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Today in Titanic History - with Searching
Today in
Titanic History

Wednesday, April 30, 2025
1919 - 1st class survivor Miss Daisy E. Minahan died of tuberculosis in Los Angeles, California, USA at the age of 40.

1871 - 1st class survivor Miss Elizabeth Weed Shutes was born to Samuel E. Shute and Sarah Berrian Shute in Newburgh, New York, USA.

1872 - 1st class survivor Miss Sara Rebecca Compton was born to Alexander Taylor Compton and Mary Eliza Compton.

1918 - 3rd class survivor Mrs Anna De Messemaeker died in a mental hospital in Rochester, Minnesota, USA at the age of 42.

1869 - Carver Sig. Candido Scavino was born to Gioanni Scavino and Anna Frejlino in Guarene (Cuneo), Italy.

1912 - Day 11 of the American inquiry into the Titanic disaster in Washington, D. C., USA. Witnesses called that day: Salesman Edward J. Dunn, Deputy United States Marshal Charles H. Morgan, Managing Director of the White Star Line and First Class Passenger J. Bruce Ismay, First Class Passenger C. E. Henry Stengel, Counsel for IMM (White Star Line) S. C. Neale, First Class Passenger Archibald Gracie, First Class Passenger Helen W. Bishop, and First Class Passenger Dickinson H. Bishop.

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Columns: Melting the Iceberg: Part 1
by Mark


Uncovering the symbolism and meaning behind James Cameron's blockbuster.

Many are the untold stories of the legendary Titanic. Splendor and wealth. Optimism and tragedy. The release of James Cameron's 1997 Blockbuster Titanic soon sparked the imaginations of several authors, once again bringing the tragedy to our memories and, ultimately, to life.

We have now all been made aware of the tragic and heart-wrenching tales of survivors, and of the many rumours and myths surrounding the untimely disaster. But still, after learning of the historical aspects and real-life dramas aboard the liner, one fictional story still tears at our hearts like no other. That of Jack and Rose.

A trapped young socialite. A poverty-stricken artist. The foe who dared come between them, and the fate that tore them apart. This is the story of true freedom, the defiance of emotional slavery and the ultimate revenge of Mother Nature.

The symbolism Cameron has incorporated into his film has only added to the emotional depth and meaning behind the actions.

The first symbolism we see in the film is of the wreck. Naturally, the scenes contain a blue tinge, emphasising the thought of being underwater. However, the blue lighting also plays on the audience's emotions and senses. The sense most closely associated with blue is coldness. So, as an audience, we almost become one with the actors, experiencing the cold as though we are with them. Sadness and grief also is brought to mind the the color blue. This is a sad moment, where the audience laments over the wreck and the loss of lives.

It is all very well to give the scene a blue lighting, but the audience is still greatly distanced from the situation without an object to emotionally connect them in full with the mood. This is where the personal artifacts scattered around the wreck come into place. At first, we see only a great iron structure embedded within the sand. It is only a ship. When, in the next few scenes, the submarines cast light over several objects, such as a pair of glasses, boots, and the haunting presence of a doll's porcelain head, we as an audience realise that people were indeed aboard the ship. Real people. People who obviously suffered both emotionally and physically from the tragedy. And so, from the very first few scenes, we are brought into the story, experiencing emotions such as emphathy for the lost. This idea of destroying the distance between the characters and audience is a great factor that has led immensely to the success of Titanic.

The famed priceless diamond, the 'Heart of the Ocean' is likewise a significant connective device in the film. However, this artifact connects one character to another, at the same time connecting the past with the present.

When the treasure hunters come across the portrait of a young lady wearing the precious stone, we are introduced to the character of Rose, a 100 year old woman sitting in her home in Ojai. We see a vast collection of photographs and memoribilia, signifying that her past has a great importance in the film. This theory is justified when the old lady claims she herself is the woman in the portrait, wearing the diamond the hunters are seeking.

By introducing first the diamond, then connecting Rose with the discovery, Cameron has blended two different storylines, harmonising the jump between the two.

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