World War II

World War II serves as a historical reference point in the novel, anchoring the town of Amity's civic memory and its economic history. A World War II howitzer sits on the lawn in front of the Amity Town Hall, a memorial to the citizens of Amity who served in the war. The building itself, a pseudo-Georgian affair given to the town in the late 1920s by an investment banker, stands at the head of Main Street where it dead-ends and is crossed by Water Street. The howitzer is a tangible, public monument that connects the town's present to a global conflict, framing the war as a shared sacrifice that defines the community's identity.

Economic Context and the War's Legacy

The war is also invoked as a benchmark for economic hardship. During the summer crisis caused by the shark attacks, real estate prices in Amity fall so low that they are described as being "almost like during the war." This comparison, made by Harry Meadows as he investigates the Caskata Estates scandal, uses World War II as the ultimate reference point for a depressed market. The war represents a period of extreme economic contraction, and the novel's present crisis is measured against that historical low. The Caskata Estates company, formed months before the shark attacks, takes advantage of this down market to buy properties at low prices, with very little money down and short-term promissory notes signed by Mayor Larry Vaughan.

Political and Social Structures

World War II also provides a backdrop for understanding the town's political and social structures. The howitzer memorial is a constant reminder of the town's collective service, and the war's aftermath shaped the careers of some of its citizens. Patrolman Len Hendricks, for example, served in Vietnam as a radio man, a later conflict that echoes the military service tradition. The war's legacy of sacrifice and community is implicitly contrasted with the greed and corruption that surface during the shark crisis, particularly the involvement of the Mafia through Tino Russo, who is listed as the executive vice-president of Caskata Estates. The novel uses the war as a stable, shared reference point against which the town's present unraveling is measured.