Beryl Bainbridge: "Every Man for Himself"
Morgan, the first-person narrator of the novel "Every Man for Himself" by Beryl Bainbridge, is a 22-year-old man connected with the world of international high finance and high living, even though his early childhood was dominated by poverty, abandonment, and abuse. This way of living, however, was ended when he was rescued, Dickens-style, by the family of his millionaire uncle-by-marriage, John Pierpont Morgan himself. Now, having worked as an apprentice draughtsman at Harland and Wolff, Morgan is heading home to New York on the Titanic.
Especially in the last chapter of the book, where Ms. Bainbridge describes the actual sinking, she manages to outline the events during the sinking quite well. The author presents us a lot of the stories related to the disaster: the women reluctant to leave their husbands, Mrs. Straus refusing to enter a lifeboat ("As we have lived, so will we die."), Benjamin Guggenheim putting on his best dinner suit to go down like a gentleman, etc. All in all, Beryl Bainbridge managed quite well to weave her fictional story into the historic background.
On April 8, a stranger dies in Morgan's arms in the street. Morgan gets a picture showing a Japanese woman from him. Two days later, Morgan encounters three persons in a dining room of a hotel where he has breakfast before boarding the Titanic: a beautiful, tall, young woman, a middle-aged man with a split lower lip, and a stout built gentleman.
Just before getting aboard, Morgan meets his friends Van Hopper, Charlie Melchett, and Archie Ginsberg. Morgan spends most of the time (until they arrive in Cherbourg) with Melchett, whom he tells that he has stolen a picture showing his mother from his uncle's house, but Melchett does not understand. Later, the two friends tour the ship, guided by a young seaman, Riley. The author takes this as an opportunity to present the Titanic to her readers.
Afterwards, Morgan meets the man with the split lip (whose name is Scurra) again. He spends dinner time with Hopper, Melchett, Ginsberg, George Dodge, his half-sister Molly, and the Ellery sisters, Ida and Wallis. Morgan is in love with the latter, and talks with her about his cousin Sissy after dinner. Thereafter, he encounters the stout man whom he met the same morning, who is called Rosenfelder.
On April 11, Morgan makes friends with Rosenfelder during a swim in the pool and during breakfast. He learns that Rosenfelder is a tailor, going to America in order to see Mr. Macy to show him an extraordinary dress which should make him a fortune. When Morgan tells Rosenfelder that Isidor Straus, the present owner of Macy's, is aboard, Rosenfelder is very enthusiastic. They also talk about the tall lady of whom Rosenfelder thinks that his dress would suit her.
In the evening, Morgan encounters Scurra and the young lady, Adele Baines, who wants to jump overboard, as her lover with whom she wanted to go to America did not come aboard. She is prevented to do so by Morgan and Rosenfelder. After dinner, Morgan visits the cargo hold with his three friends. They also encounter Riley who complains about the bad working conditions: The stokers have to work too long, and there are too few men aboard to deal with the fire blazing in a coal bunker. Later, Morgan meets Andrews. The two men talk about the necessary changes which ought to be done, and they agree on making a tour of inspection together on the following day.
On April 12, Morgan talks to Rosenfelder who tells him that he wants Adele to sing wearing his dress. Afterwards, the inspection tour through the whole ship takes place. Later, Morgan wants to write a love letter to Wallis, but is soon disturbed by Rosenfelder who tells him that Adele will sing, but not wearing his dress, as it does not fit the occasion (she wants to sing something oriental). When Morgan has finished his love letter, he puts it in an envelope, which is soon stolen by a dog. Morgan chases the dog, but does not manage to get his letter back. A few moments later, however, the dog returns, and Morgan gets his letter back undamaged. While he is making for Wallis' cabin, he meets Scurra, and they both go to their cabins together. In front of Morgan's cabin, Scurra suddenly trips and falls. Morgan offers Scurra to have a drink in his cabin, where Scurra notices the picture showing Morgan's mother. Scurra has met Morgan's mother twice: She was serving in a café, and looked a little bit like Morgan. When Morgan asks for his father, Scurra remarks that he is not his father. He admits that he and Morgan have already met before: He, Scurra, was instructed by Morgan's uncle to make some enquiries into his background. He found out that after the death of his mother (when he was three years old), Morgan was taken in by a certain Miss Barrow, who was murdered 18 month later. Then, Morgan was put in his uncle's care.
After the dinner the same day, Adele sings in the Palm Court, although not wearing Rosenfelder's dress. However, she has promised to wear it on Sunday at dinner. Later, Morgan produces by chance the picture of the Japanese woman. With the help of a dedication on the back, Adele recognises that she has given this picture as a present to her lover. She is very thankful for telling her the story of her lover's death, for she now knows that he has not split up with her.
In the morning of April 13, Morgan talks with Wallis who shows some sort of affection for Morgan. Therefore, Morgan is very excited. However, he does not dare to deliver his letter first, still he finally thrusts the note under Wallis' door in the afternoon. While heading towards the deck again, he encounters Wallis and seizes her in his arms. Wallis is quite upset, and beats at him with her fists. This is why Morgan returns to Wallis' cabin to get the envelope. Just when he wants to leave, Wallis returns – accompanied by Scurra. Morgan hides in the bedroom and has to witness the love-making. After the two lovers have left, Morgan leaves the cabin, too, and gets heavily drunk. When he meets Scurra, he calls him to account, claiming that this was "not the behaviour of a friend," but Scurra declares that "it is every man for himself."
On April 14, Morgan meets Thomas Andrews at 2.00 p.m., and is given the task of drawing up plans for converting a part of the writing room into first-class accommodation. Andrews also tells Morgan of his own career at Harland and Wolff. At dinner, Adele shows up wearing the dress of Rosenfelder. She really looks marvellous. During the meal, Morgan suddenly faints and is brought to the reception room, where he soon recovers. Then, he strolls on deck, before retiring to the smoking room, where he plays bridge with his friends. Suddenly, the room judders and the lights flicker – the Titanic has struck the iceberg. Thereafter, Morgan wants to pass on to the library in order to read a book, but is stopped by Andrews who wants him to follow him to the bridge. After Morgan has put on some warm clothing, he returns to the bridge, where Andrews is about to inform Captain Smith that his vessel has just "one hour and a half, possibly two" to live.
So, Morgan and his friends return to their cabins in order to put on their lifebelts. Morgan also takes the canvas on which the picture showing his mother is painted with him. They try to warn all their friends, but they cannot find Scurra and Wallis. Morgan hence supposes that they might be locked in: All cabins are locked by the stewards, and Wallis might not have responded to the steward's knock as she might have been in the company of a gentleman. This is why Morgan gets the key to the cabin from the steward and slips it under the door. Later, Morgan meets Scurra in the Palm Court, talking to William Stead. Scurra tells Morgan not to worry about Wallis, as she and Molly are in the care of Ginsberg. Ida has already left the ship.
Afterwards, Rosenfelder wants Morgan to help him looking for Adele. They finally succeed in finding her, though Rosenfelder is shocked of her appearance: The edges of the skirt are trimmed with dirt, and the shoes have turned crusty due to sea water.
Thereafter, he encounters Ginsberg and Wallis in the smoking room, who do not want to leave. Later, Morgan has to look for Scurra, as Wallis does not want to leave without talking to him. Morgan finds Scurra in the Palm Court, and persuades him to talk to Wallis. Scurra finally persuades her to get into a lifeboat. Just before she steps aboard, a shot can be heard. Rosenfelder has been hit in the arm, and Adele takes care of him.
Before leaving the ship himself, Morgan returns to the barber, where he has seen some souvenirs which might be suitable for bringing along when visiting the son of his cousin Sissy. There, he meets Riley again who is very angry because of the tip Morgan has sent him. Riley has the impression that Morgan treated him as an inferior. Then, Morgan walks up on deck again, where he proceeds to the bridge, joining in the effort of some men to free the collapsibles. When the Titanic takes her final plunge, he manages to cling to collapsible B, and is rescued by the Carpathia on the next morning.
William Seil: "Sherlock Holmes and the Titanic Tragedy"
In the novel "Sherlock Holmes and the Titanic Tragedy" by William Seil, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson are called out of retirement to travel to America on board the Titanic on a secret assignment for the British government: They should accompany Miss Christine Norton, a courier for the Ministry, whose mission is to take some secret military plans for a submarine to the United States. The plans are already stolen on the second day, and the group spends the rest of the voyage searching for them. Their problems concerning the plans, however, are just the tip of the iceberg, as they have to deal with several other matters, too, such as an intrigue of communists.
As in the Sherlock-Holmes-stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the story is told by Dr. Watson.
The Titanic is described very well and detailed, and all important and interesting places on the Titanic are visited at least once by the main characters.
On the first evening aboard the ship, Sherlock Holmes (who is disguised as Commodore Giles Winter, a naval officer, during the whole trip), Watson, and Miss Norton discuss whether Miss Holly Storm-Fleming, whom Watson has previously met on the boat train, and who has just dined with them, is a spy. At the same time, Holmes notices that Colonel James Moriarty, Professor Moriarty's brother, comes aboard.
On April 11, Holmes, Watson and Miss Norton are invited to the captain who knows about their mission. He tells them that he is suspicious about a certain Fred Bishop, a lower-ranking officer, whom he has caught in the captain's cabin, but Bishop could give no real reason why he was there. What is more, Bishop has a German accent.
Afterwards, Watson is approached by Baron Hans Von Stern, who wants him to solve a problem: His wife gets blackmail notes, though she has nothing to hide. Watson promises to do his best.
In the evening, several people are invited to the captain's table on the demand of Holmes in order to determine whether they might be spies: Apart from Sherlock Holmes, Watson, and Miss Norton, Miss Storm-Fleming, the Futrelles (he is a famous author of detective stories), the Von Sterns, Bishop, Hugo Brandon (a gambler), and Colonel Moriarty are present. After the dinner, Holmes and Watson discuss in the smoking room, but are interrupted by Miss Norton, who tells them that her cabin has been searched, though the plans are still there. However, when they return to the cabin, the plans are stolen – Miss Norton was watched through the keyhole. In the adjoining cabin, the villains have tied up an elderly woman who is freed by Holmes, and who tells them that she has heard two men, of whom one has a black beard (She has scratched his face, and caught some black hair). Furthermore, Holmes notices some coal dust on the floor.
On April 12, the party meets the captain again, before sending a telegram to the coast requesting information about their dinner companions. Then, Holmes and Watson accompany the captain at his inspection tour, which also brings them to the boiler rooms. There, a stoker tells them about a black-bearded colleague with a scratch in his face, Ed Strickley. Thereafter, they question Strickley, and find out that he is a very likely suspect.
Later, Futrelle tells Holmes that he suspects him to be the famous detective, and is finally included in their investigation, as he has, according to a telegram, once worked for the American government in a similar mission. Later, the party proceeds to the bridge, where Strickley is questioned. However, he denies the accusations. Afterwards, Watson plays squash with Baron Von Stern, and they also talk about the break-in into Miss Norton's cabin. Then, Watson is informed by Futrelle that he saw Brandon walking with a bag into the third-class section, and returning wearing the same work clothes as the crew. When Watson returns to his cabin, he finds it in complete disarray. Therefore, he phones the captain who tells him that Bishop was found shot. The main suspect is Miss Storm-Fleming. However, she is finally cleared with the help of Holmes (the bullets of her revolver and those which killed Bishop look different). She tells the party that she was invited by Bishop to have a look at the cars in the cargo hold, and while sitting in a car, Bishop was shot. She tried to stop the murderer by shooting at him twice, still he managed to escape. After that incident, Mr. Ismay is also informed of Holmes' mission – at least as far as necessary.
On April 13, Futrelle and Watson make some discreet inquiries in second and third class where they meet Brandon. When they want to leave, they are stopped by Brandon and one of his companions, Swede, who lead them to a cargo hold. After a failed attempt to escape, Watson and Futrelle are tied up in the forward-most cargo hold, where Brandon tells them that he wants to sink the Titanic: He is a Marxist, and the sinking of the Titanic would be an "immeasurable loss of confidence by the capitalist countries." One bomb is hidden in that very cargo hold, another one somewhere else. They will be set off at 1.00 a.m., after he and his companions will have left the ship at midnight.
After Brandon and Swede have left, Watson and Futrelle manage to free themselves, and even manage to find the bomb. While they are trying to defuse it, the door is unlocked, and – Sherlock Holmes enters. He is wearing a new disguise, and has stolen some deck plans from Brandon where this cargo hold is marked. Then, the three men inform the captain of the two bombs. Fortunately, they soon succeed in finding the second bomb, and both bombs are defused by an electrician. At midnight, they await the communists on deck, and finally stop them after a gun fight – except for Brandon who escapes with the help of a small ship nearby.
On April 14 in the morning, the captain informs Holmes and his companions that Strickley has disappeared, although he was confined to quarters. After the church service, his body is finally found – he was murdered.
In the evening, Watson meets Miss Storm-Fleming for dinner, and they spend a pleasant evening. Later, Moriarty tells Watson that someone has broken into his cabin. Afterwards, Sherlock Holmes, Watson, and Miss Norton meet again in the smoking room, where Watson takes some miniature furniture out of his pocket by chance. He has got it from a young boy, Tommy, who has found it in a dustbin. The furniture in the smoking room looks familiar, therefore Holmes concludes that the plans might be hidden in the model of the Titanic in the reception room.
While the party is making for the reception room, the collision occurs, but the three of them have no time to bother about the iceberg. They have to look for the plans which they really find. Suddenly, they are disturbed by the Von Sterns who want them to pass on the plans – they are German spies. Suddenly, Miss Storm-Fleming arrives and threatens the Von Sterns with a revolver. Just when the Baron is about to turn around, he is shot by Miss Storm-Fleming. Seconds later, the Baroness is shot, too. Then, Miss Storm-Fleming reveals that she is an agent of the American government, and has to look after the plans and after Sherlock Holmes.
Then, the whole group proceed to the bridge, where they inform the captain of the event, and are informed of the seriousness of the situation by the captain. They decide to look for their friends – the Futrelles, the family of Tommy, etc. – and to meet again at 1.15 a.m. Miss Storm-Fleming and Watson guide several third-class passengers to the boats, therefore they are late for their meeting. On their way, they encounter Mr. Futrelle who has just placed his wife in a lifeboat and wants to be left alone. At the meeting point, they meet only Miss Norton. Sherlock Holmes has left to fight with Colonel Moriarty who has found out his real identity. Watson guides the two ladies to a lifeboat, but refuse to leave himself despite the fact that the captain claims that a doctor will be needed. Suddenly, he is hit by Miss Storm-Fleming's revolver, and becomes unconscious. He regains consciousness just before the Titanic finally sinks, and finds himself lying in the lifeboat. Aboard the Carpathia, Watson is informed by Lightoller that he has seen Sherlock Holmes struggling with Moriarty just before the ship went down.
Several days later, on April 21, Watson meets a hiker while walking along a river – it is Sherlock Holmes! He reveals how he managed to survive, and that Moriarty was killed by the toppled funnel. He adds that it was considered best for his mission that even his friends did not know that he was alive. Now, his mission is finally fulfilled.
Jim Walker: "Murder on the Titanic"
The novel "Murder on the Titanic" by Jim Walker presents us a short episode in the life of Morgan Fairfield, a recent graduate from Oxford. He is a wealthy orphan, and before marrying Margaret Hastings, the love of his life, he wants to prove himself, and wants to work for a newspaper in New York. Therefore, he travels to America aboard the Titanic. On board, he meets Margaret again, and is also involved in an intrigue of the IRA which fights for the independence of Ireland. Briefly, a very exciting journey, full of suspense, awaits him.
Morgan Fairfield is given a top secret message by a stranger in the street who has just been attacked by a thief. The stranger wants him to give his satchel to a certain Major Archibald Butt on the Titanic, or, if failing to do so, to deliver it to the War Department in Washington. As Morgan will cross the Atlantic aboard the new vessel to work for a newspaper, he promises to do his best, before the stranger finally dies.
Aboard the Titanic, he soon makes friends with Hunter Kennedy, a cheerful actor, with whom he spends most of the time on board. He also meets Margaret Hastings, an attractive, young woman, who travels to America with her mother, April, and her fiancé, Peter Wilksbury, to whom she became engaged in order to get on with her life and to forget Morgan.
Morgan sees the thief and murderer again on the Titanic (he has stolen the stranger's ticket), but soon loses his track. Then, Hunter takes revenge on Benjamin Guggenheim for stealing his girlfriend, Miss Kitty Webb: Hunter wins a lot of money by cheating in a card game. Afterwards, Hunter and Morgan are attacked by someone who shoves a large metal box towards them whilst they are standing at the rail. Therefore, they start searching for the perpetrator, and Morgan follows a man who is walking on the top of the ship, and is about to climb onto the fourth funnel. Morgan finally throws an iron bar on him while the man is standing inside the fourth funnel (the dummy one).
In the evening, Hunter and Morgan have dinner with Margaret, April, Peter, Donald Delaney (a quite passionate freedom fighter for Ireland who is also involved in the IRA), Guggenheim, Kitty, Archibald Gracie (a historian), and Mrs. Gloria Thompson. After dinner, Hunter and Morgan search the satchel and find documents which could prevent a war. They also find a picture showing the stranger and – Morgan's nursemaid.
On the following day, Morgan, Hunter, and Jack Kelly (a steerage passenger whom they met while following the thief) accompany Thomas Andrews on his inspection tour through the ship. When meeting Delaney, Kelly warns his two friends of him, for he is "a big shot in the IRA." At the bridge, they observe the captain being informed that a first-class passenger was murdered in his cabin – it is the thief. No wounds are visible on his forehead, therefore he was not the man Morgan threw the iron bar on. Later, the stewards are questioned, and Fitzgerald, who has just brought a secret message from Scotland Yard to Delaney, before delivering it to the bridge, behaves very conspicuously.
Meanwhile, Gloria Thompson and Margaret talk about love, and Gloria tries to persuade the young lady to marry Morgan if she still loves him. Later that day, Hunter tries to "convince" Morgan that he still loves Margaret, and that he should talk to her. Before, however, Hunter tries to blackmail Bruce Ismay who has killed his sister in a car accident some months ago. In the meantime, Delaney's accomplice in third class, Howie O'Conner, who is provided with a steward's jacket by Fitzgerald, tries to plant a bomb which should sink the Titanic, causing the loss of (English) life, but is disturbed by another third class passenger, Mr. Killebrew, whom he stabs.
At dinner, Morgan drinks Delaney's tea which was offered to him after Delaney spilled Morgan's. As a result, Morgan becomes very sleepy – he was drugged. Fitzgerald helps him to undress, and starts searching for the satchel as soon as Morgan is asleep. However, he is disturbed by Hunter who takes Morgan out on deck, and who also takes the satchel with him. Nevertheless, Fitzgerald who hides behind a screen is not noticed by Hunter.
On April 12, Killebrew's body is found. On the same day, Fourth Officer Boxhall starts some investigations in third class, where he also questions O'Conner. Meanwhile, Morgan and Hunter visit the Turkish baths, where they meet Major Butt. Morgan is locked up by someone in a steam room with the help of a walking stick, and is rescued by Margaret and Peter with whom he wanted to go to the pool. There, they find Hunter lying in the pool – dead. He wanted to meet Kitty there, and got a blow to the head by someone which probably caused his death. After this incident, Morgan is given the task of investigating into the murders with the help of Boxhall on his own demand. He also includes Margaret and Peter in his inquiry.
Soon after that, Morgan and Butt want to collect the satchel which was checked in at the purser last night by Hunter, but the purser refuses to hand it out, as Hunter has to check it out personally.
Meanwhile, Jack Kelly is suspicious about O'Conner, for he does not dance, nor gamble, nor drink. When O'Conner leaves the common room, Kelly follows him, and watches him planting the bomb. Thanks to his effort – he manages to convince the chief engineer that there is a bomb – O'Conner is arrested, and the bomb is removed.
In the meantime, Morgan dances with Gloria Thompson after dinner, who tells him that he has only two possibilities concerning his relationship to Margaret: On the one hand, he could tell her that he loves her. On the other hand, he could remain a gentleman and "leave her" to Peter. He decides to do the former, and Morgan and Margaret finally kiss each other. Then, they wonder what they should do, and how they should tell Peter and April.
On April 13, whilst Margaret is questioning Kitty in the styling salon, there is a foil fight between Morgan and Hans Reinhold, Guggenheim's valet, in the squash court. Peter, Morgan and Margaret find out that it was Hans on whom Morgan has dropped the iron bar. What is more, Kitty behaves very conspicuously, and she can be regarded as a very likely suspect for the murder of Hunter. Later, they meet a boy and his mother, who carry a broken walking stick, probably the one with which Morgan was locked in. They learn that is was thrown over the ship's side, and that the initial "B" is carved in. Afterwards, they agree on the fact that Hunter trusted the murderer, who must have been, by the way, left-handed, though they cannot decide who it was.
Meanwhile, Boxhall has to accompany Fitzgerald while visiting O'Conner to bring him some food. Whilst O'Conner and the steward are alone, they hatch a plan how O'Conner could escape. However, they are listened by Andrews who is in the adjoining room, and who immediately informs Boxhall. The officer, however, does not want to arrest Fitzgerald, as there is another passenger involved, but he does not know who.
In the evening, Morgan and Peter are "quarrelling" who should marry Margaret. They are listened by April and Margaret who is furious, as the two men treat her like "a piece of unwanted property." On April 14 after the church service, however, Morgan asks Margaret if she wants to marry him, and she accepts.
Later that day, Morgan finds out that Delaney is not deaf, as it was supposed before, and he suspects that Delaney is involved in the murders. This suspicion is later confirmed by O'Conner. Before that, however, Fitzgerald informs Delaney of his meeting with O'Conner, and they decide to free him. Later, they want to get the satchel.
Shortly after 11.00 p.m., Kelly's advice which he has previously given to Boxhall is put into action: Boxhall, Morgan, and Peter put the fear of God into O'Conner by holding him over the ship's side. O'Conner claims that there is no other bomb, and that Delaney is his accomplice. In this very moment, the collision occurs.
During the following chapters of the book, a constant change between (accurate) historic episodes and fictional events can be noticed. As the historic part of the novel does not show any grave errors, I will concentrate on the story told by the author:
Morgan and Peter force April into a lifeboat, but cannot persuade Margaret to leave the ship first, as she does not want to leave without Morgan. Finally, however, she gets aboard a lifeboat with the two children of a single male passenger. Meanwhile, Jack Kelly tries to persuade the captain to open the watertight doors, as the ship will last longer in this case – a false assumption, as recent computer simulations have shown.
Morgan and Major Butt get the satchel, but Butt is knocked down by O'Conner. Then, Morgan fights with O'Conner, and finally wins, after O'Conner has knocked himself unconscious. At that time, Delaney intervenes. Soon, both men are engulfed by the in-rushing water. Nevertheless, Morgan manages to escape and to get aboard collapsible B, where he meets Peter who is about to die. He promises that he will love Margaret, and that they will name their first son Peter. On the Carpathia, he is reunited with Margaret. There, he also sees Kitty again, while she is taking a cigarette out of her cigarette case. This case and the case Hunter once possessed are alike as two peas in a pod.
Three months later, Morgan meets Lilly, his nursemaid again. After having shown her the picture of her and the stranger who died in the street, he learns that this man was his father. Lilly got pregnant from him, and her employers pretended that the child was their own, and kept Lilly as a nursemaid. Finally, mother and son embrace each other happily.
