Symbolism In The Shawshank Redemption

The Shawshank Redemption is a 1994 film that tells the story of Andy Dufresne, a banker wrongly accused with the homicide of his wife and her lover and sentenced to life in prison at Shawshank State Penitentiary. The film depicts the struggle Andy and his fellow inmates endured to survive and cope with their imprisonment. Within the film The Shawshank Redemption numerous symbols are present The library, Andy’s chess board and pieces, Reds harmonica, and the cold beers. These symbols help ground the characters and illustrate its theme: a hope for a better future during hard times.

The Library is a distraction for Andy, he sets a goal to expand it and puts all of his effort into achieving it. It is hope for him and the other inmates to gain knowledge

and better themselves. He helps inmates like Tommy get their high school diplomas, which gives them hope for the future. With this new found knowledge and perspective they will have an easier time in prison and won’t return once they get out. The library shows Andy’s giving attitude, and generosity, and he will gladly put others first. Andy’s whole attitude and personality throughout the film is different to everyone else’s, his personality shines bright with light when others are dark and he tries to instill that light into everyone else.
Andy likes chess and starts carving his chess pieces early in the film. Even though Red can smuggle a whole set in he wants to carve it himself, he does this to try have some normalcy in his situation. The chess set represents Andy’s intellect, the planning of his escape, and his overall attitude towards their situation. His forward thinking can be seen through his actions everything he does is intentional and he usually has an ulterior motive behind his actions. Andy says chess is a game of kings, civilized and strategic. The chess sets importance can be seen in the film when Andy decides to bring it with him in his escape even if it was not essential to his breakout. The set was just extra weight that he had to crawl 500 yards though sewage with so it must have meant a lot to him.
Reds harmonica was gifted to him by Andy after Red tells him that he stopped playing because it wasn’t of much use inside of prison. Andy disagrees with his comment and explains that this is where it makes the most sense that it is something inside of one’s self that can’t be taken away. Prison can take away freedom, possessions, dignity, but not a love for something as simple as playing a harmonica. The harmonica represents hope and is a distraction in difficult times. Andy wants Red to find his rocks, his poster, his library, to give him hope for his future. Andy doesn’t want red to end up like brooks if he ever gets out of prison.
The cold beers that Andy bribes from the guards is also to regain some normalcy and they represent hope as well.

At first the guys were working hard, too worried that if they stopped they would get in trouble. Andy puts his knowledge to use and grants them a luxury they could have never received otherwise, Red can obtain alcohol but not instantly so cold beer is impossible. Andy did this to try to feel as though they weren’t in prison, even with the guards watching their every move. They were just normal guys throwing a couple longnecks back with friends not a worry in the world. It also gets him the job for Warden Norton, and because of it he receives privileges that others don’t, putting him one step closer to freedom.

Within the film The Shawshank Redemption numerous symbols are present The library, Andy’s chess board and pieces, Reds harmonica, and the cold beers. These symbols help ground the characters and illustrate its theme: a hope for a better future during hard times. All of these items Andy put there for himself and the others, to distract, give them hope, and make them feel normal again. Red and some of the others might resist or oppose, but Andy does this with best interest in mind. In the end they were all better people because of Andy’s actions, and he is a stronger person because of

it.