Shawshank Redemption

1) Relate what was discussed in class or the text to the screening.

There are almost no words that I could form in response to having seen The Shawshank Redemption for the first time. I suppose the only question I had to ask myself is: “why haven’t I seen this before? Why am I just now becoming aware of the genius that was in arm’s reach for so long?” This is a film whose title was spat out every once in a while and would appear as I scrolled through movies airing on TV at some point, but never cared to actually figure out what it was about. In class, we discussed how the film is not really a typical prison movie, and after seeing it, I can see why that was said. I expected the film to filled with much more gore, violence, and despair. I expected a prison movie to have this all around grim nature to it, but to my surprise this may be one of the most inspirational movies I have ever seen.

2) Find a related article and summarize the content. 

I found a journal article review published by a university about the film, and this was much different from the types of articles that I usually pick. The author, James Sobol, began with a critical tone, telling of how movies that deal with criminal justice do not always hit all of the pints or bring forth all of the problems that are at hand in reality. Boldly, Sobol admits that many that make up mainstream society would not want to see prisoners regaining hope and getting a second chance to take a stab at life again. However, it seems that The Shawshank Redemption is the exception to that belief and I wholeheartedly agree. Somehow director, Frank Darabont, not only has audience member's eyes glued to the screen, but has them rooting for Andy and Red profusely.

Moving along, Sobol presents two very distinct moments in the film that emphasized the concepts of nonexistent rehabilitation and a lack of any kind of reintegration system. Brooks' idea to hang himself because he was ill prepared to take on the world once he is released, and the amount of power the parole board has and its in reluctance to incorporate any ways in which a prisoner can come to succeed after prison are two pivotal instance that solidify Sobols' claim that prison is "a mere warehouse which does nothing to curb the behavior which brought the prisoner into the prison in the first place" (Sobol, par. 5). Sobol ends with the importance of an idea of hope in prison and what it can do if one has it, as well as the imminence of failure if hope is not obtained. 

***Link to article used*** 

Sobol, James J. "The Shawshank Redemption: A Review." Journal of Criminal Justice and

Popular Culture 4.1 (1996). Web. 22 Mar. 2016. <http://www.albany.edu/scj/jcjpc/vol4is1/sobol.html>.

3) Apply the article to the film screened in class.  

The article definitely made me think differently about the film, but not in the sense that it made me like it more because I already love it. I appreciate the way the article makes me think even deeper about the real life issues presented in the film and the raw truths about the differences in the way movies portray certain themes and situations, and the way they actually are in the real world. When thinking about the two moments in the film that solidified Sobol’s claims (Brooks’ death and the parole board) I found myself thinking about people I have known that have been in prison and stories that I have heard. I feel like Sobol’s point is well made because look at the way the world treats prisoners once they have been released. 

To a certain extent I understand how some may feel about someone who may have committed a terrible crime just being let go. On the other hand, if one thinks about all of the individuals that do go to jail that didn’t commit the crime they were charged with, or are in there for a misunderstanding that took place, there is no real help/support for them to be able to come back into the world prepared for all that has changed. I guess that can raise the question of whether society feels they should have those kinds of resources or not, but do they have to be let go so helpless that going back or taking their own lives are the only options? There is no doubt that there are faults and flaws within the world and one of those controversial areas would be the US correctional system, but I am glad that films like The Shawshank Redemption are made to bring light to topics like these that need to be thought and talked about.

4) Write a critical analysis of the film.

One thing that I notice, having watched movies for most of my life, is the fact that one does not always leave the theater or turn off their living room television feeling a connection with the characters all of the time. There can be a definite sense of entertainment, but a connection (when it is done extremely well) is harder to come across. It is not always easy to find actors in movies that will almost, for just a moment, blur the lines of fantasy and reality in terms of feeling like you know all about whoever it was you just watched and you’ve gone through their situations with them. The Shawshank Redemption did this for me and I am utterly fascinated that the class screening was my first time seeing the film. I can guarantee, though, that it will not be my last and it is now going to be the chosen film for my family’s next movie night.

1) ( x ) I have not handed in this assignment for any other class.

2) ( x ) If I reused any information from other papers I have written for other classes, I clearly explain that in the paper.

3) ( x ) If I used any passages word for word, I put quotations around those words, or used indentation and citation within the text.

4) ( x ) I have not padded the bibliography. I have used all sources cited in the bibliography in the text of the paper.

5) ( x ) I have cited in the bibliography only the pages I personally read.

6) ( x ) I have used direct quotations only in cases where it could not be stated in another way. I cited the source within the paper and in the bibliography.

7) ( x ) I did not so over-use direct quotations that the paper lacks interpretation or originality.

8) ( x ) I checked yes on steps 1-7 and therefore have been fully transparent about the research and ideas used in my paper.