Jaws is a 1975 classic American thriller movie directed by Steven Spielberg The movie focuses on a small tourist town called Amity Island which is terrorized by a great white shark. Police Chief Martin Brody, played by Roy Scheider, is tasked with finding a way to protect the citizens of Amity Island and to try and stop the shark. The great white shark is presented as a frightening but also thrilling antagonist.
Essay Topic Ideas
1. Discuss the ways in which the portrayal of the great white shark in Jaws is relevant to our modern understanding of fear and human nature.
2. Analyze the characters in Jaws and how their conflict reflects the struggle between man and nature.
3. Analyze how Jaws is an example of suspenseful horror and what elements of film make it so effective.
4. Examine how Jaws is a reflection of Cold War-era anxiety and compare it to other popular films of the time.
5. Discuss the effectiveness of the soundtrack in Jaws and how it helped to create an atmosphere of fear and excitement.