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Ocean Ecohorror: By Raeven Boswell, Luke Fincher, Brock Lignell, and Melanie Sciammetta
Main Menu
Table of Contents
Introduction
Timeline
This is a timeline of major events relevant to the Ocean Ecohorror genre of media. Events such as these have shifted and shaped the way humans explore, interact with, and experience the ocean. Through the events on this timeline, we know more about the ocean than ever before, but we have also come to the realization that we still know very little about it as well. The attitudes created by these events toward the ocean are what gives Ocean Ecohorror its power and fear factor, creating an influential genre that continues to shape our view of the world to this day.
Moby Dick
Godzilla
Jaws
Subnautica
Hybrids
Works Cited
Luke Fincher
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Man Vs. Nature
1 media/manvsnature01_thumb.jpg 2023-03-17T18:28:40-07:00 Raeven Aliyah Boswell 70e60540c077cb993412df5d66eb074555e67d7d 42537 1 Man vs. Nature depiction of ocean ecohorror theme in Jaws, Source:Toxel, accessed March 17 plain 2023-03-17T18:28:40-07:00 Raeven Aliyah Boswell 70e60540c077cb993412df5d66eb074555e67d7dThis page is referenced by:
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Jaws
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The film Jaws, directed by Steven Spielberg, is a story about a small town located on the American west coast. This small town is called Amity Island. A police chief, Martin Brody, reports a deadly threat to the town's mayor about a killer shark on the loose. Due to the mayor and his ignorance, Martin and two other men, Quint and Hooper, team up to hunt down the shark.
As the trio set out on Quint's boat, they encounter several setbacks and close calls with the killer shark. During the hunt, the shark becomes increasingly aggressive and unpredictable. This creates tension and controversy between the three men. Yet, despite their differences they must work together to end the misery of the town and defeat the shark.
Leading up to the final scene, the film builds suspense as the men struggle to catch the shark. Culminating a thrilling final showdown between the men and the shark. To conclude, Spielberg effectively created a cinematic experience. Through the use of horror, action, and suspense to ultimately create Jaws.
The overall theme of Jaws
The theme of the film is the terror and danger of the unknown. It explores how fear can drive people to act irrational. The humans ignore the warming signs and to make decisions that ultimately put the in-harm's way. The shark represents a primal deadly force of nature that cannot be controlled by humans. Furthermore, the attacks from the shark are rather confusing to humans. The shark leaves the citizens confused and frustrated.
Initially, some were paralyzed with fear and refuse to go near the water, while others deny the danger. Both of these responses are shown to be problematic. The responses, prevent people from taking necessary precautions to protect themselves. As the story unfolds, the characters confront their fears and must overcome adversity. They are faced with limitations to protect their community from the killer shark.
That fear itself can shape human behavior. It suggests that while fear can be a useful tool for survival, it can also lead to terrible decision-making. At worst, even self-destructive behavior if not managed properly.
Man vs. Nature
The battle that is being depicted several times in this film is Man vs. Nature. As mentioned in my previous paragraphs, the shark illustrates an unstoppable force. The shark is massive in size, incredible strong, and has ruthless hunting tactics. The humans, on the other hand, are illustrated as vulnerable and fallible. Often limited with resources and knowledge as they search for a savior to defeat the shark.
As the film journeys along, the humans use a variety of tactics to defeat the shark. With the use of weapons and more they are repeatedly outmatched and outsmarted by the shark. The suspense created leaves the audience to ponder. Are the humans capable of overcoming the shark? Will they be able to restore order to their community?
Ultimately, the film suggests while humans have made great strides in understanding nature. There are still many things that are beyond human's control.
Connection to the Main theme
With the film being categorized as eco-horror. Jaws focuses on the destructive impact of human on the environment. Furthermore, resulting in the backlash of nature against humans, Man vs. Nature. A common theme in most eco-horror films
The main antagonist, the killer shark, terrorizes a coastal town. In reflection, there is an underlying theme overfishing and environmental degradation. The shark's attacks on swimmers and boaters are portrayed as a form of retribution. Throughout the film, humans were inflicting damages on the marine ecosystem.
With the interreference of natural order of the ocean. The film exaggerated the "predator" title of the shark. The shark was simply trying to survive and feed, yet the humans are the ones who disrupts the balance. The humans intrude into its territory and eventually begin to kill its prey. Effecting the food supply chain of the ecosystem of the marine life. Demonstrating the dangers of ignoring the impact that human actions have on the natural world.
The film also highlights the conflict between economic interest and environment concerns. The town was formally known for its tourist attraction. Yet, with the shark attacks and reports the mayor did not enforce any restrictions. The mayor's main concern was the losing profit by closing the beaches down due to the shark attacks. This tension between profit and sustainability is a common theme in eco-horror. Ocean Eco-horror often depicts human greed and exploitation. In which, human greed and exploitation is the root cause of ecological problems.
