"The Shawshank Redemption" is undoubtedly one of the most shocking movies I've seen. This film tells far more than just the story of the protagonist Andy's successful escape from prison and regaining his freedom, but a profound theme about institutionalization and anti-institutionalization, hope and despair, and the salvation of the soul.
In the system of Shawshank Prison, people gradually became Xi to life in captivity and even began to rely on this system. Just like Lao Bu, he spent 50 years under this system, almost a lifetime. We can imagine that when he first entered this system, he was full of disgust and rebellion against the system, like all rookies who have just stepped into prison. However, as time passed, he gradually discovered the futility of rebelling against the system, and slowly accepted and adapted to it. Eventually, Lao Bu became heavily dependent on the system, and his soul and body were completely institutionalized. However, in the twilight of his life, he was forced to leave the system, and it is conceivable that he could not survive in an almost completely alien system. At this time, Lao Bu's separation from the system was tantamount to a fetus being cut off the umbilical cord, so Lao Bu finally chose to end his life.
Andy, on the other hand, is a man of hope and faith. Over lunch, Andy said to Red, "Don't forget that there is something in this world that can penetrate all the walls, it is deep within us, they can't reach it, they can't touch it, that's hope." However, the wise Red immediately retorted, "Let me tell you what hope is, my friend." Hope for a dangerous thing, it can drive people crazy, and the hope in our hearts is useless. You'd better get used to Xi of that. Andy's salvation begins with hope.
In the world of Shawshank, we can divide people into two main groups: those within the system and those outside the system. The system includes prison wardens and prison guards, who are the creators, enforcers and maintainers of the system. And the prisoners of Shawshank undoubtedly belong to the people outside the system, they are the obedient and assimilated people of the system.
Heroes are soulless than the system, and although their bodies have to obey the constraints of the system, heroes are able to use their great souls and great actions to constantly change the system. Beyond the system, Andy is such a hero, he has profoundly influenced other people in the cage by expanding the library to help other prisoners read and write, this kind of redemption is not only an individual act, but also a group act, the film uses a very religious word when explaining the process of Andy's rebellion - redemption, tracing the religious origin of this word, it is easy to think of the story of the salvation of Jesus' soul, in fact, the Bible appears more than once in the film, and the Bible The irony of the quote is that the sanctimonious warden appears to be a holy saint on the outside, but his actions and heart are as filthy as the devil in his office, and next to another exquisite word, the judgment of the Lord is about to come, but this last judgment will finally come to this judge, so from this point of view, Andy's behavior has a transcendent religious overtone, and his salvation is not only the salvation of the individual, but the salvation of the community.
Therefore, the most important contribution of "The Shawshank Redemption" lies in an allegorical elaboration of the view of history and reflection on individual redemption and collective redemption.