Shawshank Redemption
By Kingsley Brand
Throughout the film Shawshank Redemption there is a strong theme and portrayal of hope. Whilst this hope is dangerous for many characters, hope never dies for Andy. Shawshank Redemption gives viewers an insight into life within the prison and displays the positive and negative ways in which main characters Andy, Brooks, Red, Tommy and the Warden show hope as individuals. As a result of breaking down this film, we really see what can be the unfortunate circumstances in which characters face throughout the film.
Meticulous, patient and always remaining hopeful that his escape plan would succeed was Andy. Early on within the film Red expresses his feelings about hope, the conversation included “Hope is just a made up word” as Andy is an honest man he believes that this is not the case and persists throughout the film that Hope itself was the only thing they had, and without it you were no one. After serving around 20 years in Shawshank prison Andy’s views began to change, being sent to the hole for two months, when released his goal towards escaping became stronger displaying a message of determination, this is where Andy and hope connected powerfully in order to portray the message in which tells of the injustice of him being there.
As an institutionalized man Brooks was happy in jail, Shawshank became his purpose in life as was now all that he knew. After serving close to 40 years in jail Brooks was released upon a world of anxiety and discontent, not knowing much about the outside world his release was the first step towards his suicide. Leaving Shawshank, looks upon his face suggested that he was terrified and nervous of how he would cope with the outside world. Brooks quotes, “I’d kill anybody just to go back”. Although hope is not as directly displayed within Brooks it is shown with more creativity, such as more meaning and feeling. This may have been done to lead on to bigger and better storylines that would...