Hiya guys! Guess what date is it now? It's April Fools Day! Well, it's decided that I am going to fool you into reading something awesome, and that is a guest post from the lovely Sue Lawson, author of Forget me not which I really enjoyed reading about! Check out my review here! Now, the guest post today is about Titanic's importance in history and what makes it unforgettable? Here are Sue's answers to the topic! Now go read it and you can get a free ticket to climb on board a ship as luxurious as Titanic! ;) I would also like to thank Jennifer from Walker Books Australia for putting this blog tour together!
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So, why is the Titanic so important in history and why is it unforgettable?
I have to admit before I started writing Forget Me Not, I didn’t know much about the Titanic, apart from the obvious – it was big, hit an iceberg, sank and the wreck was found in the last twenty or so year. But even though I didn’t know much, I did the interest it generated fascinating.
A few years ago I visited the Melbourne Museum, where I was bitten by the Titanic bug. Walking down the passage, seeing the replica of the grand staircase and seeing the fragments of people’s lives, lifted from the wreck site, was truly moving. I wanted to know more.
When discussing the exhibition with my publisher, Andrew Kelly, he asked if I would like to write about it, which of course I did and after dipping my toe into the research, I was hooked. The Titanic story is now well and truly under my skin. But it wasn’t until I received your question that I started to think about why such a tragedy loomed so large in the world’s history and why it continues to remain imbedded in our hearts.
I guess on one level, the whole Edwardian era, the time when the Titanic was built, sailed and foundered, looms large for Western civilization as it was a time of enormous change on the social, political and industrial fronts. Barriers between classes and sexes were beginning to crack and mankind achieved engineering feats thought to have been impossible. For instance, the Wright Brothers completed the first sustained airplane flight and the first Model T Ford car was produced in America.
It was also a time of splendour with sumptuous clothing, ornate jewelry and flamboyant furniture the norm for upper and middle class families. These trappings were certainly present on RMS Titanic, a ship noted not only for its size but for the attention to detail and grandeur of its décor.
I think beyond all of that, it’s the stories about people – stories of survival, loss and courage, which keep the Titanic so much in our hearts. I can’t imagine the panic and fear people would have felt once it became clear the ship was sinking, nor can I imagine how survivors who lost everything – money, documents and possessions – would be able to start again, and it’s impossible to understand the rollercoaster of emotions the passengers and crew, families waiting and society as a whole experienced from the time of the ship’s launch to its sinking. Then there were the incredible acts of arrogance and selfishness. It’s fair to say every human emotion, from excitement, courage and stoicism to terror, selfishness and panic was exhibited.
The stories of fathers waving families farewell with promises of following on the lifeboat, even though they knew that was not going to happen, are incredibly moving. Yet at the same, the reported acts of stupidity that occurred – if only the ice warning had reached the bridge, if only there had been more lifeboats on board – are heart breaking.
While era in history plays a part in our insatiable appetite for stories about the Titanic, in the end I am sure it’s the human stories that have made the Titanic such an important and moving part of our history. And it was the human stories that inspired me while writing Forget Me Not.
Leonardo Di Caprio and Kate Winslet certainly didn’t hurt matters either. ;) And there was definitely room on that door for Jack!
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Where to buy?
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Oh yes, I absolutely agree with everything Sue mentioned in the guest post! Titanic is a story of hopes, survival, loss and courage and it leaves a deep mark in every one of us which makes it so unforgettable and important in history. I hope this guest post also convinced you to read the wonderful Forget me not which tells the story of a family's voyage on the Titanic! Thank you Sue for writing the guest post and Jennifer from Walker Books Australia for putting this blog tour together!
I love author guest posts, thanks for having Sue on the blog today
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