Hope, Time, and Friendship: Life Lessons from The Shawshank Redemption
A Story of Friendship (and Hope)
I just watched the movie: The Shawshank Redemption. And to be honest, I did it because I was curious about what the best movies are and why they’re considered the greatest.
A quick search on Google (yes, I’m still the guy who searches and uses Wikipedia instead of jumping on the AI hype train) and I stumbled upon IMDb’s list of the top 100 movies in history.
I took a deep breath, mustered my courage, and decided I’m going to work my way through this list to form my own conclusions and opinions. It’s one thing to read about something. It’s another thing entirely to feel and see the work of art for yourself.
CONTAINS SPOILERS! (But you already expected that, didn’t you?)
Injustice (The Accusation)
The film begins with an injustice based on a lie, or a half-truth, much like what happened in the O.J. Simpson case. The main character is accused of committing the brutal crime of murdering his wife.
As it happens, all the proof and evidence lead everyone to believe he is guilty. Once convicted, he is sent to prison.
This makes me think of the iconic statue of Lady Justice. She is blind, for reasons we all know, but maybe she shouldn’t be. However, complete impartiality is (unfortunately) an unlikely thing.
How a Friendship is Born
The main character is quickly introduced to his new routine and life, and he learns that prison life is not easy.
Right from the start, he faces “physical challenges” and soon understands that he needs the most important thing for a human being: to connect.
We are who we are, and we’ve gotten where we are, because we move in packs, in groups. We only evolved because we honed this skill and became the dominant species.
To save himself and get some breathing room, the protagonist quickly befriends Red (played by Morgan Freeman). Obviously, no one in prison just walks up and says, “Hi, want to be my friend? You in?”
But, to be honest with you, every friendship is forged through exchanges: time, energy, resources, knowledge, access, and so on. Every friendship begins, is maintained, and endures to the very end because of the quality and quantity of the exchanges involved. And just like that, a great one was born…
Purpose
Moving on, what struck me the most was the idea that:
“Every man needs meaning in his life.”
This is as true in prison as it is in life. This is one of the most powerful ingredients in anyone’s life: purpose. Finding your purpose!
We could spend hours talking (or writing) about it. However, he takes it upon himself to organize, improve, and expand the prison library.
This is a beautiful goal. What can you give to men who are broken, without freedom, and without hope? Knowledge!
I have no idea how rehabilitation works, but surely, it should start by changing people from the inside out. And what’s better for that than music, books, and education?
Our protagonist, with his blue eyes and the air of a banker, takes this on as his life’s mission. And he does it.
Losing and Gaining Faith
During one of the incidents in prison, our hero’s faith is tested. And man… that was vital for him and for the movie’s narrative.
A piece of news pushes him to the brink of madness. And once there, he gets lost. He breaks his (almost flawless) line of reasoning. And, in a purely human act, he loses his way. He almost ruins his life’s work, diving into a sea of fierce emotions that consume him.
But you can take everything from a man except his faith, unless he himself believes it’s lost. Viktor Frankl wrote something similar in his brilliant book, Man’s Search for Meaning.
The Hero Completes His Journey
However, every hero must complete his journey. And our inmate, number 37927, is just one step away from completing his.
In one of the most intelligent plot twists I’ve ever seen in a script, the writer brilliantly leads us to think one way. And just when we think we’ve got it figured out, he makes an abrupt change of direction. Uniquely and brilliantly done.
Hope for Better Days
Of course, there is so much more meaning packed into this brilliant script, with editing and cinematography that would make even the biggest fans of special effects envious.
Leaving aside the number of adjectives I’ve had to use, I want to emphasize something that really caught my attention at the end of the film. There is a clear message about how much meaning a purpose can give a man, and how the patience and persistence to achieve it can lead us to (or not) unimaginable feats.
What I Learned
Phone on airplane mode, popcorn, and a bottle of water (yes, I prefer water to soda, with a sprinkle of seasoning on my popcorn). Grab some chocolate too and press play! The movie has the highest rating on IMDb for a reason.
Without a doubt, friendship, companionship, the importance of education (represented by math and reading), and above all, freedom of thought were the lessons that stuck with me most after the film.
What are you doing now? Stop everything and press play. I watched it on HBO, but you can choose wherever you like. Just let me know what you think afterward. See you soon!