What was Rose thinking? {when she saw tHotO}

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Since I only discovered this site a short time ago, I'm not familiar with everything that has been asked--I apologize in advance if this question has already been posed.

On one of the threads, people were discussing what Cal was thinking at a particular moment in the movie. I was wondering what you guys thought Rose was thinking when Cal gave her the necklace, particularly the part where she is looking in the mirror and Cal asks her to "open your heart to me, Rose?" What was she thinking/feeling? I'm interested in hearing what you guys think.

-- Nonnie Parker (x96smock@wmich.edu), April 20, 1999

Answers

Response to What was Rose thinking?

I think she was confused. She had almost killed herself the same evening because she felt suffocated by the superficiality of upper class, but she was astounded by the beauty of this diamond. She didn't love Cal but she could only be impressed with this gesture.

-- BobG (bobg@bob.bob), April 20, 1999.

Response to What was Rose thinking?

I'm sorry. This may be a bit off topic here, but when reading Nonnie's question I realized that old Rose made a mistake in the movie. When she was talking to Brock she told him she had only worn the necklace the one time when she was drawn with it on. But she also had worn it when Cal put it on her. Just thought I'd mention that.

-- Ed (E3916@aol.com), April 21, 1999.

Ed--

Perhaps Old Rose didn't feel that trying the necklace on for Cal "counted" as wearing it. After all, Cal put it around her neck to "show off", so to speak. Just a thought....

-- Nonnie (X96smock@wmich.edu), April 23, 1999.


BobG:

You mentioned Rose's feeling "suffocated by the superficiallity of the upper classes." Couldn't the Heart of the Ocean have emphasized the superficiallity of Cal and his world? When Cal enters her room he tells her "I know you've been melancholy and I don't pretend to know why"--he doesn't understand her, doesn't know how she feels about her life and the "inertia of it" (and frankly, doesn't seem to care much). He tries to buy her with the necklace--"we ARE royalty, you know." It seems to me that the appearance of Cal with necklace in tow might have made Rose feel a little more trapped in her society. After all, the next morning she goes in search of Jack (a man completely opposite Cal).

From the way I've been looking at it, I didn't really see confusion-- more a feeling of being trapped by her world--but looking at it from your perspective, I can see where the confusion comes into play. And actually, confusion does come into play with the way I've been seeing it 'cause she still has to decide what to do (do I stay with this guy, do I fulfill the role expected of me, etc.).

Thanks for sharing your views with me, BobG. It's always nice to see things a little differently. =)

-- Nonnie (x96smock@wmich.edu), April 23, 1999.


Now see, everybody? THAT'S the kind of prose that wins me over. Nonnie will be someone I WON'T HATE. LOL. Oh, I forgot to add on the other thread that Kathleen is one of my cyberwives, too. How could I forget; she's so sweet. Dalton, any sarcastic response from you is unneeded. LOL

-- BobG (bob@bob.bob), April 23, 1999.


In the script Cameron says that Cal's gesture of the necklace made Rose feel like all hope was gone. The necklace clamped her down to society life.

-- Roxygirli (Alimcbeil@aol.com), April 23, 1999.

....Whereas the canvases by Picasso, Monet, etc. and the 17 trunks of evening gowns she bought were her butterfly's wings?

Sorry, Bob. It's late. That's the best I can do for now.

-- Dalton (DFDalton@msn.com), April 24, 1999.


BTW: Nonnie. Nonnie. I've loved that name ever since I saw "The Poseidon Adventure" and the character "Nonnie" sung (There's Got To Be A) Morning After.

Since that's the only time I've ever heard this name, I'm going to put on my Sherlock Holmes cap and guess that your parents saw the movie and liked the name too. So you're no older than 27 since TPA was released in early 1972. But your email address includes .edu. So you must be a student, and therefore younger. My guess: 22? Oh, and you live in Kalamazoo - at least during the school year.

Why do I bring this up? Because this means you are FAR too young to marry BobG! hahaha

-- Dalton (DFDalton@msn.com), April 24, 1999.


Dalton, whether Nonnie and I are of the same age is immaterial and nonnie of your business. BTW, I have an Aunt Nonnie in New Orleans, actually a family friend, who is around 80 and also a sweetie. AND I loved the Poseidon Adventure when it came out. OK, enough of the foolishness. Sorry, Nonnie. Dalton provoked me. LOL

-- BobG (bob@bob.bob), April 24, 1999.

BobG:

I promise that you, too, are one that "I won't hate." =)

Dalton:

I've never seen the Poisedon Adventure and as far as I know, neither have my parents. The name Nonnie was often used by British Colonialists in Africa in the 1800s. It is the diminutive form of Nonna (which means mistress of the home--or in today's terminology "lady of the house"). The name Nonnie means "little mistress" (little lady in todays nomenclature).

And actually, Nonnie is only my nickname.

I must have missed something somewhere in here--why are you wondering if I'm of an age to marry BobG?

-- Nonnie (x96smock@wmich.edu), April 24, 1999.



Ignore my last question, Dalton. I just read BobG's "proposal"

-- Nonnie (x96smock@wmich.edu), April 24, 1999.

The general consensus here seems to be that Rose was feeling confused and trapped when she received the necklace from Cal. And that, to her, the necklace represented her society and the fact that she couldn't escape. Why, then, did she choose the Heart of the Ocean for her sketch by Jack? I look forward to reading your responses!! :-)

-- Nonnie (x96smock@wmich.edu), April 26, 1999.

That was fun reading through all those old threads to which you recently contributed, Nonnie. Of course, some of the matters were serious and not funny. Now, the necklace.. I think for Rose it was the last symbol of the upper class society that she embraced. From the time she found it in her pocket on the Carpathia to when she tossed it in the ocean at the end of her life, it was all that remained of that part of her life. Remember, she had to start completely a new, save for the dress and shoes she had on. (Yes, kinda fakey that she had those shoes on the whole time.) I disagree with any inference that the diamond had negative meaning for her. She chose to have it on for the nude sketch because it was overwhelmingly beautiful and, as The Heart of the Ocean, it would make the sketch remind her even more of the beautiful ocean voyage ("till that point anyway.."). But I'm just a viewer, I leave the verdict in your good hands. hawhaw

-- BobG (bob@bob.bob), April 26, 1999.

Hold on! I just remembered that she intended to give Cal the sketch. Recall the note ("Now you can keep us both locked in your safe"). When she put the two items in the safe, she must have known that was her way of ending the engagement to Cal (and maybe upper society). So, I revise my conclusion: she at first was confused by the diamond, then felt trapped, then freed herself by placing it in the safe. When she discovered it in her pocket later, it took on new meaning because (as the Heart of the Ocean) other than her dress and shoes it was the last beautiful thing from that part of her life and symbolized her love for the beautiful ship, Jack Dawson (he's the guy..the ship was actually "Titanic"), and the perished 1500. Her not wearing it in the final wedding scene supports the notion that for her it meant the past only. So to answer the question, she chose to be sketched with it to spite Cal. He could have the diamond and her, figuratively only, locked up in his safe.

-- BobG (bob@bob.bob), April 26, 1999.

Thanks for clearing up that part about Jack Dawson and the ship, Bob. I was starting to wonder If maybe we had been talking about 2 different movies for the past year and a half. (Of course the ship being Titanic, not Bob.)

-- Misty (HiRver@concentric.net), April 27, 1999.


haha. Good one, Misty.

-- BobG (bob@bob.bob), April 27, 1999.

Ahh...now you're following my train of thought on the necklace, BobG-- no negative thoughts on the necklace were intended with my last question.

-- Nonnie (x96smock@wmich.edu), April 27, 1999.

Hmm, for once I somewhat agree with Bob. I think that Rose had mixed feelings about the necklace when it was first given to her. In one way it was so beautiful to her but in another way it simply tightened the chains that held her to Cal. As for her wearing it, would you consider trying on a necklace at a store wearing it? I think that's kind of how Rose looked at "wearing" it when Cal gave it to her. Next, she certainly did wear the necklace in the sketch to tick Cal off. He'd never seen her nude either and in the original script he was looking forward to being the first person Rose slept with. Or at least that was what was heavily implied. So I think Rose was puring a little salt in the wound there (good for her! Cal deserved it!)

-- Miranda Swearingen (Kylen1@hotmail.com), May 02, 1999.

In the original script, Rose was wearing the necklace the night Jack prevented her suicide off the stern of the Titanic. She threw it at the dressing table mirror. You can see her wearing the necklace on the inside page of the cover of the soundtrack. so she did wear it more than 'only that once'.

I think when Rose saw herself in the mirror and ingested Cal's remark she was horrified at the thought that she was actually thinking she might like being 'royalty'. Just my take on it.

-- Nightfire (summerrose34@hotmail.com), November 15, 2003.


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