I made a bet with a guy I know. He thinks that Rose was just dreaming at the end of the movie while I think she died. I would really appreciate it if you could let me know what you think. Plus I would like to read other comments and thoughts on stuff in the movie!

-- Ashley (beaner05@ix.netcom.com), January 15, 1998

Answers

I'm sure she died because Jack said he wanted her to die an old woman in a warm bed. She was reunited with the people who died on Titanic now that she had passed away. That ending was so wonderful. I knew as soon as I saw the musician what was going on. I'm sure I'll choke up again when I go see it for my forth time!

-- Karen (ejpowell@emry.net), January 15, 1998.

i am pretty sure rose dies... jack illuded it it earlier in the movie with the line about dying "an old woman... warm in bed" also, in the dream/death sequence rose meets jack at the clock on the grand staircase, which resides under a white dome, then the camera moves to the white dome and fades to white (white=holy/god).. the dome: brilliant, extravagant, and white, acts as almost a god for the upperclass (or a golden calf maybe?).. the dome is eventually destroyed (during the sinking) which makes sense because a false god has no place in reality, only in the imaginary world in which the upperclass lives, later shattered by the sinking of titanic.. rose and jack reuniting is more or less a dream or an ideal, and this is why it is appropriate for the dome to reappear.. heaven is a dream or an ideal.. and that is rose's final destination.. titanic comes into heaven's port..

-- Jordan Gray (Yek401@mailexcite.com), January 15, 1998.

Yes, She dies at the end. In addition to what Jordan said, after she dies, she is met by all the people who died on Titanic. It was so emotional...because in the place...(heaven, whatever), everyone is in "upper class". The guys who were Jack's friends are there in their tuxedo's. It just made everything so perfect at the end....

-- MJ (love1028@aol.com), January 16, 1998.

Cameron purposely made the ending ambiguous, and indicates this in the script (www.script-o-rama.com).."She is dreaming..or something" Most people I've discussed this with (regardless of the script) have concluded she died, while one person suggested that this was a dream right before dying.

-- Bob Gregorio (rgregori@pacbell.net), January 16, 1998.

I feel whether she dies or not is irrelevent,or at least what ever you want it to be. I think that scene is more a comment on the bond between the survivors and victims of the Titanic. Many of those that survived the sinking had their ashes scattered at the site, or were buried in what they were wearing that night. If they survived they felt they were reunited when they finally died many years later.

-- Amanda Lisson (mandy@tm.net.my), January 16, 1998.

I read in an interview with the cast of Titanic that Rose died and the final scene was her heaven.

-- (cwal@frognet.net), January 16, 1998.

I also think Rose died in the last scene of the movie. I think after she dropped the necklace into the ocean she was ready to leave this earth and join Jack and the others on the ocean floor where the necklace landed.

-- Linda Davis (ashokan@ulster.net), January 20, 1998.

Old Rose dies "warm in her bed" like Jack told her she would. The pictures that she had with her revealed that she had done everything that she needed to do in this life, and she was ready to pass onto the next. She is beautifully reunited with Jack in her prime, as well with every other soul that perished that night. Notice that Cal Hockley and Roses' mother who survived the sinking were not present. Everyone is warmly welcoming her back and applauding her as she kisses Jack.

-- Kirsten Powell (kpowell@syptec.com), January 21, 1998.

She died. How can I be so sure of this? I read the original script. It saids:"She could be sleeping, or maybe something else." I'd like to think that their souls are reunited on the Titanic.

-- Colleen (Colleendi@earhtlink.net), January 21, 1998.

I, for one, would like to think that it is possible to go back to the absolute happiest moment in your life. After all, most people earn it. I would like to think that Rose did just that...Reunited with all of the people who meant the most to her for the rest of her life...*sigh* I cried all five times.

-- Rebecca Fox (beckiyowee@hotmail.com), January 22, 1998.

I think it would be most fitting if she had died...I want to believe she had died and that was her reception into the next life...a life with Jack.

Of course, this all depends on ones belief in an afterlife. A person who is a atheist or agnostic might view this as a dream

Romantic that I am...I want to think that what she saw...is how it is.

-- Connie Ostlund (sorka@teleport.com), January 26, 1998.

I really appreciated the comment that everyone who died is in "upper class" at the final scene. I've seen this movie many a time and I never paid attention to that! I also hadn't noticed Jack's friends were decked out in suits. What a nice thought on Cameron's part! Finally, I have a question: was that Calvert in the upstairs northeast corner, assuming Rose entered at the southwest? Take a look the next time you watch the movie. It makes no sense to me that he would be there, but there sure is a resemblance. The only positive thing to be said about him is that he loved Rose (even though he shot that gun at Jack carelessly).

-- Bob Gregorio (rgregori@pacbell.net), January 26, 1998.

BOB, Who's Calvert in the northeast corner? Are you referring to Caledon Hockley Roses' fiance? If so, I didn't notice him being there. It seems to be only the people who perished that night plus Rose.

-- Kirsten Powell (kpowell@syptec.com), January 28, 1998.

well i think the writer got what he wanted. i am in creative writting and i was recently thaught that to make a great story end u gotta leave them thinking. of course he already knows that so he made us think. So the answear is to let your imagination go and what you find is the answear. i personally think she dies and goes 2 her love

-- karla perez (kurtcobainluver_98@yahoo.com), January 29, 1998.

Check out the time on the clock at the top of the stairs in the final scene. It says 2:20, the time Titanic went completely under. My feeling is that Rose did pass away, to then meet Jack again where they last had to part.

-- Candace Gudmundson (gcg@atmos.washington.edu), January 29, 1998.

Kirsten, I meant to say Caledon (Hockley)--otherwise known as Cal. All these "Cal" names--Calvert, Calvin, Caledon--are confusing to me. As you may know, Rose ended up marrying a Mr. Calvert. So, I'm still wondering whether that was Cal that I saw in the "northeast corner" upstairs...

-- Bob Gregorio (rgregori@pacbell.net), January 30, 1998.

I'm sure Rose died that night and reunited with Jack in other life. There's an article I read that says the financiers of this movie want to give the story a happy ending, but doing so could spoil the whole thing (it might not be the same compelling Titanic here). To compromise, Cameron makes it a bit ambiguous. I honestly believe that Rose finally joined Jack in heaven. However, in my opinion, their final embrace should have been more passionate!

-- Linda Tsui (Linda_Tsui@hp-singapore-om5.om.hp.com), January 31, 1998.

MJ, after seeing this film many more times, I noticed that Jack and his buddies, although they were in the ritzy first class area in the final scene with all the others, were not wearing tuxedos, but their regular clothes. It doesn't detract from the fact that everyone is in the same class in heaven though.

-- Bob Gregorio (rgregori@pacbell.net), February 07, 1998.

whether or not she died is up to the viewer. i belive she died, personally. i think that her spirit goes back to the titanic and jack and all the other people that died on the titanic. she is reunited with her true love for all eternity.

-- melissa (susy8795@aol.com), April 04, 1998.

I personally believe she dies, is reunited with Jack and that the white light above them represents Heaven. I don't think she spends eternity with Jack though because let's not forget that Rose did marry Mr Calvert somewhere along the line, and what would happen to him if Rose was with Jack forever after dying?

-- Emma (dilemma76@hotmail.com), August 25, 1998.

Cameron deliberately left the end as a riddle: if you open your heart, Rose dies, if not, she has a dream...

-- Dan Draghici (ddraghic@sprint.ca), August 26, 1998.

Did you notice that it's James Cameron with a beard in the northeast corner (over Jack's shoulder)?

-- Carolyn (crumfelt@idir.net), November 10, 1998.

I didn't see Cameron. Where excactly is he? I checked out the scene but didn't see anything. And I think that Rose dies. Everyone else that had died was in the Grand Staircase, along with Jack and Rose. Just thought I'd letcha know what I thought! Kelly :-)

-- Kelly (foo@bar.com), November 12, 1998.

Yes, Kelly, i believe that she dies in the end. One detail that stuck to my mind. Throughout the movie, Jack always take Rose in his right hand, but in the final scene he extends his left hand. That's a clear indication for me that he was "different," viz. dead.

-- Dan Draghici (ddraghic@sprint.ca), November 13, 1998.

You can see Cameron over Jack's shoulder. He's the guy with the brown beard (the one you see in the leaving port scene having his beard checked for lice).

-- Carolyn (crumfelt@idir.net), November 13, 1998.

Okay, I have some food for thought....First though just for clarification Jack was wearing the same outfit he wore when He said he was king of the world and he was also wearing that when he first met Rose (Both being very happy times in his life). Now for the real food for thought.....Rose droped the Heart of the Ocean overboard. It takes several hours for the heart to reach Titanic, by that Time Rose has had time to get into bed and fall asleep. When the Heart of the Ocean (Rose's heart) reaches the Titanic....would she die then and be reunited with Jack? I like to think so:)

-- Miranda Swearingen (Kylen1@hotmail.com), November 14, 1998.

Miranda, it might be so. However, the beauty of this scene is that it does not give us a clear ending, shifting the focus from dream/death to the idea of Rose's reaching for absolution, something that she longed so much during her life. Dropping the diamond is probably the last thing she had to do in order to accomplish and thus finish all the "work" from her promise made to Jack just before he froze to death. From the script, you realize that Rose is now the pure butterfly, releaved from any form of cocoon-type of non-spiritual heaviness. Whether she dies that night or later seems to lose significance. Make a paralel to the Bible: Jesus is crucified and his last words are: "It is finished." He dies on the cross, fulfilling his earthly duty, and reaching his absolution (his promise/mission to God?); apparently, he goes to the netherworld to rescue Adam and all the dead taking them to Heaven. His soul would still be on Earth for another 40 days before the final departure (until his promissed return). So, maybe Rose is the last survivor or the "chosen" one who delivers "absolution" and "good news" to all those Titanic spirits hovering around the wreck. The captain is seen as the last person/soul applauding during the J&R kiss and then you see the light (maybe the tunnel that leads to Heaven) where they all probably go. This is my subjective interpretation.

-- Dan Draghici (ddraghic@sprint.ca), November 14, 1998.

She definately died, all of the pictures at her bed side, one was when she was riding a horse with a leg on each side like she asked Jack to show her right at the beginning of the film, just after they had first met. Just before thay spat.

-- Ian Rafferty (IRaff@compuserve.com), November 19, 1998.

"You will die an old woman, warm in your bed...not here, not this night", that is exactly what Rose did. It is obvios that she died. So many things are symolic that it is Heaven. You see the pictures of her doing the things she WOULD have done with Jack, keeping her promise to go on. Then you pass over Old Rose, then her face fades into the ship, at the bottom of the Atlantic as it is today. You move to it and if you listen you can hear water sounds, but as soon as you enter the hallway and pass through the doors before it starts to become "new" again, the water sounds stop and the brilliant lights start to filter in. I think that this suggests "the gates of Heaven". So, the ship becomes new and we move to the grand staircase where everone who died aboard Titanic is waiting for her. Even Murdoch and Tommy(Murdoch shot Tommy) are there together and are peaceful together. Then you see Andrew's. He nods at Rose smiling...almost as if "This is the strongest ship you can have because it is eternal". Then you see Jack, he turns and simply holds out his hand...Rose enters the frame and she is wearing a white dress, which symbloizes a wedding dress. Then they kiss and you see the dome which again, symbloizes Heaven. Now, those are the obvious things...There is also things that you have to think about. The clock is 2:20 am when JAck and Rose reunite, the same time that Titanic sank on April 14, 1912. This is the conclusion I have made. At all the important moments Jack and Rose had with each other, they met at the Grand Staricase...the dinner, the steerage party, the lifeboat scene...all meeting back at the Grand Staircase. If you refer back to the note Jack gave Rose it says, "Make it count, meet me at the clock". Well, she made her WHOLE life count, then she met him at the clock when everything was finsihed. I am sorry this was so long, It is just that this is my favorite scene and I like to share my opinions. Tell me what you think!

Laura

-- Laura (Roxygirli@alloymail.com), November 21, 1998.

I totally agree with your interpretation.

The only reason why Cameron made the end of the script and movie ambiguous was to offer satisfaction to everyone. If you are an atheist you would consider that Rose is just dreaming, yet she will soon die. Some atheists only went to this movie for the digital animation or a pure interest in the Titanic story. For the rest of the viewers (probably the majority), the end is clearly Rose's death and journey to Heaven. But that's the best part of this ending, because we are given the same "free will" of interpretation as God gave it initially to his human creation. We are reminded thus, that all we are, see and go through, is a matter of interpretation and choice. And that's what all this movie is about. We are subjective and make choices, even when followed by fate. And yet, there's choice even in the face of death. You see Guggenheim, the Strausses, Jack (albeit fictional), the Irish woman (mother of the two kids), Mr. Andrews, the band, the Captain etc. Others' choice was like Cal's (fictional) or Ismay (real). Everything in this movie shifts from "luck" (Jack and A. Gracie) to "making luck" (Cal and Lovejoy). And yet Supremacy remains unchallenged, independent of our choice or beliefs.

-- Dan Draghici (ddraghic@sprint.ca), November 21, 1998.

With due respect to the fine responses of everyone else who has contributed here: Laura, that is the most profound synopsis written here so far regarding this question. Thanks!

-- Prodigal son (foo@bar.com), November 21, 1998.

No problem. I just get too in depth sometimes when stating my opinion.

-- Laura (Roxygirli@alloymail.com), November 21, 1998.

Wow Laura, I have to agree with you. LOL I'm speechless!

-- Miranda Swearingen (Kylen1@hotmail.com), November 23, 1998.

LOL!! Did you guys see earlier that some girl said their embrace should have been more passionate? Well, what did she want them to do? Start doing the big nasty on the stairs? It was as passionate as it needed to be I think.

-- Laura (Roxygirli@alloymail.com), November 23, 1998.

I think at the end of the movie Rose dies becuase, she is warm in her bed and dies happy, even though Jack may have died. But she died how Jack told her to die a old womane warm in her bed. Then when it took her back to the past where all the people who died in the titanic were , thgat proved she was ded, I think. But it can also be an opion in my opinon hse died, but in someone 'elses she may have lived, and could of been dreaming. But I think she died at the end of the movie.

-- Sexy Kitty (Attidute7@aol.com), April 10, 2001.

i think rose died at the end of the movie...the ending is rather symbolic (where rose entered the room and saw jack and u know the rest). if you look at the people at the grand staircase and around, those are the people who had died we know who died thomas andrew, jack's friend, the child and many others. so i feel that the ending scene is more of a union with jack and can only see so when she died.. haha email me

-- ann (therainmakere@yahoo.com), November 23, 2001.

One of the last things Jack said before he died was:

You're going to get out of this... you're going to go on and you're going to make lots of babies and watch them grow and you're going to die an old, old lady, warm in her bed. Not here. Not this night. Not like this, do you understand me?

So I reckon that Rose did just that. She'd already gotten out of that, gone on, made lots of babies, watched them grow, and now she has to die an old, old lady, warm in her bed, aged 101. So that's what she does.

James Cameron leaves it up to us to decide, though. So there actually isn't one answer.

As for the rest of the movie - I think it is absolutely amazing. It's so sad, and so touching. James Cameron wasn't trying to make a historical report, but a love story. The tragedy just added to the strength og the film, and I enjoyed it tremendously!!

-- Sarah (blondes_kick_ass@go.com), November 16, 2003.

انا شاب لطيف

-- Dany_Smilly_kewell_For_Ever (alshrif2008@hotmail.com), January 08, 2004.

l think Rose passed away as Jack had predicted before in the movie.The fact that at the end of the mmovie they meet in heaven shows the reunion of the dead in paradise.What do you guys think about the throwing of the necklace into the water by Rose?what is the significance?

-- Rufniik Dread (rufniik@hotmail.com), August 25, 2004.