Discuss
1. Have you been on a cruise anywhere? Where did you go? What activities did you do on the cruise?
2. Have you ever been sailing on a yacht. Did you get seasick?
3. Does your country have a navy? Do you know anyone in the navy?
4. Can you row a boat? Can you use a kayak?
5. Does your country have any long rivers that you can take a boat across or on?
6. Have you ever been on a jetboat?
7. Do you think you'll ever own a boat of any kind?
8. Can you surf or windsurf?
9. Are you more afraid of flying or travelling by ship?
10. If you could go in a submarine, would you?
Shipwreck or film?
Shipwreck
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Movie
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historical inaccuracy
edit funnels captain
wreckage flares SS California realistic
portrayal audience love story director
distress signal lifeboat below deck escape
scene climactic scene to showcase Hollywood special effects star
third-class flooding perished
boarding character fictional
survivor iceberg acclaimed
script cast passengers tragedy
rescue searchlights impact
vessel collision depict
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survivor
iceberg
impact
vessel
collision
passengers
tragedy
rescue
searchlights
funnels
captain
wreckage
flares
SS California
distress signal
lifeboat
below deck
third-class
flooding
perished
boarding
character
fictional
depict
escape
scene
climactic scene
realistic
portrayal
audience
love story
director
to showcase
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historical inaccuracy
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acclaimed
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cast
special effects
star
1. The band played as the ship sank
2. Jack Dawson and Rose DeWitt Bukater
3. Use of flashlights during the search for survivors
4. How the iceberg sank the ship
5. The ship splitting in two
6. Rescue by the RMS Carpathia
7. Insufficient number of lifeboats
8. First Officer William Murdoch’s actions
9. Elderly couple refusing to leave and dying together
10. Class discrimination with the lifeboats
1. The band played as the ship sank (True)
One of the most dramatic and heroic moments in the movie is
when the ship’s band continues to play as the Titanic sinks.
Surprisingly, this actually happened. Survivors of the real RMS Titanic have
confirmed that the band played in an effort to calm passengers, even amidst the
chaos of the sinking. They played until the very end, with the belief that the
last song performed was “Nearer, My God, to Thee.” It was a touching and tragic
display of dedication.
2. Jack Dawson and Rose DeWitt Bukater (False)
Love stories often add depth to movies, and Titanic is no
exception. However, the characters of Jack and Rose were entirely fictional
creations by James Cameron. While their sacrifices for each other may mirror
real events involving passengers on board, their presence on the ship was
purely fictional. The evidence, such as a third-class passenger casually
entering the first-class dining area, points to their fictional nature. Though
it’s worth noting that there was a Joseph Dawson on the ship, it was merely a
coincidence.
3. Use of flashlights during the search for survivors
(False)
The scene depicting crew members using flashlights to search
for survivors in the freezing ocean is memorable but historically inaccurate.
Flashlights were not employed during the Titanic’s search and rescue efforts in
1912 since they had only recently been invented and were not commonly used at
the time. James Cameron himself has acknowledged this inaccuracy, admitting
that it was added for convenience in the scene. Other historical inaccuracies,
like Jack’s modern handcuffs, can also be found in the movie.
4. How the iceberg sank the ship (True)
It is widely known that the Titanic sank due to colliding
with an iceberg. The movie’s depiction of the iceberg’s impact is remarkably
accurate. Director James Cameron meticulously studied the wreck of the Titanic
and survivors’ accounts, ensuring that the calm before the collision, the
collision itself, and the ensuing chaos were depicted realistically. The size
and impact force of the iceberg were faithfully recreated, making these crucial
moments in the film as believable as possible.
5. The ship splitting in two (True)
The climactic scene in Titanic showcases passengers
desperately clinging to the ship as it rises out of the water, breaks in half,
and sinks. While it was initially believed that the Titanic sank as one intact
vessel, subsequent studies of the wreckage revealed that it indeed split
between the second and third funnels. As water flooded one side of the ship due
to the iceberg damage, the other side lifted out of the water, eventually
breaking off. The movie’s portrayal aligns with this historical discovery.
6. Rescue by the RMS Carpathia (True) When the
Titanic crew realized they were in trouble, they fired flares and sent out
distress signals, as shown in the film. The RMS Carpathia promptly responded
and arrived at the scene approximately four hours later to aid in the rescue
efforts. However, omitted from the movie was the fact that another ship, the SS
California, was much closer but failed to respond to the distress calls. The
radio operator had turned off the ship’s radio, and the captain chose to ignore
the Titanic’s distress rockets. Official inquiries concluded that this inaction
led to a greater loss of life. Although James Cameron filmed this sequence, he
ultimately removed it for a cleaner narrative.
7. Insufficient number of lifeboats (True) In the
movie, we witness passengers frantically attempting to board the limited number
of lifeboats to escape the sinking Titanic. This accurately reflects the
reality. The Titanic carried enough lifeboats to accommodate 1,178 people,
which was approximately one-third of the ship’s total capacity. Shockingly,
this number exceeded the legal requirement.
8. First Officer William Murdoch’s actions (False) While
Titanic features a few fictional villains, First Officer William Murdoch, who
is portrayed as angrily dismissing and shooting passengers before turning the
gun on himself, is based on a real character. However, Murdoch was far from a
villain. In reality, he was hailed as a hero for his actions, helping fill
approximately ten lifeboats with passengers before losing his own life in the
disaster. James Cameron admitted to taking creative liberties when depicting
Murdoch’s story, although he portrayed the Titanic’s captain, Smith, as a hero.
The captain’s fate, as seen in the film, remains disputed.
9. Elderly couple refusing to leave and dying together
(True) One memorable scene in Titanic portrays an elderly couple embracing
each other on their bed as water floods their room. This scene is inspired by
the heartwarming story of Isidor and Ida Straus. In accordance with the “women
and children first” protocol, Ida was offered a seat on a lifeboat but refused
to leave her husband’s side. Although the movie does not depict it, Isidor
reportedly declined a place beside her, insisting that women and children go
first. As Ida’s maid boarded a lifeboat, Ida selflessly gave her fur coat to
keep her warm. The couple was last seen arm in arm on the ship’s deck, and they
perished together.
10. Class discrimination with the lifeboats (False) Contrary
to the movie’s portrayal, there was no class discrimination when it came to
loading passengers onto lifeboats. When the severity of the situation became
apparent, the crew’s priority was to evacuate as many people as possible,
regardless of their wealth or class. Women and children were given priority
during the boarding process. The scene depicting third-class passengers being
locked below deck is entirely fictional. The crew’s focus was solely on saving
lives, without discrimination based on class.
