The 1994 film The Shawshank Redemption, directed by Frank Darabont, tells the familiar story of Andy Dufresne, played by Tim Robbins, an investment banker from successful turned convicted criminal who must spend the rest of his life his days in Shawshank Prison for killing his wife and her lover. Shawshank Redemption, based on a short story written by Stephen King, captures the hearts of American audiences and audiences around the world because it is more than a prison film. It highlights and talks about the emotions and feelings common to all humanity. Of all the myths presented by Shawshank Redemption, the power of hope to maintain the soul through trials and tribulations is the myth that drives the entire screenplay forward.[1] Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay This article will argue that all aspects of this film revolve around the myth of hope as the strongest characteristic of the human soul. The myth of hope and the resilience of the human spirit is directly related to the Greek myth surrounding the appearance of all the evils of the world. The myth of Pandora's box directly feeds the myth of hope presented in the film. Additionally, key cinematic scenes in Shawshank Redemption help convey to audiences the resilience of the human soul. Finally, elements of the film not tied to the form of the film but to the context allow the film to transcend to mythic levels. The construction of the plot, the mystery of the main character and the voice-over narration are features of the film that were taken from the typical structure of mythology and adapted to fit a cinematic medium. First the myth of hope and the resilience of the human spirit can be examined, but it is necessary to address a common myth that relates directly to the film itself. In Works and Days, Heisod's collection of myths written around 700 BC, he tells the story of the creation of man and woman and the reasoning behind the order of the world. Within this collection of myths lies the reason for the existence of evil and suffering in the world.[2]The myth begins with Prometheus, a mythical figure known for stealing fire from the gods and giving it to mortals. Zeus, in his fury, created Pandora as a plague on man. This gift was sent to Prometheus' brother Epimetheus as punishment. Zeus also gave Pandora a box which he ordered her never to open. Pandora, with her unparalleled curiosity due to her feminine nature, opened the box (more commonly known as Pandora's Box). This vessel was “full of evils” that “caused pain and malice to men”.[3] The myth also states that inside the jar was Hope and Hope did not escape. Therefore, hope is seen as the only factor that allows humans to manage their lives despite all the cruelty and suffering the world has to offer. This myth of Pandora's Box connects to the myth of the resilience of the human soul that is presented in the Shawshank Redemption. This myth of Pandora's Box plays such a crucial role in the film that it was used as a tagline: “Fear can keep you prisoner. Hope can set you free.”[4] The relationship between the two myths is found when one wonders why something as good as hope was even put in a jar of evils. Along the lines of the film, Red (played by Morgan Freeman) gives a touching speech about the nature of hope: “Let me tell you something, my friend. Hope is a dangerous thing. Hope can drive a man mad.”[5] Red's speech is not inaccurate. Hope is a dangerous thing, but not a bad thing. Hope is dangerous becauseit has power beyond measure when placed in the heart of the right man, a man like Andy Dufresne. The myth of hope is the central focus of the film Shawshank Redemption. The preservation of the soul and humanity in difficult times, the pursuit of dreams against impossible odds, the resilience in facing difficult circumstances, all revolve around the singular idea of ​​hope. Shawshank Redemption is a powerful cathartic device because it allows viewers to see the world from Andy Dufresne's perspective and highlights the extraordinary hardships he faces.[6] The circumstances surrounding Andy Dufresne's situation allow viewers to see the transformative power of the Hope myth. From the beginning of the film, Andy Dufresne's odds are stacked against him. He is sentenced to serve two consecutive life sentences for the murder of his wife and her lover. The audience feels the overwhelming sense that Andy's life is completely over. He will forever rot in his cell for his mistakes. Even when Andy Dufresne arrives in prison, viewers learn that the current inmates are betting against him. Inside the prison walls, Andy is repeatedly raped by inmates. One of Andy's students, Tommy Williams, is killed due to an order from Director Norton after Tommy gives Andy information that could help him secure his freedom. However, the director is not happy about losing his personal accountant and money launderer. After the warden refuses to listen to Andy's pleas, Andy calls him dense. For this minor crime, Andy must serve two months in solitary confinement, also known as solitary confinement. This set of circumstances and unnecessary retaliation cause the audience to feel for Andy Dufresne. Viewers connect emotionally and psychologically to his trauma and experiences. Regardless of these external factors, one internal factor allows Andy to prevail in these difficult circumstances: hope. Andy, with his brains and skill, avoids being thrown off a building that the inmates are asphalting. Instead, Andy trades financial favors for beers for his fellow inmates. Andy maintains his humanity and preserves his soul by building a library and doing good deeds for others in prison, such as helping inmates receive a high school-equivalent education. Andy Dufresne's hope never fades as he tries to get funding for the library. He writes a letter a week and, for his efforts, is given $200 and books. However, Andy, seeing the power of hope and determination, continues to write letters to obtain funding for his library. He commits to writing two letters a week. Thanks to his efforts he manages to obtain an annual salary of 500 dollars. This shows how Andy used his hope to maintain his sanity during the difficult times he spent in Shawshank. Meanwhile, Andy maintains his strength. He has focused his mind on his one master plan because he knows he is not built for life in prison. He also knows he doesn't deserve it. Once Andy comes to terms with the lack of love he gave his wife, he realizes that he is wrongly imprisoned because he didn't kill his wife, or at least from his perspective he didn't kill his wife. Red reveals this fact to us when he says, “I have to remind myself that some birds are not meant to be caged. Their feathers are just too bright.”[7] Andy's hope is what keeps him grounded in reality but keeps his spirits high. Red comments on the power of Andy's hope by saying that Andy had “a walk and a conversation that just wasn't normalaround here. He walked, like a man in a park without a care or worry in the world, as if he had an invisible cloak on him that would protect him from this place. "[8] Not only does the construction and circumstances of the plot reveal the power of the myth of hope and its relationship to the myth of Pandora's box, but the cinematic techniques and effects within the film help drive home the point that hope is the central feature of the movie The Shawshank Redemption. To show how the myth of hope works in the film, it is best to select and analyze the key scenes that show and describe the nature of the myth freedom of the outside is taken away, Andy decides to decide his own fate, Andy rejoices in the newfound freedom of the outside, and Andy and Red find redemption on the beach. The first images shown of the prison are dark, cold, gray and impersonal. The colors are desaturated and washed out. An overhead view of the prison is shown as the camera pans over it. The gray colors of the prison contrast starkly with the surrounding green landscape. Viewers immediately sense that Andy has reached the lowest possible point in his life. The camera then shifts to Andy's perspective as he enters Shawshank Prison. The pale blue sky, Andy's last glimpse of the outside world as a free man, passes overhead and the scene fades to black, signaling Andy's downfall. The upward framing of the scene also makes the viewer seem insignificant in the face of the power of the prison. It gives the impression that imposing situations are much bigger than anything the individual has to offer. This scene, along with the subsequent scenes of Andy's sexual harassment and treatment inside the prison, can be seen as the moment where Pandora opens the can. There is a sense that nothing good can come of this. Andy learns that the only way to overcome these external obstacles and situations is to control the things you can control. This thing is the attitude with which he approaches situations and, in the case of Andy Dufresne, this comes with his overwhelming sense of hope. Andy's hope, the myth that circulates throughout the film and gives it life, is best summed up in the scene of the inmates at the dinner table discussing Andy's latest escapade and accomplishments. Andy tells the other inmates, “There are places in this world that aren't made of stone. That there's something inside... that they can't reach, that they can't touch."[10] Andy is clearly talking about the hope that keeps him going through difficult times. Aside from these two scenes, the scenes after The Getaway features a nice contrast to the early prison scenes. The first of these scenes is when Andy emerges from the sewers and stands in a position of victory and triumph, with his arms raised to the sky. This scene is crucial because it uses the symbol of rain. Andy stands in the rain, cleansed of all his transgressions and emerges a new man on the other side, both figuratively and literally.[11] The second scene that illustrates the transformative power of the myth of hope is the final scene of the film where Red joins Andy on the sandy shores of the Pacific Ocean as Andy polishes a battered boat This scene is in direct contrast to the silent prison scenes at the beginning of the film. Instead of desaturated colors, the final scenes of the film are shot vibrantly, highlighting the colors of Andy's boat and the vast ocean.[12] Both scenes, those showing the prison and those showing the Pacific, use extreme angles. The first is filmed using an extreme shot, while the second uses an extreme view of the beach and the two.