49 pages • 1 hour read
Jennifer A. NielsenA modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
“The Titanic was everything the papers had described: as powerful as the Titans of mythology, and as elegant as if it were a floating castle. It did not respect the might of this world because it was the might of this world.”
These two similes convey the power and majesty of the Titanic. The fanfare and excitement surrounding the ship is profound. Additionally, these lines contain a subtle clue foreshadowing the Titanic’s eventual fate since its lack of “respect” for the natural world is what ultimately leads to its downfall.
“My adventure was beginning, and we had not yet even left port.”
The spectacle of the ship’s imminent departure on its first voyage creates an atmosphere of electric anticipation, and Hazel has already met two of the people that become her dear friends on the voyage. Her boldness leads her to accept Charlie’s offer to take her up to the first-class deck even though she isn’t supposed to be there. Hazel’s first steps into forbidden territory also mark the thematic beginnings of Friendship and Overcoming Class Divisions.
“I was at the back of the ship, and I thought it must be the finest view possible. Because here, the people sat and looked at where they had come from: poverty, hunger, every struggle to survive. And now they were leaving it all behind.”
Hazel notices how the first-class passengers have a view of the front of the ship, the second-class passengers have a view from the side, and the third-class passengers look out the back. On board are hundreds of people who dream of a better life, and many in third class sold everything they owned just for a chance to go to the US. The ship itself is a microcosm of class divisions, thematically reflecting Friendship and Overcoming Class Divisions.
“Eventually, I’d learned that doing was more important than wishing. So I’d begun to work hard and to sacrifice what I wanted for what my family needed. I’d learned to be bold and to take risks when necessary. That’s what had kept my family going for the past two years. It’s how I would help them now.”
Hazel’s values are thematically grounded in Sacrifice, Hope, and Living for Others, which is why she’s on her way to the US to earn money for her family. She’s mature beyond her years as a result of being the eldest child in her family and because of the loss of her father. Her sense of resolve and determination later helps her (and Charlie) survive the ship’s sinking.
“The day I left home, Mum warned me that third-class passengers were treated more like cattle than good people.”
Foreshadowing the locking of the gates that trap hundreds of third-class passengers on the lower decks, Hazel reflects on the starkly contrasting treatment of passengers based on their class. Third-class passengers are totally forbidden from entering the other areas, but this doesn’t stop Hazel.
“Glancing downward from the top, I could look over the rail and see the stairs descend through several decks, or gaze upward at a dome of glass and iron. I doubted even the finest chapels in Europe could compete with this.”
Before the ship even departs, Hazel has the opportunity to explore first class, and she marvels at the detailed and pristine architecture of this part of the ship. The strong imagery in this scene reflects Hazel’s first glimpse of this type of life.
“I would rather be curious than wealthy, for a girl with a mind full of questions is more valuable than a girl with jewels on her empty head.”
Hazel notes the dichotomy between those raised in wealth, who never had to take care of themselves or worry about their future, and those who survive with their intelligence. This thematically highlights Hazel’s belief in The Importance of Truth and Questions: She has never been one to simply accept what’s presented to her without interrogating its accuracy or authenticity.
“I wasn’t sure I even wanted to fit in with most of the people there, but that didn’t seem to matter. I had agreed to come for tea.”
Hazel struggles between wanting to make a new friend in Sylvia and knowing that no one else on the first-class level will accept her there. Hazel has never had a desire to be part of elite society, which makes her reluctant to attend Sylvia’s invitation. Sylvia and Hazel’s friendship stretches beyond the classes they each come from, illustrating the theme of Friendship and Overcoming Class Divisions, and their shared struggle to survive later seals their bond.
“Suddenly, all I could picture in my mind was water flowing across the long corridor on E Deck, from one end of the ship to the other. I thought of what I would do if I was in my cabin and saw water seeping in below the doorway, and how I’d react if I heard other passengers scrambling for higher ground. I could imagine that so well that I could practically hear the sound of an iceberg scraping along a metal hull of a ship.”
Hazel has the gift of foresight and can predict what’s likely to happen based on the questions she asks and the logical ways in which she puts information together. This characteristic thematically emphasizes her preoccupation with The Importance of Truth and Questions. She begins to fear that the Titanic could sink in a certain scenario, and the more that she learns about the ship and about icebergs, the more certain she is that this is a likely conclusion to the ship’s journey.
“You have seen refraction many times, even if you didn’t know the word for it. For example, if you looked into a pond and saw a fish, what would happen if you reached down to grab it?”
Mrs. Abelman explains the concept of refraction to Hazel, using the example of trying to catch a fish in water. Like many scientific concepts, refraction is something that people witness often but pay little attention to. The more aware people are of visual illusions, the less likely they’ll be at risk of serious accidents.
“A girl who comes from poverty should know better than to have such a big dream.”
Miss Gruber is a dynamic character who, at first, comes across as totally prejudiced against people with less wealth and tries to keep Sylvia away from Hazel. Miss Gruber’s disbelief doesn’t affect Hazel, but she later finds out the source of it: As a girl, Miss Gruber was told that she should give up her dreams, and she now projects that pain onto Hazel.
“If your story could save lives one day, then you have to write it.”
Charlie changes his mind about Hazel’s story. Initially, he wanted her to write only about the positive aspects of the ship, but now he understands that the truth can save lives, thematically supporting The Importance of Truth and Questions, and realizes that pointing out the ship’s flaws can help prevent future disasters.
“I need you as my friend. That will always be enough for me.”
Hazel’s friendship with Mrs. Abelman is an important relationship that forms over the course of a couple of days. Hazel, who is alone and in need of adult support, reminds Mrs. Abelman of her daughter. She and Mrs. Abelman connect over their shared tragic pasts and love of curiosity. In addition, they share similar values: Both revere helping others as giving life purpose, and both reflect a disregard for class. Their relationship therefore exemplifies the theme of Friendship and Overcoming Class Divisions.
“Overnight, expect still winds and calm seas with a possible low-lying haze. Lookouts are warned that potential hazards will be more difficult to spot, as they will not create ripples upon the water.”
This weather forecast is included at the end of Chapter 25, foreshadowing the circumstances that lead to the disaster. Despite ample warnings, the ship hits an iceberg and sinks. A suspenseful and apprehensive mood develops as the story approaches that moment.
“Who was I to write anything at all?”
Feeling small among a massive world, Hazel starts to wonder if she’s the right person to write a story about the Titanic. Through the encouragement of her friends, however, Hazel renews her dream to become a journalist and tell the truth about the ship, thematically reflecting Sacrifice, Hope, and Living for Others.
“Mrs. Mollison laughed so hard it sounded like the bray of a donkey.”
In this unflattering simile, Hazel appropriately compares Mrs. Mollison’s laugh to the sound a donkey makes. Hazel’s dislike of Mrs. Mollison is particularly evident here, as is Mrs. Mollison’s brash and impolite behavior.
“A minister was in front of them and at his cue, everyone began singing. I recognized the tune from the song ‘For Those in Peril on the Sea.’”
Foreshadowing the impending peril to the ship and its passengers, Hazel hears a group of churchgoers singing a hymn that laments those whose lives are lost at sea. Little do they know that their fate is about to turn in the same direction and that many of their own lives will be lost.
“The tips of my fingers were already aching with numbness.”
Hazel starts to feel the chill of the north Atlantic air long before she ever sits in a lifeboat. The night becomes grimly cold, and many of those who attempt to survive the sinking by jumping in the water freeze to death minutes later.
“Mrs. Abelman had talked about listening to my gut feelings. I was finally beginning to understand exactly what that meant.”
Hazel has always had premonitions about the future and knows when something is about to go wrong. Although she’s powerless to stop the ship’s sinking, she has the power to save Sylvia before it’s too late.
“There are moments in life when time moves with its own will, not bound by any timekeeper’s measure.”
In the moment that the Titanic hits the iceberg, time seems to stand still, as if the collision is occurring in slow motion. Afterward, time speeds up, and every second matters as Hazel tries to save those she loves from dying on the ship.
“There are times in life when we each must live for something greater than ourselves.”
Hazel realizes that the lifeboats won’t have enough space for most of the crew, and Charlie already understands that he’s unlikely to survive. Both he and Hazel share the values inherent in the theme of Sacrifice, Hope, and Living for Others, and Charlie sees helping the passengers as an honorable duty as a member of the ship’s crew.
“You have so many questions. Now go and find all of your answers. The questions are the best part of you, for they will guide you into a future better than you can possibly imagine right now.”
Hazel has no choice but to leave Mrs. Abelman on the lower decks since she insists on staying behind to help other passengers. Thematically, Mrs. Abelman leaves Hazel a final message about The Importance of Truth and Questions, hoping that she’ll survive to tell the story of the Titanic and its passengers.
“We were all mourners, and all survivors.”
On the Carpathia, survivors sit without their possessions and without many of their loved ones. Everyone is in shock, and a deep sense of sorrow and relief fills the air. Thematically illustrating Friendship and Overcoming Class Divisions, Hazel notes that class divisions disappear in this moment because everyone is sharing the same experience together.
“The Titanic foundered with fifteen hundred souls on board, good people who deserved better than what fate gave them. They would have stories too, of lost dreams and promises. Of the greatness that might have been theirs.”
Hazel thinks about those who died when the Titanic sank and how their stories were lost along with their lives. She hopes that she can do them justice by telling a story that encapsulates the many perspectives and experiences of being on the ship, from the crew to the first-class passengers.
By Jennifer A. Nielsen
Action & Adventure
View Collection
Appearance Versus Reality
View Collection
Books on Justice & Injustice
View Collection
Childhood & Youth
View Collection
Class
View Collection
Class
View Collection
Community
View Collection
Education
View Collection
Fate
View Collection
Fear
View Collection
Friendship
View Collection
Grief
View Collection
Loyalty & Betrayal
View Collection
Order & Chaos
View Collection
Safety & Danger
View Collection
The Future
View Collection
Trust & Doubt
View Collection
Truth & Lies
View Collection