Name: __________________________ Period: ____ Date: _____________ Due: _____________

The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

directed by Frank Darabont
Cast
Tim Robbins as Andy Dufresne
Morgan Freeman as Ellis Boyd “Red” Redding
Bob Gunton as Warden Samuel Norton
William Sadler as Heywood
Clancy Brown as Capt. Byron Hadley
Gil Bellows as Tommy Williams
Mark Rolston as Bogs Diamond
James Whitmore as Brooks Hatlen
Crew
Director: Frank Darabont
Producer: Niki Marvin
Writer: Frank Darabont (screenplay) based on Rita
Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King
Editor: Richard Francis-Bruce
Director of Photography: Roger Deakins
Music: Thomas Newman
Distribution/Studio Company: Castle Rock
Entertainment and Columbia Pictures
MPAA Rating: R
Running Time: 142 minutes

Background and Introduction to The Shawshank Redemption

The Shawshank Redemption is a 1994 American drama film that was adapted from the Stephen King
novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption. Stephen King has considered the film to be one of his
favorite film adaptations based on his own work. Darabont’s adapted screenplay is #22 on the Writers Guild
of America’s 101 Greatest Screenplays list. Shawshank tells the story of Andy Dufresne, a banker who is
sentenced to life in Shawshank State Penitentiary for the murder of his wife and her lover despite his claims
of innocence. During his time at the prison, he befriends a fellow inmate, Ellis Boyd “Red” Redding and
finds himself protected by the guards after the warden begins using him in his money-laundering operation.

Roger Ebert suggested that The Shawshank Redemption is an allegory for maintaining one’s feeling
of self-worth when placed in a hopeless position. Andy Dufresne’s integrity is an important theme in the
story line, especially in prison, where integrity is lacking. Isaac M. Morehouse suggests that the film
provides a great illustration of how characters can be free, even in prison, or unfree, even in freedom, based
on their outlooks on life. Tim Robbins noted that the story is unique in depicting a nonsexual love story
between two men. The film has been critically acclaimed for depicting Jean-Paul Sartre’s ideas about
existentialism more fully than any other contemporary movie.

Although it was a box office disappointment, the film received multiple award nominations
(including seven Oscar nominations – none of which it won) and outstanding reviews from critics for its
acting, story, and realism. It was included in the American Film Institute’s 100 Years...100 Movies 10th
Anniversary Edition after being excluded from its original list. It outranked both Forrest Gump (#76) and
Pulp Fiction (#94), the two most critically acclaimed movies from the year of Shawshank’s release. It is
considered to be one of the greatest films of all time. In 2015, the United States Library of Congress
selected the film for preservation in the National Film Registry, finding it “culturally, historically, or
aesthetically significant.” (Poster and screenshots © Castle Rock Entertainment, 1994)
 Pre-Viewing, During Viewing, and Post-Viewing Notes
Directions: Conscientious film students prepare themselves for a film by writing any notes about the film
that may be important during the pre-viewing process and any notes that the group presentation will make
for our post-viewing discussion of the film. Jot down any lecture or discussion material here. In addition,
this page is used to record your notes while you watch the film. In the left column, describe scenes from the
film that seem intriguing, interesting, or relative to your life. In the right column, write a response to the
scene you described in the left column. You may write what you think the scene means, what the scene
reminds you of, what you don’t understand, how you feel about it, or any other comments.
Main Points/Key Concepts Notes
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______Summary__________________________________________________________
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 Comprehension Questions
Directions: Answer the following questions during or after the movie.

1. In the novella, author Stephen King opens with Red describing who he
is and how he can get people anything in prison. How do the filmmakers
open the film adaptation? Why?

2. What role does the opening diegetic song “I Didn’t Care” that Andy
listens to in his car play?

3. Why do the filmmakers flash-forward to Andy’s trial but then

flashback to events from that night? What is the effect of this editing?
Also, explain Andy’s behavior/demeanor in court.

4. Why do the filmmakers pan over the jury? What are the facts in Andy’s
case? How were Andy’s wife and her lover killed?

5. What choices do the filmmakers use as a motif at Red’s parole hearings?

List them and explain their effect/meaning. Why is Red rejected?

6. What point of view have the filmmakers used until now? What point of
view does the film use now? Why? Note that this voiceover is how the
novella begins.

7. What is the effect of the extreme long, aerial shot of Shawshank

Prison? What is implied in the high angle shots in this scene?
8. Why do the cons call the new arrivals fish? Explain this figurative
language. What do the cons bet on when new cons arrive? Why? How
is this action ironic? How does this action indirectly characterize them?

9. What are Red’s initial impressions of Andy? Why? Once Red gets to
know Andy, explain how Andy’s looks and actions initially deceived
him?

10. What techniques do the filmmakers use to suggest the arrivals’ fear?

11. How is the warden indirectly characterized? What is suggested by his

emergence and disappearance from and into the darkness?

12. What are the warden’s rules? What type of leader is he? Why?

13. How are the new felons indirectly characterized by their costume?

14. How do the men at Shawshank treat new arrivals? What do they bet on?
How is this treatment ironic? Who breaks down? What happens to him?

15. How is Brooks indirectly characterized? Who is Jake and what can Jake
symbolize?
16. What does Andy ask about the fish who cried? Why? What is
Heywood’s response? Why?

17. What is the subtext of Bogs’ question to Andy of “Did anyone come at
you yet?”? Who are the Sisters and what is their reputation?

18. What does Andy ask Red to get for him? Why? What does this item
symbolize to Andy, and what does it later symbolize?

19. What is implied that happens to Andy? How and where does the camera
move? Why?

20. What event finally gets Andy out of his two-year rut? Why? What does
Andy do? Why? What camera movement and angles are used? Why?

21. What does Andy get for his co-workers? Why? How does this action
indirectly characterize Andy? Why does Red think he helped Hadley?

22. Notice the change in color between this scene and the last. Why is this
scene in blue and the last one in orange? How does each affect mood?

23. What do the Sisters attempt to do and do to Andy? Why is Andy filmed
via high angle? What are the consequences of Bog’s actions?
24. What comic relief is in this scene, and how does it ease audience
tension from the previous scene?

25. What does the Rita Hayworth poster symbolize to Andy? What does the
poster symbolize to viewers later in the film?

26. Why does the warden toss Andy’s cell? What does he find, and what do
the warden and Andy discuss? Where does salvation lie?

27. What is Andy reassigned to do instead of laundry? Why?

28. What does the warden grant Andy permission to do? What does Andy
desire? What does he want to give other inmates? Why?

29. Why does Brooks attack Heywood? What does Red say about the irony
of being at Shawshank for such a long time like Brooks has? How does
Shawshank take convicts’ lives?

30. Why does Brooks release Jake? How does Brooks adjust to life on the
outside? How does the non-diegetic score affect the mood?

31. Why does Brooks do what he does? What does this scene foreshadow?
32. What does Andy finally receive? Why? How is this scene juxtaposed
against the last, and what is its purpose? What does Andy play for
Shawshank to hear? Why? What are the inmates’ reactions?

33. What is the warden’s response to Andy’s actions? Why? How do

Andy’s actions indirectly characterize him? What do Andy’s actions
foreshadow?

34. What does music symbolize to Andy? What do Andy and Red discuss
about hope?

35. Why is Red once again rejected at his parole hearing? What does he
say? Why? What does Andy give as a gift? Why? What may it
symbolize?

36. When Andy tells Heywood about The Count of Monte Cristo, what
does this foreshadow? How is this a “meta moment”?

37. What does Andy receive from the state senate, and what does he do
with these funds? To whom is the library dedicated? Why?

38. What is the warden’s Inside Out program? Why is he filmed via low
angle? What are the benefits of the program to the warden, the inmates,
and the community? What is Andy’s role in this program, and what is
ironic about both the warden’s and Andy’s actions?
39. Who is Randall Stevens, and what is his role or purpose?

40. Who is Tommy Williams and how is he indirectly characterized by his

actions as well as the non-diegetic/background score?

41. What does Tommy want, and why does he need Andy’s help? Why
does Andy help him, or what does he receive in return?

42. How does Tommy think he did on his exam? What does Andy do?

43. What does Tommy tell Andy and Red he has heard? Why is he framed
in between them? Why does the camera track toward him?

44. What is the warden’s reaction to Tommy’s story? Why? How does the
warden respond to Andy calling him obtuse? Why? What does the
warden do to Andy? Why? Why aren’t they filmed via a two-shot?

45. What does the warden do to Tommy? Why?

46. What does Andy threaten to do? Why? What is the warden’s response?
Why? Why is Andy filmed via high angle and the warden via low
angle? How does the non-diegetic score affect the mood?
47. What does Andy realize about his marriage and his role as a husband?
How does this realization indirectly characterize him?

48. What is Zihuatanejo, and what does this setting symbolize to Andy?
What does Andy mean when he says, “Gest busy living or get busy
dying”?

49. What do Andy’s friends think he’ll do? What item does he have? Why?
What is the longest night of Red’s life? Why?

50. What has happened to Andy? How has he done it? What does the film
flashback to?

51. What did Andy steal from the warden, especially from his outfit?
Why? How are these costume changes revealed cinematically?

52. Why is the setting important in both the plot and symbolism on the
night that Andy escapes? Why?

53. Andy has to take off his prison uniform to avoid being caught, but what
else could this costume change suggest or reflect about his indirect
characterization? What does this extreme high angle/bird’s eye view
suggest? This is most iconic image from the film and is typically used
to advertise the film. Why?
54. What does Andy do when he escapes? Why?

55. What does the warden have on the wall in his office? What does it
mean to the warden before and after being caught for his crimes?

56. Earlier in the film, the warden said that Andy would find salvation
within the Bible. How did Andy find salvation? Think back to earlier
in the film. How did Andy nearly get caught?

57. In what chapter of the Bible did Andy hide his rock hammer? Research
this allusion. Why is it apt that Andy kept the rock hammer here?

58. What happens to both Captain Hadley and Warden Samuel Norton?

59. What does Red receive in the mail? What is his reaction to Andy’s
escape? Why?

60. What does Red say at his next parole hearing? Why? How is this
monologue different than the previous ones?

61. What red herrings do the filmmakers provide that suggest that Red
might do what Brooks did? Notice the similarities in story and style.
62. What internal conflict does Red have outside of Shawshank, and how
are they suggested in this shot?

63. What does this pan imply that Red is thinking? Why?

64. What was Red’s promise to Andy, and how does Red’s promise to
Andy save Red’s life?

65. What does Red discover under the stone wall? When did Andy leave
it? What is Red supposed to do with this gift? Why?

66. What themes does Andy impart in his letter to Red? Why is it
appropriate or fitting that Andy provides a voiceover here?

67. How are Brooks and Red foils? What does Red choose? Why?

68. In the novella, King closes with Red hoping that he’ll meet Andy in
Mexico, but it doesn’t definitively conclude with him reuniting with
Andy. The film chooses to explicitly showcase their reunion. Why?

69. Why does the film close with an extreme long shot of Andy and Red
in Zihuatanejo? What does the shot suggest for the two men?
 Discussion Questions
Directions: Answer the following questions after you watch the film.

1. People don’t tend to like prison films – except if they’re prison break films. Why is that? What about
prisons do people not want to accept or see? Why?

2. The Shawshank Redemption failed at the box office but later earned a cult following. Why did viewers
grow to accept and love this film only after it left theatres? Explain its poor initial reception.

3. Red says that too much hope is a dangerous thing. Andy says that hope is a good thing, maybe the best
of things. Do you agree with Red or Andy? What is the fine line with hope? Why?

4. In the film, viewers never learn of Red’s crime. Does it matter? Why or why not? Author Stephen King
details Red’s crime in the second paragraph of the novella and writes that Red killed his wife for a large
insurance payout by cutting the brakes in her car. The car also contained a neighbor and her infant son.
Why don’t the filmmakers include this in the film’s plot, and how would it have affected Red’s
characterization (if at all)?

5. Why is it ironic that the warden and captain of the guards commit the actions that they do? How are
authority figures portrayed? Why?
6. Why do you think the filmmakers abridged the title from its original Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank
Redemption to just The Shawshank Redemption? Does the title spoil the resolution? Why or why not?

7. What role do gambling and chess play in the film? How do these act as motifs throughout the film, and
how do these motifs connect to any of the film’s themes?

8. What does the film imply about the prison system? Is it well-intentioned? flawed? corrupt? Explain.

9. Some viewers feel that the film should end when Andy escapes and that Act III drags on too long. Do
you agree or disagree? Is it important that Red is released and the two reunite? Why or why not?

10. Comment on the benefit or effect/meaning of the film’s point of view. Why do we see the film from this
person’s perspective, not from anyone else’s?

11. If you believe that a story has only one protagonist, who is the protagonist of The Shawshank
Redemption? Is it Andy or Red? Why? Who is redeemed, and how is he redeemed?

12. Write your own discussion question here: __________________________________________________

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