An individual’s personality or persona is created through a combination of events a person would receive from society, and how the individual absorbs these events gives the bases for that individual to develop his\hers persona. In the novella, Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption, Stephen King uses the character Andrew Dufresne to demonstrate the influence society has on the development of a person's persona or identity. When change of social environment occurs to an individual, it is natural reaction for the individual to climb the social chain, so that they may find contentment. The first time Andy talks with Red, and Andy is still new and is faced with the drastic change in environment and the way of communication being less formal, thus making Andy look more of a snob to other inmates at Shawshank, an Red’s thoughts “Andy had a reputation for being a [snob] and a [cold fish].”(King 20). The words “cold fish” and “snob” are used to clearly describe how the character Andy is seen by others, is used by King to present the readers a starting point for which the character Andy can build up from and develop a new persona. Once an individual finds their place in the new environment, society molds the individual into a working part of the social chain. The day Andy, Red, and a couple of others were working on the top of a roof, and Andy overheard one of the guards talking about the fortune he had made, but complaining about the income taxes. Andy agrees with the guard, that
Imagine someone close that’s lived the straight and narrow to get where they are at. They are not perfect, maybe they could have put a little more time into their assignment at work or held their temper towards the grandpa driving too slow in front of them, but they’re just human living life the best way they know how. When a not-so-freak accident occurs and they find themselves behind bars imprisoned for the rest of their life. Sounds like the plot to “Shawshank Redemption” right? At this very instance, this story is being told of ordinary citizens behind the curtains of the New York Court System in rapidly increasing numbers. What may seem like an isolated incident is part of an ever-growing
Stephen King’s novella and movie “Rita Hayworth and The Shawshank Redemption” accompanies an immaculate middle-aged man and his journey to live life to the fullest –with his calm nature and lucrative knowledge he attempts to become an adrenaline seeker while also trying to escape from the harsh reality. This was Andy’s way of releasing pressure just like how a pressure cooker as stated in the book needs to relieve itself before it explodes. His hardships in life have created so much tension that Andy would go to such drastic lengths in finding a way to escape his mundane, nine to five job as a banker. In addition, the stress that Andy built up would most likely be from his journey towards the position of vice-president and all the responsibilities that come with it. The breaking point was when he discovered that his wife Linda was having an affair with Glenn Quentin, a pro golf player, sending him to find a way to be liberated from this tragedy. After being found guilty by the court, Andy will be sent to the Shawshank prison where his true talents will emerge. Although the prison allows many things to pass under their nose, the incessant berating and threat the guards pose on the prisoners will eventually wear them out like how rocks turn into sand due to erosion; moreover, rocks were formed due to pressure from the Earth creating layers of dirt on top of each other until the bits and pieces of Earth form hard rock. Andy is the only one who can supply this change, throughout
One of the ways in which Andy saves himself is by making projects for himself. The first thing that Andy does is to
The Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King is both a wonderful film and a brilliantly written short story. There are many themes represented in each form of The Shawshank Redemption. The one major theme that interests me in both the film and the story is freedom. Freedom serves a large purpose for both the story's writer and the filmmaker. Both use similar examples to signify freedom, not only in the jail, but also in a larger context about life. There are many events and examples in both the film and the short story that signifies the theme of freedom. The one main difference is when the film uses the director’s technique to portray a feel of freedom for the inmates. The overall three issues used in this essay are all linked to the
There is a staggering amount of corruption in the prison system that is caused by pressure on the inmates as well as the employees in Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King. The aforementioned corruption contributes greatly to many of the main plot points in the story such as; the harassment of the prisoners, the smuggling of contraband items into Shawshank, and the prisoners making their own lives easier by using the corruption for their own purposes.
At first, he has a difficult time making friends thanks to his reputation of being “a snob and a coldfish” (King 27). He is very different from the other prisoners, partly because he knows he is not guilty and thus wears this confidence on his sleeve. It is the memory of his former freedom which provokes this seemingly arrogant attitude that both helps and hinders him. Nevertheless, this behavior serves as the very thing that first attracts the narrator, Red, to Andy. Not a man to be easily impressed nor persuaded, it comes as quite a shock to the reader that these two polar opposites form a bond. Red is able to see past what the other inmates label as “snobbishness” and instead takes comfort in Andy’s nonchalant approach to life and the tone of confidence that consumes him. Red views Andy as a much needed breath of fresh air to his musty routine within the Shank. However, it seems that their budding friendship is initially a greater asset to Red than it is to Andy. Although it may help Andy begin to find his place, he is primarily concerned with his own well-being, which is sustained only by his memories and not by the companionship of a stranger. An addition to this list of survival tools is Andy’s ability to keep his mind on the outside rather than focusing on the finality of prison life. His capacity to do so separates him from his peers, in that he becomes one of the few “long timers” able to avoid the characteristic walk, that in a
In the novella “Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption” by Stephen King, banker Andy Dufresne is wrongfully convicted of murder and sent to Shawshank Prison. Andy’s shrewd nature and sense of self-worth become valuable tools that allow him to thrive in prison under the harsh authority of the warden, Samuel Norton. King uses Norton to demonstrate that corruption is present throughout society and that the perception of good and evil can be altered depending on who presents a story.
Prisoners like Brooks were trained to like routine for so long, that they became used to the way they were treated. Andy became subject to extortion when the administrator used him to do their tax returns ; “By April of 1951, Andy was doing the tax returns for half the screws at Shawshank , and by 1952, he was doing almost all of them” (51) This quotation shows that lack of empathy , and morals used by the administration at Shawshank. Shawshank as a prison was highly corrupt and the prisoners suffered from mental abuse by use of extortion and punishment.
Well andy is serving at shawshank it is may of 1950 and a few prisoners have been tasked with a job of taring the roof of a license plate factory. Well the prisoners are hard at work a strict and very violent prison guard named byron hadley and a few others are accompanying the prisoners . Well tarring the roof they over here hadley talking about a large sum of money he will soon receive from a dead relative but a big chunk is being taxed away. Andy being a big shot banker before attending shawshank sees an opportunity to put his skills to work and although knowing how the warden can react violently andy says to him “Do you trust your wife mr hadley”(King pge 44) , stunned by what andy says to him hadley says :i'll give you one chance to pick up that tar brush or your going off this roof head first. While all the other prisoners would
reds relationship with the guards and inmates are the only reason red has had a successful stay at shawshank. throughout shawshank red makes many deals with the guards not only improving his time at shawshank but giving him a higher status in the prison " Nine or Ten names drawn out of hat and two of them happend to be Andy's and my own" (Page 40) It can most deffinitely be inferred that red made some sort of deal with the gaurds to get the both of them on the roof top considering it was a desired job and nearly seventy other men also wanted the job. Red's relationship withthe gaurds gets him the things he wants when he wants giving him a more positive outlook on the time he is serving. Red is known as the man who can get you things arounf shawshank. Nearly everyone comes to him for anything from cigarettes to a rock hammer. He not only makes a profit off of the items he gets for people he gains a source of power within the prison. Red being the man who can get things is really what sparked the relationship between Andy and Red. " I heard your the man who knows how to get things" (Pg 27) Short but sweet some of the first words shared by andy to red. This is a major monent in the novella because this
1. A degradation ceremony is a ceremony in which people are stripped of their personal identities and thrown into a brand new situation; something that they have not experienced before. An example of this from the movie was when the men first arrived at Shawshank Prison at the beginning of the movie. As they were walking in, they were surrounded by the “experienced” convicts and teased. They were then stripped naked, covered in powder to make sure they did not have lice, and then forced to walk throughout the prison with everyone staring at them. No one should have to go through this, the act was humiliating enough. This degradation ceremony was like a welcoming to the new convicted felons, and
In the novella, Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption, the reader follows the life of Andy Dufresne, who was wrongly convicted of murdering his wife and a golf pro. Author Stephen King, who is known for his simpler, conversation esque writing, describes Andy’s experiences and attempt to escape from Shawshank Prison where he is being held. Red, Andy’s most valuable friend while in prison, is also in prison for killing his wife, but in contrast to Andy, he actually did it. Andy is constantly denied his freedom for parole or when evidence arises proving his innocence because of his role running the illegal money laundering scheme for Warden Norton. Throughout the novella, both characters display moments of similar, but also at times vastly different, levels of hope. King uses the way characters, such as Red and Andy, view hope as either a means of escape or simply futile in the novella to show how the circumstances surrounding a tragedy or difficult situation change a character’s mindset on hope and in turn dictates the actions they use to cope.
Holding onto one’s humanity is a skill that takes constant practice and the conscious decision to do so. The protagonist of the film, Andy, is very different from the rest on his inmates at Shawshank in that he manages to hold onto his humanity throughout his time in prison despite many trying situations. This trait is first expressed when Andy asks if anyone knows the name of man who was beaten to death by the guards on his first night in prison. By simply having some human emotion Andy has proven that he is not willing to let prison change who he is as a human being. Again, Andy leaps out of his comfort zone during his confrontation with the guard on the roof. Perched on the edge of the roof, Andy spreads his wings and risks the fall in order to grant his inmates a taste of the outside world through the simple luxury of a few beers for his friends to enjoy. The great beauty of a man who not only has the courage to hold onto his own humanity but also has the boldness to help others do the same is what makes Andy such a captivating protagonist. His courage and determination are the only thing keeping him human and moreso, keeping him sane.
But before he escapes Andy’s been doing the wardens taxes and he has made the warden rich with dirty money that Andy made clean. One day Andy tells Red about his dream of getting out of prison and moving to Mexico and living by the ocean and fixing up a boat. This shows the subject of happiness because that's Andy’s dream believing in it makes Andy happy. This connects to the theme through happiness Andy found happiness with friends and his dream, later when he escapes, he becomes rich and accomplishes his dream and achieves true happiness when Red gets out he moves in with
In Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King and its movie adaptation , The Shawshank Redemption, Andy Dufresne and Red face many challenges within themselves. These two men have been incarcerated for almost half of their lives. They’ve become so adjusted to prison life that they question whether or not they would know how to survive without. Andy’s escape showed readers and watchers that his crave and hope for freedom is much stronger than Red’s. There are many similarities as well as differences between the book and film. Both the book and film are based upon hope and freedom.