Review 01: Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption

A Story for Everyone

   Life is a prison for many, even if they do not realize that fact. There are many rules and regulations in the modern society. However, their numbers do not exceed those of standards people put against themselves. High grades, making it to college, finding jobs, and such forth may be important; but when the pressure exceeds a certain point, such goals in life become the very bars that lock us into cells of misery. The only guard that keeps one from escaping is oneself. 

   This is clearly seen in Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption. This novella tells the readers of the story of a peculiar prisoner, named Andy Dufresne. While he pleads his innocence, everyone else – including his inmates – believes, at least at first, that he is a banker-turned-murderer. This man’s route to freedom, however, is not told by himself but by a man named Red, also a prisoner. He claims that the story of Andy, told in his words, is actually his own story. This statement may puzzle the readers. Furthermore, his acceptance of his own obscurity of the truth about Andy’s road to freedom is also what may make some readers frown.

   Yet one will realize, while reading, that the story does not matter whether it was told by a reliable narrator or not, as long as it has served a purpose. A message of hope and courage – it was not something that was delivered to our Mr. Escapee, but also to Red, and perhaps to all of the readers. In that sense, it was a story of Red, and also the tales of the institutionalized people of everyday society.

   It is arguable, that because Andy was such an enduring man, that he was able to break free from his binds and become free. Certainly, Andy’s resilience and persistence are what may wonder the readers, along with his knowledge of minerals, banking, and taxation. It is certainly hard to find a banker whose hobby is to study rocks. And perhaps, in such situations, Andy has an upper hand in escaping. Perhaps his courage was given and supported by his unnatural talents. This is even evident from the fact that other prisoners were not able to escape from Shawshank. Perhaps there is a reason for ordinary people to be hopeless.

   However, a reader who thinks in this way may be missing a very important fact. First of all, he or she is not in the same situation that Andy is in. Andy and his prison story are simply manifestations of real life that allows the readers to see themselves through the character and the story. Second of all, we are not so different from Andy. Andy may be a successful banker and all, but at fundamental, he is not too different in that he was powerless to the rules and regulations of this society. Nonetheless, he stood up. Nonetheless, he fought back. There is no reason why another cannot do it, just in a more peaceful manner (other than breaking free from a prison cell). 

   I cannot say that I am not a prisoner. But reading this story certainly helped me to tear down the walls of my mental prison. If I learned one thing from this novella, I have learned that hope is not something that finds me, but something that I have to find.