Shawshank Redemption: Movie vs. Book

Plot

The basic plot of the story stayed the same throughout the movie, however there were some differences between the two.  One difference is that Tommy is killed in the movie by Norton but in the story, he is merely transferred to another prison.  Another difference is that Red explains how he killed his wife in the novella.  I think that the director choose not to talk about the murder of his wife so that Red was more likeable.  In the movie though, he only says that he has killed someone.  Another big difference is that Red never actually meets up with Andy in Mexico in the novella while he does in the book.

Point of View

There is no difference between the novella and in film in terms of point of view.  Both stories are told in first person from Red’s perspective.  A bit of a difference was that the movie allowed the audience to see things from Andy’s point of view.  This allows the audience to have a broader view of the story as it is told.  In the novella, the reader doesn’t know whether or not Andy is guilty because they only have Red’s perspective.  In the movie though, the audience can see what Andy thinks.

Characterization

One of the biggest differences is that Red is a white man with red hair in the novella while he is black in the movie.  Red is shown as a better person in the movie than in the novella.  In the book, he talks about killing his wife and others while he only mentions he committed a murder in the movie.  Another difference is that Andy was more sociable in the movie than he appeared to be in the novella.  He, like Red, was made more likeable by the movie directors. 

Setting

The setting remained the same in both the movie and the short story.  The story takes place at a Shawshank prison.  The movie must take place at the prison for the story to have the same affect.  The prison is vital to the story therefore it could not be changed.  One minor difference would be that Red did not go to Mexico in the novella.  He did however meet up with Andy in Mexico in the movie.

Theme

The major theme of the story stayed the same in both versions.  Hope was the biggest theme and it showed throughout the novella and movie.  Andy remained hopeful throughout the story that he would one day be free again.  He had kept hope for a retrial and kept hope for an escape.  The final words of the novel had Red saying that he hoped to find Andy again.  Another theme was that of persistence.  Andy and Red persevered through their time at Shawshank.  Even with all of the bad things that happened to the both of them they still kept going.

The Shawshank Redemption

Plot

The plot of the story is told in a very clever way.  It is told through the eyes of Red, a man who is in jail for murdering his wife.  The story is told in a somewhat casual way..  It is told in a way that seems very conversational so it really pulls you in.  An example of this is when Red asks interacts with the reader such as when he says "Have I rehabilitated myself, you ask?".  The story moves a bit slow at times but it still holds the readers interest throughtout.

Point of View

The story is told in first person perspective.  Red serves as the narrator of the story and recounts his time in prison.  This point of view allows the reader to really see what Red feels about everything that he goes through.  This perspective also shows the limits of the characters view. One example of this is when Red talks about the confrontation between Andy and Byron Hadley.  He claims that Andy became a legend after tons of people saw him while in reality, only a few were actually there.  This shows that you can't always trust what Red says to be true. 

Characterization

 Red is the main character of the story and is the narrator.  He is a very confident man who stays strong throughout the story.  He is attacked multiple times by the Sisters but he is still able to maintian his sense of self-worth. Andy is another main character who is respected by his most of the inmates.  Andy is a very relaxed person who is not quick to anger.  Andy is able to manipulate the warden which adds to his legend.

Setting

The setting of the story is Shawshank Prison.  The prison serves as a sort of a nightmare for Red.  It is a reminder of the murder he committed which got him stuck there.  It also is a reminder of how badly he has been treated by both the guards and the Sisters.  Even with these bad reminders, it also is a synbol for hope.  He meets Andy there who becomes one of his best friends and he is also able to escape from the prison to get to a better life. 

Theme

There are multiple themes in the story.  One theme is that there is a severe punishment for commiting serious crimes.  Red not only was convicted to life imprisonment, but he also had to deal with hardships such as being raped many times and being treated terribly by those around him.  It shows that there are consequences that go along with being a murderer.  Another theme is that of hope.   Hope is a the biggest theme because it is seen throughout the story.  Red and Andy are given hope for a new life when they are able to escape the prison. Them being able to escape also gave hope to all the inmates that they may be able to escape this nightmare some day.

Shakespearean Sonnet

The sonnet that I chose to find the meaning of is Sonnet 73.  The sonnet speaks about the changing of seasons to the winter months.  This is shown in lines 1-3 which say "That time of year thou mayst in me behold/When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang/Upon those boughs which shake against the cold".  As the seasons change, everything begins to die.  The sonnet also says that his love is stronger now.  This is displayed in line 13 which says "This thou perceiv'st, which makes thy love more stong".  He explains that even as the world grows colder, his love endures and burns with a greater passion.  The message of the sonnet is that love can get through anything and is greater than any obstacle.

I do believe that the message of the sonnet is true.  If you truely love someone, then it should last through everything.  Love should grow stronger in the most trying of times.  No matter what happens,  love should stay strong.  The Bible describes love the best.  It says in 1 Corinthians 13:7 that "love endures all things".  God knows what true love is so if it says it in the bible then it must be true.  The message of love being strong is true in the case of this sonnet.

Ballad Blog

A ballad is a narrative poem that is often of folk origin and intended to be sung, and consists of simple stanzas usually having a refrain.  The song "I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing" by Aerosmith is an example of a ballad because it speaks about the topics of love and heart ache.  A charactersitic of a ballad is that it has simple language that most everyone can understand.  The song "I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing" also has simple language in which the audience would not have to repeatedly listen to the song to understand it.  Ballads are also known to have a refrain.  The song also has a refrain which  is repeated multpile time throughout the song.  A final characteristic is that a ballad tells a story.  This song tells the story of a man who doesn't want any moment with his loved one to pass him by.

 Aerosmith - I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing

 I could stay awake just to hear you breathing
Watch you smile while you are sleeping
Far away and dreaming
I could spend my life in this sweet surrender
I could stay lost in this moment forever
Well, every moment spent with you
Is a moment I treasure

I don't wanna close my eyes
I don't wanna fall asleep
'Cause I'd miss you, babe
And I don't wanna miss a thing
'Cause even when I dream of you
The sweetest dream will never do
I'd still miss you, babe
And I don't wanna miss a thing

Lying close to you
Feeling your heart beating
And I'm wondering what you're dreaming
Wondering if it's me you're seeing
Then I kiss your eyes and thank God we're together
And I just wanna stay with you
In this moment forever, forever and ever

I don't wanna close my eyes
I don't wanna fall asleep
'Cause I'd miss you, babe
And I don't wanna miss a thing
'Cause even when I dream of you
The sweetest dream will never do
I'd still miss you, babe
And I don't wanna miss a thing

I don't wanna miss one smile
I don't wanna miss one kiss
Well, I just wanna be with you
Right here with you, just like this
I just wanna hold you close
Feel your heart so close to mine
And stay here in this moment
For all the rest of time

Don't wanna close my eyes
Don't wanna fall asleep
'Cause I'd miss you, babe
And I don't wanna miss a thing
'Cause even when I dream of you
The sweetest dream will never do
'Cause I'd still miss you, babe
And I don't wanna miss a thing

I don't wanna close my eyes
I don't wanna fall asleep
'Cause I'd miss you, babe
And I don't wanna miss a thing
'Cause even when I dream of you
The sweetest dream will never do
I'd still miss you, babe
And I don't wanna miss a thing

Don't wanna close my eyes
Don't wanna fall asleep, yeah
I don't wanna miss a thing

 

 

My Heroes

There are many heroes that we have in live. They can be fictional, a role model, or even your parents. One of my heroes is Batman. Batman’s parents were murdered when he was just a child and from that moment on, he was determined to fight crime. He doesn’t have any special powers or mutations, but rather he uses his wit and gadgets to make himself a lethal weapon. He has all the fame and fortune a person could want, and yet he fights criminals just to bring justice to Gotham City. He is brave, intelligent, and honorable which makes him one of my heroes.




Another hero of mine is Peyton Manning. He studies countless hours of film and practices until he has perfected his throws. Manning is unwavering in the face of adversity. He commands his teammates and orchestrates an offense unmatched by any other team. With all of his success on the field, he also finds time to assist those in need. He has helped so much, that he even has a children’s hospital after him. One of my greatest memories of Peyton is from the AFC championship game. He had been beaten by the Patriots countless times in the playoffs and once again faced losing to them. He led a drive in the final two minutes to steal the game and win the AFC title. Even with all odds stacked against him, Peyton finds ways to be victorious.



A personal hero of mine would be my grandmother. She raised 9 children as a single mother who worked multiple jobs (including being a lunch lady at Roncalli). She fought to be able to send my dad to a good school like Roncalli. She never lost that fight, even in her old age. Three times she faced cancer, and unfortunately she only won two of three. She was brave in the face of adversity and never took the easy way out. She is an inspiration to me and that is why she is my hero.