Reflection on The Shawshank Redemption

This week, I revisited a classic English movie, "The Shawshank Redemption." Andy is the protagonist of this movie, falsely accused of murdering his wife and her lover in a fit of rage after discovering their affair. He is sentenced to life imprisonment at Shawshank State Penitentiary. Initially, Andy silently endures his circumstances, but eventually befriends Red and some other inmates. Despite being bullied by the sisters, Andy uses his skills to help the prison guards and officers with financial matters, catching the eye of the warden who enlists him to launder money for him. Andy also persistently writes letters to the state government each week, eventually establishing a library at Shawshank State Penitentiary. Finally, Andy decides to escape by crawling through the tunnel he had been digging for 20 years, heading towards freedom. This movie is rich in symbolism and profound in meaning, offering many areas for deep reflection.

1. Environment Changes People

There is a classic line in the film, "Institutionalized." An emblematic character of institutionalization in the film is the prison librarian, Brooks, who has spent 50 years incarcerated, almost exhausting his entire life. However, when he learns that he is soon to be released on parole, he nearly has a mental breakdown and contemplates instigating a "murder" incident because he cannot live without the prison; he wants to remain at Shawshank.

Prison allows them to be completely engulfed by their environment; Brooks becomes a part of that environment, and once removed from it, everything loses meaning. He deeply yearns for the prison that deprived him of his freedom, so upon release, he is utterly lost and eventually chooses suicide to seek eternal tranquility.

2. Don't Judge a Book by Its Cover

Andy appears physically weak, and on his first night in prison, Red bets that he will break down, only to lose two packs of cigarettes to him. When the inmates watch a performance of "The Marriage of Figaro" projected onto the prison walls, they are profoundly moved. The most unforgettable moment is when the inmates drink beer provided by Andy in exchange for his courage and intelligence, and Andy, leaning against the wall, reveals a rare smile, like a ray of light piercing through the darkness.

Just as the famous line goes in the movie: "Some birds are not meant to be caged, for their feathers are too bright." While most prisoners have become numb and slowly lost their desire for freedom over decades, only Andy remains steadfast in his initial beliefs, longing for a life of freedom. Throughout the long years, it is Andy alone who changes the world of Shawshank.

3. Hope is the Best of Things

There is a classic line in the movie, "Fear can hold you prisoner, hope can set you free. A strong man can save himself, a great man can save another." Hope is an oasis in the desert, allowing one to feel freedom and also motivating them to seek it.

When the prisoners enter Shawshank, the warden's first words warn them: "Give your soul to God, give your body to me." Yet, the most terrifying aspect is not being imprisoned at Shawshank State Penitentiary, but the gradual erosion of courage and hope among the inmates due to the institutionalization of the prison.

However, when Andy risks being pushed off the roof by the warden, exchanging beer for his fellow inmates, when Andy persists in writing letters to the government for 6 years resulting in the establishment of the Shawshank Prison library, or when "The Marriage of Figaro" is projected above the prison, his belief remains unwavering: hope. Even if we have experienced despair and recklessness, we must never give up on our ideals and that glimmer of hope. The pursuit of the beauty we long for is unstoppable in human nature.

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