Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King

Red, who is the narrator of the film, tells Andy that prison time is a slow time, and people would do anything for time to pass. Stephen King has used the time to depict how Andy and Red have come about their predicament. Even though they defended themselves highly, it is their responsibility to ensure that they learn to be with their silence. People empathize with Red and Andy in that regardless of the crime that they may have committed or have been accused of; they have to serve time. In the case of Red, he admitted that he was guilty however Andy was wrongly accused. King and Frank (54) uses the time to depict that once one is prisoned, they may end up spending half of their lives behind bars and miss out on other things in life especially entertainment.

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The pinup posters that were in Andys cell of Rita Hayworth has been used in the movie Shawshank Redemption to represent hope. This is because it is the desire of every inmate to escape to a normal life like other free people. At some point in the movie, Andy tells Red that he sometimes thinks of another life that he could live after stepping right through the poster. Rita Hayworth has been used in the movie to represent a ray of hope that keeps Andy alive and being sane. This distinguishes Andy from other inmates in the prison. Regardless of the time that Andy uses to chisel his way out, he has something that encourages him to do so in terms of mission. The posters of Rita Hayworth gave Andy his inner light.

There are various instances that Stephen King has used rocks in the film. The first time we encounter the use of rocks is when Andy wants Red to procure him a rock hammer. By informing Red that he wants to sculpt some of the rocks, he justifies when he needs a rock hammer but also represents the spirit of hope that exudes (Hannah, 56). When Andy continues with his hobby, the hobby gives him a sense of normality and in some way continue to have control over his life in a way that other prison inmates do not. When Andy displays the rocks that he had been able to curve, it represents a form of accomplishment that most of the prison inmates cannot boast of. He is progressing or transforming by adapting to what he can be able to attain while still locked up. The transformation of Andy can also be viewed from the perspective that although he knew his predicament, he was able to transfer hope to other inmates by giving them the rocks that he had curved.

Light has been used by Stephen King to represent hope to the inmates. Through the different settings in the film, there are different representations of light. In the roof tarring scene, light has been used to represent how prisoners feel or felt free. According to Hannah (34), this creates a sense of hope to other inmates in that it allows the other inmates to have a sense of freedom once again especially while they were drinking beer. In another scene in the library when Brook decided that it was time to release Jake, the lighting in the prison library was very dark, however, there was enough light from the window. Jake flies out to freedom, and this can be used to signify hope.

In conclusion, the slow time has been used to depict how prison time can take up much of an individuals life. The rocks used by Stephen King represent the transformations that one can have over time and light has been used to represent hope.

Works cited

Carlson, Hannah. The Courage to Lead: Start Your Own Support Group. Madison, CT: Bick Pub. House, 2001. Print.

Darabont, Frank, and Stephen King. Rita Hayworth & Shawshank Redemption: Screenplay. , 1990. Print.