21-year-old Earnest Tomlin lost his life on the Titanic but his letter features a crucial element that connects to the hit film's main characters.

There have been several theories about the Titanic ship and the movie named and created after the incident. The main characters of the movie directed by James Cameron were regarded as fictional, per Star of the Ocean. However, Leonardo DiCaprio’s “Jack Dawson” and Kate Winslet’s “Rose DeWitt Bukater” claimed the hearts of many and gave them a glimpse into the fateful night and a sacrificial love, the New York Post reported. On November 18, the Daily Beast revealed that a “never-before-seen” letter surfaced from a young man named Ernest Tomlin who was on the ship on the tragic day. The contents of the letter are raising serious doubts about whether a real “Jack” and “Rose” were on the Titanic.

The characters were created by the director to help people dive into the lives of the individuals and their emotions when they lost their lives and loved ones when the Titanic sank. However, since then, several theories have floated around about the plot and the characters, trying to figure out what is real. The two main characters romancing each other are supposedly fictional, but this letter from Tomlin adds a fresher perspective. The then 21-year-old man penned a letter the day the ship departed, per The Daily Mail. The finds were given to Hendry Aldridge Auctioneers. In a post shared on Instagram, they revealed the finds.

Auctioneer Andrew Aldridge mentioned, “It has been within the Tomlin family since 1912, having only been looked at sporadically over the past 113 years.” It recently surfaced along with other items, including a diary that belonged to Tomlin, who tragically lost his life with the other 1,500 passengers when the Titanic crashed. The letter, dated April 10th, was addressed to Tomlin’s mother. It was a five-page letter that explained his situation, emotions and his sorrow for leaving them to pursue a degree. In it, he also revealed that he was heartbroken and hurting due to the loss of his love interest, Rose.
It reads, “Dearest Mother and all. Do not tell anybody but me, I showed up to have a good cry 24 hours ago, which would give me back my Rose but crying will not do that, will it?” “His letter home to his mother is exceptional. It is written over five pages and includes content describing life on board for a third-class passenger. There is also his heartbreak of what appears to be an unrequited love with a lady called Rose,” Aldridge explained. Towards the end of the letter, Tomlin wrote, “Sometimes, in our lives, we are forced to meet grim realities. My time is now. It is time now, I'm sorry to have to leave you all.”
Along with the letter, the diary found showed the last entry by Tomlin, which only read, “Titanic,” on April 10. In a video shared by History Hit, Aldridge broke down the details of the diary and why it was such a crucial find. The coincidence and specifics of the situation are beyond surreal. Aldridge added, “In a way, Ernest does bear some similarities to Leonardo DiCaprio's character Jack Dawson in that he was a third-class passenger, was involved in gambling on board and was apparently in love with a woman called Rose.”
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