A Night to Remember

Choose two pairs of historical figures featured in A Night to Remember and compare them to each other (e.g., Thomas Andrews versus Bruce Ismay; Officer Lightoller versus Officer Murdoch; Margaret “Molly” Brown versus Lady Lucille Duff Gordon; Captain Rostron versus Captain Smith). For each pair, discuss the characteristics that the two had in common and how their actions were similar and different. Which person in each pair aligned more closely with the social expectations of them? Which values impacted all four, and which were specific to certain individuals?

Examine the changes in nautical regulations that followed the sinking of the Titanic (e.g., the formation of the International Ice Patrol, the mandate that all wireless machines operate 24 hours a day, and the requirement for enough lifeboats to accommodate all people on a ship). Link these changes with specific events during the Titanic’s voyage, discussing how they played a part in regulation updates.

Explore the current seafaring laws related to crew and passenger safety on commercial vessels. Which, if any, surprises you? Do you see any areas in which regulations could be improved to make oceangoing even safer than it has become in the 100+ years since Titanic sank?

In your opinion, should the crew of the Titanic have felt obligated to tell the passengers that the ship was sinking? Did the passengers have the right to know? Why or why not? What would be the advantages and disadvantages of providing that information? How might the scenario have been different if passengers had been fully prepared for what awaited them? What outcomes might you expect?

View and analyze some film interpretations of the Titanic disaster (e.g., A Night to Remember, James Cameron’s Titanic, or any of the television movies produced on the tragedy). What do the choices of the writers and directors say about how they perceived the events? How might the year in which these films were created or produced have shaped their content? What appear to be the director, producer, or writer’s priorities in creating each project?

The site of the Titanic’s wreckage is considered a maritime memorial because of the significant loss of life that occurred at those coordinates. Many people feel that frequent exploration of the site, the “retrieval” of artifacts from the ship and personal items belonging to passengers, and even efforts to remove larger pieces of the hull aren’t only detrimental but inappropriate. What is your opinion? How should the priorities of science and research be weighed against the need to respect such a location? What might be a practical solution? Consider NOAA’s Frequently Asked Questions and Guidelines in your discussion.

Choose a fictional character from a Titanic-related film, novel, theater production, or other media source. How does the character’s experience fit the factual events contained in A Night to Remember? What liberties did the creator take with integrating an original character into a historical context? Did the creator remain faithful to the historical era? What might they have done to make their interpretation more accurate? What aspects of the character’s story caused you to consider aspects of the events that you might not have considered before?

Who do you suspect bore the most responsibility for how the events of the Titanic disaster unfolded? If you were in Lord Mersey’s position, which witnesses from A Night to Remember would you want to depose, and what questions would you ask them? What data would you examine to determine what happened and why?