The Band Played On

What did the band members on the Titanic do as the lifeboats were being loaded? Why do you think they made that decision? Do you agree with their decision? Have you ever heard of people reacting in a similar way when faced with life-threatening danger? How do you think you would react in a similar situation?

 When the Titanic was sinking, as pandemonium ensured across the deck and lifeboats were being loaded with women, children, and anyone who had a sufficient pocketbook, the band onboard the Titanic stood in the midst of the commotion, and on the tipping deck they played their musical pieces. Together, the band composed of orchestral instruments played ragtimes, waltzes,"Alexander's Ragtime Band" and "In the Shadows". These men played under such grave and terrible circumstances and in the face of certain death, and some sources even state that they never ceased playing and did not try to escape until the ship finally went down.

There are a few possibilities as to why they did what they did, but we can never know what was going on in the hearts and the minds of those men. Maybe they did so because they knew they would probably die, and stayed behind to hold onto what they loved the most. Maybe they did so because they wanted to lose themselves in the music and accept what they knew was probably inevitable. Perhaps they had already made their peace to God and accepted what was to come. In any way, the action of playing their instruments in response to their almost certain deaths is very inspirational and emotionally-jerking, and whether or not they really did play their string until the end is trivial in my mind.

I cannot say what I would have done and cannot say whether I agree or disagree with what they did, since I was not there when the event occurred. Some might say that they were stupid to not try and live, while others would say that they should be admired for their resoluteness. I tend to agree with the latter.

In many disaster films, they usually portray certain people who, despite facing possible death, choose to stay behind and accept what is to come. It is usually the presidents, who wish to stay behind with their people, and the religious groups, who group together to pray and make peace. I do not think that these people should be judged for not valuing their lives. I think that they should be praised for their acceptance of what is to come, how they have made peace with the idea of death, and how much they love what they are staying back for.

I  think that if I were in such a situation, it would really depend on the situation to determine what I would do. If I were aboard the Titanic at that time, I think my primary instinct would be to flee, but somewhere deep within me, a part of me would tell me to stay behind. Nevertheless, it would take a great deal of courage and commitment to do what those band members did aboard the Titanic. I would like to think that I would stay behind; although I fear the means of death, I can honestly say that I do not fear death itself because of the ideals I believe in.