Morgan VanOtteren
Film as Literature 1
Mr. Hill
27 October 2014
The Shawshank Redemption: A Must See
“Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.” There is no better way to describe The Shawshank Redemption, directed by Frank Darabont, than this tagline for the film. This is also a quote that Red says toward the beginning of the movie, and is very ironic because of what happens in the conclusion of the film. This film has two main characters: Andy Dufresne, portrayed by Tim Robbins, and Ellis Boyd “Red” Redding, portrayed by Morgan Freeman. Andy is sent to prison for a murder he did not commit and sets out to free himself. Red is in prison for a murder he admits to, and is known in the prison as the guy who knows how to get things. Throughout this film Andy and Red build a friendship. Throughout the film Andy is always hopeful of getting out, but Red, because he has been there for so long, is afraid, and tells Andy that hope is a bad thing. In the end, Andy escapes from prison and Red stays in prison for a while longer, eventually getting over his fear of freedom and is released, which is why the tagline is so ironic. The Shawshank Redemption is an amazing film and everyone should see it.
The significance of the title is one reason why The Shawshank Redemption is such an amazing film. The title hints at many things, including the outcome and who the protagonist is. The outcome is hinted at through the title because of the word “redemption.” Redemption is making up for or being forgiven for one’s faults. This hints at the conclusion because in the end of the film, Red is released from prison, showing that he is redeemed from committing murder or that Shawshank has redeemed him. Thus, the title of the film is The Shawshank Redemption. The word “redemption” is also important in identifying the protagonist. As previously stated, Red is redeemed of his faults, which is part of the theme of the film, and is part of Red’s profound mental change. The word “redemption” actually has the word “Red” in it, and gives the viewer a hint when one is trying to identify the protagonist. The title of this film is extremely important because it tells the viewer everything he/she needs to know about the film without the viewer even knowing it. Basically, “The Shawshank Redemption” says that the protagonist, Red, will be redeemed at Shawshank.
The use of plot unification is another reason why The Shawshank Redemption stands out from other films. Its use of foreshadowing and recurring images is what helps make the story so good. One example of foreshadowing is when Red got Andy the rock hammer. Red was worried about buying it because he thought maybe Andy would use it as a shovel or as weapon, but when he sees it he decides no one could tunnel out of the prison with it because it would take 600 years. At the end of the film the viewer finds out that this is exactly what Andy did, tunnel out of the prison through his cell, using his rock hammer. The film also uses recurring images to help make the plot more interesting. One example of this is Red’s three visits to the parole board. This is first seen at the beginning of the film. Red goes to the parole board and tells them he believes he has been rehabilitated and gets rejected for parole. This exact scene also comes later and the same thing happens, Red is rejected. So, when the scene comes up a third time toward the end of the movie, after Andy escapes, the viewer assumes it will be just as it was before, but that is not the case. This time, Red rants about the definition of “rehabilitated,” says he feels bad about what he did, and eventually gets approved for parole. This makes the story more interesting because it helps show how Red has changed throughout the film, and shows how he feels about the prison itself. This use of foreshadowing through the rock hammer and the use of recurring images through the parole board are just two examples of how plot unification is used in The Shawshank Redemption.
There were parts of the movie that were a bit slow, such as the middle when the director is developing the relationship between Andy and Red. However, this did not take away from the film. The Shawshank Redemption is a fantastic film, and although it does not seem relatable on the surface, Andy and Red are very relatable and the viewer even forgets that these characters are in prison for murder. This is a must see film for everyone, I highly recommend setting aside time in your busy schedule to watch it.
