Plot/ Setting- There is an intricate plot in this story. The story takes place in The main characters are Red (the narrator) and Andy. It is a story within a story ( Red tells the story). Both of these characters are in prison for murder. Red admitted to killing his wife, neighbor, and his neighbors newborn child by cutting the brakes of his wifes car. Andy maintains his innocence but is charged as guilty for the murder of his wife and his wifes lover, who happens to be a professional tennis player by the name of Glenn Quentin. Andy is initiated roughly into prison, he gets brutally raped many times by a group of guys called the "Sisters". When Andy first arrives to prison, he becomes friends with Red because Red knows how to smuggle just about anything into prison. Andy asks Red for a rock hammer, a pin up of Rita Hayworth, and polishing clothes. These men remain friends, then end up working on the same work crew a few years later. While on this work crew, Andy overhears a guard named Byron Hadley talking to another guard about what he should do to avoid having to pay taxes on an inheritance. Andy tells the guard that he should give the money as a gift to his wife and in exchange for some alcohol he will give him future financial help. The Warden later is informed of Andys' financial intelligence and tells Andy that he will protect him from the Sisters if he does financial work for him.
Andy does some basic financial work for awhile, then begins to launder money for the warden and other high ranking workers of the prison. Some time later a man named Tommy Williams arrives at Shawshank prison and tells Andy that he served time in another prison with , a man who admitted to killing tennis pro Glenn Quentin. When Andy asks the warden to request a retrial, the warden refuses the request and transfers Tommy to another prison. The warden does this because he fears that Andy will expose the wardens money laundering operation if he was parolled. As some time passes, Andy tells Red that he has over 370,000 $ invested in a lock box at a bank near Shawshank prison under a false identity of his. The key to the lockbox is hidden under a volcanic rock near the prison. Andy tells Red this in case he is ever parolled, so that Red can get the money and meet up with Andy. This is just what happens at the end of the story. One day Andys cell is empty and when everything is searched a hole is found through the concrete wall that leads out of the prison. The hole is found underneath the Rita Hayworth pin up poster. Andy is never found, and Red is let out on parol and they meet up.
Point of View- This story is told in first person by Red, he narrates the story. Since this story is from the view point if Reds, some details are left out, but all in all, he paints a vivid picture and is very good at making the reader feel engaged in the story. Red switches from telling his life story to telling the reader about Andy throughout the story. He wants to inform the reader about the man who changed his life (Andy).
Characterization- Red says this of Andy after he negotiates with the guard to get alcohol for the whole working crew for financial help, " All I know for sure is that Andy Dufresne wasn’t much like me or anyone else I ever knew. . . . It was a kind of inner light he carried around with him."(48). Andy did not even drink alcohol, but this quote shows the reader how much Andy stood out from the rest of the prisoners. He was a special guy and should not be in prison.
At the end of the story, Red says "I hope Andy is down there. I hope I can make it across the border. I hope to see my friend and shake his hand. I hope the Pacific is as blue as it has been in my dreams. I hope" (107). This quote shows how much Andy has impacted Reds life. Andy gives Red hope to be able to be free from prison, something he can not even fathom.
Theme- A big re occouring theme in this short story is the power of hope. Since prison life is so tough, prisoners must have hope to keep going. This short story also shows how hope can spread from one person to many. The pinup poster of Rita Hayworth represent the outside world, and every inmate’s desire to escape to a normal life. At the end of the story, Red gets a new perspective on life when he realizes that he can be free, having hope caused this new perspective.
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point of view and theme are noticeably brief
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