Act 2, Sequence 6: Jaws
As the shark circles, Brody’s wife calls the boat, but Quint intercepts the
radio call and blows her off by telling her that everything is fine, and they will be home by dark. Then Quint harpoons the shark with a barrel at the end of the rope to force the shark to the surface. But the shark has disappeared, and the sun is setting. Brody still wants a bigger boat, but Quint’s decision is to wait for the barrel to bring the big fish up. Darkness falls, and Quint and Hooper drink and compare scars and stories. That is when Brody notices that Quint had removed one of his tattoos.
Quint served on the USS Indianapolis during World War II. He tells the two men about the horrors of the 1,100 men who survived the Japanese attack on the ship only to be attacked by sharks while they awaited rescue in the water. Only 316 men came out of the water, which is why Quint will never wear a lifejacket again. What they do not know while they sing and bond is that the shark is attacking the boat. They rush to start the engines, but they are dead in the water. The next day, the barrel appears and so does the shark. Brody makes The SIXTH CRITICAL DECISION by attempting to call the Coast Guard for assistance; however, Quint smashes the radio. As such, PLOT POINT TWO is that the three men will have to go after the shark alone.
ACT THREE GOAL: Brody wants to survive when he becomes the prey, and the shark becomes the hunter.