Topic > A Sense of Hope in "Shawshank Redemption"

The only motivating factor for a prisoner of Shawshank is hope. For convicted murderers, the hope of being freed through a legal process is almost non-existent, at least in a time frame that would be important to them. However, despite the brutality of prison life, Red and Andy develop a sense of hope that cannot be underestimated, and by the end of the tale, they have both received what they truly desire. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essayRedRed is an interesting character. At the beginning of the novel he claims to be a murderer and has no idea what the word rehabilitation means. However, he also states that if given a second chance, he would not commit the crime again. He received three life sentences and therefore has no hope of leaving prison. However, he continues to see the beauty in life and always hopes to create a better life than the one he has now." Looking at them, I felt the warmth that every man or woman feels when they look at something nice, something that has been worked on and made. " (King 40)When Red sees the hard work Andy has put into making his chess pieces, he feels a sense of hope. She recognizes that beauty can flourish in the worst circumstances, even in the very prison she calls home. If Andy can create something so creative out of simple objects like garden rocks, then Red must believe anything is possible. At this point, he is not hoping for escape or redemption, but simply enjoying the life he has created for himself. gate in 1938 and went out into the exercise yard." (King 47) In this quote, Red traces his past back to the moment he first arrived. It can be deduced that at that moment he had almost no hope, because he was just one of many prisoners who were in the exact same situation. However, in this moment, his heart is relieved for a new reason. He sees the power that Andy has over the guards, even if he has no weapons or secrets a sort of humorous hope to Red, because even though the guards were clearly superior in every way, Andy somehow still had an advantage over them arms and I cried.” (King 106)When Red reads Andy's letter, he tries an extreme sense of hope and longing. Unlike the character developed in the beginning, Red now feels a new kind of hope, that of leaving Shawshank and joining the world again. This final quote acknowledges that Red has indeed gained hope; meet his friend, see what Andy has been talking about for years, and start his new life as a free man. It is this renewed hope that will guide Red on his next journey, of rediscovery and redemption. Andy Unlike Red, Andy has always had a different kind of hope. Whether he was guilty or not, Andy didn't act, talk, or look like a murderer. Andy hoped for redemption, both for the crime he had committed and for the one he had not committed. His eyes never had that dull look. He had never developed the walk that men do when the day is over and they are returning to their cells. for another interminable night: that flat-footed, humped-shouldered walk." (King 73)In prison, your mentality will change dramatically. A dull life can turn a lively man into a dull, lifeless creature who lives day by day after day. This was not Andy. As stated in a quote from Red, Andy never retreated from this common state. He never developed the walk of a prisoner, like most others his day of redemption would come.”.