A lot of my friends have noticed many symbolic things in this movie. As I watched it for the fourth time I noticed something, too. Rose was the one who felt trapped in her life, unable to control. She felt that she was controled by her mother and Cal. Jack was the one who was free to go where he wanted to and to do what he felt like. Inspite of this freedom, Jack was the one who died with the handcuffs on and Rose died in her bed, after living a life the way she wanted to do it. It is like Jack took on Rose's lack of freedom so that Rose could have her own. Cool, hu? :)

-- Laura Pliner (pliner98@hotmail.com), February 11, 1998

Answers

Laura: He didn't die with the handcuffs on. Remember the 'axe' scene?

Regards, Peter

-- Peter Nivling (pcnivling@capecod.net), February 11, 1998.

Actually he does die with handcuffs on. When Rose freed him, she simply used the axe to break the chain that linked the cuffs together, but he still had one cuff around each wrist, like bracelets. They didn't really hinder his movement, like handcuffs do, but they were still on. Good symbolism.

-- Jen Alexander (jmalexande@mofo.com), February 11, 1998.

Laura, your symbolism gave me chills! I didn't look at it that way. I swear I have to go back and see it again when I come here and read these postings!!

-- Caron (bianchi@iserv.net), February 12, 1998.

Wow this is some great thinking!!! i love it that everyone sees so much sybolism in this film. i used to hate symbolism because all my english teachers would beat it to death like trying to find symbolism in the blade of grass at someone foot but everything here actually makes sense!! here's something i noticed after seein it for the fifth time:

The Roses, there are tons of them in this film (I'm sure everyone noticed this) In the scene where rose and Cal are about to board Titanic you see Roses maid with boxes and two roses which never touch. this could symbolize Rose and Cals relationship) they are together but never actually connect, fall in love whatever. However, When Jack and Rose are in th car together and are about to make love there are two roses side by side in the vase attached to the wall. This could be jack and Roses relationship since they were together and actually did connect. LOL Think this is looking to hard or does it make sense to anyone other than me??

-- Miranda Swearingen (Kylen1@hotmail.com), February 21, 1998.

This may not be symbolic but it made me think. After the dinner scene, Jack is at the top of the staircase asking Rose if she "wants to go to a real party". At that point in time, nobody really liked Jack because he was a third-class passenger. But at the end of the movie,after Rose dies, she goes to the same place to meet Jack. Do you think that this could possibly be another "real party" where everyone there knows Jack saved Rose's life, so they like him.They can all welcome her back to Titanic and party regardless of the class they were.

-- Sara (sarar@rnet.net), February 27, 1998.

i only just noticed this but i saw a pic of it and it popped into my head. when jack first sees Rose, lookin over the railing on the higher deck, he is rivited. but he has to slightly tilt his head to see her properly. this symbolizes that he is from a totally different "level" so to speak. she is a higher class and he looks up to her like an angel. hu agrees with me? xxx

-- Becki Peake (playboi_eyecandi@hotmail.com), April 13, 2004.