Rita decided to take the Lusitania despite all the public warnings. Do you think she was too trusting of the official mantra that the ship was too fast to be torpedoed? Or was she justified in feeling that her need to reach her brother before he left for the front outweighed the risk? Would you have boarded the ship?
I think jumping aboard any ship to cross the Atlantic during wartime with very little chance of reaching her destination before her brother departed was impulsive, but that was very much in character for Rita.
Rita felt that she needed to see her brother despite the potential dangers that could lay ahead. After all family did matter to her despite the hurdles she had to overcome with them to accomplish her dreams of performing as a singer.
I think Rita trusted that the ship would be protected by England’s Navy, as promised.
She was so desperate to see her brother and try to keep him from enlisting, that she was willing to chance the trip instead of waiting for an American ship to get to London.
With the promises of safety that the ships company offered and the desire to get home to see her brother, I would have probably got on that ship, too.
She seemed to feel every hour counted, which is why she chose the Lusitania over the US ship - it was faster. Like her, I would have been apprehensive, but would have thought, “It’ll probably be OK” and taken the risk.
Rita’s whole personality was full speed ahead. Convinced that she should go, she was able to compartmentalize the warnings into a box called “it won’t happen to me.” I ignored most warnings about Covid in the same way. I think it had little to do with her trusting anything–except herself.
I think Rita and the other people who took the trip despite the warnings were too unaware of what was happening in Europe and the possibility that the Germans would torpedo a passenger ship never occurred to them. They were living in an alternative world.
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I definitely think she trusted the speed, and it would have probably saved them if she was using all 4 engines. I’m not sure she would have gotten on if she knew that the 4th engine was not being used. She was impulsive but definitely wanted to be safe and probably would have been happy to have less time with her brother if she knew a different shi would be safer
I would not have boarded the ship. It sounds like there were many warnings. I believe her first and only thought was that she needed to see her brother before he was off to war. She was thinking of him before her own safety. But I must say there were so many people that did not heed the warning. All must have thought the ship was extremely safe.
Rita needed to see her brother before he went to war. The Lusitania was available, so she jumped on board thinking it was the fastest transportation she wanted. I believe she didn’t think the Germans would attack a commercial ship. Oh, so, wrong! I was appalled myself, how cruel and heartless. I was pleased she survived.
she was anxious to get home. i think this kept her heart over ruled her head
I would have been too fearful. Rita cared about her family and wanted to see her brother before he left for war. Giuseppe had recently made the same trip successfully, and she was a risk taker.
Rita was apprehensive but decided to risk it, despite hearing and reading warnings of German intent to torpedo British ships. But she was anxious to reunite with her family and to see her brother before he left for the front. She was relieved to see her brother-in-law on board and followed his safety instructions carefully before and after the Lusitania was hit. This might have helped save her life.
The whole time I was reading this section I kept thinking “didn’t they learn anything from the Titanic?” The whole lifeboat situation was disturbing.
No, I never would have taken the trip! Also, as a reader I didn’t feel much of a connection to the Jolivet brother, so I was hoping that the sisters would not get on the ship. I had almost forgotten about him until that point in the story.
I think that because Rita was a risk taker and cared a lot about her family, she would of course get on the fastest ship. Not so sure I would do the same- it would be a difficult choice.
Leslie_R
That is a great description of Rita’s personality. I also appreciate the allusion to a ship, with full speed ahead.
I can understand being apprehensive but also moving ahead quickly to reach the goal.
I agree with Paula in that I would not have boarded the ship .. there were too many warnings and there was no way in those times of actually knowing when the different ships would arrive ..
I don’t think Rita was thinking through all possible scenarios since she was so anxious to get back to her family. Also - we have to remember information and news was not readily available as it is today so it’s unclear what information was being circulated about the dangers and risks. I do think Rita was impulsive regardless.
I think her priority was to get home in time to see her brother so that’s why she picked the fastest way. I believe her biggest fear was that her brother would go off to war and never come home
I am pretty sure I would not have taken the Lusitania. Rita and the other passengers felt a false sense of security, because they relied on the information widely spouted, about the speed of the ship, later we learn one of the engines was not in use. They also had incorrect information that they would have an escort for the most harrowing section. It’s very understandable that she wanted to see her brother, however, the possibility of being torpedoed , would make her arrival on time questionable anyway. She took a gamble and while she missed her brother, she miraculously survived.