Draft of Shawshank RedemptionINTRODUCTIONThroughout history, man has relied on stories to convey shared knowledge of his culture and morals. In today's society, films fulfill this niche and often provide a mirror into the deeper mechanisms and ethics that influence our modern culture (Rosenstand, 2013). The 1994 film, The Shawshank Redemption, depicts the inner workings of a prison society in the mid-20th century following the chronicles of Andy Dufresne's incarceration. As the story of Maine's Shawshank State Penitentiary unfolds, several ethical questions become prevalent, providing a platform from which we can evaluate the ethical principles of power and leadership, as well as justice/injustice and consequences that weave common threads among many of them. the main characters of this film. SYNOPSIS Despite his claims of innocence, Andy Defresne's story begins with his trial and conviction for killing his wife and her lover. He is sentenced to consecutive life sentences in Shawshank Prison. Initially, Andy is disliked by the other inmates due to his introverted behavior. Over time Andy manages to form a friendship with "Red" Redding and his gang and begins to find his niche within prison society. Andy also uses his financial skills and becomes popular among the prison guards, even winning over the fierce head of the guards, Captain Hadley. Hadley, realizing Andy's value, extends him protection in exchange for his financial advice. The Director also realizes Andy's value and begins to utilize Andy's banking skills by exchanging his financial skills for privileges. Despite all the corruption within the prison, Andy manages to maintain his dignity and humanity by using his wits and confidence. Andy teaches... middle of paper... tenacity when he attempts to raise money for the prison library, he demonstrates his faith in humanity's hope. Andy uses his power to make positive ethical changes throughout the prison. This once again demonstrates how a leader's ethical positions have relational consequences on the actions of his or her followers. CONCLUSION The ethical hierarchy that functions within the Shawshank Prison subculture is quite visible and shows the viewer the concepts of power, justice, and redemption. This film shows how difficult it can be to keep your ethics and morals intact while living in a corrupt world. Ultimately, Andy teaches us that, although we do what we must to survive, the choice of how to respond ultimately lies within each of us. “Remember Red, hope is a good thing. Maybe the best thing. And no good thing ever dies.”