Ship of themes : social conflict in writings on the Titanic, 1998

Item — Call Number: MU Thesis Dig

Identifier: b2089510

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

From the Collection:

The collection consists of theses written by students enrolled in the Monmouth University graduate History program. The holdings are bound print documents that were submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for the Master of Arts degree.

From the Collection:

During the fall 2022 semester (in instances where the requisite waivers were received from consenting student authors), the Monmouth University Library, together with the University's Graduate School and Wayne D. McMurray School of Humanities and Social Sciences, began providing open access to select full-text digital versions of current theses and dissertations through links to the ProQuest Dissertations Publishing website in the Library's Online Public Access Catalog. Links to these open access digital publications can also be found in the "External Documents" section under any conforming titles that are listed among the holdings itemized in the collection inventory for this finding aid.

Dates

Creation: 1998

Creator

Digilio, Pamela S. (1949- ) (Author, Person)
Campbell, Kenneth L. (Thesis advisor, Person)

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research use. Access is by appointment only.

Access to the collection is confined to the Monmouth University Library and is subject to patron policies approved by the Monmouth University Library.

Collection holdings may not be borrowed through interlibrary loan.

Research appointments are scheduled by the Monmouth University Library Archives Collections Manager (723-923-4526). A minimum of three days advance notice is required to arrange a research appointment for access to the collection.

Patrons must complete a Researcher Registration Form and provide appropriate identification to gain access to the collection holdings. Copies of these documents will be kept on file at the Monmouth University Library.

Extent

1 Items (print book) : 74 pages ; 8.5 x 11.0 inches (28 cm).

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Introduction [excerpt]

This paper will attempt to organize and collect the thematic trends of the historical writings about the Titanic. The Titanic is constantly analyzed as though it were a work of literature, which would be subject to interpretation, rather than just the event of the sinking of a ship. The writings of the Titanic consistently discuss the basic occurrences of her sinking and present them within the framework of the anxieties of the day. After reviewing hundreds of pieces of reporting, there seems to be a basic Titanic form. The exploration of the Titanic does not follow the usual approach to investigating a catastrophe. Its history becomes entwined in radiated political platforms and develops into a moral lesson, a parable that has a specific agenda, which may vary, depending on the author.

[A] number of themes predominate in this "Titanic form." A thorough examination of nearly the entirety of the literature concerning the Titanic reveals five social conflicts that deserve special attention due to their deliberate insertion into the historical writings concerning the Titanic.... These five conflicts, the rise of capitalistic corporations and their detriment to the common welfare, the ancient Greek notion of hubris in man as he challenges the powers of God and nature, the ever-enduring battle of the sexes, the racial division of whites versus blacks (perhaps most shocking in terms of relevance), and the inequalities among economic classes have all been expressed within the various narratives concerning the Titanic's destruction. In fact, it seems that writing about the Titanic almost necessitates the use of at least one of these issues in order to maintain society's interest in the story of a boat that sank. With the endurance of interest in the above-mentioned issues, it is less mysterious as to why the Titanic has been able to persist as such a noteworthy topic. With the above in mind, one can now turn to the following sequential analysis of these five topics and their importance to a historiography of the Titanic. As needed, details will be provided of the relevant history concerning the Titanic and its period, as well as the subsequent periods the Titanic has been treated. These five conflicts, as they represent the anxieties of their particular times, have made their place in the history of the Titanic. Following this examination, as a conclusion, the persistence of these issues in the modern age will be viewed against the background of this period's particular addition to the Titanic, mass commercialization.

Partial Contents

1. Introduction -- 2. Corporate interests versus the common welfare -- 3. Man versus nature -- 4. Men versus women -- 5. Black versus white -- 6. Rich versus poor -- 7. Titanic in the modern age -- 8. Conclusion.