肖申克的救赎论文

○《肖申克的救赎》中的救赎主题浅析An Analysis of the Theme of Redemption inThe Shawshank RedemptionⅠ. IntroductionThe film The Shawshank Redemption which is adapted from the same name novel of Stephen King has left a deep impression on the people. From the title of the film, it is not difficult to see that the film is talking about the issue of redemption. Then what is redemption? The Lord Jesus in The Gospel has provided a road to redemption for us. The so-called “save” is revealing the distress of human beings; so-called “redemption” is that the way to achieve our goals. What the Christians are most concerned about is whether their sin can be pardoned and their souls can be saved or not. All those are vividly embodied in The Shawshank Redemption.The story begins with the trial of a young banker, Andy Dufrense, victimized by circumstantial evidence, resulting in a conviction for the murder of his wife and her lover. He is sentenced to two consecutive life sentences at Shawshank State Prison. He exists in this prison only in appearance, keeping his mind free from the drab walls around him. His ability to do this results in the gaining of respect from his fellow inmates. Andy’s demeanor and undeniable sense of hope cause Red to take a deeper look at himself, and the world around him. Andy proves to Red and the other inmates that in the conventional walls of Shawshank prison convention will find no home in his lifestyle. Andy keeps hope all the time. He spends twenty years to tunneling the wall, and then crawling five hundred yard to the beautiful new world. Through his own efforts, Andy not only escapes from the prison, but also saves a group of inmates.The film inspires us to love life and edifies us to think about the importance of living and not to lose ourselves. It also gives a positive force and the courage to face difficulties to us. It makes us to realize that ordinary life is valuable. In prison, Andy overcomes all the difficulties with his amazing determination during his progress. Why we can not afford the pain and suffering of life? The author holds that we should never lose hope and dignity in anytime.People often get used to life. They are accustomed to the surrounding environment, from schools to the work environment, from social practice to family life. They have goals, but as the years go by the goals gradually faded, as they had been institutionalized. The Shawshank Redemption helps re-examine life and find the dreams again. Andy retrieves his freedom at last. Time and perseverance can help achieve everything. People should treat well with their own lives and realize the dreams!Ⅱ. The Origin and Connotation of RedemptionWhen the thought that every Christian is guilty and needs redemption has become a deep-rooted tradition which roots in every one living in the Christian culturebackground, the thinking about how to get redemption and what is the value of redemption to human beings is engaged actively.2.1 The OriginFirst, look at the title of the film ─ The Shawshank Redemption. The term of “redemption” originates in the Bible: “Zion shall be redeemed with judgment; and her converts with righteousness.”(Bible, 2000: 15)“Redemption is one of the most basic doctrines of Christianity. It means if people always have the fear and faith towards God, they will surely get God’s redemption. Christianity holds that because of the ancestors of human beings viol ate God’s will, and therefore they are guilty persons. In order to ultimately acquire redemption of God, humans must repent in this life and keep a firm belief in God." (Maigelaen, 2003: 3)Christianity is a way of life, also a manifestation of values, ethics and cultural values. It influences profoundly all aspects of American life. Therefore, the secular meaning of this Christian doctrine has also been developed: only keeping faith, people can get hope, save themselves and the world, too.On the first day, Andy witnessed the rejection of the old prisoners, the cruelty of prison guards, and the hypocrisy of the warden. Just entered the door of Shawshank, Andy and the other new prisoners had become pawns in a bet and objects for fun by the old prisoners. From that moment, the new prisoners would be bullied. In the hall of the prison, the warden solemnly announced: “I believe in two things: discipline and the Bible. Here, you will receive both. Put your trust in the Lord. Your ass belongs to me.” There is no doubt that it is a warning to the new prisoners. There is nothing in the prison except obedience, not just operational, but also spiritual. Andy understood that they did not have the right to say no in the prison. When the warden asked “any questions”, one asked: “When do we eat?” The warden stared at him and implied the prison guard, and then the prison guard walked over and roared: “You eat when we say you eat. You shit when we say you shit, and piss when we say you piss.” As a result, he got a blow. This shocked Andy a lot. He knew that if he said something inappropriately, he might be the next one to be beaten. The new prisoners who just arrived at the Shawshank from the free world suffered exclusion and humiliation from the old prisoners. But Andy did not want to give up his dignity. There was no doubt that the first night was the toughest. When put in cell, old life blown away in the blink of an eye. Nothing left but all the time in the world to think about it. Most new prisoners came to madness the first night. That innocent fat boy was badly beaten up by the prison guard and died, because he could not withstand others’ provocation and cried. All of those happened on the first day. It shows that if they are not strong enough, they can not protect themselves at all. However, it is enough for Andy to understand one thing that it is hard to get rid of the charge. So Andy decides to do something for himself. He starts to make a plan to escape from the prison. This is the origin of redemption.2.2 The Connotation“Since the 20th century, along with the development of industrialized societies, people are doubt about the western culture, capitalism and the nature of human, which eventually leading to some loss of faith. In this dark world, human beingshave to struggle to survive; we must make every effort to find a way out.”(罗建波,丁旭 2008: 06)Where is the way? How to find it out? This film about redemption provides the answer for people. What is the power of the story for redemption? It is the dignity and belief. And redeem for what? It is freedom and hope. Redemption is a war: a war about freedom breaking imprisonment, hope prevailing over despair; a war to fight for human dignity.Andy is succeeded. During this process, the Christian doctrine redemption plays a very important role. It is because of this, Andy has always been filled with the hope to live in freedom, has never given up the pursuit of freedom, which is deeply affected his friends, Red. Red is re-freed with Andy’s help.“At the end of the film, the azure blue sky and blue sea, symbolize the ideal freedom; and that small boat and two old friends’ smile is a symbol of hope for a better future. This end has been able to impress people; it is because of freedom and hope that it will blend perfectly.” (Dong Congbin, 2006: 17)In the film, Andy gives a very good comment on hope “Do not forget that there are places in the world that are not made out of stone. There is something inside that they can not get to that they can not touch. That is yours. That is hope.” Indeed, the prison walls can bind physical freedom, and even institutionalized things can bind spiritual freedom, but only hope that can not be given up. Life without hope is dark, lifeless, or even meaningless. Hope is a kind of flower that blooms in the dream. With dreams and hope, we can embrace the future.Ⅲ. Andy’s Self- redemption and His Redemption to OthersIn the prison, through his actions, Andy not only changes his own destiny, but also deeply affects the other prisoners. So Andy’s redemption is not just an individual behavior, but a behavior of a group. It is entirely consistent with the definition of redemption in Christianity. The film uses a strong religious terms –“redemption”, when it illustrates the process of Andy’s resistance. Tracing the religious origin of this word, we can easily recall the story of Jesus to save souls. Andy never forgets that hope is the savior, which saves the desire for freedom. (Chen, 2008: 15)3.1 Andy’s Self- redemptionAndy successfully escapes from the prison. What helps him to achieve self-redemption? It is the desire for freedom in his mind and the existence of hope! Hope, which follows God’s will, sleeps on those pages h ollowed in the Bible, attaches on Andy’s body, and creeps upon the 500 yards’ sewer. At last, that unique dirty sewer sends Andy to the beautiful new world.3.1.1 Physical RedemptionAndy, a bank high-level white-collar worker, was framed for murdering his wife and was sentenced two life imprisonments in Shawshank prison. Freedom is forbidden in prison. Andy has to face the prison walls and railings every day. He desires for redemption, because he is full of hope to life and yearning for freedom. However,the reality shows that once you come to Shawshank, it is hard to expect freedom. The only thing is willing to be a slave, must accept the fate of being punished, just like a lamb waiting to be killed. Behind the prison walls and railings, there are two choices: put up your hands helplessly, accept the arrangement given by the fate; or clench fists, find out a way to freedom. Devout Christian Andy chooses the latter. Because he believes the redemption, but also convinces that “I wound up in here. Bad luck, I guess. It floats around. It is got to land on somebody. It was my turn. I was in the path of the tornado. I just did not expect the storm would last as long as it has. I did not shoot my wife, and I did not shoot her lover. Whatever mistakes I made, I have paid for them and then some.” A Western proverb says that: “God save the people who help themselves.” Andy does not want to wait for others’ help, and then it must be self-redemption. This is the first level of redemption--physical redemption, which is to leave the Shawshank prison. Andy looks like a quiet and weak scholar. Unexpectedly, he fights against the coldness and the darkness of Shawshank. He wins the struggle for independence in the prison, the freedom in exchange of the body’s pain, and the resp ect of prisoners and prison guards using his own intelligence and wisdom. In this way, time passes. With courage, wisdom and perseverance, Andy fights for life and accumulates time for freedom little by little. We can not imagine how Andy move on in the dark world; we can only see a seed of freedom buried in the heart and a flower of hope only bloomed in dreams. As a result, it is always full of smiles on his face. In Andy’s mind, he has not given up hope of freedom, and he makes every effort with hope to survive -- that every night, Andy dug the wall with a rock hammer which was only about six or seven inches long . Red thought it would take a man about 600 years to tunnel under the wall with such a little hammer. This is indeed a vast project, but Andy is succeeded. Everyone, including the warden and Red, could not believe that Andy spent 20 years tunneling the wall, and then crawling five hundred yards, which was the length of five football fields. He regained his freedom. Andy achieves self-redemption.3.1.2 Spiritual RedemptionThe spiritual redemption in the film is one of the most important themes. Redemption, as a kind of invisible power, brings hope to Andy. Andy never stops to pursue freedom. He sticks in a dark world to work for freedom in 20 years.Arrived in Shawshank prison, Andy was bullied by others. He struggled with the darkness and silently endured all those unfairness, because he was full of hope in his mind. If there is no hope that he can not afford to live in such a dark prison. Every night, Andy digs the wall with the little hammer. This will require great stamina, but also need the support of a belief--hope. Without hope, maybe Andy has abandoned the ambitious plan. As a prisoner, Andy uses his wisdom as much as possible to enjoy the freedom of a citizen. The warden takes advantage of Andy to launder for him; in return, Andy can work in the library, which makes him feel everything is full of hope. He believes that effort brings success. Each week he writes a letter to the Council to request funding for the library. The library becomes the best one in prison in England; he helps other prisoners to complete their high school education; he quietly endures the long dark confinement time; he climbs the dirty sewer … If there is no hope, Andy will not survive.Every one is free when he was born. But as a prisoner, living in prison, the freedom is taken away. Most people there have nothing to do, or feel despair, or cause trouble, but Andy is not willing to be a drifter. When Andy knew that Red could get something from outside, he asked Red to get a rock hammer for himself in order toregain the hobby--carve stones. Later, Andy hung actress posters on the prison wall. He persisted on his firm beliefs; to not let the prison’s “normal” life take awa y his hope. As Red said, “He had a quiet way about him, a walk and a talk that just was not normal around here. He strolled like a man in the park without a care or a worry in the world. He had on an invisible coat that would shield him from this place.”3.2 Andy’s Redemption to OthersChristianity emphasizes on “original sin consciousness”. The person who is guilty must be punished. In the Christian’s view, people are guilty. Since the ancestors Adam and Eve had eaten the forbidden fruit, the entire mankind has deeply fallen into the abyss of evil. But God did not give up human beings. On the contrary, he sent his son Jesus to come to save mankind. This is Jesus’ redemption. In The Shawshank Redemption, Andy is such a Redeemer. The Shawshank prison changes totally from the chaos and despair to full of friendship, hope and dreams. Fear can hold you prisoner, hope can set you free. A strong man can save himself; a great man can save another.3.2.1 Andy’s Redemption to RedRed was charged with murder. However, he never considered his behavior carefully. In prison, he just lived without any hope. He said: “Hope is a dangerous thing. Hope can drive a man insane.” As if he had given up hope. In several paroles, the interviewer asked: “You feel you have been rehabilitated?” He answered: “Yes, sir. Without a doubt. I can honestly say I am a changed man. No danger to society here. God’s honest truth. Absolutely rehabilitated.” From his tone and attitude, we can know: he never seriously considered this issue, never thought about his crime, even never wanted to change anything. Perhaps at some time in the past, he wanted to be set free, which only based on a hopeless Utopian. Thanks to Andy’s influence and help, Red gradually began to seriously consider his own crimes.With Andy’s help, Red gradually believes there is hope in the prison. At first, Red considers the hope is a very dangerous thing. But Andy does not think so. He never gives up hope. He carves stone every night, digs the wall, and rebuilds the library, and so on. Red accompanies with Andy to experience these things. He is influenced by the sprit o f Andy and gradually accepts Andy’s point of view that hope is a good thing.With Andy’s help, Red feels freedom. In the playground of prison, Andy picked up a p iece of quart, expired a touch of milky light. The small stone touched Red’s heart. Because quartz is usually found in the streams, that people feel a glimmer of freedom. Andy’s words and deeds are full of freedom, which deeply influenced Red. Before leavi ng Shawshank, Andy said to Red: “I tell you where I would go. Zihuatanejo. It is in Mexico. A little place on the Pacific Ocean. The Mexicans say the pacific has no memory. That is where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory. Open up a little hotel right on the beach. Buy some worthless old boat and fix it up new. Take my guests out charter fishing. In a place like that, I could use a man that knows how to get things.” It is like a free man provides a job to another free man. Temporarily, Red forgets that he is a lifetime prisoner.Red finds that he can have hope and freedom in such dark prison. So he begins to long for a normal life, and seriously to do everything for leaving the prison. The last parole interview, he said: “Rehabi litated? Well, now, let me see. I do not have any idea what means. To me it is just a made-up word. Am I sorry for what I did? Thereis not a day goes by I do not feel regret. Not because I am here or because you think I should. I look back on the way I was then a young stupid kid who committed that terrible crime. I want to talk to him. I want to try and talk some sense to him. Tell him the way things are. But I can not. That kid has long gone and this old manis all that has left. I got to live with that.” There is no doubt that Red has been completely changed. His parole is approved. Red obtains the real freedom.3.2.2 Andy’s Redemption to TommyAnother prisoner whose soul is saved by Andy is Tommy. Tommy has a rebellious youth’s personality. He always ho lds his own cynical attitude to himself and the society. He has been in prison many times, but he never seriously considers his future, or tries to change the situation. Maybe he tried, but failed; so, since then, he has been depressed down.In Andy’s opi nion, knowledge is a very important thing. So when Tommy came to Shawshank, Andy showed great hope on him. Andy taught Tommy to read and to write and so on. Before his teaching, Andy said to Tommy: “If we do this, we do it all the way, a hundred percent, nothing half-assed.” These words embody the best character of Andy. That is perseverance. Even if Tommy was tired of them, and prepared to give up when there was no progress, Andy still persisted and ultimately helped him pass the examination. A hippie of the Beat Generation is civilized to a gentleman. We cannot help marveling at the power of redemption.One day, Tommy accidentally told the truth about Andy’s wife’s death. Andy was really innocent. Then Andy requested the warden to re-hear the testimony of Tommy. But the warden refused. Because of the dispute with the warden, he was confinedfor two months. During the confinement, Tommy was killed. This makes Andy to understand that it is impossible to gain freedom through normal channels.3.2.3 Andy’s Rede mption to Other PrisonersThe roof of the license-plate factory needed resurfacing. It was outdoor detail and May was one damned fine mouth to be working outdoors. Andy, Red and some other prisoners were among the names called. Andy with his wealth of economic and legal knowledge helped the bad prison guard Hadley with tax evasion, but only asked three beers apiece for each of his coworkers. He thought a man working outdoors feels more a man if he could have a bottle of suds. On the second-to-last day of the job, the convict crew that tarred the factory roof in the spring of 1949 wound up sitting in a row at ten o’clock in the morning drinking icy-cold beer, courtesy of the hardest screw that ever walked a turn at Shawshank State Prison. They sat and drank with the sun on their shoulders and felt like free men. They could have been tarring the roof of one of their own houses. They felt normal again if only for a short while.In order to expand the prison library and the purchase of new books, Andy started writing a letter a week to the state senate. After 6 years, in response to his repeated inquiries, the state allocated the enclosed funds for the library project. It was 200 dollars. In addition, the library district generously responded with a donation of used books and sundries. Then Andy wrote two letters a week instead of one. The state senate finally decided to allocate 500 dollars each year to Shawshank prison library. Andy made deals with book clubs and charity groups. He bought remaindered books by the pound. After several years’ effort, Andy transformed a storage room smellingof turpentine into the best prison library in New England. Prisoners could breathe free air outside the prison like free people.During the donated things, Andy discovered the Mozart’s opera The Marriage of Figaro. He came to radio room, locked the door from the inside, put the disc into the record player, and then opened all the microphones, so that the entire prison people could hear the music. The sonorous and beautiful voice echoed over the prison; the sun shined on everyone’s face; the prisoners listened quietly. Music with the soul of prisoners flied in the sky. Finally, Andy got two weeks solitary for this little stunt. Red said: “I have no idea to this day what those two Italian ladies were singing about. Truth is I do not want to know. Some things are best left unsaid. I like to think it was something so beautiful it can not be expressed in words and makes your heart ache because of it. I tell you, those voices soared higher and farther than anybody in a gray place dares to dream. It was like a beautiful bird flapped into our drab cage and made those walls dissolve away. And for the briefest of moments, every last man at Shawshan k felt free.” At that moment, everyone in Shawshank felt soul’s freedom and redemption.Ⅳ. The Destroy of Prison Institutionalization to Self-redemptionAll the enthusiasm and hope have been repressed to numb in prison. In the end, everyone is accustomed to and even dependents on this way of life. As Red said, “These walls are funny. First you hate them. Then you get used to them. Enough time passes, you get so you depend on them. That is ‘institutionalized’.”“In the film, Shawshank prison is a symbol of darkness, evil, decadence and death. It c onfines the prisoners’ hope and freedom. The warden and prison guards are the executors; as well as the batons and the so-called ‘discipline’ has become a tool for spiritual confinement. Confinement destroys people’s thinking.” (Dong Congbin, 2008: 19)4.1 The Destroy on BrooksBrooks, the prison librarian, had been in prison for 50 years. When his parole came through, he was mad. Brooks almost spent the whole life in prison; he even did not want to accept this fact. He put the knife on Heywood’s neck, beca use he did not want to be released from prison: “I got no choice. It is the only way they would let me stay.” The days in prison kill all his faith and hope, only left the fear for the outside world. The prison is all he knows. In there, he is an important man, is an educated man. Outside, he is nothing. After his release from prison, he has completely failed to adapt to the society, which is tremendously changed. He does not know what to do. What he can do. He is confused, lonely and helpless. At last, he chooses to commit suicide (Liu Zijian, 2002: 106). That is the institutionalization. Many people are in the process of experiencing. Then, how many can overcome it? Most will eventually step followed Brooks. Only who firmly hold on the belief as Andy can overcome it, and finally be redeemed.4.2 The Destroy on RedFreedom is a kind of contraband in Shawshank prison. Here freedom is an impossible mirage. Not only freedom is to be prohibited, but the idea of freedom is taken away.Perhaps in Shawshank prison, each prisoner has had the perfect plan for freedom and good vision, but a few decade of obedience obliterates those good things little by little. (陈绍恋, 2009: 03) Red does not even dare there is hope in prison. In his mind, hope is a dangerous thing. Hope can drive a man insane. Red said he played a mean harmonica as a younger man, but lost interest in prison. Andy gave a harmonica to Red as a little parlor rejection present. Harmonica is a symbol of hope. But there is one detail: in the dormitory, Red held a harmonica in hand, but did not dare to blow. After several decades’ prison life, Red’s hope is changed into fantasy. The terrible institutionalization of the prison imprisons the soul and the spirit of the prisoners. Therefore, only escaping from this h orrible “hell”, can the prisoners obtain the physical and spiritual redemption.Knowing Brooks’ death, Red pointes out the truth, “Brooks ain’t no bug. He’s just institutionalized. The man’s been in here 50 years. This is all he knows. In here, he’s an im portant man, is an educated man. Outside, he’s nothing. Just a used-up con with arthritis in both hands. Probably couldn’t get a library card if he tried. But I tell you these walls are funny. First you hate them. Then you get used to them. Enough time pas ses, you get so you depend on them. That is ‘institutionalized’. They send you here for life that’s exactly what they take.” These words reflect the personality under the authoritarian regime. They are used to live in it.Finally, Red’s parole is approved. He walks along the traces of Brooks step by step. After 40 years’ prison life, he does not change the habit. Although out of the prison, there is a harsh truth to face. Forty years he has been asking permission to piss, so he can not squeeze a drop without say-so. Gradually, Red personally feels Brooks’ fear and despair. If ever he understands only in language, then this time he has a psychological understand and agrees with Brooks’ action. Because he feels he is useless in the outside world. Then it is a terrible torture to live. Even when Andy finds the thing Andy left, he still habitually looks around to avoid being seen. Red has been institutionalized. But fortunately, Andy’s invitation saves him. On the way to Mexico, Red expresses his excitement and hope as a truly free man. At this moment, Shawshank prison institutionalization is finally completely disappeared.Ⅴ. ConclusionAndy is an intelligent man, and also the one who has a very strong perseverance. He creates a path to freedom for himself at the beginning. He is never depressed and never despairing. He is not waiting for the mercy of fate. From the very beginning, his goal is very clear: to escape from this place, to win freedom. He treats fate actively, without retreat. Beethoven’s interpretation of “strangling the fate of the throat” is perfectly captured on him. In any case, he would not blame on others, he will always be cool to come up with any way to achieve this goal. He is a person no matter what he wants to do will be successful. As his good friend Red says: “Some birds are not meant to be caged. Their feathers are just too bright. And when they fly away, the part of you that knows it was a sin to lock them up does rejoice.” In such a dark place like prison, Andy gets a sincere friendship. In fact, except some abnormal prisoners, the people he knows should be regarded as kind-hearted persons. There is more affecting friendship in prison than the outside world, and perhaps just as the saying: the most beautiful flowers are grown in dirty places.Andy, he will not passively wait to the tragic ending as brooks’. In his mind, there is always the desire for freedom, there is hope. In the two decades, he dug up a road to freedom with a small hammer. Andy crawled to freedom through 500 yards of smelly sewer which could not even imagine. Finally Andy got reborn. At that time, there were thunder and lightning and downpour. Opened his arms, Andy was embracing the freedom. Life is doomed from the start, everyone is the same. The only difference is getting busy living, or getting busy dying. Each person can only live once, but as long as he always has faith and hope, so that his life is meaningful, then, once is enough. Andy’s experience makes the best explanation. The lack of faith leads to the fear of the world and the future, the ultimate outcome is that lives have been deprived of hope. Life is a long process, during which we are going to fight against a wide range of power --- not only the turbulence of the environment, but also the fear in people’s hearts. Especially the latter, is the most horrible, most powerful enemies. It often destroys a person’s faith and hope, leads him into suicide. Brook story illustrates this point. Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things. And no good thing ever di es. Yes, “hope” redeems the “freedom”. With the hope that the Shawshank prison is only a useless place; with the hope that Andy can redeem life and freedom with a small hammer; with the hope that Andy can enjoy each little fun during the process of redemption, and spread it. His arrival has brought light and hope to the people in prison. Andy through his actions confirms to us: only faith can redeem hope, and this is the theme of redemption of the story.Maybe The Shawshank Redemption is just a fable. In fact, it exists in the real life. In real life, everyone consciously or unconsciously plays in the role of prisoner or the person who owns the authority in Shawshank. They spend the whole life without breaking the rules. But redemption lies on their choices. As Andy’s choice, no matter how strong the system is, it can never deprive of people’s rights to choose redemption, because redemption is in our minds. To be redeemed or not, to be a hero or multitude, to choose God or Satan, all of these exist in our minds too. Based on the analysis of the theme of redemption in The Shawshank Redemption, this thesis encourages people to try to preserve their self-respect. They must learn to appreciate life better; the more important thing is always feel faith, because only it can bring hope. As long as to hold on hope and to be persistent, anyone can succeed. This could have been a common sense. But by the demonstration of the movie characters, it can be more persuasive to explain the truth to people. At anytime, belief, hope and freedom should not be given up. As long as there is faith, there is hope; and when we are full of hope, the world will become better.。