Who Was Jack Dawson In 'Titanic'?
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Arts Entertainment

Jack Dawson Isn't Just Some Character From 'Titanic,' He's A Role Model

Jack Dawson taught us that there is more to people than their poor upbringing.

Audrey Chai
Jul 26, 2018
Rutgers University
1566
Leonardo DiCaprio as Jack Dawson from "Titanic"
Paramount Pictures

What elements make up a good movie? Other than a good screenplay, characters are very important. When looking over screenplays of my favorite movies during the summer, I came across James Cameron's "Titanic." Reading the screenplay alone, I was really fascinated with the story and I can have the movie still rolling in my head. James Cameron "Titanic" was one of the greatest love stories that stayed as an unforgettable classic to me. This was due to not only the storytelling but also to the characters portrayed in the screenplay (especially Jack Dawson's).

After re-watching "Titanic" again, my sisters and I still cried when Jack Dawson died. Jack Dawson was such a great character. Here are the reasons why we still love Jack Dawson.

1. Jack Dawson taught us that there is more to people than their poor upbringing

At the beginning of the film, Jack Dawson luckily won a ticket to board the Titanic in a game of poker. Jack Dawson shows us that even people of poor status can have luck. He even saved a suicidal Rose from jumping to her death. When Rose mocked Jack for patronizing her, Jack Dawson immediately tells her, "That's not what I was thinking. What I was thinking was... what could have happened to hurt this girl so much she thought she had no way out?" This came to show that Jack Dawson was not a dumb man at all. He knew there was something wrong that must make a rich girl like her wanting to commit suicide. This destroys the perception and image of poor, uneducated men. Then, when he was invited to dine with the first class after saving Rose, he was not scared to bring up his poor upbringing and family background at all. He bluntly tells them he was Chippewa Falls. He does this while smiling. He taught us to be proud of who you are and don't be scared of the perception from others. Jack Dawson also show he has talent as well. When Rose opened his portfolio of French women, we can see that Jack was artistically talented in drawing. He even captured nude Rose in a beautiful sketch.

2. Jack Dawson's love for Rose was transcendental

Jack Dawson did more than just brought romance to a suicidal rich girl's life. Jack was able to see that Rose was an unhappy rich girl confined by the norms of society. He was also able to see that Rose, although engaged, was not in love with her fiancé at all. He was the light in Rose's dark and gloomy world. He was the key to Rose's self-actualization and metamorphosis. Jack Dawson allowed Rose to transform into a strong woman she was. Because of Jack, Rose was able to blur the social differences between third-class and high-class and defies against her own mother and her own fiancé. In the end, he helped Rose find happiness and told her to live on happily. Before dying, Jack tells her to survive and never give up no matter what. Rose promises and lived on to be a hundred years old. She married and even became a grandmother.

3. Jack Dawson was a survivor all along

Even though Jack died in the film, his existence still lived on in Rose's memories. In fact, Jack was immortalized in her memories. Rose never told anyone about him, not even to her husband, Mr. Calvert. In fact, she was still in love with Jack Dawson and she never let go of Jack at all. Their love was still there, even till the very end of the film. As Rose dies in her sleep, a younger form of her reunites with Jack at the Grand Staircase of the Titanic, where they are surrounded by those who perished during the Titanic's sinking.

Given these points above, one can see that Jack Dawson was definitely a character with strong literary purpose for the development of Rose DeWitt Bukater, the main protagonist of James Cameron's "Titanic."

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
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