Social Classes on the Titanic - Research Paper Example

Module Social es on the Titanic Social is a way of identifying people according to the way they socialize as well as their material possessions that group people in hierarchical social categories. The amazing feature about Titanic was the array of its crewmembers. The passengers on board were a representative of each distinct class along with house cleaners, nannies, valets, kitchen staff, engine crew and stewards. The Titanic passengers were classified into three classes, first, second and third. The class level of the passengers was determined by the ticket price, wealth and the social class. The social class was a product of the nature of the background that the passenger was born. The first class passengers occupied the top-most deck. They were composed of the prominent society members such as politicians, industrialists and members of the loyal families among others. The second-class passengers were members of the middle class comprising special groupings such as professors, clergymen and tourists. The third class passengers were mostly immigrants moving to America in search of a better life. The events surrounding the Titanic disaster exemplify the extent to which the nature of a person’s life relates to social class. First Class. According to Campbell, the first class was composed of aristocracy such as Countess of Rothes and wealthy families such as the Wideners. The presence of the first class was undoubtedly the most celebrated with its peak being crowned by the presence of her majesty. The opulence associated with first class luxuries was indicated by the expensive architecture such as swimming pool, gymnasium, tennis court, electric and Turkish bulbs, elevators, numerous staterooms and private enclosed promenades. The first class public rooms such as smoking rooms contained costly furniture and fittings. The first class cafe was also designed in a manner to suggest ambiance with comfortable relaxation facilities for the rich passengers to enjoy their coffee. According to Welch, the first class lounge was designed in a unique style related to master of Artemis of versatile on one of the fireplace mantelpiece. Unique to this social class was the forward grand staircase that adorned at the upper periphery with a glass and wrought iron skylight. The charges remitted for their passage depended on the suite size selected for travelling. For instance, some chose to use suits that contained private dining, living rooms and house cleaners as their social class dictated. Second Class. The second-class passengers of the Titanic are the ones currently referred to as the middle class. The second class normally consisted of those passengers who attained success through hard work and struggle. Such people included teachers, clerks and miners. These occupied the decks immediately below the first class passengers. The second-class suite had a library, smoking zone and the dining hall. Third Class. Most of the third class Titanic passengers were steerage crossing to America in search of a better life. They had traded most of their belongings and boarded the ship with only prized possessions. The money acquired from the property sales was meant to enable them re-establish in the foreign land. The third class passengers could not afford the luxuries that were at the disposal of first class passengers. They had an open-air gathering area which was separated from other social class. They were not allowed to associate with the second or first class passengers. The social class was regarded highly at the time and any attempt by the lower class to mingle with the first class was considered a trespass. While the Titanic disaster is viewed by many people as a distant disaster unique to the time it occurred, the social differences that were experienced by its passengers are still life in the modern social life. Following the collision at the iceberg, the third class people were most affected. This is because they were deliberately excluded from the lifeboats, the challenge of the ship’s complicated structure disadvantaged them, and their own behavior compromised their survival rate. This led to practical entrapment in the sinking ship simply because they could not afford better suites with fair proximity to the lifeboats. The diverse fates of the Titanic crew presented a dramatic illustration of the connection between social class and life chances (Sernau and Griffin). SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE The Titanic disaster dominated the news in 1912 and has since been the subject of fascination with prominent features in movies and written materials. Much of the public interest has been drawn by the idea that the technology masterpiece was deemed unsinkable. This notion made the shipping officials neglect the idea of including enough lifeboats although a few were situated in the top deck: within the reach of the rich crewmembers. The disaster also attracted interest owing to the disparity that exists between the social classes. The richer one was the more likely one could survive. The present day opinions may dismiss this relic as old fashioned, but it is clear that even today that wealth is the greatest determiner of life expectancy. Commenting on Hub pages Inc., Laura posits, “Only 33% of Titanic’s passengers survived. Yet, 63% of first class passengers survived, 43% of the second class, and just 25% of the third class” (3). This indicates that the first and second-class passengers were well orientated for a higher survival rate compared to third class passengers. The factors relevant in explaining the class disparity in relation to survival in the Titanic disaster include the positioning of the life boats near the first and second class crew suite and the ship’s policy of prioritizing in attending to the needs of the first and the second class passengers as a matter of urgency. Additionally, neglect of the third class crewmembers that were left at the mercy of their instincts in navigating their way out of the decks, and systematic exclusion of the third class passengers from the lifeboats. Commenting in the Harper press, Hines alludes that the discrepancy between classes was exemplified in the Titanic experience right from procedural requirements of various classes when boarding the ship. The third class passengers were supposed to undergo various health inspections while the wealthy were allowed entry without much inspection. In addition to the social class, the passenger chance of surviving, the Titanic disaster was also dependent on their gender orientation. The probability of the female passengers surviving the disaster was higher compared to their male counterparts. The survival chances decreased with the decrease in the social class level, that is, the lower the social classes, the lower the chances of survival. Why the Third Class Passengers Were More Affected. According to Mone, 2012, the third class people were more affected because they were deliberately excluded from the lifeboats, the ship conditions disadvantaged them and their own behavior compromised their survival rate. The most significant factor that favored the survival rate of first class passengers is the ship’s structural complexion. In addition to all the luxuries associated with the first class social status, these passengers occupied the top deck with the remaining classes occupying the remaining lower passenger decks (Laura 4). The deck level descended with descending classes. Therefore, vulnerability to the accident impact increased with the decrease in the deck level. The lower occupants were severely affected by the tragedy compared to the upper occupants. Those from the lower classes were also denied access to the first class suite where the lifeboats were located. In fact, they were confined on location by use of locked gates, manned by the wardens and only allowed to open them in case of an emergency. The rush that accompanied the collision could not provide the stewards with ample time to unlock all the gates. This left many third class passengers stuck in the lower decks. The physical proximity to the lifeboats allowed the first class passengers quicker access to the life-saving devices. The third class passengers from the lower decks were forced to navigate the deck levels of the ship for them to gain access to life saving boats. This led to wastage of time that made them perish with the sinking ship. The restrictions imposed for access to lifeboats created confusion that made most passengers panic, with some being shot by the wardens staffing the life saving exercise. In her article, Fateful by Claudia Gray: Social Classes on the Titanic, Sara posits that the majority of the casualties of the disaster were members of the lower class (3). Most third class passengers were not familiar with such travel experiences as they were on the mission to look for new life after being frustrated with the low class lifestyles in England. They only followed masses in a bid to escape from the disaster. The panic and confusion that engulfed them lowered their survival rates. Majority of the passengers were adversely affected due to the inadequate number of lifeboats in the Titanic. The boat-passenger ratio was below standards and thus not every person could access their services. According to Acker, the Titanic carried 20 boats, which provided places for 1178 passengers, 52% of the passenger complement she carried on her maiden voyage and 30% of the number of passengers she could carry when fully laden” (6). The inadequate numbers of lifeboats made many passengers succumb; including those that made it to the emergency exit points in time. Many of the passengers, especially the third class, were reluctant to leave the ship. Most women and children were too panicked by the events of the collision that they could not gather enough courage to assume safe positions in the lifeboats. The officers also mulled the lower class people in haste after safely securing the rich to the safety boats. The recklessness that characterized life saving exercise made many third class people loose their lives. The majority of the passengers who remained in the ship was third class and died due to the delay of the nearby rescue ship that took too long to react to the emergency. Even for those who could swim, the chances of surviving in the ice-cold water of the Atlantic, in mid-winter, were effectively zero. According to Welch, the majority of men and women who survived the disaster belonged to the first class social group. Additionally, the 49% of the first women who died during the collision chose to remain with their husbands (Welch 7). Statistically, there is no single woman from the first class crew died due to the disaster; all of them could have made it to the lifeboats. Image retrieved from Welch, Bridget, A nightmare of Titanic proportions: Social; class and a ticket to ride, 23 August 2012. TITANIC TODAY According to Kingston, modern sociologists describe a social class as a group of people possessing the same economically shared life chances. People belonging to the same social class do not necessarily have to be conscious of their common status, but situations bring them together. Their common fate makes them establish bonding institutions that tighten their relationships (Weber 353). The first class passengers in the Titanic intermingled and developed relationships after their status brought them together. The Titanic tragedy introduces the modern generation to the impact of the social class notion on social life. The social class in which a person is classified into has implications in the life chances. The implications are normally dire for those who do not belong to either first or second class. In the Titanic tale, the admission into the lifeboats based on the social class drew a line between perishing and surviving. The passengers’ destiny was determined by the social class. This implies that social class determined a passenger’s chances of survival. The condition has not changed much in the modern society. Social status determines a person’s access to life needs. The current society is becoming less egalitarian and rigidly stratified (Smith 24-32). Poverty is increasing, the middle class is diminishing and the rich are concentrating more wealth. This has led to the widening of difference between the rich and poor. Similar to the Titanic times, the modern sociological perspectives identifies three social classes namely first, second and third. The differences in the social classes, as exemplified in the Titanic experience, are related to the proximity to resources and their structural location. Although the modern disparity is not as visible as the class variation in the Titanic disaster, the opportunity difference relative to class differences is still in existence. The events surrounding Titanic disaster exemplify the extent to which good things in life relate to the social class. For instance, social disparity is mostly rampant in the health industry where by wealth is the greatest determinant of a person’s health with wealthy people living longer that the poor people. Laura alludes, “…wealthier Americans are living an average of 4.5 years longer than poorer Americans” (6). This is because wealthier people have better access to health care alternatives. They can also afford other services that boost health such as service pre-payments, transport requirements to and from health care facilities, and preventive test that helps curb a disease before it causes adverse effects to the health. Similar to the first class suite of the Titanic, the wealthy people inhabit healthy and safe neighborhoods. Wealthy neighborhoods are characterized by the presence of healthy and nutritious foodstuff that promotes their body health and prolongs their life. Most of the third or low class people inhabit unsafe and unhealthy environments that pose negative effects to their health. Low-income earners have limited access to nutritious food compared to the upper class due to limited resources. Therefore, their life expectancy is lower than that of the wealthy people. According to life expectancy statistics by Pear, infant mortality rate in the US is highest in low-income earners while it is fair for the middle or high-income earners. This has been brought about income inequality (Pear 6). Most modern social systems are comprised of the capitalist class that derives their incomes normally from the assets. Such people own lucrative businesses and commercial real estates. Most may be employed, but ownership is the key to their status. The middle class consist of managers, professionals and medium sized business owners. In his book Social Stratification: Class, Race, and Gender in Sociological Perspective Grusky alludes that the third class is represented by the under class and the middle poor with low skills, low wages and insecure jobs. Just like the third class suits in the Titanic, the low-income earners inhabit poor neighborhoods that possess houses with limited spaces. CONCLUSION While the Titanic disaster is viewed by many people as a distant disaster unique to the time it occurred, the social differences that were experienced by its passengers are still life in the current times. The third class people were more affected because they were deliberately excluded from the lifeboats, the ship conditions disadvantaged them and their own behavior compromised their survival rate. Poor people were practically trapped in the sinking ship because of their class status. The wealthy had easy access to all life saving facilities ranging from nutritious food and lifeboats were the poor were trapped in unsafe lower decks, far away from amenities. Today, wealthy people occupy safer environs with consistent flow of nutritious food. The Titanic experience proves that the society is characterized by the unending class conflicts whose gap progressively widens. The ends results of the disaster proves that the inhumane and unfair treatment of Bourgeoisie and proletariat traits must corrected ion advance to avoid the negative consequences that may culminate if the habit prolong in the society. This proves that class is life a chance. Works Cited Acker, Joan. Class Questions: Feminist Answers. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield. Social class from a feminist perspective, 2006. Campbell, Sara, Fateful by Claudia Gray: Social Classes on the Titanic, September 16, 2011. Web. 23rd August, 2012. Grusky, David. Social Stratification: Class, Race, and Gender in Sociological Perspective. Boulder, CO: West view. Anthology blending classic and postmodern headings. 2008. Hines, R. P. T. Titanic Lives: Migrants and Millionaires, Conmen and Crew. London: Harper Press, 2012. Print. Kingston, Paul. The Classless Society. Palo Alto, CA: Stanford University Press, 2000. LauraGT, Titanic 100 Years Later: Social Class and Survival, June 25, 2012. Web. 23 August, 2012. Hub Pages Inc. Sernau, Scott & Griffin, Jonnie. Social Stratification Courses: Syllabi and Instructional Materials. Washington, DC: American Sociological Association. Varied approaches to the study of stratification. 2004. Mone, Gregory. Dangerous Waters: An Adventure on Titanic. New York: Roaring Brook Press, 2012. Print. Pear, Robert. Gap in Life Expectancy Widens for the Nation, The New York Times, Published: March 23, 2008. Web. 23 August, 2012. Smith, Eliot, Social relationships and groups: New insights on embodied and distributed cognition. Cognitive Systems Research 9.1-2 (2008): 24-32. Print. Weber, Erik. Social Mechanisms, Causal Inference, and the Policy Relevance of Social Science. Philosophy of the Social Sciences 37.3 (2007): 348-359. Print. Welch, Bridget, A Nightmare of Titanic Proportions: Social; class and a ticket to ride, Sociology in Focus, April 23, 2012. Web. 23 August, 2012. Read More