Jaws

As the chief of police in Amity, Martin Brody is the embodiment of law and order. How does his relationship to the law change over the course of the novel?

Throughout the novel, Brody and the other characters begin to realize that Amity is not the clean, law-abiding town that it claims to be. How deeply is the town infected by corruption, and how is this shown throughout the novel?

Quint, Hooper, and Brody all respond to the shark and its attacks in different ways. How do they each perceive the shark, and what does it say about their individual characters? What does it say about human perceptions of nature?

In what ways are Hooper and Quint presented as ideological opposites? To what extent can they be considered similar?

What does Ellen's affair with Hooper say about her self-identity?

Minnie Eldridge believes that the shark attacks are God punishing Amity. To what extent is Minnie proved right or wrong?

How does the media treat the shark attacks in Amity? What does this treatment say about society's wider concerns?

To what extent can the institutions and individuals of Amity be considered responsible for what happens to the town?