Shawshank Redemption Hero's Journey

Shawshank Redemption is an extremely unique hero story. Andy Dufresne is questioned in response to his wives and lover’s murder. After questioning they decide he is guilty of this crime. Andy has to overcome multiple challenges while being in prison for 19 years. One day a young man by the name of Tommy was put in the same prison and they became close friends. Tommy talked to Red about his past experiences when he revived interesting facts about his recent cellmate. Tommy has all of the answers at hand of Andy Dufresne’s case that pled him as innocent. The guards are not pleased as to Andy wanting to receive justice, so the guards do the unspeakable killing Tommy. What Andy Dufresne does surprises us all; Andy escaped.

Andy goes through three steps all heroes experience the departure, initiation, and the return. The first step that will be discusses is departure. Andy experiences the call to adventure first which occurs when a person first notices that everything is going to change. This step happens when Andy first enters into the prison system. Refusal of the call is when a call is given but the hero refuses to need it.

This occurs in Shawshank Redemption when Andy repeatedly states he is innocent. Another step in departure experienced was the belly of the whale, which is when the person is finally separated from the known world and themselves. Andy experiences this when he truly understands he is not going to get out of prison.

The upcoming step the hero experiences in the hero’s journey is the initiation.

Within the initiation is the road of trials. The road of trials is when the hero must experience a series of tests, tasks, or ordeals to begin a transformation. Andy goes through the stage when he gets to know everyone in the prison from the guards to the inmates. Andy uses his knowledge to help the guards with taxes and becomes friends with all the inmates. The next stage is apotheosis, this occurs when Andy escapes and is shown running through the water with joy. The apotheosis is when an individual is at a period of rest, peace, and fulfillment before the hero begins the return. The ultimate boon is an achievement of the goal of the quest. Andy achieves this when he is digging a hole in the wall and set up the perfect night to go through with his escape

plan.

The final step in the hero’s journey is the return. The magic flight is when the hero must escape with the boon. Andy experiences this when he finally gets away from the warden. He knows all of his deepest secrets and set up a mission to get the warden caught in the crime. Lastly, Andy goes through the freedom to live which is live their own life in peace. He fulfills this step by going to his dream location and living to be a free man.

All hero’s go through this incredible journey that lead them to the ultimate outcome. All movies use these steps in different manners. Personally, Shawshank Redemption was the movie that showed powerful hero qualities throughout the hero quest.