Redemption


 * Redemption: **(noun) The act of redeeming
 * Redeeming: **(adjective) Serving to compensate for faults or deficiencies
 * Redeem: **(verb) 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 (mortgaged or pawned) 5. to exchange coupon for goods. 6. To fulfill a promise. 7. To reinstate someone’s good opinion. 8. To make amends for. 9. To recover from captivity. 10. //Christianity// (Christ) free (humanity) from sin by his death on the cross.

Why do you think the film is called ‘The Shawshank Redemption’?

Which definitions of ‘redeem’ does the film fit best with? Why?

How does the idea of redemption relate to the idea of freedom? Why are both these ideas significant in the film?

Andy is portrayed as ‘the redeemer’. How does the film make this clear?

Both Andy and Red are ‘redeemed’ in the film. How is this shown? What are they ‘redeemed’ from?

In the last scene of the film Andy and Red are shown on the beach in Mexico. What about this scene shows that both characters have been changed?

What colours and shots are used in this scene to help demonstrate this theme?

The Christian definition of redemption states that Jesus Christ redeemed the people of the world by dying sinless and taking the blame for their sin. Andy can be seen as the ‘Jesus figure’ in this film. He is innocent of his crimes and is forced to take the penalty. In doing this he changes the lives of the other prisoners, especially Red, and gives them hope. How is this shown in the film?

After Andy’s escape from prison Red calls him: //“Andy du Frense: the man who crawled through a river of shit and came out clean on the outside.”// How does this relate to the theme of redemption?

<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">What other quotes from the film are relevant to this theme?