- Sufficient Background
In the case of Shawshank Redemption, background information on the characters and context of the prison in general are revealed primarily through current actions as opposed to flashbacks to previous events. There are several examples of this that especially shine through, which often has to do with character development in general, so we will get to that later. However, there are a few cases in the introduction of this film that set the stage for the tone of this film in an entertaining but efficient way.
For example, the film opens with a scene showing the affair between a wife and her lover, followed by a shot of the murderer. We never see his face nor truly learn who he is because that is irrelevant, and that omission actually ties into the film’s overall message. Then, we are introduced to the character Andy, who is charged with the murder of both of these individuals even though he was innocent. He is charged with two consecutive life sentences for this crime. Thus, right off the bat the audience wants to root for Andy because of the situation he has been unfairly put into. Frank Darabont, the director, wants people to empathize with him because most of the film is from his perspective, so this introduction and situation alone makes the audience curious how Andy responds to something so horrific.
What also serves the characterization is the performance by Tim Robbins. He rarely exerts much emotion throughout his trial, so the audience is captivated by the kind of person that he is because they feel like they still don’t understand him and want to because of the situation. Usually such a performance would hurt a film because the audience could get disengaged, but because the situation has already built up empathy, the audience is engaged in the situation and intrigued that he doesn’t respond much to such hardship that this actually propels the narrative forward.
Another reason why this performance works is because it helps set the tone for the film. If being sentenced to two life sentences back to back doesn’t phase Andy, it’ll take something seriously horrific to make Andy reach his breaking point, which we will get to later. Thus, it prepares the audience for the dreariness of prison by smacking them with a reality check before actually getting to that reality. The setup allows for enough of a gradual transition to make audiences understand the horrors that would ensue within Shawshank.
The identity of the actual murderer is never revealed because omitting that person’s name allows for the film to focus on its more important message. Most films would create some kind of revenge story between the protagonist and the man who framed him, and the drama comes from the conflict and rage that ensues as a result. However, after this introduction, the audience never hears about this murderer again because that is not the point. Shawshank Redemption is the story of how to move on from the people or mistakes that have held us back, and even knowing his name could distract us from forgiving that individual and moving on. Indeed, omitting the name of the murderer allows for the film to preach to us that although life is difficult, often because of other cruel people, we can find redemption through community with each other.
- Realistic Villain or Obstacle
The clear villain of this film is Warden Norton, who essentially runs Shawshank. We will see that the character arcs of Andy and Warden often clash because you reap what you sow. Regardless, Warden’s character introduction is a masterful summary of what his character will be like for the rest of the film.
To provide some context, the incoming prisoners of Shawshank have to go through a vicious cycle on their first day before following the routine that the rest of the prisoners get the privilege of. For example, they are stripped naked and given new clothes, then they have to march naked to their cells and pray that they can sleep. The other inmates always bet on who breaks down and cries first because Red, the narrator, says it happens every time. The prison is breaking down their humanity by redefining who these people are going to be for the foreseeable future, which is why the nudity demonstrates a death to their previous life and a rebirth as a new identity in Shawshank (we will see this theme later as well:).
So now we can explain where the introduction of Norton fits in and how fitting it is into the narrative. Once marched into Shawshank, about a dozen new prisoners meet Byron Hadley and Warden Norton. From here on we continue to see this deconstruction of humanity and freedom. When one prisoner asks when they get to eat, an essential human freedom, Hadley walks over and says he will tell them when to eat, shit, and piss. He is turning the prisoners into something without free will, something less than human, something that can be fully controlled, which is where Warden steps in to say one of his best lines of the film:
“I believe in two things: discipline and the Bible. Here you will receive both: put your trust in the Lord; your ass belongs to me.”
This line is so significant because it speaks to the Warden’s character. He is not just cruel; he feels he is doing the right thing. He even says earlier that he wants no blasphemy in prison because he does take the Bible seriously. However, we learn that his desire for discipline often overlooks basic theology. He often quotes Scripture, but this is not done in reverence of God but instead in service to his own interests. He tells Andy that salvation lies within, which Andy says he agrees with and proves by escaping later. This is obviously not good theology, but the Warden wants every hope to be based on the self so that he can break the self down and destroy any hope left within. For example, he cites Mark 13:35 because he believes he is the master of the house who can do whatever he wants to his prisoners if he believes they have done something wrong. Thus, the Warden shows possessive traits over his prisoners because he believes he has that kind of power and is always in the right. He retains the right to be cruel yet encourages putting trust in the Lord, if only so that he can break all possible hope as quickly as possible.
In a way, Shawshank itself is also a villain because it is the obstacle that is holding so many prisoners captive, not only physically but also mentally. This comes out especially through the characterization of Brooks, but all the prisoners struggle to survive physically as well as mentally because of the strains on the body and the mind. The Sisters is a good example of the physical abuse that often occurs in prison, which is incredibly difficult for people to deal with, especially if they are alone like Andy was at the time. Similarly, all the main characters, Brooks, Red, and Andy struggle with suicidal thoughts or actions at various points in the film because, as Red states, “every man has his breaking point.” Again, this comes out more later, but Shawshank breaks down the freedom of individuals to the point that they lose their hope and purpose because they know longer feel human or free.
- Character Development
Shawshank Redemption works beautifully as an allegory for the gospel message, and much of the thematic and narrative purposes fall in line with the characterization throughout.
a. Andy- Jesus Christ
Andy’s character arc often resembles that of Christ because he as a character takes risks in order to benefit other people. He is outrageously daring and selfless, much like how Jesus often spoke out against Pharisees and flipped tables in temples because He was so angry with what they were doing, yet Jesus also died for everyone who is willing to accept Him into their hearts.
The context that Andy is initially innocent plays into how the audience empathizes with him and wants him to succeed. Thus, all his struggles not only ground the film into the reality of prison culture but also inform the audience about how difficult it is for people to overcome those struggles. The main two struggles Andy struggles with are physical abuse from the Sisters and suicidal thoughts following the death of Tommy Williams (which we will discuss more later). Thus, a lot of the satisfaction of his character arc comes from starting from a place as low as suffering abuse and struggling with suicidal thoughts. Again, the Tim Robbins’ performance viscerally captures the physical restlessness and disengagement, especially through how he rarely moves his eyes around.
What fascinates me about how Andy deals with his struggles is that he prefers to deal with them alone and wants to involve no one else, at least for the first two years when is constantly abused by the Sisters. Again, his selflessness shines through quite admirably. Two years is a long time, but he never offers help because he believes he can take it, no pun intended (sorry). He goes through torture and suffering alone, and he even enrages the Sisters when faced with abuse in order to ensure he keeps their attention, or perhaps to escape being raped as opposed to just physically beaten to near death. In one scene, one of the Sisters threatens to thrust an 8 inch piece of steel into Andy’s ear if he doesn’t take whatever is given. Andy responds by saying that brain injury can cause the victim to bite down hard so hard that you have to pry the mouth off with a crowbar. He says he knows this because he read, then sarcastically asks “you know how to read, you ignorant f***?” Again, perhaps Andy is just getting out of rape by reading, which is incredible on its own, but he doesn’t scream or ask for help either. He simply receives being beaten within an inch of his life, perhaps hoping that eventually that will get them in trouble if he can provide evidence of abuse. Regardless, his actions reflect his desire to protect others before himself, and this selflessness is a recurring theme throughout his arc.
The only other major struggle that his character goes through is his suicidal thoughts because of Warden Norton and the death of Tommy Williams and the loss of his library, which we will all get to later. For now, let’s look at more examples of how Andy seeks to restore freedom to Shawshank.
The first significant example of this is when Andy wins beer for his fellow inmates or “coworkers” as he calls them. He and Red and others offered to clean the roof of one of the buildings because it is a nice breath of fresh air, even if they have to work up there. When they get there, the men overhear Hadley talking about finances and how he is about to get $300,000 but believes he won’t be able to see much of it because of taxes. Then Andy stops working, walks over, and asks Hadley if he trusts his wife. At first, Hadley is appalled and furious with Andy, so he marches him over to the edge of the roof and holds him by the collar and demands an explanation, so Andy goes on to eventually explain that the IRS allows a one-time transfer to your spouse that is not tax deductible. Andy then offers to set up the paperwork for him and in turn requests three beers for each of his coworkers. Remarkably, Hadley agrees and gets the men their beer on the second to last day of that job. Thus, Red’s narration does well to describe the joy these men felt at that moment:
“We sat and drank with the sun on our shoulders and felt like free men. Hell, we could’ve been tearing the roof of one of our houses. We were the lords of our own creation. As for Andy, he spent that break hunkered in the shade, estranged little smile on his face, watching us drink his beer.”
Red describes not only that they have freedom and were “lords of our own creation,” but also how Andy finds joy not in the beer itself but in giving beer to other people. He never has beer himself because that does not provide nearly as much satisfaction as knowing that you have made other men feel free and joyful. We will see this theme again and again as Andy goes out of his way to attempt to redeem other inmates.
The other main way that Andy provides redemption and freedom to other inmates is when he gets funding for a library and finds a record player with opera music in it. Once he discovers this, he locks the door to the library and connects the record player to the sound system so that everyone across Shawshank can listen to the music. Then he plays the record, and Red narrates that everyone in Shawshank felt like free men.
“It was like some beautiful bird flapped into our drab little cage and made those walls dissolve away, and for the briefest of moments, every last man in Shawshank felt free.”
Andy restores freedom to Shawshank by sharing a joyful experience with them that they likely will never forget. Once Warden and Hadley arrive and knock on the door, Andy doesn’t shy away or turn himself. Instead, he turns up the music even louder and kicks back in his chair. He suffers heavily for it, but he doesn’t care as long as what he suffers for is restoring the hope and joy of others.
The last way that Andy provides hope for everyone in Shawshank is by going through a Christlike death and resurrection through his escape from Shawshank. Andy’s suicidal thoughts begin just before his escape, and the last thing Red hears him say is “Get busy living, or get busy dying.” Then Red hears that Andy brought a six-foot-long rope to his cell. All this means that the following night was the longest of Red’s life. He says “alone in the dark with nothing but your thoughts, time can draw out like a blade.” Then we get the reveal the next morning that Andy is nowhere to be found, and they eventually deduce that Andy must have escaped.
Andy provides hope through his escape because most people have already given up on hope, especially Red. He has basically consented to becoming institutionalized just like Brooks was, and he believed that hope could drive a man mad until he sees Andy escape. However, Andy changes Red’s perspective, which we will get to more when we talk about Red’s arc. Regardless, Andy’s escape from Shawshank is a death and resurrection that also symbolizes the film’s message.
Andy’s escape embodies the film’s general message. Several details come together, such as him crafting rocks as a foil to the Warden who was making people into rocks (figuratively) by taking away their freedoms. Plus, the Rita Hayworth painting symbolizes the normal life that Andy and probably everyone else in Shawshank wishes he could have as well as his rebirth as a new man. However, the most significant dichotomy is the contrast of the sewage pipe that Andy climbed through to escape and the rain he stands in once he is finally free. He has to use a strong rock to break open a sewage pipe and climb his way to freedom. Red’s narration sums up well how ridiculous yet miraculous this act is.
“Andy crawled to freedom through 500 yards of shit smelling foulness I can’t even imagine. Or maybe I just don’t want to. That’s the length of 5 football fields, just shy of half a mile… Andy Dufresne, who crawled through a river of shit and came out clean on the other side.”
In a way, the crawl through that pipe represents the struggles that Andy had gone through and a death to that difficult life. Thus, his release into a river in the rain represents a rebirth as a new man. This is why he takes his shirt off and extends his arms into a crucifix pose, one of the most famous shots in cinema history. Just as incoming prisoners would have to be stripped naked before being introduced to their cell and new routine life, so this single outgoing prisoner expresses rebirth and being cleansed from that life through taking his shirt off and welcoming the cleansing rain. Andy is not concerned with finding revenge for his murderer or even for Warden, who is the Satanic character of the film. Rather he is concerned only with how he can restore hope and humanity to other people who are also struggling, as well as by making sure he gets busy living not dying. In short, this escape from prison represents not just his own freedom but also providing hope and inspiration for the prisoners of Shawshank to maintain.
b. Brooks- humanity (without God)
The character arc of Brooks is vital to setting up a lot of the tension that leads to the finale of this film because it grounds the setting in a harsh reality and struggle. Brooks represents what life without hope feels like, as well as how being imprisoned for decades in Shawshank can affect an individual’s psyche.
Brooks is a convicted con who presumably was convicted of murder, thus why he was in Shawshank for 49 years. He is the librarian of Shawshank whose only friend is a pet bird he owns named Jake, the only connection he has to freedom. However, we see throughout the film that Brooks has no hope because he is controlled by fear of life on the outside, which is what inmates call being free from Shawshank. In one example, Brooks threatens to harm a fellow inmate with a knife entirely so that the guards would catch him and extend his prison sentence so that he would not have to try to make it on the outside. Red shares with his sympathies when discussing his fate with his mates:
“Brooks ain’t no bug. He’s just… just institutionalized.”
“Institutionalized my ass.”
“The man’s been in here for 50 years, Hayworth. 50 years. Outside he’s nothing. Just a used-up con with arthritis in both hands. Probably couldn’t get a library card if he tried. You know what I’m trying to say?”
“Red I do believe you’re talking out of your ass.”
“You believe whatever you want, Floy. But I’m telling you these walls are funny. First you hate em, then you get used to em. Enough time passes, you get so you depend on em. They send you here for life, that’s exactly where they take ya.”
Red often reflects Brooks’ struggles with life on the outside because he struggles with fear and a lack of hope himself. Thus, his struggles with suicidal thoughts completely follow, and because of this the audience assumes that whatever happens to Brooks will probably happen to Red unless something changes him. Thus, the film sets up the fate of Brooks to be a foreshadowing for what could also happen to Red.
With that discussion over, regardless of his feeble attempt to threaten someone and stay imprisoned, Brooks is eventually released, and the montage that follows his release is one of the most well-crafted and most memorable sequences of all time. The camerawork (which we will get to later) and narration and visualization of isolation all comes together in a masterful way. I can’t do the narration justice, so here it is:
“Dear fellas, I can’t believe how fast things move on the outside. I saw an automobile once when I was a kid, but now they’re everywhere. The world went and got itself in a big damn hurry. The parole board got me into this halfway house called “The Brewer” and a job bagging groceries at the Foodway. It’s hard work and I try to keep up, but my hands hurt most of the time. I don’t think the store manager likes me very much. Sometimes after work, I go to the park and feed the birds. I keep thinking Jake might just show up and say hello, but he never does. I hope wherever he is, he’s doin’ okay and makin’ new friends. I have trouble sleepin’ at night. I have bad dreams like I’m falling. I wake up scared. Sometimes it takes me a while to remember where I am. Maybe I should get me a gun and rob the Foodway so they’d send me home. I could shoot the manager while I was at it, sort of like a bonus. I guess I’m too old for that sort of nonsense any more. I don’t like it here. I’m tired of being afraid all the time. I’ve decided not to stay. I doubt they’ll kick up any fuss. Not for an old crook like me. P.S: Tell Heywood I’m sorry I put a knife to his throat. No hard feelings. Brooks.
We see that the only thoughts Brooks has are that Jake might show up and say hello and that he might be able to go back to prison by robbing the store and shooting the manager as a bonus. Indeed, at one point he feeds birds in the park but even that brings no satisfaction to him because he has lost all purpose and all hope. Thus, in an act of desperation, he etches his name into the room he hangs himself in, specifically the phrase “Red was here” to remind the world that he did exist, even though he felt alone within it.
c. Red- the elect
Morgan Freeman’s character, Red, fascinates me because he is such a complex character. Red is the narrator, so although I would consider Andy the main character, at the same time Red is the character who shares the perspective of the audience because of how much he narrates. One of the core elements to his character is that he is in a way the opposite of Andy. He has become largely institutionalized by Shawshank, much like Brooks, so he has lost all hope because he has allowed Shawshank to control him. Red is also the only guilty man in Shawshank, or at least so he says himself. If this is true, it shows why Andy is called to become Red’s best friend: much like Jesus is called to heal the sick and poor, not the healthy, Andy is called to provide hope to those who have none. If this is not true, Red is saying he is the only guilty man when he is not, highlighting the theme of isolation that takes place if hope is lost, which we will get to more with the characterization of Brooks.
Red is by far the most quotable character, and we understand some of the more implicit themes and some of the nuances of his character through his narration. For example, here is his reaction to Andy saying people should have hope because it is a good thing, and that a good thing never dies:
Let me tell you something, my friend. Hope is a dangerous thing. Hope can drive a man insane. It’s got no use on the inside; you better get used to that idea.
Red has given up on holding onto hope because he believes that there is no point in having hope anymore. He has been in Shawshank for over 30 years now, almost as long as Brooks, and he believes there is no point in hoping for a better future because there is nothing for him to be inspired by or hope for. Thankfully, Andy eventually proves him wrong by continually restoring his humanity and inspiring hope into him, which he uses to change his perspective and eventually leave Shawshank free.
One of the traits that Red is known for is his ability to sneak anything into Shawshank, which he describes in a very specific way: “I’m known to locate certain things from time to time.” This becomes a running gag that allows Andy to realize he can ask Red to get him a very important poster, one of Rita Hayworth. This becomes essential for the escape of Andy from Shawshank, so in a way hope is reciprocal. Just as Red gave Andy hope of escape by getting him a poster to cover the hole in the wall, so Andy provides hope for Red by escaping thanks to that poster.
One of the ways that the film shows us this change in perspective is through his interviews regarding whether they will approve his release. There are three interviews throughout the film that determine whether Red has been rehabilitated enough to be released from Shawshank. They always start with the interviewer asking him to sit, followed by an exchange with Red. We will go through each interview and show what his character is like based on his response. Here is the first interview we see:
“Sit… We see by your file you’ve served 20 years of a life sentence.”
“Yes sir.”
“You feel you’ve been rehabilitated?”
“Oh yes sir, absolutely sir. I mean I learned my lesson. I can honestly say that I’m a changed man… no longer a danger to society. That’s God’s honest truth.”
This first encounter shows that Red has at least a little hope because he is still engaged with the person asking the questions. He does seem anxious in his answers because he does hope that if he says the right things, he will be released. He wants to play to what they want him to say, so even though he wants freedom, he is just saying what they want to hear, not actually reflecting on the question itself. Thus, he comes across as not genuine and is denied. Here is the next encounter a decade later:
“Sit down… Says here that you’ve served 30 years of a life sentence. You feel you’ve been rehabilitated?”
“Oh yes sir. Without a doubt. I can honestly say I’m a changed man. No danger to society here. God’s honest truth. Absolutely rehabilitated.”
Let’s not forget to credit Morgan Freeman’s acting in all of these scenes. He shows at least some life and engagement in the first interview, but by now his hope has been broken to the point that he sounds like he doesn’t believe what he is even saying. You see him rattle off some lines then hesitate to get others out because he is just trying to remember the right things to say instead of actually personally reflecting and hoping that some genuine reflection might earn him a chance. Not only does Red say almost the exact same things as he said before, demonstrating how robotic he is becoming, he also ends with the phrase “absolutely rehabilitated,” which comes across in a defeated way because he is just agreeing with the question instead of explaining how or why. He doesn’t even seem to try anymore. He can’t even look the interviewer in the eye half the time because he doubts he will ever be free. He still has no hope. This is his low point because he is still held back by fear. Then, everything changes when he is inspired by the story of Andy finding a way to escape Shawshank. Here is how he responds in one of the most famous scenes in the film:
“Please sit down… Ellis Boyd Redding, your files say you’ve served 40 years of a life sentence. Do you feel you’ve been rehabilitated?”
“Rehabilitated? Well, now let me see. You know, I don’t have any idea what that means.”
“Well, it means that you’re ready to rejoin society…”
“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?”
“Well, are you?”
“There’s not a day goes by I don’t feel regret. Not because I’m in here, because you think I should. I look back on the way I was then: a young, stupid kid who committed that terrible crime. I want to talk to him. I want to try to talk some sense to him, tell him the way things are. But I can’t. That kid’s long gone, and this old man is all that’s left. I got to live with that. Rehabilitated? It’s just a bullshit word. So you go on and stamp your form, sonny, and stop wasting my time. Because to tell you the truth, I don’t give a shit.”
Once again, lots of credit is due to this amazing performance by Morgan Freeman. You get a much different sense of identity from him without it seeming out of character, and that nuance is hard to get across if not done well. Thankfully, this scene does have the nuance to articulate how Red has changed over the course of his time in Shawshank. We see both full autonomy of what Red wants to say as well as genuine and convincing personal reflection. He goes from using rehabilitated in his answer to questioning why they are even using that word because he doesn’t know what it means other than being a made-up word that politicians use so they can have a job. How about that for thinking on your own! Red goes from sounding almost brainwashed by the system to challenging the system and its terminology, which shows how he has regained control of his own psyche.
Red’s genuine answer comes from an answer that has no fear of what they do to him. He doesn’t just say he doesn’t care what verdict they give him; that’s just a piece of the puzzle. He also says he has regret, not for being in prison, but for the guards thinking he should be in prison. In other words, he sees himself as someone who deserves freedom, so he has no fear that he might not be released. Then he goes on to describe how he wants to change the stupid young kid who committed a terrible crime by talking to him. Thus, when he tells the man in a suit and tie to do whatever because he doesn’t care, that isn’t to say he has no hope. Rather, he definitely has hope because he realizes that he can either get busy living or get busy dying. He says he has to live with his decision, which means either having no hope and letting fear control his destiny or realizing that his freedom lies not on his situation but lies within. In other words, he maintains hope, a good thing, and no good thing ever dies (something Andy taught him). Thus, we see that Andy escaping and inspiring Red completely transforms his outlook on what it means to be free, and thus he does find freedom from Shawshank.
This whole character arc ties back into the allegory of him representing the elect, or those who are saved by believing in Jesus Christ. The elect still need to take action and believe to maintain their salvation, whether that is a gift or not. Similarly, Red realizes that his freedom is determined not by what he fears but what he finds his hope in, which in this case is Andy. The Warden wants his prisoners to believe that salvation comes from within, but he omits that salvation must be found in someone else because he wants people to forget their true identity. By contrast, Red regains hope and challenges the lies and ways that the world tries to define him because he grounds himself in the identity that gives him true value and worth, one where he can honestly reflect on his life and look to another person for hope. Thus, Red characterizes well what it means to redefine yourself by the standards of Christ and not by that of the world.
From here, we finally get to the final 20 minutes or so of the film, and we get finality to Brooks’ character arc by comparing and contrasting that with that of Red. Red is sent to the same room as Brooks, works the same job, even has the same boss, and he goes through the same struggles of being on the outside that Brooks faced. He asks his boss if he can use the restroom, and his boss tells him to go whenever he needs to. Red forgot that that was a freedom he even had because he was so used to being told when to use the restroom for the previous 30 years. Needless to say, returning to life on the outside took its toll. However, where Brooks failed to have a purpose, Red did not fail. I’ll let him explain:
“There’s a harsh truth to face. No way I’m gonna make it on the outside. All I do anymore is think of ways to break my parole, so maybe they’d send me back. Terrible thing, to live in fear. Brooks Hatlen knew it. Knew it all too well. All I want is to be back where things make sense. Where I won’t have to be afraid all the time. Only one thing stops me. A promise I made to Andy.”
Once again, we see that Andy is the outlet that Red needed to find freedom from his fear. Thus, right next to where Brooks carved “Brooks was here,” Red carves “So was Red” to demonstrate that although he suffered the same struggles and thoughts, he overcame those temptations because he had hope. He needed to get busy living because of his promise to Andy. Now, he can find his best friend and get busy living. Once again, the narration is absolutely brilliant and does a wonderful job capturing that victory:
For the second time in my life, I am guilty of committing a crime: parole violation. Of course, I doubt they’ll toss up any road blocks for that, not for an old crook like me. I find I’m so excited I can barely sit still or hold a thought in my head. I think it’s the excitement only a free man can feel. A free man at the start of a long journey whose conclusion is uncertain. 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 has been in my dreams. I hope.
I absolutely love that he says nobody would toss up any road blocks for an old crook like him because that is a perfect parallel and contrast to the suicidal thoughts of Brooks. Where Brooks used that disengagement as a reason to kill himself, Red disregards their disengagement because his purpose is not in how other people define him but what he finds his hope in. The same people on the bus who looked away from Brooks look away from Red, but Red’s focus is not within the confines of the bus but where the bus is going. He is engaged with the world around him because fear no longer restrains him from pursuing what he loves.
The rest of this beautiful narration is pretty clear when it comes to the message the film wants to send. Everything from the new excitement and engagement Red feels to his newfound freedom and purpose because of the long journey ahead of him to getting to meet his best friend to hoping to make it to the Pacific all pretty clearly sum up how Red has restored his freedom and hope. Side note: I think the Pacific could be interpreted as an allegory for heaven as well, which makes sense because we will unite with Christ in heaven just as Red will reunite with Andy on the Pacific. All these images point to the joy and hope that came from the darkest of places and circumstances.
d. Warden Norton- Satan
Warden Norton is the heartless Warden of Shawshank, which basically means he runs the place. If we continue the allegory of the gospel message, Warden represents Satan because he expresses great knowledge of Scripture but often twists its meaning and is generally arbitrarily cruel and immoral. We will see how he is the source of a lot of the problems throughout the film, and we will see how twisted his supposed theology is because of his actions.
From the first time the audience as well as Andy meet Warden, it is clear that the Warden’s job is to attempt to strip people of their humanity and more generally their freedom. This is summed up in one of many famous quotations in the film: “I believe in two things: discipline and the Bible. Here you will receive both. Put your trust in the Lord; your ass belongs to me.” Indeed, although the Warden encourages faith in the Lord, he only says that because he sees such faith not as hopeful but as desperate, and he plans to eliminate any hope these inmates have if any. He wants to make prisoners into something less than human in order to assert his dominance over them. Indeed, this ties in with the theme of rocks, which is why Andy is a perfect foil to Warden. While Warden wants to make people into something more base and less free, such as a rock because it has no free will, Andy reshapes those rocks into something that has a purpose and a hope. All that to say that Warden strips people of their humanity and identity by taking away their freedom.
The Warden also breaks people down by teaching them twisted theology. We already observed this through his entrance that demonstrates his understanding of faith as desperation. As another example, he tells Andy that salvation lies within as he hands him back his Bible. Obviously, this isn’t true because if anything, depending on yourself for salvation leads to suffering as we see through the character of Brooks. However, that is exactly what the Warden wants his prisoners believe because fear will hold them captive. If the prisoners will hold themselves prisoner through fear, they will not even want to try to escape Shawshank, which means he can continue to exploit their ability as a workforce so that he can continue to make more money.
The Warden also strips people of freedom in order to make a point about his own character. At one point in the movie, Andy has discovered that Tommy Williams is willing to testify that Andy is innocent because he knows the real murderer. Then, Andy calls Warden obtuse for not allowing him a fair trial, then promises he would never speak of the laundering business he is in. Warden was pissed out of his mind and demands Andy to never speak of money to him again, then throws him in the hole for a month. This alone is arbitrarily cruel, and he only does this to cover up his business as well as to take away the mere chance that Andy could be free.
When Andy is done serving his time in the hole, which is basically being in an isolated room of utter darkness for days or even weeks, Warden comes in and threatens Andy because he had been restoring humanity to other inmates. Here is his most chilling monologue:
“I’m sure by now you’ve heard. Terrible thing. Man that young, less than a year to go, trying to escape… Broke Captain Hadley’s heart to shoot him, truly it did. We just have to put it behind us… move on.” ”Nothing stops. Nothing… or you will do the hardest time there is. No more protection from the guards. I’ll pull you out of that one-bunk Hilton and cast you down with the Sodomites. You’ll think you’ve been fucked by a train! And the library? Gone… sealed off, brick-by-brick. We’ll have us a little book barbecue in the yard. They’ll see the flames for miles. We’ll dance around it like wild Injuns! You understand me? Catching my drift?… Or am I being obtuse? Give him another month to think about it.”
Not only does Warden destroy everything Andy had built up, everything from the innocence he had restored through Tommy Williams to the library he had built to restore humanity to other inmates to even his own freedom from the hole. Just as insult to injury, Warden attempts to break Andy’s spirit by breaking testing his physical limits, which is why he puts Andy in the hole for not just one but two entire months. That is absolutely devastating, and few men would not break from that kind of torture because of isolation. Thus, when we hear later that Andy asked for a six-foot-long rope, we know exactly why because of this context, which is why Warden works so effectively as the foil to the supposedly unbroken spirit that Andy has.
The way the film brings closure to Warden as a character perfectly sums up who he is as well as how he is the most hopeless of anyone. Upon discovering Andy’s prison cell, he calls it a miracle, again sounding like how Satan probably angrily marveled at the empty tomb of Christ. Then he discovers the hole in his cell because of the Rita Hayworth poster that was covering it, demonstrating that he forgot to snuff out all hope and has to pay the consequences for it. He also tears the poster off starting with the womb of Rita Hayworth, symbolizing how Andy has begun his transformation as someone who was rebirthed and can start a new life from scratch, just as those who profess faith in Christ are made new in Christ. Lastly, the irony of his fate is that everything he has known for the last several decades is now being used against him. The poster over his safe that reads “His judgment cometh and that right soon,” which now demonstrates that the standard he holds to all his prisoners will now be his own fate. Next, the very Bible that Andy was using was found in Warden’s safe, and it contained a slot for his hammer. Once again, the theology that Warden had been advocating becomes one source of his demise. Also, the hammer is placed in the book of Exodus, which starts with the story of Moses freeing himself and his people from the oppressive Pharaoh, a perfect analogy for the oppression within Shawshank. Lastly, the irony of Warden’s end is not just that his scandal comes to light, but also that he commits suicide because of this knowledge. The very same way he tried to snuff out hope by killing Tommy Williams, death by a gun, is the same fate that Warden meets by shooting himself. This end in general is just immensely satisfying because the predator becomes the prey for the first time in his life, and his response is not to accept his fate but instead to commit suicide. We see that people are not as tough as they seem when faced with true adversity.
e. Tommy Williams- innocence/youth/ignorance
Tommy Williams is basically an ignorant punk who doesn’t even know hot to read but definitely knows how to steal. He pretty clearly has no idea what prison is like when he first arrives because he does not want his life to remain routine if only because that does not seem to be his style. Thus, because he seems so oblivious to how the real-world works, especially since he can barely understand it because he struggles with grammar and does not know how to read, in a way he represents the innocence of childhood. Thus, Andy gets the opportunity to be the father figure he never had prior, and we see Tommy improve significantly in his skills.
That is not to say that Tommy never struggles. Tommy eventually takes a test to see how good his grammar is, and he gets quite frustrated with it because he believes he isn’t good enough. He basically throws a fit like a child in frustration, once again showing how he is still maturing as a person as he slowly but surely improves more skills. However, Andy discovers that despite Tommy’s frustration, he actually did well on his test, which is another way that Andy feels he has impacted other people and provided hope by improving their lives.
Because Tommy himself represents hope to Andy, his death is that much more devastating. Warden knows that Tommy has done well because of Andy, so he uses that as leverage against Andy by brutally murdering him in another quite tense scene. Tommy asks for just a chance to swear in court, just as Andy hoped for a chance that he could be free before calling Warden obtuse, and in response Warden does his best to snuff out any chance that either of these men could be redeemed. Thus, the film solidifies that it deals with quite mature themes by making innocence and the chance for freedom an actual persona and then destroying that person. Plus, this death is especially impactful because it shows the lengths to which Warden will go to snuff out any sign of hope.
The Warden wants to be able to use Andy to cover up for his crimes within Shawshank. However, we learn that Tommy is willing to testify that Andy is innocent, thus allowing Andy to be freed from prison, to Warden realizes he has to snuff this small shade of hope out as well. Warden is a prime example of keeping your friends close and your enemies closer. He never distances himself from Andy, and he is so dangerous because of it (even though eventually Andy uses this against him to escape). Regardless, everything about this scene demonstrates that innocent or guilty, Warden is willing to keep everyone in Shawshank if possible in order to exploit them for himself. Thus, just as he snuffs out a cigarette well before it has been used, he murders Tommy Williams well before he deserved to die, especially because he is so young. Thus, Warden is watching out for himself by taking away hope that Andy can escape Shawshank and protecting his own interests, which we see reversed in the end.
f. The Sisters- debts, isolation
The Sisters to many represent what is wrong with what happens behind close bars. They are notorious for taking advantage of new inmates by physically abusing them and sexually assaulting them simply because they want to, and we see Andy struggle through that reality. However, more symbolically, the Sisters represent both debts people need to forgive as well as the psychological damage and lack of healing that arises from isolation. On a literal level, it is extremely difficult for people to forgive those who have abused them in some way, especially because of the psychological trauma that comes from those kinds of experiences, especially over a long period of time (like 2 years in Andy’s case). Thus, on a more metaphorical level, Andy overcoming this abuse through his friendship with Red and his restoration of humanity to others also represents how he has ultimately forgiven the Sisters because that abusive past no longer defines him. Rather, he actually redeems other people even more so because he knows others need similar redemption. Secondly, this abuse also viscerally depicts the struggles of isolation within prison.
g. Rita Hayworth
Rita Hayworth in some ways is the key to escape for Andy because the means of covering up the hole that Andy creates is through a huge poster of Rita Hayworth. However, she also symbolizes freedom and having the ability to live out a normal life. Passing through her poster to escape to freedom symbolizes a rebirth as a new person with a new identity and new life, which we see Andy experience once he achieves freedom.
In another way, Rita Hayworth symbolizes the constancy of hope. Indeed, she is present throughout the whole movie and provides an incentive to go on. Plus, Rita Hayworth is the one character that everyone, including Warden, completely forgets about her until she becomes the key to how Andy escapes. Thus, in a way, Rita Hayworth becomes the one detail that Warden forgets, and as a result is the foil to his attempt to snuff out all hope.
h. Byron Hadley- toxic masculinity
Byron Hadley is essentially the right-hand man of Warden, and he is definitely more physically imposing and threatening. His job essentially consists of intimidating anyone who defies authority. He is probably the reason this movie is rated R, purely just because he uses so much foul language and is known to beat people for minor offenses or even inconveniences. He even pulls the trigger of the gun that kills Tommy Williams at the command of Warden. He is the one person you expect to be calm in crisis because he is the stereotypical tough guy that you should fear. However, the irony of his character is that at the end of the film, Red recounts this:
I wasn’t there to see it, but I hear Byron Hadley started sobbing like a little girl when they took him away. Norton had no intention of going that quietly.
This is a brief but incredible case where we start to see people’s true colors. Indeed, just as the one man we thought would commit suicide escapes Shawshank, just as the one man we thought had no hope found some, just as the one man who thought he defeated Andy commits suicide because of him, so the one man whom we assumed would be tough in crisis ends up sobbing. All that to prove that looks can be deceiving and that people are not always what they present themselves as.
i. The Camera- freedom
The cinematography and camerawork in this film is absolutely phenomenal, which is why it deserves credit as its own character. We learn about how to feel in a certain scene based purely on how characters are positioned in a shot or even the kind of shot we are observing.
One way the camerawork informs the story is through when we see wide shots that represent freedom. For example, the first big wide shot of the film happens just before Andy is placed in Shawshank, symbolizing that this is Andy’s last breath of freedom on the outside before he enters the routine confines of Shawshank. By contrast, as Andy enters Shawshank, we get a shot from inside the automobile bringing Andy and other inmates into Shawshank, symbolic of the enclosure all of them are about to experience.
The other major example of a wide shot representing freedom is the scene in which Andy blasts opera music across Shawshank. There are no wide shots during the time spent inside Shawshank, but this one scene is the exception because it symbolizes a moment of freedom for everyone within Shawshank. Again, just as Andy is restoring freedom and reminding people of their humanity, so the camera reminds the audience that this is a very special moment not just for Andy but also for providing humanity and hope to all of the inmates present.
Another way the camera informs the emotion in a scene is how the camera works throughout the final montage leading to the suicide of Brooks. This montage has been discussed by several channels and critics already as one of the most emotional and realistic depictions of suicidal thoughts in cinema. All of the details point to disengagement and isolation, including the camerawork. People on the bus are pointed away from the camera as we get a close-up of Brooks who looks afraid and alone. Brooks checks into a room and seems to be swallowed up by it because of how the camera frames Brooks as vulnerable and small by comparison. At his job bagging groceries at the market, his boss is always turned away except for when he faces Brooks to tell him to hurry up and basically scold him. Then when Brooks commits suicide by hanging himself, he is hung on a row of bars, visually reminiscent of the prison bars that had kept him captive and fearful for decades prior. Everything about the montage makes the audience empathize with him.
The last main example of the camera visualizing freedom is the wide shot that closes the film. Once Red is released from prison and becomes a free man not just legally but in his soul, he finally does meet up with his best friend Andy on the border of the Pacific, and they work on a project together. It is remarkably fitting that the film ends on a wide shot because this just visualizes the freedom both of these men finally get to experience. It just feels right and is a victorious celebration of their victory over what they had struggled with in life.
j. Birds- freedom
Another interesting theme throughout Shawshank Redemption is the recurrence of birds symbolizing freedom. The clearest example of this is Jake, the pet bird of Brooks in Shawshank. Jake is the one connection to freedom that Brooks can hold onto while in Shawshank. However, he never gets to see Jake again when he is released back into the outside. In a similar way, Brooks goes outside and feeds several birds in the park, representing how he is free in a literal sense. However, his disengagement with the birds demonstrates how he finds no pleasure in this freedom, which is why he commits suicide.
The last major example of a bird representing freedom is found in one of Red’s final monologues. He has just heard about Andy escaping Shawshank and is celebrating and discussing it with his friends on the inside, but a part of him missing his friend. I’ll let him do the sweet talking:
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. And when they fly away, the part of you that knows it was a sin to lock them up does rejoice, but still the place you live in is that much more drab now that they’re gone. I guess I just miss my friend.
Once again, Andy is a free bird now, and many people resonate with the idea of friends moving on to other things while they hang behind. Like the saying goes, the only way to love anything is to realize that it might be lost, and indeed that reality comes crashing down on Red and anyone with a soul watching this film. It’s truly a masterful and touching moment that will remain timeless.
4. Pacing and Tone
I have no complaints here, which is remarkable given that this movie is largely about prison and is 2 hours and 22 minutes long. That is no short film, but the narrative is driven so fluidly and beautifully together that you barely notice time passing once you get invested, which usually doesn’t take long. Especially once the movie hits that last climax with creating tension for Andy’s character following the death of Tommy Williams and setting up suicide as a red herring to Andy’s escape, everything comes together so beautifully and powerfully from that point on that no element of this ending is boring. Every detail is immensely satisfying because it is obtainable from the very start of the film, and bringing closure to all of these character’s arcs is beautiful and immensely satisfying.
5. Satisfying Conclusion
I kind of discussed this already, but the way this film ends allows for people to continue to have a purpose and hope, even after they conquer their fears. Andy and Red don’t just live in luxury when they escape, they live with a goal and purpose for the future because they want to continue to have an impact. Extending the film’s ending to include the scene by the Pacific I felt was satisfying because it is both an inspiring look at how people will still have purpose after conquering fear but also because this image foreshadows what heaven is going to be like. Heaven is not just a utopia full of luxury. Heaven is full of things to do and people to interact with, so we will still have a purpose in that place. All that to say the ending has no dialogue because none is necessary. The scene creates a feeling of freedom and hope that few other films can truly capture despite improvements in spectacle and cinematography. Indeed, the characters’ drive to get busy living echoes as a call to action and to freedom from fear and to inspiration for hope in a world that often loses hope for the future. One could not ask for a better ending.
Star Rating: 5 out of 5
Judah Film Reviews 