Discuss the ways in which Cameron has used
Binary Oppositions to create meaning in Titanic.
(In your answer you should comment on his
use of semiotics; you may also choose to draw upon any knowledge you have of
the film language)
In this extract from Titanic, Cameron uses
binary opposition’s to show the divide between the rich and poor, and upper and
lower classes.
In the first scene of the film ‘Titanic’
there is a binary opposition with old and new, old being when the shot of the ship
at the bottom of the ocean (this could also be seen as present and past). The
next section we are introduced to is the dock where there is a opposition of
rich and poor, the poor people have to go through a health inspection before
they can board the ship, whereas the rich just go straight on board (because
they are wealthy they would not have any health problems, obviously). The
titanic its self also represents a class division by its color scheme alone.
White on the top half of the ship, this represents good and innocence and it’s
on the top half; which relates to social classes (upper class etc.) Where as
the bottom half of the ship is black which represents death and uncleanliness.
Through the crowd we see two cars drive
through and top to let out some passengers, the camera zooms into the cars,
which are carrying passengers. The car is covered in gold, which denotes wealth
(indicates wealth). The car door is opened and out steps the female protagonist
‘Rose’ when rose turns to face the ship the light shines on her face this
suggests to the audience the impressiveness of the Titanic. However the ship
not at all impresses Rose.
Rose is wearing a large vibrant purple hat
that symbolizes wealth and royalty. She also wears a white dress, which
suggests the fact that she is a virgin (from my own knowledge of the film, Rose
loses it to the male protagonist ‘Jack’ which would have been scandalous at the
time considering she was not married to him let alone engaged). Rose also wears
white gloves; this is to avoid direct physical contact with the lower class
people helping her out of the car etc.
Following Rose is Roses mother ‘Ruth’ who
is impressed by the presence of the ship; this is a binary opposite to Rose
(impressed is to unimpressed). Ruth is wearing a Green dress that gives the
hint to the audience that Ruth is jealous of Rose and her life.
The less wealthy people do not wear
colorful clothes, they wear greys and dull colors, and this is another binary
opposition (colorful-dull) to show the contrast/ divide between rich and poor
passengers.
When Rose, Ruth and Cal (short for Caledon,
Rose’s Fiancé) board the Titanic she get on at a higher point than the normal
people do this again shows an opposition between the rich and poor. The rich
get on at a higher platform because they are more highly regarded as people and
they do not have to undergo a health check; in addition the wealthy people are
also allowed to take their pets onto the boat with them, whereas the poor are
not allowed anything but there belongings. The people on the docks who are not
first class ticket holders have to wait there turn before they can board the
ship, and it is all a bit of a mad rush to get on board. On the other hand
Rose, Cal and Ruth are all taking there time to get on; this gives the viewer the
sense that they are more laid back. When they are boarding the boat graceful
slow music is being played which yet again reinforces their high social
standings. As rose is walking in with the voice over saying that she was being
“taken back in chains”, “screaming inside” the light comes off of her face
which reinforces the fact that she feels trapped and alone. Although she may
have everything she wants she doesn’t feel happy inside. This is ironic because
Jack is a character who takes every day as it comes and who feels free (but has
nothing), in opposition to this is Rose who has so much yet feels unhappy with
the life she is living.
The next part of the scene is in the saloon
where the audience is introduced to Jack the male protagonist who plays Rose’s
love interest throughout the film. In the saloon it is dark and full of smoke opposed
to light and fresh air from outside. Jack is an anti-hero meaning that he is
good but he has his faults, this is shown when we are introduced to him playing
poker (gambling). This signifies to the viewer that Jack is who he wants to be. When jack wins the two tickets for the
Titanic the music changes to fast upbeat Irish music (usually played on a
fiddle) this reinforces the chaos and the mad rush for jack and his friend to
get to board the boat in time. The upbeat music is symbolic to the working
class backgrounds, in bars etc. The racing to get to the boat is a binary
opposition to Rose’s entrance to the boat.
In conclusion James Cameron uses semiotics
and binary oppositions throughout to make many different links to state the
clear differences between not just the two leading characters Jack and Rose but
the rest of the passengers on the boat. For example the clothes that the first
class passengers wear compared with the clothes of the other passengers, also
the attitudes towards the boat its self. For instance Rose is unimpressed which
shows that she is spoilt “a spoilt little brat even” (a quote that Jack uses
later on in the film to referrer to Rose), on the other hand Jack is ecstatic
that he is a passenger on the Titanic. This is a clear opposition to the
audience that Cameron has decided to use to portray the two main roles.
Word Count: 970
Word Count Including Question Title: 1011
