Review 02: Shawshank and Shawshank

Salvation Lies Within You

   “I almost forgot. I can’t deprive you of this; salvation lies within.”

   “Yes, sir.”

WTF?

   And it did. Shocked was the face of the warden after seeing a slot that was cut out from the Bible for storing the rock-hammer. To think that Andy Dufresne would be able to escape simply by digging, using the minute rock-hammer – one could easily think that Andy had an endless amount of hope that would not be present in an ordinary human. Indeed, digging through a prison wall in less than twenty years with such a small tool, and crawling through five football fields of excrement and filthiness would be things that would be unbelievable to accomplish. It would be a lie to say that another person could do the same, right?

   The answer is: wrong. You can do it too, only if you have a rock-hammer and some helpful friends by your side.

Say what?

   Some do argue that in such a dire situation, one is bound to try whatever that may benefit oneself. But a situation so hopeless as one that is depicted in the movie or the book may be enough to turn one into another institutionalized inmate. I am not denying such possibilities; nonetheless, I do believe that we all have potential to become like Andy Dufresne - a manifestation of not only human capability but also the extent of hope that one can have. All depends on one's attitude on viewing a situation. But I am not saying that one needs a positive mind to have hope. What is required, then, to have salvation for the everyday hostilities that we face?

   Answer lies within the book, and in a less direct manner, in the movie as well.

   When Andy describes all the troubles that he went through in creating a false identity, Red asks Andy of how he was able to go through such ordeals and if such measures are even possible. But Andy simply answers, "I hoped for the best, and expected the worst." At that moment, I realized that an unprepared man cannot say such words. It is not positive thinking,  self-hypnosis, or simply a lot of time that is required to break through the difficulties - it is preparedness that is needed. All Andy needed, thus, was a good batch of friends - who could help him in the supplies that he needed or mental sanity that he REALLY needed - and a lot of time.

   I have probably said in the earlier writing that life may be a prison for those who, whether they have realized it or not, regard life to be one. One is caught up in the rules that oneself has made, and cannot realize that they themselves hold the keys. Those keys are what lets one escape from the prison; but using the keys is a different matter, for one needs preparedness to learn how to utilize them. And when that preparation is over, one can endure both the best situation, and the worst situation, as Andy did in the story. 


   "In the hardships that face you, do not try to find the answers directly from outside, but only receive inspirations. This is because, after all, salvation lies within yourself." At least, this is what I think.

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. 

Assignment 01: Charting the Hero's Journey

Group 3

Jun Ho, Sanghun, Seunghyun, Yi Hyeok, Jungpyo

Our Film: Kung Fu Panda

Why We Chose It: The fact that the protagonist does not have the hero's ordinary characters at first, but changes into a hero would make an interesting analysis of the movie. The almost incredible voice casting of Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, and Jackie Chan was also interesting.

ACT I

1. Ordinary World
Working under the noodle restaurant chef, Mr. Ping (a goose), Po, the panda protagonist, admires the "Furious Five" and yearns to become a kung fu master.

2. Call to Adventure
Po, wanting to watch the kung fu tournament match, straps himself to a set of fireworks and rockets into the sky, crashing into the middle of the arena. This is when Oogway the Grand Master points at the space where he has fallen to announce the Dragon Warrior who could defeat Tai Lung, so Po becomes the chosen one.

3. Refusal of the Call
Shifu dislikes Po because of his out-of-nowhere origin, and the Furious Five make fun of him. Po is frustrated, and has second thoughts about his training.

4. Meeting the Mentor
Oogway is right beside Po when he says that he will quit, and assures him that he is the chosen one.

5. Crossing the Threshold
The next day, Shifu finds Po stretching. He reluctantly accepts him, and begins his training.

ACT II

6. Tests, Allies, Enemies
Despite Po's willingness, the Furious Five and Shifu will still not truly accept him.

7. Approach to the Innermost Cave
As Shifu finds out that, if motivated by food, Po could be trained. Soon Po becomes an adequate kung fu fighter.

8. Ordeal
When Po opens the Dragon Scroll, thought to contain ultimate way to defeat Tai Lung, he finds that the scroll is empty.

9. Reward
He is frustrated at first, but when his father says that the gossiped "secret ingredient" of his noodles does not actually exist, Po decides to confront Tai Lung.

ACT III

10. The Road Back
Po goes back to the Jade Palace to face Tai Lung. Meanwhile, Tai Lung has defeated all of the Furious Five and is fighting with Shifu.

11. Resurrection
Just when Shifu is defeated, Po fights Tai Lung and wins.

12. Return with the Elixir
With Tai Lung back in prison, Po has brought back peace, or metaphorically the elixir, in the world.

Points of contention
As simple as the plot is, there was a controversy in what parts belong to numbers four through eleven. As "resurrection" is the part where a protagonist defeats his enemy, Tai Lung in this case, and it was not clear who the "enemies" would be. It was a difficult decision to make the "good guys" Po's enemies. Also, "reward" was another problem upon which we stumbled, as it could be interpreted as "meeting the mentor." Nonetheless, a good talk brought a point of consent.