Jaws: A Short Story

“Don’t hesitate to call me if you need anything else”, Brianna says, offering one last warm hug as the young girl leaves. “And don’t worry, I will find a way to fix this, we’re in it together now.”

Peter Benchley wrote "Jaws" the novel before it was made into a film directed by Steven Spielberg. "Jaws" is a thriller/horror with the main aim being to build up suspense and tension. When making the film Jaws Steven Spielberg had to face the challenging task of translating Benchley’s popular novel into a hit movie whilst still maintaining the suspense created through the many textual devices used by Benchley, such as language techniques and sentence structure. Spielberg managed use different camera angles and shots alongside lighting effects to create atmosphere and tension to pretty much the same effect. In the background he uses music and sound effects to add to the dramatic visual images he creates.

First, I will intend to take you on a brief journey through the horror genre and the conventions that have been associated. Second I will show you how these conventions are used in the film Jaws. Let’s take a closer look at the history of the horror genre. To get started we are going to start with the first era or as it’s called the silent era. This era was based on monsters such as Frankenstein (1910), Dracula (1912) and The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923). The horror was all about the make up and the clever use of lighting, to add thrills.

“I am a nice shark, not a mindless eating machine. If I am to change this image, I must first change myself. Fish are friends, not food (Finding Nemo).” This child's movie has some accuracy in the sense of a sharks image must be changed in order for the “mindless eating machine” label to be taken away. There is one movie that deserves all the blame for this inaccurate labeling of sharks, and that movie is “Jaws.” Released in 1975, Steven Spielberg directed a movie that changed the minds of ocean swimmers forever.

When the boy and the girl run off, we suddenly hear the sound of the

Over the past 100 years sharks attack numbers, though rare, have been increasing. Ironically two of the most recent attacks have happened this month, which is the 40 year anniversary of the movie Jaws. these two attacks happened at Oak Island in North Carolina. The two attacks were at different times, only by hours, but on the same beach. It’s suspected that either a tiger or bull shark had attacked these two teen girls, but usually great white, lemon, spinner sharks are to blame for human attacks. Attacks this year had also been performed by a nurse and mako shark. Most attacks are categorized as “provoked attacks.” This is like a shark getting a shark bite during spearfishing, shark catching, or even releasing it from a line. Sharks accidentally

"Okay. I trust you. I'll be right back," her mom stated, then left the house.

The ocean is one of the most mysterious places on earth. So much of it is still unknown that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts that almost 97 percent is untouched. The fear of the ocean heightened following the premiere of the cult classic movie "Jaws" in 1975. The internationally recognizable theme music still subconsciously haunts beachgoers, even two generations following its release. The franchise "perpetuated the myths about sharks as man-eaters and bloodthirsty killers " said George Burgess, a shark biologist at the University of Florida in Gainesville.

In Peter Benchley’s “Jaws,” not only is the man-eating shark and suspenseful plot important, but so are the characters whose relationships build the text. The characteristics of the main characters contribute to the message that Benchley tries to instill into his audience, avenging the truth. However, the shark may be the largest contribution to the success of Benchley’s novel, characters, such as Martin Brody, the chief of police, is a vital character with his hard-working traits, and willingness to do anything to defeat the menacing shark.

“Kenz we are going to call this number right here first” I pointed to the first number “ Then were gonna get you someone to help you get through this. Also I am here for you too ok” She nodded

The second attack is on a small boy in the sea at a crowded beach on

“Shhhh, it’s okay. Things will work out, but right now we need to leave.” Kara whispered gently, as she stared Aileen in the eyes and tried to comfort her.

Released in 1975, Jaws was probably one of the best adventure, action, and suspense films of that era. Directed by Steven Spielberg with the following staring main cast members Roy Scheider as "Martin Bordy" (chief police officer), Richard Dreyfuss as "Matt Hooper" (marine biologist), Robert Shaw as "Quint" (local fisherman), Murray Hamilton as "Larry Vaughan" (town mayor). "Jaws" the movie, is not like any other any other fish story. The film is about a gigantic 26 foot shark that has an appetite for people; how horrifying is that? The unusual story takes place on the seasides' of Amity Island. When Chief Brody uncovers the partial body of a teenage girl with shark like bites, Chief Brody contacts a shark specialist to verify if the bite

“I’m also glad he’s talking to people now. He’s a lot happier without her always running his life.”

“Probably not. I’ve felt this before. Besides, I have more than a week to go.”