JAWS

Chief Brody's costume changes help convey his position of authority.

Chief Brody, the films protagonist, has a hard time confronting this public of the enemy due to his fear of drowning. Throughout the film, his attire suggests his capabilities of dealing with the public, the politicians and the shark.

The film begins in a setting that puts all of the elements against the intended victim; it's dark outside, she is in deep water far from land and there is no one near her to rescue her. Unfortunately for her, this damsel is in digest. Directly after the attack, he is in his uniform - this shows us he is in a position of authority and control.

However, after backpedaling his idea of shutting down the beaches by the mayor, he then finds himself in shorts on a beach when the Kitner boy finds a puppy. This near nakedness of Chief Brody helps convey the feeling of his incapability to rescue the child and the loss of his own authorial power. Then, cut to City Hall, and he is back in his uniform and he is answering questions and giving orders (he has regained his power).

While he remains in his uniform, he is in complete control, but after a long day of dealing with fisherman he returns home, changes into civilian clothes, and is again helpless to do anything. On his first outing with Matt Hooper on his boat, he wears his civilian clothes and a life jacket. He doesn't want to drown and, as far as he knows at this point, this attire will save his life.

After all of these wardrobe changes the film comes to it's second pinch. Previously, each outfit that Chief Brody wore helped convey that when he wears the uniform he is in control. Now comes the part when the shark, acting as sharks really do, performs a dine and dash. Even though Chief Brody has excersised the full extent of his authority - Coast Guard, helicopters, watchtowers, a swim line, patrols on and offshore - he still can not fulfill his role as a protector of the community.

Finally, on the Orca, after Chief Brody has dawned on a sailoristique style of a costume and he sheds the lifevest after Quint's Indianapolis story, he has finally reached that moment in his character arch where he can finalize his authorial capabilities.

The rest of the characters do not go through such an adverse costume change as he does: the mayor is still the mayor no matter where he is, Hooper is a well dressed scientist and Quint is a roughian in all of their scenes.

This films use of a changing attire not only moves a viewer through it's changing scenes, but also adds to the protagonists characterization of how he is or isn't capable of completing some task.