Zljxjzxc

The Shawshank Redemption


“Get busy living or get busy dying.”


Dictionary Definitions

[pic]
Redemption (n) - The act of redeeming.
Redeeming (adj) - Serving to compensate for faults or deficiencies.
Redeem (vb) - 1. To recover possession of by payment of a price or service. 2. To convert (bonds or shares) into cash. 3. To pay off (a loan or debt). 4. To recover (something mortgagedor pawned). 5. To exchange (coupons) for goods. 6. To fulfil (a promise) 7. To reinstate someone's good opinion. 8. To make amends for. 9. To recover from captivity, esp. by a money payment.
Taken from,
The Collins Pocket Dictionary, HarperCollins Publishers, England, 1989.


The Shawshank Redemption


Viewing Worksheet

[pic]
Complete the following questions as you watch the film.The Beginning Scene(s)
• What happens to Andy du Fresne and Red?
• What do we learn of Andy and Red's characters?
Introduction to Shawshank
• What do we learn of the nature of the prison? Give examples.
Degradation
• What does Andy endure in the first few years? Be accurate and specific.
The Rooftop Scene
• What do you learn about dignity, courage and hope from thisscene?

The Library
• What does the library represent to Andy? Think about time, education, friends, music and hope.
Music
• Identify a scene where music is important. Explain how it is used and to what effect.
Minor Characters
• Using evidence from the film, explain the following peoples characteristics and say why they are important:
• Warden Norton
• Brooks• Tommy
• Captain Hadley
• Can you think of any other secondary characters?
The Ending
• What happens at the end of the film? What message does it send to society?

The Shawshank Redemption


Plot Structure

[pic]
The plot of a film usually follows a very clear dramatic structure. It will begin with the exposition, where the scene is set, situationestablished and characters introduced. The tension will then rise steadily as a series of small conflicts build to a climax. This is the point where the conflict within a character or between characters is most intense. After this event, the tension levels decrease as some sort of decision is reached, resulting in a resolution.
The entertainment value of a plot is determined by humour, action, tensionand the unexpected.

Plot Activity
Students are to graph the dramatic structure of The Shawshank Redemption, where the vertical axis is tension level and the horizontal axis is plot development. They must provide clear examples from the film for each part of the graph.




The Shawshank Redemption


Themes

[pic]
There are many controversial issues dealt with in this film. These rangefrom sodomy to loyalty and friendship. The following is a list of some of the most important themes touched on in the movie.
• Courage
• Loyalty
• The power of the mind vs. the power of authority
• Institutionalisation
• Corruption
• Justice/injustice
• Freedom
Form a group of 3-5. Choose a theme from the list above. Elaborate on the theme by creating a seriesof dot points with specific references to scenes within the film. Where possible use quotations to support your theme. Poster paper will be provided.

The Shawshank Redemption


Power

[pic]
The characters in the film can be divided in numerous ways:
a. Prisoners vs. Guards - Where the guards have the legal and perceived power
b. Andy vs. Norton - Andy has the 'real' power ie;his intellect and inner strength
c. The Sisters vs. Other Prisoners - The sisters have physical power (in numbers) but Andy has the power to fight them mentally
d. The Prisoners vs. the Outside World - The prisoners lose their power to fear of the unknown
e. Norton/Hadley vs. The Law - Ironic that these characters who are perceived 'upholders' of the law are more corrupt that some...