Discuss the ways in which Cameron has used binary opposition to create meaning in The Titanic. - Essay

Discuss the ways in which Cameron has used binary opposition to create meaning in The Titanic.

In this extract of The Titanic, Cameron uses an example of binary opposition in the very first shot of the film. The first shot is of the sunken Titanic under the sea that then fades into the newly built, promising Titanic ship. This immediately is presenting the binary opposites of failure and success. The newly built Titanic is a feat of engineering brilliance, while the sunken ship connotes that the ship was a huge failure. The juxtaposition between the sunken ship and the brand new ship is an indexical sign, showing us (in brief) the ships fate in the film. The presentation of the sunken Titanic ship signifies that there is going to be disaster in the film and this being shown at the very start then forebodes this event. The Titanic's sinking was an iconic event that actually happen in April 1912, so Cameron has seemed to have structured it this way to give the audience of the film an indication that they should know that the ship sinks even before the film starts. This use of iconography shows the audience something that they are familiar too, the sinking of The Titanic, and keeps the interested to find out the story behind it all (well, Cameron's version). All of these elements are what helps Cameron to set the tone for the start of the film. Starting with the sunken Titanic quickly turning into the new Titanic gives the film a sense of narrative before the films even gotten started. 

Rose's arrival reveals an instant example of binary opposition. Rose arrives in a golden trimmed car, denoting wealth before we've even seen her. This denotion of wealth is then supported when Rose exists the car. Her hand, laced with a black glove first appears exiting the car to grab the hand of the driver helping rose form the car, showing her upper class. She then exits and her appearance supports this denotion of wealth. She wears purple and white, both signifying wealth and purity. Her first impressions of the ship are not good, she feels that the ship is not as impressive as described and you can tell this by her initial facial expressions when looking at the ship, where as the working class men and women on the dock stare in awe at the ship showing there excitement a long with hints of jealousy of the people who are on the ship. When comparing the working class men and women also on the dock to Rose and her party, we see the binary opposite of rich & poor. The audience can see by the working class peoples flat caps and dark, dreary clothes that there is a very visible barrier between the rich & poor in the scene and most likely throughout the film. The indexical signs that present a juxtaposition between the rich & poor in this scene connote that there will be a bringing together and possibly a clash between the two classes at some point during the film. This scene gives the audience there first introduction of a main character and lets them start to make there own impressions of her, which seems to be that she is a very well off woman who is used to the best in life and isn’t always grateful for what she has.

As people are arriving and attempting to board the Titanic, we see another example of the binary opposite of rich & poor in effect. The first thing the audience notices is that the working class people are forced to get a health check before boarding while the upper class do not. This shows that the poorer people are thought to be possibly dirty and infested by the upper classes and people in charge of the ship. This is juxtaposed when the upper class party’s, such as Rose and her family, board the ship. The upper class are free to enter the ship with no check and are even allowed to bring animals such as dogs on board the ship. The likelihood that the animals are less likely to be infested than the poorer people boarding shows a real separation between the rich and poor in this time period. As well as this, the upper class board at the top of the ship and the lower classes board at the bottom of the ship. This, along with the top of the boat being painted white and the bottom of the boat being painted a sickly green colour, symbolises an obvious divide between the rich and poor when boarding the ship. 

When the audience are introduced to the second protagonist in The Titanic, Jack, there is another example of binary opposites to be seen. Jack is first portrayed playing cards, betting all his money in game of poker taking place In a bar full of working class men (We can tell they're working class due to the iconography of their clothing and location). He speaks the line when playing cards 'If you have nothing, you have nothing to lose.' This piece of speech and reckless approach to the card game shows that Jack is an example of a free spirit, someone who doesn’t take life to seriously.  This is juxtaposed when the other protagonist, Rose, is boarding the ship and we hear her say in her head that she feels as if she's 'chained'. This is an example of the binary opposites of 'Freedom & Restriction'. We see that when jack wins the tickets aboard the Titanic that he is very excited and happy where as Rose feels as if she's being forced upon the ship. This is the first hint too the watching audience that the two main protagonists in the film will at some point have a clash of opinions which will lead to an interesting narrative between the two. These two difference in opinions by Jack and Rose when boarding the ship also shows the binary opposition of 'Grateful and Ungrateful'. The introduction of these two obviously very different types of people are what keep the audience interested. The audience know their will be some type of clash or conflict between the two characters.