Expository Writing II Project on "The Titanic"

1. the titanic written by: David R. Slavittpresentation by: Joo Eun Tae

3. the titanic Who does not love the Titanic? If they sold passage tomorrow for that same crossing, who would not buy? To go down… We all go down, mostly alone. But with crowds of people, friends, servants, well fed, with music, with lights! Ah! And the world, shocked, mourns, as it ought to do and almost never does. There will be the books and movies to remind our grandchildren who we were and how we died, and give them a good cry. Not so bad, after all. The cold water is anesthetic and very quick. The cries on all sides must be a comfort. We all go: only a few, first class.

4. background information The Titanic was the largest luxury liner that sailed/sank in the Atlantic Ocean. Originally constructed to be ‘unsinkable’. Almost collided with a smaller vessel, the New York. Struck an iceberg, damaging 6 of its 16 watertight compartments, leading to the intake of water into the ship. Both the famous and unknown died; with a total of 2228 people on board, 1523 died, leaving 705 survivors to tell the tale.

5. theme If death is inevitable, why should we die miserable? “To go down… We all go down, mostly alone. But with crowds of people, friends, servants, well fed, with music, with lights! Ah!” Slavitt reveals that in the end, we will all end up on the same ship, for death will always find its way to us.

6. specific language From specific word choice, “The Titanic” becomes a satirical poem of pure irony. Slavitt satirizes the vanity of those who choose to prize glamour and seek attention, even when we all have to die. “We all go down…” But if given the option to go down accompanied by servants, lights, and music, and then be a part of history in the famous 1912 sinking of the Titanic, Slavitt asserts that we’d all jump on. What a great way to go!

7. “Not so bad, after all. The cold water is anesthetic and very quick. The cries on all sides must be a comfort.” It may be better to quickly die by the numbness of the anesthetic temperature of the water than to suffer from natural causes and/or the danger of society. At least you won’t be alone… You’ll be comforted by the deafening cries of the people all around you!

8. importance of inclusion Margaret Atwood’s “Happy Endings” & David R. Slavitt’sTitanic =  Clearly relays the message of death to the audience, allowing us to understand that life will always end the same, no matter how fabulous the beginning may be. “So much for endings. Beginnings are always more fun.”

9. works cited Atwood, Margaret. “Happy Endings.” Readings for Writers. ‘Comp’. A. David Lewis. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2010. Print. Slavitt, David R. N. p., n.d. Web. <http://silvertitanic.tripod.com/>. “Titanic Facts.” N. p., 2005. Web. <http://www.titanic-facts.com/>.