The Shawshank Redemption

by Andrewjohnathon9987gmailcom (student)

The Shawshank Redemption is considered to be an extraordinary movie which has received many award nominations and positive reviews from critics. Released in 1994 this film, directed by Frank Darabot, follows the life of Andy Defresne as he is wrongly accused for the murder of his wife and sent to Shawshank Prison for two lifetimes. The film examines the themes of Redemption and Brutality. Through using characters and imagery, Frank Darabot effectively leads the audience into the confronting nature that the prison system’s brutal nature overpowers the prisoners deeming them powerless and that the human spirit can overcome anything even in Shawshank prison when on the road to redemption.

Frank Darabot clearly uses the characters of Captain Hadley and the guards to demonstrate the horrific brutality of the prison system and the troubles faced by the prisoners. Frank Darabot portrays Captain Hadley as a ruthless, aggressive, ‘Alpha male’ type person. This is shown when the Fat Guy has a mental breakdown in his cell while being taunted at by the other inmates. Captain Hadley has no patience with his whining and drags him out of his cell to beat him without remorse or sorrow. This clear act of horrendous violence together with the powerlessness of the prisoner gives the audience a feeling of horror and disgust that the ones who are meant to be the ‘protectors’ of the prison are actually the monsters who prey on the weak. By inflicting this act of violence right from the beginning of the film, Frank Darabot has left the viewer believing that the guards are inhuman people. This links the audience into believing that the prisoners are powerless victims in a world ruled by ‘The System’. Frank Darabot extends this concept further when Captain Hadley threatens to push Andy of the roof of a building. During this scene, Andy walked up towards the Captain and asked him how much he trusted his wife. The fact that such a small incident like Andy walking up to the Captain was enough to trigger his anger gives the audience the impression that Captain Hadley not only has a short temper but, has no hesitation to inflict brutal punishment on the prisoners. Leading up to that event Andy, while tarring the roof, turned around to listen in on a conversation the Captain was having. Red turned to Andy and yelled, “Hey Andy are you nuts, keep your ass on your mop man” Andy not only ignored Red but began to walk towards Captain Hadley. Red and the other fellows replied, “Andy? Andy! What’s he doing, he’s getting himself killed”. This scene here clearly illustrates that Captain Hadley and the guards are so brutal and vicious that the prisoners are afraid of them, even too afraid to ask for help. This concept leaves the audience to believe that the roles in Shawshank prison have been alternately reversed, making the prisoners the guardians of each other while the guards are the predators who prey on the powerless. Through the use of the characters, Frank Darabot has effectively influenced the audience in believing that the brutality of the prison system is far greater than that of the prisoners and leads the audience to believe how the inmates could survive such a harsh environment.

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Frank Darabot effectively uses imagery and the characters of Andy Defresne and Red to show the triumph of the human spirit can occur whilst in a place like Shawshank prison in redeeming themselves. Frank Darabot has used Andy to show the redemption journey of Red. At the beginning of the film, Frank Darabot portrays Red as an Institutionalised zombie who cares for no one and helps other inmates only as a way of passing time and to make personal connections with others. Red is healed from his despairs by Andy’s hope in the face of suffering. By assisting and observing Andy’s work on rehabilitating the prison and the inmates, Red learns to start caring for himself and life itself again. Through all of this however, Red is truly redeemed when he admits to his sins and wrongdoings at the parole board. This concept fits in with the bible verse of “… and the truth will set you free”. This leads the audience to believe that Andy was Red’s saviour in redeeming himself. Frank Darabot extends this concept further with the redemption of Andy Defresne. At the start of the film Frank Darabot portrays Andy, just like with Red, as a misleading person who has been remarked as, ‘icy and remorseless” who drove his wife to another man. Andy’s redemption came in the face of Shawshank prison. Andy was able to redeem his wrongdoings by helping his fellow inmates and by rehabilitating the prison. Shawshank gave Andy a chance to be a different man from the unhappy, alcoholic, money grubbing man he was prior to his wife’s murder. Apart from Andy’s redemption while incarcerated, Andy was fully redeemed once he escaped Shawshank. To show Andy’s redemption the director used a cinematic technique call “Redemption in the Rain”. This high angled camera shot coupled with the pouring rain lead the audience to believe that they were god and that they were cleansing Andy of his sins and symbolising a baptism and new life. This concept leaves the audience to believe that it was Shawshank prison itself that redeemed Andy and gave him new life. By using the characters of Andy and Red, Frank Darabot has effectively shown the audience that the human spirit can overcome anything even in a place like Shawshank prison to achieve redemption.

After watching The Shawshank Redemption, the audience has been taken on a confronting journey through the world of prison life. The audience has followed the life Andy Defresne as he struggles to survive in Shawshank prison. Through Andy’s journey, the audience has realized that the prison system’s brutal nature overpowers the prisoners deeming them powerless. The audience has also realized that the human spirit can overcome even the most difficult situations on the road to redemption. These ideas lead me to believe that are modern prisons just like that of Shawshank and are they really giving their prisoners a chance to redeem themselves?