Individualism's Roots In Money: Titanic by James Cameron

Titanic, both the movie (produced by James Cameron) and the infamous event categorized certain cultural and social phenomena that transcended the time period, and reached into today. The plagues of sexism, classism and even racism excelled in the plot of this movie. As did the genuine nature of the humanity, in the actions the people took specifically while the ship was sinking. The social structure of society was a prevalent point of the movie, one with a modern twist on the tale of Romeo and Juliet, and one that nonetheless dealt with the intricate relationships individuals and classes had with and amongst each other.

The movie starts off with a largely male cast portraying the finders of the ship. In The Theory Toolbox the authors Jeffrey Nealon and Susan Searls Giroux state “And gender criticism might be said to get off the ground with the simple observation that the supposedly ‘universal’ subject has a very specific gender: masculine” (179). Seemingly, everyone who is an important character except for the actual protagonist of the story is a male, and more importantly mostly the male characters have dynamic character development. Rose is an upper class woman that is destined to marry the son of a wealthy steel tycoon. The desire to come to America and start a new life is inherently masculine, yet Rose is portrayed as someone who needs that. Throughout the movie she is abused by Cal and degraded, because even Rose (the protagonist) cannot escape from the inherent sexism that is portrayed in the movie. Although she is the protagonist, she is forced to be someone who conforms to the gender role established for her by society. When she is first introduced, she is seen molding a clay pot, something that is often associated with ...

... middle of paper ...

...no source of income and is destitute). The accumulation of wealth is not necessary when one is being subjected to the society of the affluent, a point Brown makes when she tells Jack how to act at the dinner. This is a point he follows, when he acts like he is just another wealthy passenger on the ship. Most of the rich believe his act, except for Cal and the Dawson’s, who are aware of his true background.

Works Cited

Ahmed, Sara. "Recognizing Strangers." Fitzsimmons, Margaret Himley and Anne. Critical Encounters with Text: Finding a Place to Stand. Boston: Pearson Learning Solutions, 2010. 19-34. Text.

Nealon, Jeffrey and Susan Searls Giroux. "Differences." Jeffrey Nealon, Susan Searls Giroux. The Theory Toolbox. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc., 2012. 171-205. Text.

Titanic. Dir. James Cameron. Perf. Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. 1997. DVD.