Great white shark

Author: Peter Benchley
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2000-01-01
Features: On a moonless, pitch-black night, a colossal "monster" glides silently to the seaside of the summer resort town of Amity. A young woman goes for a swim in the ocean, and the "monster" senses the change in the ocean's rhythm, then suddenly attacks her. It opens its gaping mouth, first biting off one of her legs, then devouring most of her body. The woman's mangled corpse is washed ashore on the beach. This is the chillingly terrifying scene depicted at the beginning of the novel Jaws by contemporary American author Peter Benchley. The behemoth in the novel is a bloodthirsty, man-eating great white shark—weighing several thousand pounds, over twenty feet long, and exceptionally fierce. In just a few days, it commits three horrifying crimes. As the story unfolds, a thrilling battle ensues between humans and the shark, as well as among humans themselves. Upon its release, the novel sold out instantly and was adapted into a film. The author, Peter Benchley, also became a household name. Is the plot of the novel terrifying and bizarre? Yes. Is the description gripping? Yes. Amity is a small town that thrives on its seaside tourism. The appearance of a man-eating great white shark in the town causes a stir. Police Chief Brody, though prone to self-doubt and suspicion, is fundamentally kind and insists on closing the beach. A small group led by the mayor, driven by personal interests, forces Brody to keep the beach open, leading to a series of shark attacks. The struggle between humans and the shark, as well as among humans themselves, weaves a tragic tale. This story was later adapted into a film in the 1970s by the renowned American director Steven Spielberg, causing a sensation.