The Importance Of Freedom In The Film Shawshank Redemption

1018 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: American dream in two kinds

What is an American dream? When you hear someone talk about the American dream, the first thing that pops in my head is freedom. We see people that live in a country where they are not free, some live under communists rules. They get tired of living in that type of atmosphere, so they go to America in hopes they can live a free life. Even if you are in America you still can be in a situation where you are not free. In this film Shawshank Redemption, we see many themes like; death, crime and American dream. For example, in the movie Shawshank Redemption Andy Dufrense is put in jail for murder. Anyone that is in jail has one dream and that is freedom. However, Andy Dufrense was one of the inmates that achieved this dream. In the movie Shawshank Redemption Andy’s American dream is freedom he achieved this by using skills and education. In order for Andy Dufrense to achieve his American dream, he uses certain skills as one of his strategies. While Andy is in prison, the first thing on his mind was freedom. However, it was not going to be that easy to reach his dream. Whenever someone is thinking about their American dream, they usually think it’s hard to reach. However, Andy had skills in prison that helped him reach his goal. For example, while Andy was in prison he had a tough time. One day he and his fellow inmates, are working on the roof. Andy overheard one of the guards talking about money problems. Andy immediately went …show more content…

Andy wouldn’t have known how to help the guards with their taxes, he wouldn’t have even have a job as a bank teller. All of this wouldn’t have lead him to his American dream. Education and skills were a big part of Andy’s goal. In the end of the movie he achieved his dreams, though skills and education. He later went on to Mexico to live his free life with red his friend by his side (Shawshank

Show More
Related

  • Specifi Arturo Jasso: The Pursuit Of The American Dream

    1033 Words  | 3 Pages

    The so-called American Dream can be defined as the belief in the freedom that allows all citizens and US residents to achieve their life goals, enjoy the choice between different lifestyles, have equal access to economic wealth, and pursue shared and beneficial for both the individual and society objectives. The origin of the pursuit of the American Dream can be found in various causes; one of these is the lack of opportunities in their home country, ie, cannot achieve their dreams in their own country. This results in selling the few belongings they have: their house, their little bit of land, and in most cases the great treasure of all is human, his family. Another cause is the facility available to reach the United States ranging from mounted on a "yola", leave as merchandise on boats to buy a famous machete, which have to impersonate someone else and throw their identity on the floor. As a result the vast majority are deceived again and again, others return home as deportees and prisoners condition; Finally, in the worst case, they die trying to live the American dream reality that it has sold.

    Read More

  • Prison Subculture In The Movie Shawshank Redemption

    1671 Words  | 4 Pages

    The movie Shawshank Redemption depicts the story of Andy Dufresne, who is an innocent man that is sentenced to life in prison. At Shawshank, both Andy and the viewers, witness typical prison subculture.

    Read More

  • Comparing The American Dream In Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin In The Sun

    713 Words  | 2 Pages

    The american dream is not easy to obtain with many barriers standing in the way of people trying to achieve their american dream. In the novel The Raisin in the Sun and in the short stories In American Society and America and I . It is more difficult to achieve the american dream as an outsider due to social, economic and cultural barriers than those who live on the inside.

    Read More

  • Theme Of Ambition In Shawshank Redemption

    1111 Words  | 3 Pages

    One morning when the guards are checking the cells, they discover that Andy is not in his cell. The warden throws rocks out of anger and throws one at the poster of a female Andy had taped on his cell wall. The rock goes straight through once they take down the poster, they see a hole in the wall. Andy had been digging this hole for twenty long years and used it to escape the prison. In the film, there is a scene of Andy in which he stands in the rain with his hands in the air as a free man. He takes in the rain on the other side of the prison and we see the happiness he feels knowing his plan worked. This scene shows us the success and accomplishment he feels knowing that due to his hard work over the years, he is now a free man. Once Andy escapes, he goes to Zihuatanejo, Mexico to start a new life, like he had told Red earlier on in the film. Once Red is granted parole, he is sent to the same hotel as Brooks and works at the same grocery store as well. The difference between Brooks and Red is that Red has a reason to keep going once he is out of the prison. He states “Only one thing stops me. A promise I made to Andy.” (). As he sits in his hotel room. This shows that Andy left a lasting impression on Red and also instilled hope in him to not give up like Brooks had. In the prison, Red was a man who had nothing to look forward to and gave up on ever getting parole but after being exposed to Andy and his beliefs, Red changed his thinking. When Red goes to finally meet Andy in Mexico, he says “I hope I can make it across the border. I hope to see my friend and shake his hand. I hope the pacific is as blue as it has been in my dreams … I hope. “ (). This shows that someone who had said that hope is a dangerous thing now hopes for so many things, all because of Andy and his

    Read More

  • Theme Of Corruption In The Shawshank Redemption

    1324 Words  | 3 Pages

    It is also all part of the economic and social scene of the correctional facility (jail) system, where it forms a great part of the management of the jail. It helps to keep the harsh rules the warden and guards apply to the inmates in place. Systemic corruption is not a special type of corrupt practice, but rather a situation in which this jail and process of rehabilitation of the prisoners is routinely dominated and used by the corrupt warden and the guards. The prisoners have no alternatives to dealing with the corrupt jail staff. Letters are censored of not delivered, visits are controlled and when a prisoner is a threat, the warden and guards get rid of them. Tommy Williams who could have given the warden information to prove that Andy Dufresne was actually innocent, was removed by the Warden when he had Captain Hadley shoot him while he tried to escape. This was a false claim but no-one could prove it. In the end the warden is caught out when Andy gives all the evidence he collected during the years in jail against the Warden to a newspaper for publication. The warden takes his own life and in a sense it is retribution for all the terrible things he did against the prisoners and the

    Read More

  • Essay On Green Light In The Great Gatsby

    976 Words  | 2 Pages

    Just like many people who venture to America to find business, he saw the corruption around him, but continued to strive for his dreams and truly believed that he could achieve the American Dream of success and achieve his green light. Similarly to Gatsby, my dad has worked his entire life towards the American Dream; he moved to America after college to pursue the success and wealth that many people achieve here, and has worked his entire life to create an ideal situation for my family and to achieve his dreams. In both my dad and Jay Gatsby, this concept of the American Dream and the green light showcases the hope that people like Gatsby see in America, and proves the blind faith that many Americans have in the value of hard work and perseverance, which leads to achieving the coveted American Dream. Jay Gatsby is the perfect representation of America, because although on the outside, he was corrupt and successful, underneath he was still a young man working hard for his dreams and doing everything that he could to reach his green

    Read More

  • The Influence Of The American Dream In Shakespeare's The Kite Runner

    1164 Words  | 3 Pages

    It may be hard to imagine a person dropping everything in his or her life, leaving behind many possessions, friends, and family, only to start again in a new country. Imagine a person coming to America with only the clothes on his or her back and whatever that person could carry. If one can overcome these hardships, like many immigrants to America had to experience, and make a name for his or herself, that is experiencing the American Dream. The American Dream, a stereotypical viewpoint of one being able to move to America with nothing and become successful. This success is achieved through a gradual process of an adoption of the American culture by drowning the past and receiving an education for the future. Amir, from The Kite Runner, is

    Read More

  • Andrew Carnegie and His American Dream

    380 Words  | 1 Pages

    What is the American Dream? There are a myriad of aspects to it, but one general idea: the ideal life. It is making a lot of money, being respected, and triumphing difficult situations. The American Dream has been pursued by many, but only few make it all the way.

    Read More

  • Importance Of The American Dream

    1239 Words  | 3 Pages

    The American Dream is the belief that anybody can achieve anything in life. America is known as the country of opportunity regardless of race, gender or nationality. The land of opportunity and equality rights and liberty. The American Dream is to be successful no matter what social class an individual belongs to. The opportunity for upward mobility through hard work leads to a successful life. Individuals in society often strive to obtain many resources that are important. The structure of the economy is typically related to education, occupation, housing, and health care which are not distributed equally to enable an individual to achieve equal opportunity some will have to go through hardship in order to obtain it. The lack of social mobility makes the

    Read More

  • american dream

    2504 Words  | 6 Pages

    For over 100 years people have immigrated to America in hopes of achieving the American Dream. Ideas behind the American Dream date back to the Declaration of Independence which states, ‘all men are created equal’ and that they are ‘endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable Rights’ such as ‘Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness’. Of course, the definition of the American Dream and what it means in today’s society has changed over the years, and can also be defined different ways by different people, but a standard definition would historically include a person being successful and making a decent life for themselves and their family through hard work and dedication. The idea of the American Dream is incredible, and has received the attention of many. People all over the world have dreamt of moving to the United States and starting a new, free life for themselves, but is the American Dream even attainable? In today’s society the American Dream appears to base its idea of success off of material items like money and expensive possessions, so how can someone fully achieve the American Dream when there is always something new to buy? When does the American Dream become the American Nightmare? In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby (1926), Jay Gatsby is the perfect example of someone desperately aspiring to achieve the American Dream, but in the midst of his endeavors, takes his eye off the prize and loses himself in the materialistic world that surrounds him. Another character that struggles in his quest to attain the American Dream is Willy Loman in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman (1949). Willy dedicated his entire life to becoming a successful salesman, but focuses too much on popularity and achieving material c...

    Read More

  • The Obstacles Of The American Dream

    780 Words  | 2 Pages

    The American Dream is an idea that anyone can live in the United States through hard work and live happy successful lives. There are many obstacles that would stand in the way from achieving the American Dream. Fear, money and education/training, families changing in size, disability, race and gender, are some of the hurdles that many Americans face as they try to achieve the typical American Dream.

    Read More

  • The Illusion of the American Dream

    718 Words  | 2 Pages

    The American dream is the idea held by many in the United States of America that through hard work, courage and determination one can achieve prosperity.

    Read More

  • Importance Of The American Dream In Tennessee Williams A Streetcar Named Desire

    1120 Words  | 3 Pages

    The basic element of the American Dream is the freedom of the possibility to obtain whatever you dream of. These dreams are usually of a materialistic nature; the dream to own property and to be financially secure. They also can refer to the freedom of education and expression without censorship. To achieve this dream, it is believed that you must work hard and remain modest and consistent.

    Read More

  • The American Dream

    673 Words  | 2 Pages

    "The American Dream" is that dream of a nation in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with options for each according to capacity or accomplishments. It is a dream of social stability in which each man and each woman shall be able to achieve to the fullest distinction of which they are essentially competent, and be distinguish by others for what they are, despite of the incidental conditions of birth or stance. The American Dream is often something that humanity wonders about. What is the American dream? Many people discover success in a range of things. There are many different definitions of the American Dream. However, the American Dream embraces prosperity, personal safety, and personal liberty. The American dream is a continually fluctuating set of ideals, reflecting the ideas of an era.

    Read More

  • The American Dream Expressed Through The Pursuit of Happiness

    920 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the Oxford Dictionary, the American Dream is defined as the traditional social ideals of the United States of America: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. People have the right of life and liberty, but happiness is not a right. Happiness can only be given by the amount of effort a person gives. People who have determination to devote their Life and exercise their Liberty to the accomplishment of discovering their talent and use what they like doing to achieve a goal. The film, Pursuit of Happiness, shows the American Dream being achieved by the main character, Chris Gardner, by working hard and using his talents. Chris Gardner in The Pursuit of Happyness goes through overcoming obstacles which shows that the American Dream is possible through faith, perseverance, and a focus on family values.

    Read More

More about The Importance Of Freedom In The Film Shawshank Redemption

Open Document