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The Shawshank Redemption Frank Darabont

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The Shawshank Redemption Essays

Receiving redemption: the transformative power of hope anonymous college, the shawshank redemption.

The 1994 movie Shawshank Redemption directed by Frank Darabont tells the familiar tale of Andy Dufresne, played by Tim Robbins, a successful investment banker turned convicted felon who must spend the rest of his days at Shawshank Prison for...

Ropes of Oppression: Escaping the Noose Olivia Roberts 12th Grade

The human conscience is an interesting specimen. From it spurs imagination, curiosity, and all other elements that make us human. The influences of the outside world impact the way one might deem an action. They can even sway us to steer away from...

How Journeys Challenge and Broaden Understanding of the World: "Father and Child," "Spring Hall," and The Shawshank Redemption Anonymous 12th Grade

Through the overcoming of past obstacles, a journey may be a catalyst towards the broadening of one’s understanding of the world. Gwen Harwood’s poem Father and Child explore new understandings of mortality engendered by a transformed perspective,...

Shawshank: The Injustices of the Justice System Anonymous College

Stephen King’s 1982 novella “Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption”, as well as its motion picture counterpart The Shawshank Redemption , follows the story of a falsely accused murder convict and his journey throughout the bowels of Shawshank...

Patience and Persistence: Andy Dufresne’s Long Game James Sanders College

Sanders, JamesProfessor KraemerEnglish 4May 17, 2021Patience and Persistence: Andy Dufresne’s Long Game The Shawshank Redemption (1994), directed by Frank Darabon, certainly qualifies as a cinematic drama which displays the richness and depth of a...

Film Studies: “The Shawshank Redemption” Essay

Burke’s phrase mainly gives the idea of identity as a simple persuasive way by putting the character in the very same shoes as the person the persuasion is directed. This, as he states, entails the use of speech, tone, gestures, order, attitude, idea, and image to identify with the person being persuaded (Burke, 1950). Scriptwriters, film directors, and novelists employ the use of Burke’s idea of identity in their persuasion aims as exemplified in the movie the Shawshank Redemption.

The Shawshank Redemption exemplifies excellently the use of identity as a persuasive tool with the parole of Elis Boyd Redding (Red). Red identifies with the crime and brings about regret in the way he handles the last chance he has with the parole board. He has created an identity with the audience throughout the movie by treating other inmates with respect and gaining respect from other inmates and non-inmates.

Red has the task of persuading the parole board to accept his application for parole. He does this marvelously through assumption of an identity that the parole board identifies with a repented criminal. He uses a regretful tone as he gives the delivery “I look back on the way I was then, a young, stupid kid who committed a crime.” This tone shows conciliation with his past that leaves the parole board stunned. It is the assumption of the identity that works best as Burkes idea of tone and a means of persuasion is in a best way shown.

Red persuades the parole board using a resigned attitude of not being in a position to undo the mistakes of his youth. This identifies well with the parole board as the crime was committed in is youth and that he has accepted his mistakes and is changed for the better when he talks of not being able to talk to the “stupid kid who committed the crime.” This exemplifies use of attitude in identity to persuade as Burke gives in his definition of identity as a form of persuasion.

In his parole speech, Red identifies with the parole board using rhetoric and logical reasoning to persuade the parole board to grant him parole (Brock & Green, 2005). Red logically reasons that he cannot be able to talk to the kid who committed the crime since the kid is long gone. He reasons that what remains is “this old man”. He accepts that he is got to “live with”, which identifies him to the torment he has gone through for many years in prison that persuades the board to offer him parole.

Red also identifies with the audience persuasively through his attitude and mannerisms. He treats his fellow inmates with respect and was ethical, hence, gains respect from everyone. Through his identity of image, he projects an ethical old man frustrated with being denied parole for many years and the pessimism is not lost on the video audience and the parole board (Brock & Green, 2005). He identifies with the board on pessimism due to the many times his parole has been rejected that persuades them to accept his parole and save him years of anguish.

On identity in idea, Red exemplifies a classic identity of an old man who has come to terms with his past and repentant of the sins of his youth (Larson, 2012). He regrets of his committing the crime and laments of inability to take it back identifying well with a person who needs parole. His use of gestures gives the board a conviction to the change and transformation from a crime lover to an ethical old man, changed by the system and harmless to the world (Larson, 2012).

Identity, therefore, through use of speech, tone, gestures, order, attitude, idea, and image act as a simple persuasive technique as shown by Red in the Shawshank Redemption.

Brock, T., & Green, M. (2005). Persuasion: Psychological insights and perspectives . Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publishing.

Burke, K. (1950). A Rhetoric of Motive. Berkeley: University of California Press.

Larson, C. (2012). Persuasion: Reception and Responsibility: Reception and Responsibility. New York: Cengage Learning.

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Home — Essay Samples — Entertainment — Shawshank Redemption — Critical Analysis of The Film “The Shawshank Redemption”

Critical Analysis of The Film "The Shawshank Redemption"

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Published: Mar 18, 2021

Words: 2217 | Pages: 5 | 12 min read

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Cinematography, mise-en-scene, the most depressing apartment ever, zihuatanejo.

• Goodykoontz, B. & Jacobs, C.P., (2014). Film: From Watching to Seeing, 2nd ed. Bridgepoint Education, Inc.
• imdb.com, (2015). Shawshank Redemption Andy entrance. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mR8hHqDygYQ
• imdb.com, (2015). Memorable scenes: Shawshank Redemption morgan freeman-red is free from prison-best scene. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWQYVYvoqDA

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Home Essay Examples Entertainment Shawshank Redemption

Analysis Of 1984 And Shawshank Redemption: Comparative Essay

• Category Literature , Entertainment
• Subcategory English Literature , Movies
• Topic 1984 , Film Analysis , Shawshank Redemption

“In Japan it is said that the words of the soul reside in the spirit called katadoma or the spirit of words and the act of speaking words has the power to change the world.” This powerful line from the Japanese scientist Masaru Emoto reminds us that no matter what form or mode a text is in, it has the ability to convey ideas through personal perspectives allowing room for the creators to be as multifaceted as they please. They invite us to ‘their’ world allowing us to have an insight into their experience. This causes us, class of English advanced 2020 to look at a particular part through a new pair of lenses, changing our view about people, of life and the world surrounding us. Storytelling often deeply influences individuals and the collective through human thoughts, emotions and memories. In George Orwell’s cautionary novel 1984, Orwell imagines a world where totalitarianism reigned, individualism was dead and the reality and history was simply a matter of opinion shown through the display of the systematic abuse of power experienced by Winston physically, mentally and emotionally. Likewise, Shawshank Redemption explores the lack of personal identity a person has when one is being held back in a jail. However, through tough oppressive governing, determination, dreams and new facets that are developed through experience, they outweigh the negativity and sometimes finds the better of people. Through these modes, it’s staggering to see the immense depths storytelling can bring. When stories are told well, it has the ability connect the reader and with 1984 and Shawshank redemption the movie. Today I will examine how when human beings are under surveillance contradictory behaviours are ignited and also how memories has the ability to give hope and inner strength of one’s humanness. Welcome, yr 12 Advanced English class of 2020 I will be exploring how story telling ignites new ideas about the multifaceted nature of human behaviour and how that impacts us, as the responder of these texts.

Throughout history, people of different religions and cultures celebrate by wearing masks. You might ask, what does the act of mask-wearing have to do with any of these texts? How do they fit in to this part of the puzzle humanity? Well let me tell you, in my mind, the act of wearing masks, hides the inner personality of a person which is clearly portrayed through the main characters in both of these texts. The means to survive when one is under tough or unberable conditions, humans can sometimes become contradictory in many ways.

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In George Orwell’s 1984 we see that people of Oceania, Eurasia and Eastasia live in a world that condemns them of their personal thoughts and behaviours. Throughout the character Winston, we see that it’s ironic as he works at the Ministry of Truth because despite his work, he’s always searching for the real truth and frequently questions the Party. He tell us that “If you want to keep a secret, you must also hide it from yourself.” Because he knows that any secret could be extracted by external forces, especially through the systematic abuse of power and the manipulation of the party. Orwell uses Winston’s habit of introspection and self-analysis to explore the opposition between external and internal reality, and between individualism and collective identity. Convinced that he cannot escape punishment for his disloyalty, Winston nonetheless seeks to understand the motives behind the Party’s oppressive policies, and takes considerable personal risks not only to experience forbidden feelings and relationships but to contact others who share his scepticism and desire to rebel against Ingsoc. O’Brien’s oxymoronic statement “the individual only has power in so far as he ceases to be an individual” creates a paradox that exemplifies the suppression of individualism by the party, as it is impossible to gain individual power without giving up individuality. The capitalised oxymoronic slogans “WAR IS PEACE FREEDOM IS SLAVERY IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH” represents the prevalence of paradoxes that arise due to interference with human experience. It highlights the contradictory values of society, referred to as “doublethink”, which highlights the way words have lost their meaning and hence humans have lost their expression.

Likewise in Shawshank redemption, we see that Andy takes advantage of his educated self ( “Perhaps we can find something more befitting a man of your education.” making the prison guards realise how useful he is to them by giving advice about money, taxes and investments. By gaining the trust of the guards it exemplifies how inconsistent human beings can be when they have a strong mindset of what is needed to do. By his actions, it demonstrates that through oppressive experiences, being in a jail, it reveals aspects of his character like the desire to help out young prisoners, the desire to escape and at the same time the desire to survive in prison and make life there bearable. At one point, Andy tells, “The funny thing is, on the outside, I was an honest man, straight as an arrow. I had to come to the prison to be a criminal”. Coming out of him, this idea was revealed as a facet of his behaviour. I don’t think that on the outside, Andy could of ever done anything deceitful or criminal and yet inside, the different experiences he has experienced has revealed an ability to be deceptive. Without the harsh conditions of prison life, he wouldn’t of known he had that capacity of will to live. This is the same with Winston, being oppressed as he is, he has brough out the facets of his nature that maybe he wouldn’t have known he had, the ability to be deceptive and the incredible desire to rebel.

Ok let go and have a look at film techniques. Andy plays music we see the prisoners, shown from a bird’s eye view, displaying the prisoners as small and insignificant. The camera angles used by Darabont allow the audience to see the status of the characters. As the audience, we get an instant look into who is in control and who isn’t. While Andy is inside Shawshank we do not see many variations of colour, mainly just shades of grey. these dull, lifeless colours highlight the prisoners lack of power and for most of the prisoners, their lack of hope.

Memories is the key to the experience and has the ability to drive the behaviour of a character. Bleak, simple sentences of “pushed the picture out of his mind… It was a false memory” are juxtaposed against the romantic imagery of Winston’s past, underscoring the harsh reality that accompanies a loss of individuality. This highlights the Party’s ability to manipulate the conscience of the individual’s behaviour as a way of exerting control, showcasing its significance to the human experience. Therefore, his bleak commentary on society, in which all citizens are stripped of their ability to think freely, evokes paradoxical and complex human emotions. Shown through Julia, memories for her are something of the past. Something she doesn’t have a grasp on. Succumbing to this great loss of identity, she depends on what the Party feed her all the truth that are made up with absolutely no fact backing it up. Having no memory of the past she belongs to the party making that the only world she ever knew.

However, sadly the same is found within Shawshank redemption. Brooks showcases the same experience when his lengthy sentence came to an end. Us, as the responders, seeing him come out to the real world made me foster the idea that he would be finally free, but on the other hand, for him, as an inmate at Shawshank state prison, being let out was almost displayed like punishment as he wasn’t ever going to be able to adapt to life in the real world after not being part of it for 50 years. As a result he hangs himself after, etching an inscription saying, “BROOKS WAS HERE” into the ceiling of his motel room. This symbolises as his legacy and by doing this he displays his individuality, expressing that a human being was once on this planet by the name of Brooks Hatlen. Not an inmate, a human being, an individual. Likewise, when Winston enters what he calls ‘his dream’ the golden country, he senses that he is being constantly watched and under surveillance. Although as a glimpse of hope and freedom, Winston still doesn’t feel exactly comfortable. This exemplifies to us that even when we as the audience think he is given a chance of freedom, to him personally, it’s more of a test and that memory can sometimes bring out the worst of people as it. Winston’s feelings of legacy echo Brooks’ as he writes in his journal with the hopes that one day someone will find it, read it, and know that one day in time, someone by the name of Winston once lived. These definitions all point to the fact that memory is the key to experience. The experience is stored in memory and drawn upon when the circumstances are repeated or closely mimicked so we can deal with them

In conclusion, shown through both of these text, 1984 and Shawshank Redemption, they both have the ability to tell stories through the narrator. Both composers tell their story through a ‘third person’ perspective giving us a glimpse into the characters Winston and Julia as well as the totalitarian society in 1984 and Shawshank Redemption the experience they face along their journey. The oppressive experiences that both of these characters face whether in a totalitarian society or in prison, it brings out facets. And these facets are like the faces of a diamond they might not be totally opposite to each other but it reveals multiple of faces as we examine it with a greater level of understanding. The human experience is not black and white because it’s everything in between. In some cases, it might be the oppression and terror one experiences or sometimes the many joys we have in life. It’s not as simple as we may think as it takes time for a person to understand the position they are placed in but through both of these texts, 1984 and Shawshank Redemption, us as the responders clearly enumerates the multifaceted nature of human experience.

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Screen Rant

Why the shawshank redemption is dedicated to allen greene.

Director Frank Darabont dedicated his 1994 movie The Shawshank Redemption to a man named Allen Greene, who helped make the movie possible.

• Allen Greene, Frank Darabont's agent, played a crucial role in getting him the opportunity to direct The Shawshank Redemption.
• Darabont dedicated the film to Greene, who sadly passed away during production, as a tribute to their friendship and Greene's support.
• Without Allen Greene's involvement, the iconic movie would have had a different director and may have turned out entirely different.

In 1994, director Frank Darabont made The Shawshank Redemption , a movie which he dedicated to a man named Allen Greene, who was a major reason why the Stephen King adaptation happened in the first place. The Shawshank Redemption is an iconic drama film starring Tim Robbins as Shawshank's Andy Dufresne , a man who is wrongfully sent to prison for killing his wife and her lover, and while there, forms a bond with other prisoners, including a man named Red, played by Morgan Freeman. The movie is based on a 1982 novella written by horror author Stephen King.

Before The Shawshank Redemption, Frank Darabont got his start in Hollywood by being a screenwriter. He was the voice behind horror movies such as A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, The Blob, and The Fly II. However, in 1994, Darabont got his big break when he was offered the opportunity to direct an adaptation of Stephen King's novella , then known as "Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption." After directing Shawshank, Darabont went on adapt other King stories , however, the 1994 prison drama was pivotal for him, and he dedicated it all to a man named Allen Greene .

The Shawshank Redemption Cast - Where Are They Now?

Allen greene worked with shawshank redemption director frank darabont, allen greene was darabont's agent.

At the end of The Shawshank Redemption , there was a dedication to the memory of Allen Greene. First and foremost, Greene was Frank Darabont's agent . In this way, it makes sense that Darabont would dedicate his first huge project to Greene, who likely helped him get the movie in the first place. However, there is also the fact of Greene's death. During production on The Shawshank Redemption, Greene passed away from AIDS . In this way, Darabont dedicated the movie to Greene because his agent was never able to see the film in its final form.

Overall, Allen Greene's Shawshank Redemption dedication is centered on the fact that Frank Darabont directed the film.

Though Greene had little to do with the actual making of The Shawshank Redemption, he is a major reason why Darabont was able to make the movie in the first place.

On top of that, as Darabont's close friend, Greene's death likely affected Darabont greatly. In this way, it is a very kind and loving gesture from Darabont to dedicate such a mammoth project like The Shawshank Redemption to his friend, Allen Greene. It honors Greene's work, and his legacy as well.

Frank Darabont also directed adaptations of Stephen King's The Greem Mile and The Mist.

The Shawshank Redemption Would Be Very Different Without Allen Greene

Greene played a big background role.

Ultimately, Allen Greene's Shawshank Redemption dedication makes sense because, without Allen Greene, the movie would have looked much different. As Darabont's agent, Greene was the one who helped get Darabont the gig as the director of The Shawshank Redemption . In this way, if Greene had not been involved, then Darabont likely would not have gotten the job, and the movie would have been directed by someone else. Therefore, Allen Greene was a major piece in the puzzle of The Shawshank Redemption , and without him, the iconic movie likely would have been completely different.

The Shawshank Redemption

The 20 most memorable quotes from 'The Shawshank Redemption'

Posted: December 1, 2023 | Last updated: December 1, 2023

The Turner Broadcasting Corporation helped turn “The Shawshank Redemption” into an iconic film. While the movie was nominated for Best Picture in 1994, it wasn’t a huge hit and came and went. Then, it became a cable TV staple. You could seemingly watch “Shawshank” on some channel any given day of the week. Now? A lot of people consider it one of the best movies ever. It used to be the highest-rated film on IMDb. Adapted from a Stephen King novel, the dialogue is part of what helped it stand out. Here are the most memorable quotes from “The Shawshank Redemption.”

“I guess it comes down to a simple choice, really. Get busy living, or get busy dying.”

While “The Shawshank Redemption” is not a two-hander between Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman, the characters of Andy and Red dominate on the memorable quote front. Andy’s refrain of “Get busy living, or get busy dying” is arguably the most-quoted line from the film.

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“Let me tell you something my friend. Hope is a dangerous thing. Hope can drive a man insane.”

Red is a mentor to Andy, having been in prison for many years. He offers this as a warning to Andy, a bit of hard-earned cynicism from his own personal prison experience.

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“Remember Red, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.”

Andy, of course, does not necessarily agree with Red. Instead, he has his own feelings on hope, the kind that helped him on his journey to escaping from Shawshank.

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“The funny thing is, on the outside, I was an honest man, straight as an arrow. I had to come to prison to be a crook.”

Andy Dufresne is in prison for a murder he did not commit. While in prison, he uses his acumen with numbers to curry some favor by doing the books for the prison. That includes some, um, creative accounting, which is part of what inspired this line from Andy.

“Sometimes it makes me sad, though...Andy being gone. I have to remind myself that some birds aren't meant to be caged. Their feathers are just too bright.”

Red does a lot of narrating in “Shawshank Redemption,” which is what you do when you cast Morgan Freeman (in a role that in the book is a white Irish guy). After Andy’s escape, Red is left to reflect on his complex emotions. This bit of narration ends somberly, if sweetly, with Red saying, “I guess I just miss my friend.”

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“I have no idea to this day what those two Italian ladies were singing about. Truth is, I don't want to know. Some things are best left unsaid.

Here’s another Red line. The prisoners are given a bit of entertainment, some “high art” to try and teach them some culture, perhaps. Red is able to enjoy it, even if he can’t understand the language. He understands the emotion, though.

“I know what you think it means, sonny. To me, it's just a made up word. A politician's word, so young fellas like yourself can wear a suit and a tie, and have a job. What do you really want to know? Am I sorry for what I did?”

Red says this at his parole hearing. He’s asked if he’s been “rehabilitated” and when he says he isn’t sure what that means, the man running the parole hearing starts to define it, before Red cuts him off to say this.

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“Forget that...there are places in this world that aren't made out of stone. That there's something inside...that they can't get to, that they can't touch. That's yours.”

This is part of a tete-a-tete about music between Andy and Red. Andy expounds on the beauty of music, and Red says he used to play harmonica before he was in prison, figuring it didn’t make sense anymore. Andy disagrees, saying music makes more sense than ever in prison, so that you don’t forget, well, what he says in this quote.

“Same old shıt, different day.”

This is a phrase used commonly and not as a movie quote. It cuts to the heart of the matter, that’s for sure. Red says it after he is denied parole, which is what he expected to happen.

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“That's "Cristo" you dumb shıt.”

Hey, a quote from somebody who isn’t Andy or Red! It’s Floyd, one of the other prisoners who says it. He’s talking to Heywood, who calls the book “The Count of Monte Cristo” the “Count of Monte Crisco.” File that one under “Educational.”

“No hard feelings. Brooks.”

Brooks offers a brief, somber aside for the prisoners of Shawshank. He’s been in prison for ages, so much so that in his letter he is floored by there being cars everywhere. Alas, Brooks is unable to make it on the outside, unable to adjust to life and get his legs under him in a world without a place for this old crook. This is how he ends his letter. By the time the prisoner get it, Brooks has already killed himself.

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“I'd like to think that the last thing that went through his head, other than that bullet, was to wonder how the hell Andy Dufresne ever got the best of him.”

It’s a little morbid to have these two quotes back-to-back but, well, this is a film about a prison, so it’s not exactly a cheerful tale. The crooked warden has been bested, with Andy free and aware of all the criminality the warden has been involved with. Unable to face the penalty for his crimes, the warden opts to end his life instead. Red, reasonably given the way the warden treated the prisoners, is not feeling too solemn on the occasion.

“Only guilty man in Shawshank.”

It’s a joke in Shawshank that nobody is actually guilty. That is, save for Red. When he tells Andy what he’s in for, Andy replies with “Innocent?” Red, shaking his head, offers this up.

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“Zihuatanejo.”

It’s the town in Mexico that Andy dreams of. It’s where he plans to escape to. He tells Red about it. Andy escapes, and when Red gets out, he has a letter from him. Andy asks, in the letter, of Red remembers the town's name. Then, we get to hear Freeman say, “Zihuatanejo.”

“They say it has no memory. That's where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory.”

More Zihuatanejo talk. Or, more specifically, the Pacific Ocean. This is what Andy says Mexicans say about the Pacific, and it is what Andy dreams of.

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“I believe in two things: discipline and the Bible. Here you'll receive both. Put your trust in the Lord; your āss belongs to me. Welcome to Shawshank.”

Warden Norton, as we noted, is not a kind man. He does not mince words, clearly. This is how he introduces himself to the new inmates, and it doesn’t get any nicer from there.

“How can you be so obtuse?”

Andy says this incredulously to the warden, and probably introduced many people to the word “obtuse” in the process. He’s right to be incredulous, of course. The warden effectively keeps Andy from getting a retrial that could have him released from prison. Obtuse is the least of it.

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“Bad luck, I guess. It floats around. It's got to land on somebody. It was my turn, that's all. I was in the path of the tornado. I just didn't expect the storm would last as long as it has.”

Andy is more hopeful than many of the inmates at Shawshank. Even he gets drained on occasion, though. As the protagonist of the film, it’s not surprising that Andy has to really go through some serious struggles and dark moments before he can rise toward triumph. This memorable line helps elaborate on that.

“Andy Dufresne…who crawled through a river of shıt and came out clean on the other side.”

We started with Andy’s most-quoted line, and this is Red’s. This is Red summing up, eloquently, what Andy has done in his escape from prison. It’s a moment of triumph not just for Andy, but for all the inmates at Shawshank, particularly his friend Red.

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“I hope I can make it across the border. I hope to see my friend and shake his hand. I hope the Pacific is as blue as it has been in my dreams. I hope.”

These are the final lines of the film. Red is narrating one last time. He’s free, and he’s on his way to see Andy. It is fitting that the final line is “I hope.” Red had once found hope to be a dangerous thing. Now, he happily has it.

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