Beyond its religious imagery, the film uses the ship, Katie’s belongings and even her cabin to suggest larger themes of innocence, corruption, memory and change.

Life as a Voyage

The Antonia Graza can be read as a symbolic voyage through life. Its Dante-inspired murals connect the ship and the people on it with ideas of moral choice, life, death and final destination.

Ferriman resembles the corrupted ferryman who leads people toward destruction, while Katie acts as a guide trying to warn them away from danger. Epps ultimately changes the course of her own journey by humbly listening to Katie and choosing a different path.

Symbols of Changing Times

The once-beautiful Antonia Graza has decayed into a ruin, making it a powerful symbol of time and change.

Katie also provides a striking contrast. Her manners, appearance, belongings and memories preserve an image of childhood rooted in 1962. The deteriorating ship therefore encompasses a child whose identity and innocence have remained remarkably unchanged.

The Pristine Dress

Katie’s formal light pastel blue dress carries special personal meaning. More than just a fashion piece, Katie tries to make a connection with Epps by “modeling” the dress for her. Katie reveals her mother made the dress which makes it a tangible connection to her mother.

Although the ship, Katie’s possessions and even her physical remains have deteriorated, the dress she wears as a spirit remains pristine. It can therefore be read as a visual symbol of both maternal love and Katie’s preserved innocence—A part of her identity the corruption surrounding her has been unable to erode.

Cabin A404

Katie’s cabin number is clearly identified as A404 on the door. Presumably, this is simply a room number and it is likely the filmmakers never intended it as a symbolical message.

Even so, modern viewers may notice a resemblance to the familiar “404 Not Found” internet error message. The association fits Katie unusually well: She has been lost to her family, forgotten by history and waiting for someone to find her.

In this way, her cabin becomes the place where Epps and the audience transition from viewing Katie merely as a “ghost” and begin rediscovering her as a person.

The number “404” can also be understood as representing the time Katie has been on the ship: 40 years, 4 months = 404. Although this is more incidental, it demonstrates Katie is a character who endures, despite being denied to opportunity to grow up. In either interpretation, Katie’s cabin reinforces the idea that her identity matters.