In the iconic 1975 film Jaws directed by Steven Spielberg, there is a memorable scene where the gruff shark hunter Quint, played by Robert Shaw, eats a meal on his fishing boat while comparing shark bite scars with the young scientist Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss). But what exactly was Quint chomping down in that scene?
The Importance of Quint’s Meal
While it may seem a minor detail, the food Quint eats in that scene actually serves an important purpose from a storytelling perspective. Firstly, it establishes Quint’s character as a tough, no-nonsense fisherman who isn’t concerned with things like fine dining. His rough, low-brow tastes distinguish him from the educated, refined Hooper. Secondly, Quint’s enthusiastic eating highlights his blasé attitude toward the danger posed by the killer shark. While Brody and Hooper are horrified and obsessed with stopping the shark, Quint remains totally nonchalant, more interested in his food than the risk at hand. So the details of what Quint chooses to eat help reinforce who he is as a character.
Examining the Visual Evidence
Since the camera focuses closely on Quint’s meal not once but twice in the scene, there are some clear visual clues as to what he is eating. When Quint first sits down at the table on the boat, he is holding what appears to be a slice of white bread. He then skewers a piece of food from a plate on the table. This food item is thick, brown and cylindrical in shape – which would seem to suggest a sausage of some kind. As Quint holds the sausage up to his mouth to take a bite, it can be seen glistening with oil or fat, implying it is a fresh, juicy sausage.
Later in the scene, when Quint and Hooper are comparing scars, there is another close-up of Quint taking a big bite out of a sandwich. In this shot, the sandwich clearly contains the same type of brown sausage or meat along with a white substance, likely mayonnaise. And as Quint bites into the sandwich, small chunks of onion or relish can briefly be seen inside. So the visual evidence strongly indicates some type of sausage sandwich is Quint’s meal of choice for this boat trip to hunt the shark.
The Novel and Script Tell a Different Story
While sausage on white bread seems to be what Quint eats in the final film, the original novel by Peter Benchley and early versions of the script actually depict his meal in that scene very differently. In Benchley’s 1974 book, Quint is described as eating thick slices of rare pound cake layered with cream cheese and onions. The original script by Carl Gottlieb also specified Quint eating rare pound cake, saying it was homemade and stored in the ship’s freezer. Gottlieb’s script even included dialogue of Quint offering rare pound cake to Hooper and explaining how he freezes batches of it for long fishing trips.
So in the book and early script versions, Quint has a much odder and more unappetizing meal of frozen rare pound cake and onions rather than a sausage sandwich. It seems the filmmakers decided to change this detail to make Quint’s food choices more realistic for a crusty old seaman, hence the sausage sandwich seen on screen. But the rare pound cake lives on as an unusual footnote in Jaws history.
The Sausage Sandwich Reflects Quint’s Personality
Given what we know about Quint from the book and film, a sausage sandwich makes far more sense as his meal than the bizarre pound cake concoction. A sandwich layered with sausage, onions and mayo reflects Quint’s bold, unpretentious nature and his sailor’s diet. Sausages are hearty, salty, high-protein and filling – perfect sustenance for a physically demanding fishing trip. They require no utensils or fine manners, so can be eaten by hand conveniently. Onions add zest and flavor to the sausages. And mayonnaise provides added richness and moisture. A sausage sandwich was likely an easy staple meal that a fisherman like Quint would be accustomed to eating on boats, especially when miles offshore for days at a time.
In contrast, a dessert like pound cake seems rather dainty and fussy for a shark hunter to enjoy. While onions on cake sound downright peculiar. So even though the filming makes it a little ambiguous, logic dictates that a no-nonsense sailor like Quint would favor a sausage sandwich as seen on screen rather than pound cake. The sausage sandwich nicely reflects his working class background and masculine persona.
The Possible Sausage Varieties Quint Ate
Since sausages come in countless varieties all around the world, which type might Quint have been eating in his sandwich? Here are some likely possibilities:
- Kielbasa – A Polish smoked sausage that comes in variations like the succulent, garlicky fresh kielbasa or salty, preserved dried kielbasa. Hearty and bold in flavor.
- Salami – An Italian dry cured sausage traditionally made of pork and beef seasoned with garlic, salt, peppercorns and red wine. Rich, meaty taste.
- Chorizo – A spicy Spanish pork sausage generously seasoned with smoked paprika and garlic. Quint may have acquired a taste for it working on fishing boats.
- Bratwurst – Quint being a gruff, working class Northeast fisherman, a German bratwurst sausage seems plausible. Made from pork and veal with robust seasoning.
- Boudin – A soft Cajun pork and rice sausage popular in Louisiana where Quint presumably docked his boat.
Any of these sausages could have been sliced up by Quint to make his sandwiches for eating onboard the Orca. Their salty, smoky, garlicky and fatty flavors would provide Quint sustenance and satisfaction out on the lonely open seas.
The Sandwich Bun and Condiments
Besides the sausage itself, the rest of Quint’s sandwich elements also reveal something about his preferences. The nondescript white bun or slice of bread shows he doesn’t care about artisanal bread options. It’s merely a practical carb source and sausage vehicle. The mayonnaise adds moisture and richness to balance the salty dry sausage. And the onions provide a crunchy, sharp counterpoint to the soft meat and bread.
Quint likely chose simple yellow mustard as his condiment to slather on the bun, keeping the sandwich no-frills and focused on the salty sausage as the star filling. Though a spicy brown mustard or chili sauce are also possibilities in keeping with Quint’s fiery personality. The key is that Quint’s utilitarian sausage sandwich reflects who he is – an unfussy, brawny fisherman fueled for the tough task of shark hunting.
The Scene’s Irony and Symbolism
There is further irony, symbolism and foreshadowing in Quint’s meal when examined more closely. As he ravenously chomps down on a phallic-shaped sausage while recounting a horrific shark attack story, it evokes castration anxiety and serves as a visual metaphor for the shark’s destructive power – the very thing Quint is preparing to hunt. And his brazen nonchalance while feasting shows his macho recklessness which will ultimately prove his undoing. Even Quint’s quip that a shark bite kept him from sitting down for two weeks hints at the damage to come for Quint at the shark’s jaws.
So Quint’s meal of sausage sandwiches provides more than just physical nourishment. His food choice and eating style in the scene subtly and symbolically enrich Quint’s character and foreshadow his fate. Even a minor prop like a sausage sandwich can serve the story when thoughtfully considered.
Conclusion
Though brief, the shots of Quint’s meal onboard the Orca in Jaws prove memorable for the way they establish who he is. While the novel and original script depicted Quint devouring an oddball dessert of rare pound cake and onions, the filmmakers smartly chose to show him eating a common, macho meal – a sausage sandwich. Visually, a grilled sausage makes more sense for a working class shark hunter’s sustenance. And symbolically, Quint chomping a phallic sausage as he recounts a shark attack mythologizes the shark’s power while hinting at Quint’s arrogance and vulnerability. So even though screen time is limited, even a minor food prop like a sausage sandwich can convey character, foreshadowing and meaning in a succinct, memorable way when handled skillfully by the filmmakers. Quint’s bold appetite for sausage sandwiches aboard the Orca is an inspired bit of detail in Jaws.