Both the action and the composition of the scene serve to establish the relationship between Brody's responsibilities to his family and his responsibilities to the town of Amity. The fact that there are two separate phone lines on the kitchen wall suggests that while there exists a clear division between his private and professional life, the two are not mutually exclusive. The imminent threat to the community now takes precedence (in focus in the foreground) whilst the first small domestic crisis of the day is relegated to a fuzzy background image. Spielberg contrasts action in these two spatial planes at other key points in the movie. When Brody is on the beach anxiously looking towards the ocean for signs of the shark, the head of a local businessman looms distractingly into his view on the right of the frame. During the hunt, the shark rears up out of the chum slick behind Brody (also positioned to the right of the screen) and provides the movie's most celebrated shock . In both these shots it is the action in the background that demands the viewer's attention.
The dialogue between Ellen and her son is mostly indistinct although one line of Michael's that is clearly heard ("Can I go swimming?") provides an explicit link to the foreground action. Brody will, in fact, find it increasingly difficult to protect his own family, and Michael, already marked by blood, will be in the water when two of the shark attacks occur.
Apart from the scene when he types up the report on Chrissie Watkins's death, much of Chief Brody's work (researching the habits of sharks, discussing territoriality with Hooper and recruiting shark spotters) is done from home. In this, the film takes its lead from the novel, which also focused on the domestic setting. With no time for breakfast, Brody leaves the house with a coffee to go and his wife's parting comment ("I want my cup back.") is another small detail that suggests Brody's home life and work life are inextricably linked.
