The Shawshank Redemption; "Fear can Hold you Prisoner, Hope can set you free".

For Andy Dufresne life within the four walls of Shawshank prison is a crime in itself... removing a man's right to a free life. Set in the 1940s, Andy, a successful banker, is sentenced to life in Shawshank for a crime he didn't commit and we watch as he learns the harsh reality of prison life. He walks with his head bowed and mouth shut and he soon starts to intrigue the other inmates... namely Ellis Boyd 'Red' Redding, AKA the 'man who can get it for you' and with whose eyes this very story is told. It's not long before Andy’s intelligence is used to the benefit of the corrupt wardens who see the advantages of using a brain like his, but they underestimate him.. nothing could prepare them for the trickery he has in store, as under his outwardly calm exterior is a burning desire for freedom. Any moral beliefs we may have concerning criminality are overpowered in this film through the film's poignant message of hope, otherworldly friendships and ultimately the power of the human spirit. For anyone who can't resist the downtrodden victim, the individual beating the system, the human spirit surpassing all.. then The Shawshank redemption is the film to get busy watching!

But just how important is it for our modern lives to have films like The Shawshank redemption which convey such powerful messages of hope? In our hectic lifestyles we get bogged down easily and for those of us who are not partial to a prayer, look for comfort elsewhere. If the success of The Shawshank Redemption is anything to go by then I would say it’s very important for us to believe in something more spiritual and powerful then any of the trivial and scientific explanations which surround us. I think Americans refer to this type of belief as ‘The American dream’ and for all of us it represents our fighting spirit which transcends the monotony of everyday life. And this is why Andy is such a powerful character as he keeps the ideology of hope alive in even the most hopeless of situations, like a life sentence in prison! Like Andy who is overpowered by the prison, we know what it’s like to be an individual fighting against a greater force, whether it be a school or a work place,a family and therefore are more than happy to will him to beat the system.. especially in comparison with the vulgarity of the prison wardens, namely Howard Norton (Head Wardon) whose hard faced and ruthlessness make him the ideal villain. Therefore in this scenario, Norton is the villain and Andy is the Hero.. it’s funny how even in a conventional prison drama we can make relations to our much loved childhood fairy tales and shows that from an early age we are embedded with the knowing of good and bad, right and wrong. Andy’s intelligence, good looks, humbling presence, heroic spirit are as we know it, character traits of the good guy, while Norton’s abrasive tone, ugliness, stupidity are character traits of the bad guy. This begs the question as to whether it matters if Andy was in fact a serious criminal or not… as after all “who can resist the surge of reassuring satisfaction that cherished values - self sacrificing heroism?".

So Andy may just be a character in a film, but for us he represents the everyday man and inspires us with hope and is why this film renders so profoundly among audiences.. and for me a favorite.