The film “Shawshank Redemption” directed by Frank Darabont shows the importance of the two contrasting themes institutionalisation and hope. The main character Red Redding shows that theme of institutionalisation whereas Andy Dufresne shows hope. Together their friendship develops throughout the film; Andy helps redeem Red to give him hope. “Shawshank Redemption” shows the importance of institutionalisation and hope which is relevant in our lives today. These two themes help us get through our everyday lives. Without institutionalisation and hope many of us would struggle to continue as we are today.
Red represents institutionalisation in this film. In “Shawshank Redemption” Red is seen as an institutionalised man “I am an institutionalised man now”. He has been in prison for about 40 years; he relies on the day-to-day routine of the prison. Red had become dependent on the prison, and never imagined leaving. But this changes when Andy and him become friends, Andy in “Shawshank Redemption” represents hope in this film. Andy had been innocent when he was convicted of murdering his wife and her lover. When he first enters the prison he shows no hope, but gradually further in the film, as the years go by for Andy, he begins to gain hope and faith. “Get busy living or get busy dying” this means that Andy need to take action himself to get what he wants, which was freedom. Andy throughout the film continuously tries to show the importance of hope to Red and urges Red to have hope, “Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies”. Finally Red gained hope in starting a new life, he redeems himself from the help of Andy. Together they start a new life together in Zihuatanejo “a place with no memory”.
The film “Shawshank Redemption” shows the theme institutionalisation, which is strongly relevant in our lives today. Institutionalisation in