肖申克的救赎论文.docx

肖申克的救赎论文.docx

《肖申克的救赎论文.docx》由会员分享，可在线阅读，更多相关《肖申克的救赎论文.docx（14页珍藏版）》请在冰豆网上搜索。

肖申克的救赎论文

肖申克的救赎》中的救赎主题浅析

AnAnalysisoftheThemeofRedemptionin

TheShawshankRedemption

Ⅰ.Introduction

ThefilmTheShawshankRedemptionwhichisadaptedfromthesamenamenovelofStephenKinghasleftadeepimpressiononthepeople.Fromthetitleofthefilm,itisnotdifficulttoseethatthefilmistalkingabouttheissueofredemption.Thenwhatisredemption?

TheLordJesusinTheGospelhasprovidedaroadtoredemptionforus.Theso-called“save”isrevealingthedistressofhumanbeings;so-called“redemption”isthatthewaytoachieveourgoals.WhattheChristiansaremostconcernedaboutiswhethertheirsincanbepardonedandtheirsoulscanbesavedornot.AllthosearevividlyembodiedinTheShawshankRedemption.

Thestorybeginswiththetrialofayoungbanker,AndyDufrense,victimizedbycircumstantialevidence,resultinginaconvictionforthemurderofhiswifeandherlover.HeissentencedtotwoconsecutivelifesentencesatShawshankStatePrison.Heexistsinthisprisononlyinappearance,keepinghismindfreefromthedrabwallsaroundhim.Hisabilitytodothisresultsinthegainingofrespectfromhisfellowinmates.Andy’sdemeanorandundeniablesenseofhopecauseRedtotakeadeeperlookathimself,andtheworldaroundhim.AndyprovestoRedandtheotherinmatesthatintheconventionalwallsofShawshankprisonconventionwillfindnohomeinhislifestyle.Andykeepshopeallthetime.Hespendstwentyyearstotunnelingthewall,andthencrawlingfivehundredyardtothebeautifulnewworld.Throughhisownefforts,Andynotonlyescapesfromtheprison,butalsosavesagroupofinmates.

Thefilminspiresustolovelifeandedifiesustothinkabouttheimportanceoflivingandnottoloseourselves.Italsogivesapositiveforceandthecouragetofacedifficultiestous.Itmakesustorealizethatordinarylifeisvaluable.Inprison,Andyovercomesallthedifficultieswithhisamazingdeterminationduringhisprogress.Whywecannotaffordthepainandsufferingoflife?

Theauthorholdsthatweshouldneverlosehopeanddignityinanytime.

Peopleoftengetusedtolife.Theyareaccustomedtothesurroundingenvironment,fromschoolstotheworkenvironment,fromsocialpracticetofamilylife.Theyhavegoals,butastheyearsgobythegoalsgraduallyfaded,astheyhadbeeninstitutionalized.TheShawshankRedemptionhelpsre-examinelifeandfindthedreamsagain.Andyretrieveshisfreedomatlast.Timeandperseverancecanhelpachieveeverything.Peopleshouldtreatwellwiththeirownlivesandrealizethedreams!

Ⅱ.TheOriginandConnotationofRedemption

WhenthethoughtthateveryChristianisguiltyandneedsredemptionhasbecomeadeep-rootedtraditionwhichrootsineveryonelivingintheChristianculturebackground,thethinkingabouthowtogetredemptionandwhatisthevalueofredemptiontohumanbeingsisengagedactively.

2.1TheOrigin

First,lookatthetitleofthefilm─TheShawshankRedemption.Thetermof“redemption”originatesintheBible:

“Zionshallberedeemedwithjudgment;andherconvertswithrighteousness.”（Bible,2000:

15）

“RedemptionisoneofthemostbasicdoctrinesofChristianity.ItmeansifpeoplealwayshavethefearandfaithtowardsGod,theywillsurelygetGod’sredemption.ChristianityholdsthatbecauseoftheancestorsofhumanbeingsviolateGod’swill,andthereforetheyareguiltypersons.InordertoultimatelyacquireredemptionofGod,humansmustrepentinthislifeandkeepafirmbeliefinGod."（Maigelaen,2003:

3）

Christianityisawayoflife,alsoamanifestationofvalues,ethicsandculturalvalues.ItinfluencesprofoundlyallaspectsofAmericanlife.Therefore,thesecularmeaningofthisChristiandoctrinehasalsobeendeveloped:

onlykeepingfaith,peoplecangethope,savethemselvesandtheworld,too.

Onthefirstday,Andywitnessedtherejectionoftheoldprisoners,thecrueltyofprisonguards,andthehypocrisyofthewarden.JustenteredthedoorofShawshank,Andyandtheothernewprisonershadbecomepawnsinabetandobjectsforfunbytheoldprisoners.Fromthatmoment,thenewprisonerswouldbebullied.Inthehalloftheprison,thewardensolemnlyannounced:

“Ibelieveintwothings:

disciplineandtheBible.Here,youwillreceiveboth.PutyourtrustintheLord.Yourassbelongstome.”Thereisnodoubtthatitisawarningtothenewprisoners.Thereisnothingintheprisonexceptobedience,notjustoperational,butalsospiritual.Andyunderstoodthattheydidnothavetherighttosaynointheprison.Whenthewardenasked“anyquestions”,oneasked:

“Whendoweeat?

”Thewardenstaredathimandimpliedtheprisonguard,andthentheprisonguardwalkedoverandroared:

“Youeatwhenwesayyoueat.Youshitwhenwesayyoushit,andpisswhenwesayyoupiss.”Asaresult,hegotablow.ThisshockedAndyalot.Heknewthatifhesaidsomethinginappropriately,hemightbethenextonetobebeaten.ThenewprisonerswhojustarrivedattheShawshankfromthefreeworldsufferedexclusionandhumiliationfromtheoldprisoners.ButAndydidnotwanttogiveuphisdignity.Therewasnodoubtthatthefirstnightwasthetoughest.Whenputincell,oldlifeblownawayintheblinkofaneye.Nothingleftbutallthetimeintheworldtothinkaboutit.Mostnewprisonerscametomadnessthefirstnight.Thatinnocentfatboywasbadlybeatenupbytheprisonguardanddied,becausehecouldnotwithstandothers’provocationandcried.Allofthosehappenedonthefirstday.Itshowsthatiftheyarenotstrongenough,theycannotprotectthemselvesatall.However,itisenoughforAndytounderstandonethingthatitishardtogetridofthecharge.SoAndydecidestodosomethingforhimself.Hestartstomakeaplantoescapefromtheprison.Thisistheoriginofredemption.

2.2TheConnotation

“Sincethe20thcentury,alongwiththedevelopmentofindustrializedsocieties,peoplearedoubtaboutthewesternculture,capitalismandthenatureofhuman,whicheventuallyleadingtosomelossoffaith.Inthisdarkworld,humanbeingshavetostruggletosurvive;wemustmakeeveryefforttofindawayout.”（罗建波,丁旭2008:

06）

Whereistheway?

Howtofinditout?

Thisfilmaboutredemptionprovidestheanswerforpeople.Whatisthepowerofthestoryforredemption?

Itisthedignityandbelief.Andredeemforwhat?

Itisfreedomandhope.Redemptionisawar:

awaraboutfreedombreakingimprisonment,hopeprevailingoverdespair;awartofightforhumandignity.

Andyissucceeded.Duringthisprocess,theChristiandoctrineredemptionplaysaveryimportantrole.Itisbecauseofthis,Andyhasalwaysbeenfilledwiththehopetoliveinfreedom,hasnevergivenupthepursuitoffreedom,whichisdeeplyaffectedhisfriends,Red.Redisre-freedwithAndy’shelp.

“Attheendofthefilm,theazureblueskyandbluesea,symbolizetheidealfreedom;andthatsmallboatandtwooldfriends’smileisasymbolofhopeforabetterfuture.Thisendhasbeenabletoimpresspeople;itisbecauseoffreedomandhopethatitwillblendperfectly.”（DongCongbin,2006:

17）

Inthefilm,Andygivesaverygoodcommentonhope“Donotforgetthatthereareplacesintheworldthatarenotmadeoutofstone.Thereissomethinginsidethattheycannotgettothattheycannottouch.Thatisyours.Thatishope.”Indeed,theprisonwallscanbindphysicalfreedom,andeveninstitutionalizedthingscanbindspiritualfreedom,butonlyhopethatcannotbegivenup.Lifewithouthopeisdark,lifeless,orevenmeaningless.Hopeisakindofflowerthatbloomsinthedream.Withdreamsandhope,wecanembracethefuture.

Ⅲ.Andy’sSelf-redemptionandHisRedemptiontoOthers

Intheprison,throughhisactions,Andynotonlychangeshisowndestiny,butalsodeeplyaffectstheotherprisoners.SoAndy’sredemptionisnotjustanindividualbehavior,butabehaviorofagroup.ItisentirelyconsistentwiththedefinitionofredemptioninChristianity.Thefilmusesastrongreligiousterms–“redemption”,whenitillustratestheprocessofAndy’sresistance.Tracingthereligiousoriginofthisword,wecaneasilyrecallthestoryofJesustosavesouls.Andyneverforgetsthathopeisthesavior,whichsavesthedesireforfreedom.（Chen,2008:

15）

3.1Andy’sSelf-redemption

Andysuccessfullyescapesfromtheprison.Whathelpshimtoachieveself-redemption?

Itisthedesireforfreedominhismindandtheexistenceofhope!

Hope,whichfollowsGod’swill,sleepsonthosepageshollowedintheBible,attachesonAndy’sbody,andcreepsuponthe500yards’sewer.Atlast,thatuniquedirtysewersendsAndytothebeautifulnewworld.

3.1.1PhysicalRedemption

Andy,abankhigh-levelwhite-collarworker,wasframedformurderinghiswifeandwassentencedtwolifeimprisonmentsinShawshankprison.Freedomisforbiddeninprison.Andyhastofacetheprisonwallsandrailingseveryday.Hedesiresforredemption,becauseheisfullofhopetolifeandyearningforfreedom.However,therealityshowsthatonceyoucometoShawshank,itishardtoexpectfreedom.Theonlythingiswillingtobeaslave,mustacceptthefateofbeingpunished,justlikealambwaitingtobekilled.Behindtheprisonwallsandrailings,therearetwochoices:

putupyourhandshelplessly,acceptthearrangementgivenbythefate;orclenchfists,findoutawaytofreedom.DevoutChristianAndychoosesthelatter.Becausehebelievestheredemption,butalsoconvincesthat“Iwoundupinhere.Badluck,Iguess.Itfloatsaround.Itisgottolandonsomebody.Itwasmyturn.Iwasinthepathofthetornado.Ijustdidnotexpectthestormwouldlastaslongasithas.Ididnotshootmywife,andIdidnotshoo