James Cameron’s _Titanic_ sparked a debate that has raged on since its release in 1997 – was it really necessary for Jack to die to save Rose? Watching the film for the first time, I remember having a conversation with my family - “Why can’t she just move over?!”, “That plank of wood is big enough for two!” [Luke Holland] (https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2020/aug/17/solved-did-jack-really-have-to-die-to-save-rose-at-the-end-of-titanic) makes a pretty solid argument as to why both lovers should have survived, arguing that the measurements of both Jack and Rose could fit onto the oak door frame. However, [ScreenRant] (https://screenrant.com/titanic-movie-jack-rose-die-save-door-reason/#:~:text=Based%20on%20how%20Titanic's%20screenplay,the%20sake%20of%20narrative%20harmony.&text=Cameron%20first%20shows%20his%20hand,friend%20to%20board%20the%20Titanic) argue that whilst Jack probably could have fit onto the frame alongside Rose, he had to die for the sake of narrative harmony. Throughout the film, Jack shows Rose that there is more to life than belonging to a loveless marriage for the sake of money and social appeasement. When Jack dies, the cycle of Rose’s new life begins, where she takes control of her future. Considering this, would Jack surviving change the outcome of the story altogether? Would it take away from the sad but bittersweet ending of Jack giving Rose the courage to live her life?

Even if Rose shuffled over Jack would have been too cold to lift himself onto the plank! It is clear he is experiencing hypothermia from being in the freezing cold water and because of this it is unlikely that he would have the strength to climb onto the plank. Even supposing Rose tried to help him she also is likely to be experiencing hypothermia (although less severe) and wouldn't be much use in dragging Jack onto the plank because like him, her body is slowly shutting down because of the cold.

Let's play this with the genders swapped. A rich dude letting a poor woman float off and die in some "you have more life than I do" BS? The whole thing is gross.

I think that the door was probably wide enough to accommodate two people. However, the weight of more than one person lying on the door would have, at least, pushed the door further into the water. If the door had been flooded, this would have diminished and may have negated any survival advantage to either individual.