Iceberg

The largest ship of its time, the Titanic was the first to be declared “unsinkable.” As massive as the dreams of those who boarded it in search of a better life in the US, the ship “did not respect the might of this world because it was the might of this world” (4). The ship commanded attention and awe and was set to command the ocean as well. In the novel, the Titanic therefore thematically symbolizes Sacrifice, Hope, and Living for Others because it draws toward it anyone willing to take a risk. Hazel stows away on the ship, risking everything for the sake of her family, and her experience on the ship is as formative as its demise.

Hazel describes class divisions on the ship and how the decks separate first-, second-, and third-class passengers. She constantly ignores these rules for the sake of friendship and resisting divisiveness, connecting the ship to the theme of Friendship and Overcoming Class Divisions. She notes the power and significance of being on the ship while looking back on where she came from: “I was at the back of the ship, and I thought it must be the finest view possible.