There are certain irrational fears that people have that start from a young. The science behind it is fascinating because it all stems from a synapse in the brain that’s not yet fully formed. That’s why many fears are childish. For me, it was always sharks.

My oldest brother LOVES sharks. They’re his favorite animal. For me, it is the opposite. I refuse to go into the ocean that far out because of my fear and I have learned that if I respect that the ocean is their home, they’ll respect that land is mine. It is a deep fear and all consuming. I have literally given up press events that are shark related because of it.

So when my friends and I decided to try to go and see Jaws during the re-release in theaters, I found myself still screaming in fright. It is nice to know that some fears will just never go away. To be fair, my fear is less about the animal and more about their two rows of teeth chomping into my skin. That’s what I am trying to avoid.

The Steven Spielberg film, obviously, takes some liberties in regards to how sharks really exist in the world. They’re not animals who search out humans as prey, as the film suggests. Instead, most human deaths by sharks are accidental because they think you’re some kind of seal. But what seeing Jaws in theaters did was reinforce a belief that I’ve had my entire life.

There’s nothing more terrifying than a shark in the water

One of the moments of the film that shook me to my core was the scene when the kids are in the pond by Amity Beach. To be safe, Martin Brody’s (Roy Scheider) kids take a boat over to the pond to stay out of the water, as their father asked. The problem here is that our beloved Bruce is a next level vengeance seeker. He manages to get into the pond and there is a shot of the shark along the side of the boat that hasn’t left my mind since. I’m terrified of it.

To be fair, the movie makes the point that Great White Sharks are incredibly territorial and when they lay their claim to an area of the ocean, they will stay there and defend it. In this case, the shark is even defending it against people just trying to hang out.

But one of my own personal fears is swimming and opening my eyes to a shark looking back at me. Blame Deep Blue Sea. It is a deep rooted fear and one that has made me research exactly why it consumes me so. Hence how I know about the synapse in your brain. I did an entire project on it in high school. Sure, the fear keeps me safe but at what cost?

Part of what I love about Jaws is that Bruce the Shark broke so often, we rarely see the actual shark. Great for me, I get to stare at Roy Scheider and Richard Dreyfuss more. But that doesn’t mean I’m still not terrified of that movie.

(featured image: Universal Pictures)

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Rachel Leishman

Assistant Editor

Rachel Leishman (She/Her) is an Assistant Editor at the Mary Sue. She’s been a writer professionally since 2016 but was always obsessed with movies and television and writing about them growing up. A lover of Spider-Man and Wanda Maximoff’s biggest defender, she has interests in all things nerdy and a cat named Benjamin Wyatt the cat. If you want to talk classic rock music or all things Harrison Ford, she’s your girl but her interests span far and wide. Yes, she knows she looks like Florence Pugh. She has multiple podcasts, normally has opinions on any bit of pop culture, and can tell you can actors entire filmography off the top of her head. Her current obsession is Glen Powell’s dog, Brisket.

Her work at the Mary Sue often includes Star Wars, Marvel, DC, movie reviews, and interviews.