticulous attention to

historical detail, from the design of the ship to the period-accurate costumes, transported audiences back in time, offering a glimpse into the opulence and

hubris of the early 20th century. By weaving historical facts into a compelling narrative, “Titanic” ignited a renewed interest in the actual events of that
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fateful night. Books, documentaries, and exhibitions exploring the Titanic’s history gained newfound attention, and the film prompted discussions about

maritime safety, class disparities, and the human capacity for heroism in the face of disaster.

One of the predominant characteristics of the present day is the sense of the general worthlessness of the old institutions and the

beliefs or shibboleths bound up with them, institutions and beliefs that many feel, even if they are not conscious of it, to be merely left over, by some kind of

inertia, from a previous epoch when they may have had meaning. It is a widespread and unstated assumption that nothing is to be expected from the existing

political parties, parliaments, business groups, the mass media, churches, trade unions—only corruption and lies. Under these conditions the very fact of its

initial popularity (aided by media manipulation) helps a film like Titanic to become immensely popular. ‘It is attractive to me precisely because it is

attractive to others; I have to see something extraordinary and tragic in the film because others have seen it.’ This is not so much conformism, although that

enters into it, as the desire for affiliation, for some unifying element, when the new social affiliation and the new basis for unifying humanity have not

appeared to the vast majority. In voicing their support for the film, young people are responding to what they perceive to be Titanic’s theme: the need to

break from conventions and experience, at no matter what cost, freedom and love. This is no doubt in part a response to the prevailing climate of

conformism and cynicism. But this genuine, if confused, sentiment is being directed toward a work that is fundamentally false and shallow.There is no trace

of genuine revolt in Cameron’s film. It is a thoroughly self-satisfied piece of work. There is not, after all, anything necessary, anything that flows from the

conflict between Winslet’s character and her family and fiancé, in the ultimate tragedy. Jack and Rose find happiness together relatively easily; they simply

happen to be on board a sinking ship. Presumably, had the Titanic not struck an iceberg, they would have lived happily ever after. One of the difficulties in

the situation is that the same low cultural level that has produced the film has, to a large extent, produced the public reaction to it.

It might be best perhaps to describe Titanic as a sort of lowest common denominator. The film contains certain minimums necessary

to draw an audience—attractive leading actors, a ‘tragic love story,’ expensive special effects, a mild dose of social criticism, a fascinating historical event,

media support—but its very blandness, in combination with these elements, accounts for its great success. Titanic is, in effect, a blank screen onto which a

great many people are projecting vague, but very powerful, longings—about life, love, society—which they cannot yet formulate in more concrete and

focused terms.

There is nothing ‘mystifying’ about such a relatively vacuous film winning tremendous popularity. On the contrary, no other film would

fill this particular bill. It is Titanic’s emptiness that allows the audience to invent a film, and a world, for itself in the course of those three-and-a-quarter

hours or as many viewings as it takes.