Shawshank Redemption Write-up

Justin Noddle

Period 6

Shawshank Redemption Write-up

Shawshank Redemption, directed by Frank Darabont, is a 142 minute film distributed by Colombia Pictures. This movie had a budget of $25 million. This is a film from 1994 that was adapted from the Stephen King novella, Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption. Supposively, this is an allegory for maintaining one’s feeling of self worth when placed in a hopeless position.

1.     What does jail symbolize in this film?

People in our society today view jail as an incredibly frightening and horrible place. Just the thought of going to jail immediately strikes fear into everybody. However, in this movie, Andy arrives in jail and is very casual. He walks around like nothing is wrong and everything is just dandy. He acts very casual even though he is living a tough life. Many other people in the jail call it their “home.” When they leave their home, they do not know what to do any longer. They have been suffering in jail for so long that once they are free, they are really still in captivity. Jail changes a man no matter what. Andy states, “I had to come to jail to become a crook.”

2.     What was so great about the way Red’s exit from prison?

Red tried multiple times to be released from prison but each time the guards shot him down. He would go in and say the same thing and the same camera angle would show him getting rejected. His final time the same camera shots were taken, but he said different things and he was released. When he was out of jail and into the real world, he did the same routine as Brooks. He worked the same job and stayed at the same home as Brooks. Brooks finished with engraving his name on the roof and hanging himself, because he could not handle the life outside of jail. Red did the same thing but after he wrote he name he left to find Andy. This was so greatly shot because the shots were the same as Brooks and it made the audience very nervous as to if Red would take the same path as Brooks.