xt literary piece Is a poem called “Titanic” written by poet David R. Slavitt in 1983. The setting of this poem takes place on a ship called the Titanic in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. The setting for this is important because this is the spot where the most famous ship will lie on the ocean floor for over a hundred years to come. This setting plays a major role on the tone as well as the theme of this poem. The tone is overall happy and celebratory even though its about the one inescapable fate every living creature will endure, you can see this in the very first line of the poem “Who does not love the Titanic” (page 371) This poems theme is that since death is inevitable it would be better to not face it alone and face it with friends and to go down in history instead of just dying a mundane death alone that no one will hear about. “There will be the books and movies to remind our grandchildren who we were and how we died, and give them a good cry” (page 371). The poet also helps to enforce the poems tone as happy and celebratory as well as enforcing the idea that since everyone needs to die its much better to do it together by saying “To go down … We all go down, mostly alone. But with crowds of people, friends, servants, well fed, with music, with lights! Ah!” (page 371) The poet also believes that knowing you’re not alone in the moment of death would also be a comforting feeling “The cries on all sides must be a comfort” (page 371) Normally when people talk or write about the Titanic it is usually depressing and sad but the way the poet portrayed the Titanic in this poem made it actually seem enticing to board the ship even though you know how it ends. The way the poet describes the atmosphere on board the ship is high spirits surrounded by happy people eating and dancing living life to the fullest.