--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: No, the shark in an updated JAWS could…" description: "\"No, the shark in an updated JAWS could not be the villain; it would have to be written as the victim, for, worldwide, sharks are much more the oppresse..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f60/peter-benchley-10002_oppressed_no-the-shark-in-an-updated-jaws-could-no_1664324.jpg" --- # No, the shark in an updated JAWS could not be the villain… ![“No, the shark in an updated JAWS could not be the villain; it would have to be written as the victim, for, worldwide, sharks are much more the oppressed than the oppressors.” quote by Peter Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f60/peter-benchley-10002_oppressed_no-the-shark-in-an-updated-jaws-could-no_1664324.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f60/peter-benchley-10002_oppressed_no-the-shark-in-an-updated-jaws-could-no_1664324.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f60/peter-benchley-10002_oppressed_no-the-shark-in-an-updated-jaws-could-no_1664324.jpg) > “No, the shark in an updated JAWS could not be the villain; it would have to be written as the victim, for, worldwide, sharks are much more the oppressed than the oppressors.” [Peter Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-benchley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Sharks are portrayed as victims rather than villains, highlighting their oppression by humans. **In simple terms:** Sharks are victims, not villains. Key Takeaway Recognize and protect misunderstood beings. Themes environment justice misrepresentation animal rights Mood reflective concerned Type critical analytical When to use this quote - wildlife documentaries - conservation campaigns - media analysis - educational programs Key Concepts Ecocriticism anthropocentrism victim narrative Questions to Reflect On - How does media shape our view of predators? - What responsibilities arise from portraying animals as oppressed? A Different Perspective Sharks can still be feared despite victim status. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fish/) [Jaws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jaws/) [Oppressed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oppressed/) [Oppressors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oppressors/) [Sharks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sharks/) [Victim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victim/) [Villain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/villain/) ## Related quotes > [“Any weapon's only as good as the man using it, and a good man can make a good weapon out of most anything.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-benchley/any-weapon-s-only-as-good-as-the-man-using-it-and-a-good-man-can-make/) [Peter Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-benchley/) > [“The fish might well have disappeared already, but Brody wasn't willing to gamble lives on the possibility: the odds might be good, but the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-benchley/the-fish-might-well-have-disappeared-already-but-brody-wasn-t-willing/) [Peter Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-benchley/) > [“Brody felt a shimmy of fear skitter up his back. He was a very poor swimmer, and the prospect of being on top of—let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-benchley/brody-felt-a-shimmy-of-fear-skitter-up-his-back-he-was-a-very-poor/) [Peter Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-benchley/) > [I hope that 'Jaws' will have brought sharks into the public interest at a time when we desperately need to reevaluate our care for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-benchley/i-hope-that-jaws-will-have-brought-sharks-into-the-public-interest-at/) [Peter Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-benchley/) > [“Life's full of chances to hurt yourself or someone else.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-benchley/life-s-full-of-chances-to-hurt-yourself-or-someone-else/) [Peter Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-benchley/) > [There was a minor burst of macho nuttiness after 'Jaws' came out, in which people would go off in shark tournaments and come back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-benchley/there-was-a-minor-burst-of-macho-nuttiness-after-jaws-came-out-in/) [Peter Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-benchley/) > [In a deeply tribal sense, we love our monsters, and I think that is the key to it right there. It is monsters; it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-benchley/in-a-deeply-tribal-sense-we-love-our-monsters-and-i-think-that-is-the/) [Peter Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-benchley/) > [“He felt at once betrayed and betrayer, deceived and deceiver. He was a criminal forced into crime, an unwilling whore.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-benchley/he-felt-at-once-betrayed-and-betrayer-deceived-and-deceiver-he-was-a/) [Peter Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-benchley/) > [Since writing JAWS, I've been lucky enough to do close to forty television shows about wildlife in the oceans, and yes, I have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-benchley/since-writing-jaws-i-ve-been-lucky-enough-to-do-close-to-forty/) [Peter Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-benchley/) > [Hey man, Jaws was never my scene, and i don't like Star Wars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-mercury/hey-man-jaws-was-never-my-scene-and-i-don-t-like-star-wars/) [Freddie Mercury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-mercury/) > [My favorite movie is Lawrence Of Arabia. But that's a long, long movie. So although I've seen it several times, it's not as fun…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-f-tompkins/my-favorite-movie-is-lawrence-of-arabia-but-that-s-a-long-long-movie/) [Paul F. Tompkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-f-tompkins/) > [Jaws' was a big one. It's a classic. The shark not working while making that movie made it much better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-duffer/jaws-was-a-big-one-it-s-a-classic-the-shark-not-working-while-making/) [Ross Duffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-duffer/) > [Guys never looked at me. I always had crushes on older seniors who never looked at me. So, when I tell directors that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katrina-kaif/guys-never-looked-at-me-i-always-had-crushes-on-older-seniors-who/) [Katrina Kaif](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katrina-kaif/) > [“The shark's just a shark, right? No one calls it Jaws. It doesn't call itself Jaws. The film is called Jaws, the shark is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-trigell/the-shark-s-just-a-shark-right-no-one-calls-it-jaws-it-doesn-t-call/) [jonathan trigell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-trigell/) > [I'm an old school guy and love the guys in the monster suits and JAWS; even though everyone makes fun of the shark I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-fessenden/i-m-an-old-school-guy-and-love-the-guys-in-the-monster-suits-and-jaws/) [Larry Fessenden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-fessenden/) ## More by Peter Benchley > [If you take away the predators in the prairies and the national parks, you suddenly have an explosion of elk, and then you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-benchley/if-you-take-away-the-predators-in-the-prairies-and-the-national-parks/) [Peter Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-benchley/) > [Without sharks, you take away the apex predator of the ocean, and you destroy the entire food chain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-benchley/without-sharks-you-take-away-the-apex-predator-of-the-ocean-and-you/) [Peter Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-benchley/) > [Since writing JAWS, I've been lucky enough to do close to forty television shows about wildlife in the oceans, and yes, I have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-benchley/since-writing-jaws-i-ve-been-lucky-enough-to-do-close-to-forty/) [Peter Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-benchley/) > [“Intellectually, they knew a great deal. Practically, they chose to know almost nothing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-benchley/intellectually-they-knew-a-great-deal-practically-they-chose-to-know/) [Peter Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-benchley/) > [“Come up fish. Come to Quint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-benchley/come-up-fish-come-to-quint/) [Peter Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-benchley/) > [Oceanography is a terrific career because gradually we seem to be coming around to realize that we had better become as acquainted with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-benchley/oceanography-is-a-terrific-career-because-gradually-we-seem-to-be/) [Peter Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-benchley/) > [“He felt at once betrayed and betrayer, deceived and deceiver. He was a criminal forced into crime, an unwilling whore.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-benchley/he-felt-at-once-betrayed-and-betrayer-deceived-and-deceiver-he-was-a/) [Peter Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-benchley/) > [The great fish moved silently through the night water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-benchley/the-great-fish-moved-silently-through-the-night-water/) [Peter Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-benchley/) > [Sharks have everything a scientist dreams of. They're beautiful―God, how beautiful they are! They're like an impossibly perfect piece of machinery. They're as graceful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-benchley/sharks-have-everything-a-scientist-dreams-of-they-re-beautiful-god/) [Peter Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-benchley/) > [In a deeply tribal sense, we love our monsters, and I think that is the key to it right there. It is monsters; it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-benchley/in-a-deeply-tribal-sense-we-love-our-monsters-and-i-think-that-is-the/) [Peter Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-benchley/) > [There was a minor burst of macho nuttiness after 'Jaws' came out, in which people would go off in shark tournaments and come back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-benchley/there-was-a-minor-burst-of-macho-nuttiness-after-jaws-came-out-in/) [Peter Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-benchley/) > [The fish was an enemy. It had come upon the community and killed two men, a woman, and a child. The people of Amity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-benchley/the-fish-was-an-enemy-it-had-come-upon-the-community-and-killed-two/) [Peter Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-benchley/) > [“A man dies, girl, he isn't any more, least not down here. Respect and all that crap doesn't deserve the dead; it just makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-benchley/a-man-dies-girl-he-isn-t-any-more-least-not-down-here-respect-and-all/) [Peter Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-benchley/) > [The past always seems better when you look back on it than it did at the time. And the present never looks as good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-benchley/the-past-always-seems-better-when-you-look-back-on-it-than-it-did-at/) [Peter Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-benchley/) > [“The past always seems better when you look back on it than it did at the time. And the present never looks as good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-benchley/the-past-always-seems-better-when-you-look-back-on-it-than-it-did-at-2/) [Peter Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-benchley/) [Explore all 64 Peter Benchley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-benchley/) ## More Fish quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. As one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-was-3-years-old-to-this-day-it-is-a-vivid-memory-my-family-and-i/) [Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/) > [I love to fish. I love the peacefulness of being around the water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evonne-goolagong-cawley/i-love-to-fish-i-love-the-peacefulness-of-being-around-the-water/) [Evonne Goolagong Cawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evonne-goolagong-cawley/) > [Batley and Spen has a high proportion of people working in manufacturing, and we can boast the full range of industries, including high-skilled, precision…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-cox/batley-and-spen-has-a-high-proportion-of-people-working-in/) [Jo Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-cox/) > [Fly-fishing for wild trout on quiet waters must be one of the toughest and craziest ways to catch fish ever invented by man, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-voelker/fly-fishing-for-wild-trout-on-quiet-waters-must-be-one-of-the/) [John D. Voelker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-voelker/) > [My kids all do love to hunt and fish. When they get together, I think that's what they get together more for than anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicklaus/my-kids-all-do-love-to-hunt-and-fish-when-they-get-together-i-think/) [Jack Nicklaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicklaus/) > [Most people are sensitized to animals through their cats and dogs, but for me it was a flounder. I used to go fishing with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-mathews/most-people-are-sensitized-to-animals-through-their-cats-and-dogs-but/) [Dan Mathews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-mathews/) > [“If this were a fairy tale, this would be the part where the fishboy appears and Diana shoots him through the heart. Because he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-moskowitz/if-this-were-a-fairy-tale-this-would-be-the-part-where-the-fishboy/) [Hannah Moskowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-moskowitz/) > [I do not believe in eating fish hot. People always insist on hot fish, but that leaves it dried out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-zakarian/i-do-not-believe-in-eating-fish-hot-people-always-insist-on-hot-fish/) [Geoffrey Zakarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-zakarian/) > [Many years ago I was fishing, and as I was reeling in the poor fish, I realised, 'I am killing him - all for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-mccartney/many-years-ago-i-was-fishing-and-as-i-was-reeling-in-the-poor-fish-i/) [Paul McCartney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-mccartney/) > [I don't eat meat - chicken, fish, none of that. I eat a lot of vegetable sandwiches, like lettuce, tomatoes, sprouts, cucumbers, whatever I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gza/i-don-t-eat-meat-chicken-fish-none-of-that-i-eat-a-lot-of-vegetable/) Gza > [“Fish are unable, of course, to speak for themselves about how we treat them. 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