What a convenient narrative. Let’s ignore the fact that Cal was a 30 year old man marrying a 17 year old girl and call that “normal for the time..” even though it was not. Teen marriage was more common in rural areas- and less common with (non royal) wealthy urbanites- and the average marriage age at the time for women was their early 20’s. But let’s not debate that as it is a complex subject.
We could get into how Rose had a controlling mother, and as we see in the film- her fiancé was controlling too- ordering for her and constantly excusing her wishes and thoughts, treating her ambitions as cute, telling her she had to give up their dreams when they got married, etc.
But that still leaves us a lot to unpack. Rose never wanted to marry Cal. It was arranged marriage she was against but went along with as she felt trapped- and the only person in her life she had to rely on was pushing her into it. Cal was also shown to be a shitty person. His first assumption on meeting Jack was to assume he was a rapist based on his class. He barely thanked him for saving his fiancés life, and after all that had to be cajoled to pass a few bucks to the kid as a reward.
He invited Jack to dinner with the intent to humiliate him- which failed. He framed Jack for a crime he didn’t commit- he didn’t talk to his fiancé, he didn’t say “I see you want to go- go,” he didn’t even try to talk to or throw down with jack. He framed him for a crime.
He tried to murder the guy- but if we give him that one under the pass that plenty of people might try to kill their dances lover in a fit of rage... he also grabbed a child and used it to take a seat on a lifeboat meant for a woman or several children. Which- if you want to argue survival or what not- the characters official epilogue is he committed suicide not too long after because of bad business dealings.
We see throughout the film that regardless of your thoughts on marrying someone almost half your age who is a teen ager, arranges marriage, etc- Cal is an underhanded person who is arrogant, selfish, egotistical, short tempered, petty, dishonorable, snobbish, cruel, brutal, violent, and controlling. Even if Rose HAD wanted to marry him (which again- she did not...) all those things add up to a person most sane people wouldn’t want to marry when they saw what they see capable of.
Now- Rose. Here’s a fun fact. Despite all the analysis and arm chair physics- Hanes Cameron actually spent two days with that board in the water using extras to test and adjust it to only be buoyant and keep one single person in the water. THAT exact board- in the film- would not have supported them both and kept them out of the water. Knowing that she could be afloat for some time before rescue came- Jack decided to give his life so she had a better chance to survive.
It’s critical to note of all the “Rose is a bitch who let Jack die” theories- Rose didn’t let him die. He stayed in the water. As a bit of meta information- Cameron is on recover stating that by that time- Jack had already begun to succumb to hypothermia and would have died regardless if he had been alone on the raft and Rose was in the water. He would not have gotten treatment in time to live. Jack as a character would likely have been somewhat aware or have a feeling he wasn’t going to make it. But whatever the background there- he CHOSE to stay in the water- she didn’t make him.
This is the part where you could talk about how it’s not like she fought for him to get on, tried to drag him up, seemed distraught enough or had an appropriate response. This is where I ask you how many catastrophes full of several bear death experiences have you been in- while suffering from extreme cold, and losing the love of your life? Do you know what “shock” is? Look it up if you need help. Long story short- Rose would have been dissociated and her cognition would be severely impaired most likely.
So old Rose... well... she married another guy. The type of decent guy this post tries to make Cal out to be- the kind of decent guy these incels think Rose should have married. She married a decent guy who she loved- but like many people- she had the “one that got away,” the one she would have been with if she could have. Maybe their life wouldn’t have been very good, perhaps they would have broken up shortly after-
But not only was jack her real first live and possibly her first lover- he was the man that showed her how to live, the man that taught her to be free and stop relying on people to control and care for her. He was a man she met in her formative years at a difficult time in life, and who she went through very extreme conditions with- something shown to cause intense bonding in humans- and who literally died for her as opposed to just saying he would like many men may say but not mean- and likely never need to prove.
So he made a strong imprint on her- and as an old woman she likely looked back on her life and blah blah as people do- and there we find her in the film.
Now- throwing the diamond in the ocean... that was... well... it was romantic and powerful in that way- I mean- he gave his life for her and she can’t do the same- but she tossed a ridiculous fortune away for his memory- so tumors symbolic- a small gesture by her but the grandest she could do. It was also financially it was very foolish, and somewhat selfish.
While it represented closure in the film and for her character- not only did these people spend a lot of money trying to find the stone and make some of that back- but she tossed it away. It was also a piece of history and gemology- although in fairness it wasn’t a particularly monumental item for either, and with Brock and the crew being treasure hunters- the odds of it ending up in a private collection where if wouldn’t be accessible to the public or scholars would offset that a little.
There’s also the important fact that history of objects is.. well... in 600-1000 years a soda can you throw out or a cheap Chinese made knock off hand bag could be the Ming Vase of the world- priceless and coveted. Yet- you think nothing of destroying future “artifacts” or history every day. It isn’t history because it belongs to you to do as you please. For Rose- the necklace wasn’t so much history as it was part of her personal history. No living person on earth could have anywhere near the direct personal connection to the stone that she did. She had no obligation to give her stone to anyone else- and really the only “selfish” part of the act in that light- was not leaving the money to a trust or her family- although the latter is still technically selfish if she leaves it to her heirs for their benefit.
But here is an important fact you didn’t consider in your analysis- the source of the stone was Cal. It was HIS money. If she sold it and used that money- she’d be benefiting off his money- even if she gave it to her family. Not only did she want nothing to do with him, but contrary to the “ungrateful bitch who took him for a ride” narrative- she never actually took his money- were he still alive she may we’ll have returned it to him for all we know. So while she could have lived comfy off his money for life or at least years- she didn’t. She had the integrity to not finance her new life as Rose Dawson using his money. That’s pretty admirable actually.
So I will give you that she could have given the money to charity. That part was selfish- but principled and honorable at least. If you sit down and think about it- Rose wasn’t as bad as these theories try to make her seem. Cal WAS an asshole and a generally “bad person,” and Rose was “treated like a queen” perhaps in the sense that she was largely trapped, forced to marry a man she didn’t love or like, and kept in a “gilded cage” where for giving up who she is and her freedom- she would receive comforts and gifts- as long as she “behaved,” and anything that her “king” disapproved of- he would take away from her.
Rose was a 17 year old girl- which in general- most 17yo’s aren’t fully mentally or emotionally mature and still may make decisions that we cant hold to mature adult standards because... they are 17. A sheltered rich girl with almost no life experience- oh my, she didn’t behave “perfectly” and assertively and know exactly what she wanted and articulate it and say anyone who doesn’t like it can fuck off?! 17yo’s in 2020 can’t always do that- and we have tools and resources and a WAY less restrictive culture- a culture that doesn’t treat woman completely like property or children who must legally and socially rely on men to care for them.
And lastly- Cal was abusive. He was toxic, and he showed every sign that he would get worse, and her life with him would be unhappy and possibly that he would hurt her or destroy her- even go to any length to do so. We get almost no indication that he loves her- or even that he is capable of healthy love or love at all. We see a glimmer that shows he at least has some care for her in some way- a single redeeming action. But anyone who looks at that and says she is a bitch is basically giving tacit approval to an abusing relationship.
Controlling, manipulative, isolating, suspicious, belittling, naming her reliant on him or making her believe she is, violent, mood swings, the buying of gifts or giving of affection after bad behavior to “win them back,” the withholding of affection or other things unless they behave in a way you approve of... he was an abuser- and we know from the epilogue he killed himself when the chips were down, and we saw how he acted on titanic when things went badly from the relatively small “Rose not doing as he likes,” to “Rose is seeing someone else” to the ship sinking. He is a man who when things aren’t going his way- he reacts in extremes. Not a good guy. Not a good prospective husband.
If not, then it's a pretty dumb argument. Refer to @guest_ for full details.