《肖申克的救赎》电影感悟

学院：数理 班级：11调查 姓名：张永安 学号：20110401117

《肖申克的救赎》毫无疑问是一部好片子，没有动作,没有特技,甚至没有美人，却依然能深深打动观众,并且历经十几年而魅力不减。它靠什么吸引我们？

有人说是因为它反映出了“人性之韧”。确实，用一把小榔头，近20年的时间，在人身控制极为严格的法西斯式监狱，挖出了一条逃生的小隧道（或许叫敲凿出了一条小隧道更合适，那个榔头实在太小了）。这难道不是体现了人的韧劲吗？

不过我觉得这个情节明显是戏剧化的，这只是导演在情节安排上的需要，这样的结尾只是为了反映安迪的“自我救赎”最终成功了，否则整个情节和主题难以为继。所以有人认为，《肖申克的救赎》反映的其实是“希望”对于人是多么宝贵。是的，片中直接讲到希望的地方就有很多。比如安迪在逃狱后给瑞德的信中所说的：“Remember， Hope is a good thing， maybe the best of things and no good thing ever dies。” 或许这正是作品和导演想告诉我们的。“Fear can hold you prisoner， Hope can set you free。”这句话已成名言。

对我来说，《肖申克的救赎》打动我的地方不仅于此。

先说说我对影片中人物的看法。一个鲨堡监狱，里面的囚犯和官员，似乎是我们这个社会的众生相。

典狱长诺顿高高在上，平时道貌岸然，对圣经倒背如流，实际上攫取利益时不择手段，残酷、阴险而贪婪。狱警长海利和其他警员，凶狠残暴，充当诺顿的打手，草菅囚犯的人命。他们是不是象极了我们现实中的掌权阶层？我称之为鲨堡这个“小社会”的统治者。

囚犯中也有不同。除了主人公安迪之外，瑞德（Morgan·Freeman）当然是关键人物，我认为他是整部影片的线索：其实，整部电影中对白不多，影片很多想展现的东西都是通过瑞德的独白说出来的，其中多半都是瑞德对鲨堡生活的反思总结和他对安迪的解读。

瑞德是一个睿智的人，他在鲨堡混得非常好，犯人们的需求“没有他搞不到的”。他的智慧也洞悉了鲨堡生活的本质，他对安迪说：“在鲨堡，希望是一个危险的东西”，这是智者之言。放在我所处的环境中，人们一定会说“瑞德同志非常成熟老练”云云。但是，和现实中的那些所谓“智者”一样，尽管瑞德看清看透了鲨堡的本质，但他没想过去抗争，更不用说是影响和改变别人，他只是顺应鲨堡的规则以求自保。直到安迪出现，改变了他，并最终引导他走向了自由彼岸。

汤米，影片主要人物中最晚到鲨堡的，他和安迪一样，对生活充满希望，并在安迪的帮助下为之努力，可是他年轻幼稚不懂自保，结果在即将获得成功的时候，因为知道了安迪被冤的真相而被诺顿和海利谋杀。

博格斯三姐妹，瑞德说他们是“禽兽”，是鲨堡这样一个环境中“培养”出来的鸡奸狂，我们可怜的主人公安迪数次惨遭其毒手。博格斯他们虽然不是鲨堡统治者的一分子，但他们是统治者威胁其他囚犯的工具。在汤米被诺顿和海利谋杀之后，安迪拒绝为诺顿洗黑钱，诺顿就曾以此威胁。但博格斯最终也是因为欺负安迪，影响了诺顿和海利们的贪污而被打成废人。

当然还有图书管理员布鲁克斯，这是最让我震撼的一个角色。老布的一生，深刻反映了“体制化”下人的一生。在鲨堡度过了大半辈子，终于被假释，获得

了自由，可一旦离开了熟悉的环境、熟悉的人，他感觉不到自己的价值，找不到自己的位置，他有了身体的自由，但其实他的灵魂早已被鲨堡扼杀，属于他自我的世界已经被压缩到了最小。最终他只能选择从这个已经完全不属于自己的世界消失。为什么要安排老布这样一个人物呢？我觉得导演是想告诉我们，如果没有安迪出现，老布就是瑞德和其他绝大多数囚犯们的未来。他是不是也象我们现实生活中许许多多人的未来呢？

而安迪，我们的主人公，他是一个真正的人。他救赎的不仅是自己，他也尽一切努力拯救囚犯们的灵魂。实际上整部影片关于他挖隧道逃生的情节是惜墨如金，以至于安迪逃走那一幕让我感觉相当突兀，这说明神乎其神的逃狱并不是影片的主题。而且瑞德告诉了我们，安迪在挖好地道之后并没有立刻逃走，他最终离开是因为汤米的死让他看清了诺顿们的残忍无情，看清了自己并没有能力救赎其他的囚犯。也就是说，尽管安迪已经做好了逃狱的准备，他也没有马上逃走，虽然他有拥抱自由的极切渴望——在他逃出鲨堡之后站在小河里拥抱风雨的那个俯视镜头相信观者都会印象深刻——但他仍然留在鲨堡帮助那些“无希望的人”。影片主要就是在这方面进行描写，我想这也是影片叫《肖申克的救赎》而不是《安迪·杜佛瑞的救赎》的原因。

安迪利用自己的特长为诺顿们洗钱，为囚徒们争取着不多的权益和精神空间，比如当安迪头一次利用理财特长为海利做事时，所要求的只是让海利请难友们喝酒，他自己不喝，微笑着看着瑞德和赫伍他们喝，别人都不懂安迪为什么这样做，瑞德明白，因为那一刻安迪让他自己和别人都享受到了自由的感觉。

再比如建设监狱图书馆、教汤米识字和帮助他考试等等。而我印象最深刻的，是他利用监狱广播为众人播放《费加罗的婚礼》那一幕，那个情节非常恰当地体现出，安迪的救赎确实对鲨堡众囚颇有意义，而安迪也是一个真正的救赎者。特别是，当诺顿和海利们站在门外向安迪发出警告的时候，安迪却面带微笑地把留声机的音量调到了最高——可怕的惩罚就在门外，但是安迪没有退缩。这是真正的勇者！一个伟大的人！以至于我有这种感觉，安迪来到鲨堡压根就不是作为囚犯去的，而是作为救赎者去的。

写到这，可以回答以下问题了：《肖申克的救赎》到底是什么如此打动我？又为什么如此打动我？

首先，是体制化对人性的摧残。片中多处对此有篇幅或长或短的提示。长的如老布这个角色，短的如瑞德的只言片语，他在假释后，不用向谁报告请示就能WC了，但他甚至因此而不习惯，“一滴尿都挤不出来”。再有象其他犯人，对于安迪所做的事，比如让海利甘心请犯人喝啤酒，放歌剧给犯人听，甚至每一个和狱方对话的情景，都是其他犯人津津乐道的谈资，他们觉得安迪的所作所为真是难以想像的。这样的情节，让人想起了鲁迅先生的作品。

其次，我认为这部电影主要就是在回答“面对体制化应该怎么办？”这个问题，而作者把所有我认为正确的答案集中在了安迪身上。有四点：

首先，对人生要保有希望，永远不弃。前面说到了，安迪在逃狱后给瑞德的信中说：“Remember， Hope is a good thing， maybe the best of things and no good thing ever dies。”还有一个情节我也觉得说明了这一点，再进鲨堡的前几年，安迪遭到莫格斯三姐妹的十几次毒打和轮奸，但是在这样的黑暗生活下安迪并没有沉沦，他能做到，唯一的解释就是，安迪心中获得救赎向往自由的信念在不断的给予着他希望。（连理想和希望都没有的人，只是一堆行尸走肉，不管他富可敌国还是贫无立锥。）

其次，要有足够的勇气。安迪首次面对海利时；面对莫格斯们的侮辱时；特别是为犯人们播放歌剧时，做这些事中的每一件都面对着生死考验，但他毫无惧色，没有勇气怎能做到！（有理想而无勇气，那这理想几乎等同于无。）

第三，要有坚持行动的毅力。用一把可以藏在书中的小榔头，用近20年时间凿出一个逃向自由的隧道，没有毅力是绝对不行的。此外，坚持六年如一日的写信给州议会争取拔款，为犯人们建图书馆也是片中着墨较多的反映这一点的情节。（没有毅力和恒心的人，最高的成就只能是梦想家。）

第四，就是要有行动的智慧。这一点不必多说，相信看完全片，你会在心里赞一声安迪的才华和智慧。他的计划宏大而完美，安迪之所以能完成救赎并处罚诺顿与海利们，靠的正是他的智慧。

相信，《肖申克的救赎》，带给我们的不仅仅是震撼，还是对灵魂的洗礼。

第二篇：电影《肖申克的救赎》英文台词 打印版

The Shawshank Redemption

your wife the night she was murdered. Mr Dufresne, describe the confrontation you It was very bitter.

had with sneaking around. She said she was glad

I knew, that she hated And she said that she wanted a divorce in Reno.

all the one. - What was your response? - I told her I would not grant

"I'll see you in hell before I see you in Reno."

according to the testimony of your neighbors. Those were the words you used, Mr

If they say so. Dufresne, I really don't remember. I was upset.

What happened after you argued with your wife?

She packed a bag... She packed a bag to go and stay with Mr Quentin.

Club whom you had discovered was your wife's lover. Glenn Quentin, golf pro at the Snowden Hills Country Did you follow her? I went to a few bars first.

weren't home. Later, I drove to his house

to confront them. They I parked in the turnout and waited.

With what intention? I'm not sure. I was confused drunk. I think mostly I wanted to scare them.

murdered them. When they arrived, you went up to

the No.I was sobering up.

house and I got back in the car and I drove home to sleep it off.

Royal River. Along the way, I stopped and threw my gun into the I feel I've been very clear on this point.

up the following morning and finds your wife in bed with her Well where I get hazy where the cleaning woman shows lover riddled with point 38-caliber bullets. Dufresne, Does Yes, it does. that or is it just me? strike you as

a fantastic coincidence, Mr before the murders took place. Yet you still maintain you threw your gun into the river That's very convenient.

It's the truth.

gun was found The police dragged that river for three days, and nary a

gun the victims. and So there is no comparison could be made between your the bullets taken from the bloodstained corpses of And that also is very convenient. Isn't it, Mr Dufresne?

Since I am innocent of this crime never found. So I find it decidedly inconvenient

that the gun was You know all the facts. Ladies and

gentlemen, you've heard all have footprints. Tire tracks. We have the accused

the evidence. at the scene of the crime. We Bullets scattered on the ground bearing his fingerprints.

A broken bourbon bottle, likewise with fingerprints. And most of all

dead in each other's arms. We have a beautiful young woman and her lover lying They had sinned. But was their crime so great

as to merit a death sentence? While you think about that... think about this A revolver holds six bullets, not eight.

passion. I submit that this

That at least could be understood, if not condoned.

was not a hot-blooded crime of No. nature. This was revenge of a much more brutal, cold-blooded

Consider this Four bullets per victim.

Not six shots fired, but eight.

stopped to reload That means that he fired the

gun empty and then so that he could shoot each of them again.

An extra bullet per lover right in the head.

Mr Dufresne. You strike me as a particularly icy and remorseless man, It chills my blood just to look at you.

By the power vested in me by the state of Maine

back-to-back I hereby order you to serve two life sentences

one for each of your victims. So be it!

Sit. sentence? We see

by your file you've served years of a - Yes, sir. - You feel you've been rehabilitated?

life Oh yes sir. Absolutely, sir. I mean, I learned my lesson. I can honestly say that I'm a changed man.

I'm no longer a danger to society. That's God's honest truth. Hey, Red. How'd it go? Same old shit, different day.

Yeah, I know how you feel. I'm up for rejection next week. Yeah, I got rejected last week. It happens. Hey, Red, bump me a deck.

already. Get out of my face, man! You're into me for five packs Four! Five!

There must be a con like me in every prison in America.

I'm the guy who can get it for you. Cigarettes, a bag of reefer, if that's your thing

graduation. a bottle of brandy to celebrate your kid's high

school Damn near anything within reason.

Yes, sir! I'm a regular Sears and Roebuck.

So when Andy Dufresne came to me in for him and asked me to smuggle Rita Hayworth into the prison

I told him, "No problem."

Andy came to Shawshank Prison

banging. in early for murdering his wife and the

fella she was Portland bank. On the

outside, he've been vice president of a large Good work for a man as young as he was

Hey, Red You speak English, butt-steak?

You follow this officer.

all my life. I never seen such a sorry-Iooking heap of maggot shit in Hey, fish! Come over here!

Tak'in bets today, Red? Smokes or coin? Bettor's choice.

Smokes. Put me down for two. All right, who's your horse? That little sack of shit. Eighth. - Eighth from the front He'll be first. - Oh bullshit! I'll take that action. - yeth, me too. You're out some smokes, son. Let me tell you.

Oh Heywood, If you're so smart, you call it. I'll take that chubby fat-ass there.

deck. The fifth one from the front. Put me down for a quarter Fresh fish today!

We're reeling them in!

on him. I admit I didn't think much of Andy first time I laid eyes Looked like a stiff breeze would blow him over.

That was my first impression of the man. What do you say? Red

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That tall drink of water with the silver spoon up his ass. That guy? Never happen. -

All right, Who's gonna prove me wrong? cigarettes. - That's a rich bet.

Heywood? Jigger? Skeets? Floyd! Four brave souls.

Return to your cellblocks for evening count.

All prisoners, return to your cellblocks. Turn the right! Eyes front. This is Mr Hadley. He's the captain of the guards.

I'm Mr Norton, the warden. You are convicted felons. That's why they've sent you to me.

Rule number one No blasphemy. I'll not have the Lord's name taken in vain in my prison.

The other rules... you'll figure out as you go along. Any questions?

When do we eat? You eat when we say you eat!

say you piss. You shit when we say you shit, and you piss when we

You got that, you maggot-dick motherfucker?

On your feet. I believe in two things

Discipline and the Bible. Here, you'll receive both. Put your trust in the Lord. Your ass belongs to me. Welcome to Shawshank. Unhook them. Turn around. That's enough. Move to the end of the cage.

Turn around. Delouse him. Turn around. Move out of the cage. Pick up your clothes and Bible.

Next man up! To the right. Right. Right. Right.

Left. The first night's the toughest. No doubt about it.

They march you in naked as the day you were born...

they put on you, skin burning and when they put you in that cell

and half-blind from that delousing shit and those bars slam home that's when you know it's for real.

Old life blown away in the blink of an eye.

it.

Nothing left but all the time in the world to think about

Most new fish come close to madness the first night. Somebody always breaks down crying. Happens every time. The only question is... who is gonna be? It is as good a thing to bet on as any, I guess.

I had my money on Andy Dufresne. Lights out! I remember my first night.

Seems like a long time ago. Hey, fish. Fish! Fish! Fish! Fish!

What are you, scared of the dark?

Bet you wish your daddy never dicked your mama!

Piggy! Pork! I want me a pork chop. The boys always go fishing with first-timers.

And they don't quit till they reel someone in. Hey, Fat Ass. Fat Ass! Talk to me, boy.

I know you're there. I can hear you breathing.

Don't you listen to these nitwits, you hear me? This place ain't so bad. Tell you what...

I'll introduce you around, make you feel right at home. I know a couple of big old bull queers that'd just Iove to make your acquaintance. Especially that big, white, mushy butt of yours.

God! I don't belong here!

- We have a winner! - I want to go home!

And it's Fat Ass by a nose! Fresh fish! I want to go home!

I want my mother! I had your mother! She wasn't that great!

What the Christ is this happy or shit? He took the Lord's name in vain! I'll tell the warden.

You'll tell him with my baton up your ass! Let me out of here! spunk? What is your malfunction,

you fat barrel of monkey Please! I ain't supposed to be here.

Not me! one. I ain't gonna count to three. and Not even to count the

You'll shut up fuck up or I'll sing you a lullaby!

Man. Shut up You don't understand. I'm not supposed to be here.

Open that cell. Me neither! They run this place like a fucking prison!

Son of a bitch! Captain, take it easy!

night If I hear so much as a mouse fart in here the rest of the

infirmary. I swear by God and Sonny Jesus, you will all visit the

Every last motherfucker in here.

infirmary. Call the trustees. Take that tub

of shit down to the packs of cigarettes. His first night in the joint, and

He never made a sound.

Dufresne cost me two Tier Tier Tier north, clear count! north, clear count. Prepare to roll out. south, clear. Roll out! Are you going to eat that?

I hadn't planned on it. Do you mind? That's nice and ripe.

Jake says thank you. Fell out of his nest over by the plate shop.

I'm going to look after him until he's big enough to fly.

Oh, no no, Here he comes. Morning, fellas. Fine morning, isn't it?

You know why it's a fine morning, don't you?

up in a row Come on, send them down. I wanna see them all lined

just like a pretty little chorus line.

yeth, Look at that. - I can't stand this guy. - Oh, Lord!

Yes! Richmond, Virginia. Smell my ass! After he smells mine.

coming in last and all. Gee Red. That's a terrible shame about your know. But I sure do love

horse him. I believe

that winning horse of mine, you

I owe that boy a big sloppy kiss when I see Lucky fuck! Why don't you give him some of your cigarettes instead? Hey, Tyrell.

You pull infirmary duty this week?

How's that horse of mine doing anyway?

Dead. Hadley busted his head pretty good.

Doc had already gone home for the night.

Poor bastard lay there till this morning.

2

By then, there was nothing we could do. What was his name? What'd you say? I was just wondering if anyone knew his name.

What the fuck you care, new fish? Doesn't fucking matter what his name was. He's dead.

Anybody come at you yet? Anybody get to you yet? Hey, we all need friends in here.

I could be a friend of you. Hard to get. I like that. Andy kept pretty much to himself at first.

I guess he had a lot in his mind trying to adapt to life on the inside. his mouth to say more than two words to somebody. Wasn't until a month went by before he finally opened

As it turned out that somebody was me.

I'm Andy Dufresne. Wife-killing banker. Why'd you do it? I didn't, since you ask.

You're fit right in, then. Everybody in here's innocent

Lawyer fucked me. - Heywood! What are you in Didn't you know that? here for? - Didn't do Rumor has it you're a real cold fish.

it. right? You think your shit smells sweeter than

most. Is that What do you think?

I tell you the truth, I haven't made up my mind.

I understand you're a man that knows how to get things.

I'm known to locate certain things from time to time. What? I wonder if you might get me a rock hammer. A rock hammer.

, --> , - What is it and why? - What do you care?

a price. For a toothbrush, I wouldn't ask questions. I'd just quote But a toothbrush is a non-lethal object, isn't it?

Fair enough. A rock hammer is about six or seven inches long.

- Looks like a miniature pickax. - Pickax? - For rocks. - rocks Quartz?

And some mica, shale... , --> , Quartz limestone. So? So I'm a rock hound.

limited bases. At least I was in my old life. I'd like to be again on a skull. Or maybe

you'd like to sink your toy into somebody's No, I have no enemies here.

No? Wait a while. Word gets around. The Sisters have taken quite a liking to you.

Especially Bogs. homosexual. Don't suppose it would

help if I told them Neither are they.

I'm not You have to be human first. They don't qualify.

understand. Bull queers take by force. That's all they want

or If I were you, I'd grow eyes in the back of my head.

- Thanks for the advice. - Well, that's free. You understand my concern. If there's any trouble, I won't use the rock hammer, ok?

maybe. Then I guess you want to escape. Tunnel under the wall, Did I miss something? What's so funny?

You'll understand when you see the rock hammer.

What's an item like this usually go for? Seven dollars in any rock-and-gem shop. My normal markup's But this is a specialty item. percent. Risk goes up, price goes up.

Let's make it an even

bucks. Ten it is.

Waste of money, if you ask me.

Why's that? Folks around this joint love surprise inspections.

They find it, you're going to lose it. If they catch you, you don't know me. Mention my name, we never do business again.

Not for shoelaces or a stick of gum. Now you got that?

I understand. Thank you, Mr... Red. Name's Red.

Why do they call you that?

Maybe it's because I'm Irish. I could see why some of the boys took him for snobby.

He had a quiet way about him a walk and a talk that just wasn't normal around here.

He strolled... world. like a man in the park without a care or a worry in the

from this place. Like he had on an invisible coat that would shield him

I think it would be fair to say

I liked Andy from the start. Let's go! Some of us got a schedule to keep.

Move it! Come on, move it! Red How you doing? How's the wife treating you?

, --> , Andy was right.

I finally got the joke. It would take a man about

to tunnel under the wall with one of these. years

- Book? - Not today. - Book? - No Delivery for Dufresne. , --> , hey, Brooks

Dufresne Thanks. , --> , Dufresne , --> , Here's your book.

up some. We're running low on hexite. Get on back and fetch us This will blinds your eyes

Honey, hush. That's it. You fight!

Better that way. I wish I could tell you Andy fought the good fight

and the Sisters let him be. I wish I could tell you that but prison is no fairy-tale world.

He never said who did it. But we all knew. Things went on like that for a while.

Prison life consists of routine and then more routine. Every so often, Andy would show up with fresh bruises.

The Sisters kept at him. Sometimes he was able to fight them off.

Sometimes not. And that's how it went for Andy.

That was his routine. him. I do believe those first

two years were the worst for And I also believe that if things had gone on that way

this place would have got the best of him. But then, in the spring of the powers that be decided The roof of the license-plate factory needs resurfacing.

I need a dozen volunteers for a week's work. As you know special detail carries with it special privileges.

It was outdoor detail outdoors. and May is one damned

fine month to be working Stay in line there.

More than a hundred men volunteered for the job.

Wallace E. Unger. Ellis Redding. Wouldn't you know it?

Me and some fellows I

know were among the names

3

called. Andrew Dufresne.

It only cost us a pack of smokes per man.

I made my usual Texas. So this percent, of course.

I say, "Yeah?"

big-shot lawyer calls me long-distance from died." He

says, "Sorry

to inform you, but your brother just was an asshole. - Oh, damn, Byron, I'm sorry to hear that. - I'm not. He Ran off years ago. Figured him for dead anyway.

So this lawyer fellow says to me to a million bucks. "Your brother died a rich man." Oil wells ,shit,

close A million bucks?

Jeez-Louise! You gonna see any of that? - Fucking incredible

how lucky some assholes get. Thirty-five thousand. That's what he left me.

- Dollars? sweepstakes. Holy shit!

That's great! That's like winning Isn't it?

the with me? Dumb shit, what do you think the government gonna do Take a big wet bite out of my ass is what.

Poor Byron. Terrible fucking luck, huh? Crying shame.

Some people really got it awful. Andy, you nuts? Keep your eyes on your mop man! Andy!

You'll pay some tax, but you'll still end up... then what? Oh Yeah Yeah, maybe

I got to pay tax on the car. Repair...

enough to buy a new car, and

a ride all the time. maintenance, got the kids pestering you to take them for your own pocket. Then if you figure your tax wrong, you get pay out of

I tell you, Uncle Sam!

it's purple... He puts his hand in your shirt and squeezes your tit till - Getting himself killed. - Keep tarring.

Some brother, Shit! Mr Hadley Do you trust your wife?

Oh, that's funny. You look funnier that suckin' my dick with no teeth.

back? What Try to hamstring you? I mean is, do you think she'd go behind your an accident. That's it! Step aside, Mert. This fucker's havin' himself

Oh, he'll push him off the roof...

If you do trust her, there's no reason you can't keep...

....that ,. - What did you say?

- Thirty-five thousand. Thirty-five thousand? - All of it. - All of it? - Every penny.

- You'd better start making sense. If you want to keep that money, give it to your wife.

up to $ ,. The IRS allows a one-time-only gift to your spouse for - Bullshit. Tax-free? - Tax-free.

IRS can't touch one cent. You're the smart banker what kill his wife or shit.

can end up in here with you? Why should I believe a smart

banker like you? So I thing. It's perfectly legal. Go ask the IRS. They'll say the same have Actually

I feel stupid telling you this. I'm banker Yeah investigated the matter yourself. sure you'd to tell me where the bear shit in the buckwheat. fuck you I don't need you

smart wife-killin

tax free to give you. Of course not. But you do need someone to set up the

That'll cost you. A lawyer for example. A bunch of ball-washing bastards!

some money. I suppose I could set it up for you. That would save you You get the forms, I'll prepare them for you

nearly free of charge. co-wrkers. I'd only ask three beers

a piece for each Co-workers. get him that's rich, Gee

of my A man working outdoors feels more like a man...

if he can have a bottle of suds. That's only my opinion

Sir What are you jimmies staring at? Back to work!

Let's go! Work! And that's how it came to pass

that on the second-to-last day of the job

spring of the convict crew that tarred the plate factory roof in the

wound up sitting in a row at

hardest screw drinking icy-cold Black Label in the morning beer courtesy

of the that never walked a turn at Shawshank State Prison.

Drink up while it's cold, ladies. magnanimous. The colossal

prick even

managed to sound like free men. We sat and drank with the sun on our shoulders and felt

houses. We could have been tarring the roof of one of our own We were the lords of all creation.

As for Andy he spent that break hunkered in the shade

a strange little smile on his face watching us drink his beer. Want a cold one, Andy? No, thanks. I gave up drinking.

guards. You could argue he done it to

curry favor with the Or maybe make a few friends among us cons.

Me? I think he did it just to feel normal again

if only for a short while. King me - Chess. Now there's a game of kings. - What?

Civilized. Strategic. And a total fucking mystery. I hate it.

May be let me teach you someday. Sure. I've been thinking of getting a board together.

things, right? You're talking to the right man. I'm the guy

can get pieces myself. We might

do business on a board, and I'll carve the think? One side in

alabaster, one in soapstone. What do you I think it'll take years.

Years I got. What I don't have are the rocks.

Pickings are pretty slim in the yard. Pebbles, mostly. Andy, we're getting to be kind of friends, aren't we?

Yeah, I guess. Can I ask you something?

Why'd you do it? I'm innocent, Red. Just like everybody else here.

What are you in for? Murder. Same as you. Innocent? Only guilty man in Shawshank.

Where's the canary? How did you know? - How did I know what? - So you don't know. Come. This is where the canary is.

Johnny? Quite a surprise to hear a woman singing in my house,

That's quite a

4

surprise Red Wait, wait, wait

Here she comes. I like this part when she does that shit with her hair.

yeah I know. I've seen it three times this month. Gilda, are you decent? Me? God, I love it.

I understand you're a man that knows how to get things.

What do you want? I'm known to locate certain things from time to time. - Rita Hayworth. - What?

Can you get her? So this is Johnny Farrel. I've heard a lot about you.

- Take a few weeks. - Weeks?

of my pants right now, sorry to say. Oh yeah Andy, I don't have her stuffed down the front But I'll get her. Relax.

Thanks. - Take a walk - I got to change the reels!

I said fuck off! Ain't you going to scream?

Let's get this over with. He broke my fucking nose! Now I'm going to open my fly

and you'll swallow what I give you to swallow.

Rooster's.

And when you swallow mine, you goona swallow

You done broke his nose, so he ought to have something to show for it.

Anything you put in my mouth, you gonna lose it. No, you don't understand. ear. You do that I'll put all eight inches of this steeling your

injury All right, but you should know that sudden serious brain

causes the victim to bite down hard.

In fact, I hear the bite reflex is so strong they have to pry the victim's jaws open with a crowbar. Where do you get this shit?

I read it. You know how to read, you ignorant fuck?

Honey! You shouldn't!

Bogs didn't put anything in Andy's mouth.

And neither did his friends. What they did do is beat him within an inch of his life.

Andy spent a month in the infirmary. Bogs spent a week in the hole. Time's up, Bogs. It's your world, boss. Return to your cellblocks for evening count.

All prisoners report for lock down. What? - Where's he going? - Grab his ankles.

Help! Two things never happened again after that.

The Sisters never laid a finger on Andy again. And Bogs would never walk again. upstate. They transferred him to a minimum-security

hospital To my knowledge, he lived out the rest of his days

drinking his food through a straw.

of the infirmary. Andy could use a nice welcome back when he gets out Sounds good to us.

I figure we owe him that much for the beer.

The man likes to play chess. Let's get him some rocks. Guys! I got one. I got one. Look!

either. Heywood,

that isn't

soapstone! And it ain't alabaster

What are you, a fucking geologist? He's right. It ain't. - What the hell is it then? - It's a horse apple.

- Bullshit! - No, horseshit. Petrified. Damn! style. Despite And by the weekend

a

few hitches, the boys came through in fine And by the weekend he was due back

rapture. we had enough rocks saved up to keep

him busy till Also got a big shipment in that week.

Cigarettes... ...chewing gum...

...sipping whisky... ...playing cards with naked ladies on them. You name it.

And of course, the most important item: Rita Hayworth herself. Heads up. They're tossing cells.

Heads up. They're tossing cells! On your feet. Face the wall. Turn around and face the warden.

Pleased to see you reading this. Any favorite passages? "Watch ye, therefore, for you know not

when the master of the house coming." Mark :. I've always liked that one.

But I prefer "I am the light of the world.

Ye that followeth me shall have the light of life."

John, chapter , verse . I hear you're good with numbers.

How nice. Man should have a skill.

Explain this.

rocks. It's called a rock blanket. It's for shaping and polishing A little hobby of mine.

It's pretty clean. over. Some contraband

here, but I can't say I approve of this.

nothing to get in a twist But I suppose... exceptions can be made.

Lock them up! I almost forgot. I'd hate to deprive you of this.

Salvation lies within. Yes, sir. Tossing cells was just an excuse.

Truth is Norton wanted to size Andy up.

My wife made that in church group. Very nice, sir. You enjoy working in the laundry?

No, sir. Not especially. Perhaps we can find something more

befitting a man of your education. Hey, Jake. Where's Brooks? Andy? I thought I heard you out here.

I've been reassigned to you. I know, they told me. Ain't that a kick in the head?

Well, I'll give you the dime tour. Come on. Well, here she is.

The Shawshank Prison Library.

National Geographics Reader's Digest condensed books

and Louis L'Amour. Look magazine. Erle Stanley Gardners.

Every evening I load up the cart and make my rounds.

I enter the names on this clipboard here.

5

Easy, peasy, Japanese.

librarian? - Any questions? - Brooks, How long have you been in I come here in ', and they made me librarian in .

And in all that time have you ever had an assistant? No. Not much to it, really. Why me? Why now? I don't know. change. But it'd be nice

to have some company down here for Dufresne

That's him. That's the one.

I'm Dekins. I was

for my kids' educations. thinking about maybe setting up some kind of trust fund I see. Why don't we have a seat and talk them.

Brooks, Do you have a piece of paper and a pencil?

Thanks. So Mr Dekins

And then Andy says, "Mr Dekins

do you want your sons to go to Harvard or Yale?"

He didn't say that! As God is my witness! Dekins just blinked for a second

Andy's hand. then laughs his ass off. Afterward, he actually shook - My ass! - Shook his hand.

I tell you, I near soiled myself!

on his desk All Andy needed was a suit and tie and a jiggly hula gal he'd have been "Mr Dufresne," if you please.

Make a few friends, Andy? I wouldn't say "friends." planning. I'm a convicted murderer who provides sound financial

It's a wonderful pet to have.

Got you out of the laundry, didn't it?

It might do more than that.

in there? How about expanding the library, Get some new books If you ask for something, ask for a pool table.

How do you expect to do that? I mean get new books in here, "Mr Dufresne, if you please."

Ask the warden for funds. tenure, and I've learned Son, son...six wardens I've

been through here in my one of a immutable, universal truth:

Not one of them born drum yes when you ask for funds. whose asshole wouldn't

pucker up tighter than a snare - The budget's stretched thin as it is.

- I see.

funds directly from them. Perhaps I could write to the State Senate and request taxpayer's hard-earned Perhaps they have

More walls, more bars, more guards. when it come to prisons. only three ways to spend the

week. Still, I'd like to try, with permission. I'll write a letter a - They can't ignore me forever. - Sure can.

But you write your letters if it makes you happy.

I'll even mail them for you. How's that? So Andy started writing a letter a week just like he said. And just like Norton said

Andy got no answers. the guards at Shawshank. The following April, Year after that, he did them all

Andy did tax returns for half including the warden's. intramural season Year after that, they rescheduled

the start of the to coincide with tax season.

bring their W-s. The guards on

the opposing

teams all remembered to

So Moresby Prison issued you a gun, but you actually had to paid for it.

Damn right, the holster too. See that's tax-deductible. You can write that off.

Yes, sir! Andy was a regular cottage industry. In fact, it got so busy at tax time, he was allowed a staff.

Hey, Red! Could you hand me a stack of s? and that was fine by me. Got me out of the wood shop a month out of the year,

And still, kept sending those letters.

Red, Andy It's Brooks. Watch the door. Please, Brooks, just - Calm the fuck down. - goddamn it! Stay back!

- Stay back, goddamn it! - What's hell going on? the knives shit. You tell me, just One second he's fine, now coming

Brooks! We can talk about this, right?

I'm gonna cut his fuckin' throat! Nothing left to talk about! Dman it's

all talked Heywood? Why? What's he done to you?

out! It's a paid time! I got no choice.

even Heywood knows that Brooks, you not gonna hurt Heywood. We all know that, - Right, Heywood? - I know that sure.

of yours, and Brooks is a reasonable man. You know you not gonna hurt him because He's a friend

Right, guys? So put the knife down. Brooks, just look at me.

Put the knife down. Brooks Look at his neck, for God's sake.

Brooks, look at his neck. He's bleeding.

It's the only way It's the only way they'd let me stay.

Come on, this is crazy. You don't wanna do this.

Come on, put it down. Hey, come on Take it easy. You'll be all right.

Him? What about me? Crazy old fool guy damn near cut my throat!

Oh, shit, Heywood. What the hell did you do to set him off anyway? You've had worse from shaving.

I do nothing. I come in here to say fare-thee-well. Ain't you heard? His parole's come through. all. I just don't understand

Old man's crazy as a rat in a tin shithouse is what.

what happened in there, that's Oh, Heywood, That's enough out of you. - Heard he had you shitting your pants. - Fuck you.

Aren't you knock it off? Brooks set no bug. He's just institutionalized.

"Institutionalized," my ass. The man's been in here This is he only knows. years, Heywood,

years! In here, he's an important man

an educated man. Outside, he's nothing. Just a used-up con with arthritis in both hands.

Probably couldn't get a library card if he tried. You know what I'm trying to say? Red, I do believe you're talking out of your ass.

You believe whatever you want, Floyd But I tell you these walls are funny. First you hate them. Then you get used to them.

Enough time passes... you get so you depend on them.

That sense "institutionalized." Shit. - I could never be like that. - Oh, yeah?

Sit till you've been here as long as Brooks. Goddamn right. They send you here for life

6

that's exactly what they take. Part that counts, anyway. I can't take care of you no more, Jake.

You go on now. You're free. You're free. Good luck, Brooksie.

Dear fellas: I can't believe how fast things move on the outside.

Watch it, old-timer! Want to get killed? I saw an automobile once when I was a kid but

now they're everywhere. The world went and got itself in a big damn hurry.

The parole board got me into this halfway house called "The Brewer" and a job bagging groceries at the Food-Way.

It's hard work and I try to keep up but my hands hurt most of the time. Make sure your man double-bags. came out. Last time, he didn't double-bags and

the bottom Understand? Make

near sure you double-bag like the lady says. Yes, sir. Surely will.

I don't think the store manager likes me very much.

birds. Sometimes I keep thinking

after work, I go to the park and feed the Jake might just show up and say hello.

But he never does.

friends. I hope, wherever he is, he's doing okay and making new I have trouble sleeping at night.

I have bad dreams like I'm falling. I wake up scared. Sometimes it takes me a while to remember where I am.

they'd send me home. Maybe I should get me a gun and rob the Food-Way so

a bonus. I could shoot the manager while I was at it. Sort of like I guess I'm too old for that sort of nonsense anymore.

I don't like it here. I'm tired of being afraid all the time. I've decided...

...not to stay. I doubt they'll kick up any fuss...

...not for an old crook like me. like me. "I doubt they'll kick up any fuss,

not for an P.S. Tell Heywood I'm sorry I put a knife to his throat.

old crook No hard feelings. Brooks." He should have died in here. What the fuck have you done? It's a goddamn mess, I'll tell you that.

addressed to you. - What's all this? - You tell me. Fucks,

they're all Take it

"Dear Mr. Dufresne:

In response to your repeating inquiries

library project." the state has allocated the enclosed funds

for your This is $ .

responded "In addition,

the library district has generously with a charitable donation of used books and sundries.

matter closed. We trust this will fill your needs. We now consider the Please stop sending us letters."

I want all this cleared out before the warden gets back

Yes, sir. Good for you, Andy.

Wow! It only took six years.

one. From now on, I'll write

two letters a week instead of stuff out I believe you're crazy enough. Now you'd better get this

like the captain he said.

I've got to pinch a loaf. When I come back this is all gone, all right?

Andy, do you hear that? Dufresne! Andy, let me out!

were singing about. I have no idea to this day what those two Italian ladies

Truth is, I don't want to know.

Some things are best left unsaid. beautiful I like to think they were singing about something

it can't be expressed in words

so and makes your heart ache because of it.

I tell you, those voices soared dream. higher and farther than anybody in a gray place dares to

little cage It was

and made those walls dissolve away. like

some beautiful bird flapped into our drab And for the briefest of moments every last man at Shawshank felt free.

It pissed the warden off something awful. Open the door. Open it up! Dufresne, open this door!

Turn that off! I am warning you. Dufresne. Turn that off!

Dufresne You're mine now.

Andy got two weeks in the hole for that little stunt.

On your feet. - Hey, look who's this. - Maestro!

Williams? You couldn't play something good,

huh? Like Hank They broke the door down before I could take requests.

- Was it worth two weeks? - Easiest time I ever did. hole is like a year. - No such thing as easy time in the hole. - A week in the

company. - Damn straight. - I had Mr Mozart to keep me So they let you tote that record player down there, huh?

It's in here. In here. That's the beauty of music. They

can't get that from you. Haven't you ever felt that way about music?

Well, I played a mean harmonica as a younger man.

Lost interest in it at all. Didn't make much sense in here.

Here's where it makes the most sense.

You need it so you don't forget. Forget? Forget that there are...

...places... ...in the world that aren't made out of stone.

There's something... ...inside... ...that they can't get to...

...that they can't touch. That's yours. What are you talking about?

Hope. Hope. Let me tell you something, my friend.

Hope is a dangerous thing. Hope can drive a man insane. It's got no use on the inside. You'd better get used to that idea.

Like Brooks did? Sit down. Says here that you've served

You feel you've been rehabilitated? years of a life sentence. Oh, yes, sir. Without a doubt. I can honestly say I'm a changed man.

No danger to society here. God's honest truth.

7

Absolutely rehabilitated. Thirty years. Jesus, when you say it like that...

You wonder where it went. I wonder where Here. years went. A little parole rejection present.

Go ahead and open it. Had to go through one of your competitors.

I hope you don't mind. I wanted it to be a surprise.

It's very pretty. Thank you. You gonna play it?

No. Not right now.

Roll in! "A new girl for your

Andy was as good as his word. Lights out!

years Anniversary" Red He wrote two letters a week instead of one.

In , the state senate finally clued in to the fact they couldn't buy him off with just a $ $ Appropriations Committee voted an annual payment of

check.

just to shut him up. And you'd be amazed how far Andy could stretch it. He made deals with book clubs, charity groups. He bought remaindered books by the pound Treasure Island. Robert Louis Stevenson. Fiction, adventure. What's next? I got here Auto Repair and Soap Carving. Stack right behind you. Trade skills and hobbies, those go Under "Educational," The Count of Monte Crisco. (from France) That's "Cristo," you dumb shit. By Alexandree Dumass. Dumb ass. Dumb ass? Dumas, you Know that's about? You'd like it. It's about a prison break. we? We ought to file that under "Educational" too, oughtn't we could. The rest of us did our best to pitch in when and where By the year Kennedy was shot turds and turpentin Andy had transformed a storage room smelling of rat into the best prison library in New England complete with a fine selection of Hank Williams. That was also the year Warden Norton instituted his famous "Inside Out" program. You may remember reading about it. magazine. It made It's no free ride all the papers and got his picture in Look but rather a genuine progressive advance in corrections and rehabilitation. Our inmates, properly supervised will be put to work outside these walls performing all manner of public service. These men can learn the value of while providing a valuable service to the community an honest day's labor John Q. Taxpayer. and at a bare minimum of expense to Mr. And Mrs. Of course Norton failed to mention to the press that "bare minimum of expense" is a fairly loose term. There are Men, materials, you name it. different ways to skim off the top. And oh, my Lord, how the money rolled in! This keeps up, you gonna put me out of business. contractor in town. With this pool of slave labor, you gonna underbid We're providing a valuable community service here. any

That's fine for the papers, but I've got a family to feed. Sam, we go back a long way. under. That's a fact. I need this highway contract.

I don't get it and I go Now you taste some of this fine pie

that. my missus baked specially for you, and you think about I wouldn't worry too much about this contract.

elsewhere. Seems to me I've already got my boys committed

You be sure and thank Maisie for this fine pie.

And behind every shady deal behind every dollar earned there was Andy, keeping the books

Two deposits.

always, sir. Maine National and New England First. Night drops as a bag of whatnot. Get my stuff to the laundry. Two suits for dry-clean and

gonna hear about it from me. Tell them if they

over-starch my shirts again, they How do I look? - Very nice. - Big charity to-do up Portland way.

Governor gonna be there.

You want the rest of this? Woman can't bake worth shit.

Thank you, sir. What you hear isn't half of it. - He's got his fingers in a lot of pies, from what I hear. - his kickbacks. He's got scams you haven't dreamed of. Kickbacks on place. There's a river of dirty money running through this or later you're gotta have to Can be a problem having all that money. That's where I come in. explain where it came from. Cause sooner I channel it. Filter it. Funnel it. Stocks, securities, tax-free municipals.

comes back... I send the money out into the real world, and - Clean as a virgin's honeypot, huh? - Cleaner. when it millionaire. By the time Norton retires, I'll have made him a wearing a number himself. Jesus. If they ever catch Oh, Red, I thought you had more faith in me than that. on him, he gonna wind up I know you're good, but all that paper leaves a trail. Now anybody gets curious, FBI, IRS... ...whatever.

It'll lead to somebody.

Sure it is, but not to me, and certainly not to the warden. All right, who? Randall Stevens.

Who? The "silent" silent partner. He's the guilty one, the man with the bank accounts. It's where the filtering process starts. They trace anything, just only lead to him. But who is he? the Rabbit. He's a phantom, an apparition. Second cousin to Harvey

I conjured him out of thin air. He doesn't exist, except on paper. You can't just make a person up. where the cracks are. Sure you can, if you know how the system It's amazing what you can accomplish by mail. works and Mr. Stevens has a birth certificate driver's license, Social Security number

You're shitting me. If they trace any accounts, they gonna wind up chasing a figment of my imagination. Well, I'll be damned! Did I say you were good? Shit, you are Rembrandt. The funny thing is on the outside, I was

an honest man, straight as an

8

arrow. I had to come to prison to be a crook.

Ever bother you? I don't run the scams. I just process the profits.

A fine line, maybe but I also built that library

and used it to help guys get their high school diploma.

Why do you think he lets me do all that? To keep you happy and doing the laundry. Money instead of sheets. Well, I work cheap. That's the tradeoff.

Tommy Williams came to Shawshank in on a two-year stretch for B and E. That's Breaking and Entering to you.

a JC Penney. Cops caught him sneaking TV sets out the back door of Young punk.

Mr Rock 'n' Roll cocky as hell. Come on, old boys. Moving like molasses!

Making me look bad. We liked him immediately.

like this. So I'm backing out the door, all right? and I got the TV

voice. A big old thing. I couldn't see shit. Suddenly, here's this

"Freeze, kid, hands in the air."

voice says: I was standing there, holding onto that TV. Finally the "You hear what I said, boy?" I say, "Yes, sir. I sure did.

destruction of property too." But if I drop this fucking You done some stretch in Cashman, right?

thing, you get me on Yeah, that was an easy piece of time, let me tell you.

Weekend furloughs. Work programs. Not like here. Sounds like you done time all over New England.

I've been in and out since I was . Name it, chances are I've been there. Perhaps It's the time you tried a new profession.

What I mean is should try something else. you don't seem to

be Yeah, what the hell you know about it, Capone?

a very good thief. Maybe You What are you in for? Me? A lawyer fucked me.

Everybody's innocent in here. Don't you know that?

new baby girl. As it turned out, Tommy had himself a young wife and a Maybe it was the thought of them on the streets

or his child growing up not knowing her daddy. Whatever it was something lit a fire under that boy's ass.

equivalency. Thinking maybe I should try for my

high Hear you helped a couple of fellas with that.

school I don't waste time with losers, Tommy. I ain't no goddamn loser. - You mean that? - Yeah. You really mean that? Yes, sir, I do. Good. Because if we do this

half-assed. we do it all the way, a hundred

Thing is, see

percent, nothing I don't read so good.

"Well." You don't read

so well. We'll get to that.

So Andy took Tommy under his wing.

Started walking him through his ABC's. Tommy took to it pretty well too. Boy found brains he never knew he had.

requirements. Before long, Andy started him on

He really liked the kid.

his course

heap. Gave him a thrill to help a youngster crawl off the shit But that wasn't the only reason.

Prison time is slow time. So you do what you can to keep going.

Some fellas collect stamps. Others build matchstick houses. Andy built a library. Now he needed a new project.

Tommy was it. polishing those rocks. It was the same

reason The same reason he hung his fantasy girlies on the wall.

he spent years shaping and In prison a man will do most anything to keep his mind occupied.

take his exams By , right about the time Tommy was getting ready to it was lovely Raquel.

Time. Well? Well, it's for shit.

I wasted a fucking year of my time with this bullshit.

It's probably not that bad you think. been in Chinese. It's wrost. I didn't get a thing right. It might as well have

Let's see how the score comes out.

I'll tell you how the goddamn score comes out.

Two points, right there! There's your goddamn score!

Goddamn cats crawling up trees,

Fuck this place! Fuck it! times is I feel bad. I let him down.

That's crap, kid. He's proud of you. anybody. We're old friends long

time I know him as Smart fellow, ain't he?

good as Smart as they come. He was a banker on the outside.

What's he in here for anyway? Murder. The hell, you say.

You wouldn't think it to look at the guy.

them both. Caught his wife in bed with some golf

pro. Greased What?

stretch. Bout four

years ago, I was in Thomaston on a to Stole a car

It was a dumb-fuck thing to do.

About six months left to go I get a new cellmate in. Elmo Blatch. Big, twitchy fucker.

I'm saying? Kind of roomie you pray you don't get. You know what

Six-to-twelve, armed burglary.

Said he pulled hundreds of jobs.

fart, he jumped three feet in there Hard to believe, high-strung as he was. You cut a loud

shut up. Talked all the time too. That's the other thing. He never Places he'd been in

jobs he'd pulled, women he fucked.

Even people he killed. People who "gave him shit."

That's how he put it. So one night, like a joke...

I say to him, "Elmo, who did you kill?"

So he says: club... I got so I could case all these big rich pricks that come in.

me this

job one time, busing tables at a country So I pick out this guy go in one night and do his place. He wakes up

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and gives me shit. So I killed him. Him and this tasty bitch he was with.

And that's the best part. She's fucking this prick, see this golf pro, but she's married to some other guy.

Some hotshot banker. And he's the one they pinned it on.

I have to say that's the most amazing story I ever heard.

What amazes me most is you'd be taken in by it. Sir? It's obvious this fellow Williams is impressed with you.

you up. He He's young, not terribly bright. hears

your tale of all and naturally wants to cheer you in. It's not surprising he wouldn't know what a state he put

Sir, he's telling the truth.

Let's say for the moment this Blatch does exist.

it. I confess. You think he'd just fall to his knees and cry, "Yes, I did By the way, add a life term to my sentence."

testimony, I can get a new trial. You know what does the matter with

Tommy's That's assuming Blatch is even still there.

Chances are, he'd be released by now. They'd have his last known address. Names of relatives

It's a chance, isn't it? How can you be so obtuse?

What? What did you call me?

Obtuse. Is it deliberate? Son, you're forgetting yourself.

The country club will have his old timecards.

Records, W-s with his name on them. If you want to indulge this fantasy, that's your business.

Don't make it mine. This meeting is over. happens here. Sir, If I would ever got out, I'd never mention

what I'd be as indictable as you for laundering that money.

sorry son of a bitch! Don't you ever mention the money to me again, you Not in this office

not anywhere. Get in here, now!

I just trying to rest your mind, that's all.

Solitary. A month. What's the matter with you?

Get him out of here. This is my chance to get out!

It's my life! Don't you Understand?! It's my life! Don't you see that! Get him out! A month in the hole.

That's the longest stretch I ever heard of.

It's all my fault. Bullshit. him. You didn't

pull the trigger you certainly didn't convict Are you saying Andy is innocent?

I mean, for real innocent? I looks that way. Sweet Jesus. How long has he been here now?

. What is that? Nineteen years. - Williams, Thomas. - Yeah, over here.

What you got? Board of Education.

That son of a bitch mailed it.

with thumbing up your butt? Like you did. You gonna open

it or standing there Thumb up my butt sounds better.

Skeets, come on. Give me that, you shithead.

Floyd, come on. Come on, you throw that away, please?

Well, shit. The kid passed. C + average.

Thought you'd like to know. Warden wants to talk. Out here?

That's what the man said. Warden? us. I'm asking

you to keep this conversation just between I feel awkward enough as it is.

We got a situation here. I think you can appreciate that.

Yes, sir. I sure can.

my wind out. I tell you, son, this thing really came along and knocked It's got me up nights. That's the truth.

The right thing to do sometimes it's hard to know

Do you understand? I need your help, son. If I'm going to move on this

there can't be the least little shred of doubt.

I have to know if what you told Dufresne was the truth.

Yes, sir. Absolutely. Would you be willing to swear before a judge and jury

with your hand on the Good Book and take an oath before Almighty God himself?

Just give me that chance. That's what I thought. I'm sure by now you've heard.

Terrible thing. A man that young less than a year to go, trying to escape.

Broke Captain Hadley's heart to shoot him. Truly, it did. We just have to put it behind us.

Move on. I'm done. Everything stops.

Get someone else to run your scams.

Nothing stops. Nothing. Or you will do the hardest time there is.

No more protection from the guards. down with the sodomites. I'll pull you out of that -bunk Hilton

and cast You'll think you've been fucked by a train.

you And the library? Gone Sealed off, brick by brick.

We'll have us a little book barbecue in the yard.

They'll see the flames for miles. We'll dance around it like wild Injuns. You understand me? Catching my drift? Or am I being obtuse? Give him another month to think about it.

My wife used to say I'm a hard man to know. Like a closed book. Complained about it all the time.

She was beautiful. God, I loved her. I didn't know how to show it, that's all.

I killed her, Red. I didn't pull the trigger but I drove her away. That's why she died, because of me

the way I am. That don't make you a murderer.

Bad husband, maybe.

trigger Feel bad about it if you want but you didn't pull No, I didn't.

the Somebody else did.

And I wound up in here. Bad luck, I guess. It floats around. It's got to land on somebody.

It was my turn, that's all. I was in the path of the tornado.

I just didn't expect the storm would last as long as it has.

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Think you'll ever get out of here? Me? Yeah. One day, when I got a long, white beard

and two or three marbles left rolling around upstairs.

I tell you where I'd go. Zihuatanejo. Say what? Zihuatanejo. It's in Mexico. A little place on the Pacific Ocean.

You know what the Mexicans say about the Pacific?

They say it has no memory. That's where I want to live the rest of my life.

A warm place with no memory. Open up a little hotel right on the beach. Buy some worthless old boat

and fix it up new. Take my guests out charter fishing. Zihuatanejo. get things. In a place like that, I could use a man that knows how to

I don't think I could make it on the outside, Andy

I'vd been in here most of my life. I'm an institutional man now. Just like Brooks was You underestimate yourself

I don't think so In here I'm the guy who can get things for you, sure, but

outside all you need is the Yellow Pages just Hell, I wouldn't know where to begin Pacific Ocean? Shit. Scare me to death, something that big.

Not me. I ain't shoot my wife and I ain't shoot her lover.

some Whatever mistakes I That hotel, the boat

made I've paid for them and then I don't think that's too much to ask.

Andy I don't think you ought to be doing

this to yourself, This is just shitty pipe dreams.

I mean Mexico is the way down there and you're in here

and that's the way it is. Yeah, right. That's the way it is.

It's down there and I'm in here. I guess it comes down to a simple choice.

Get busy living or get busy dying. If you ever get out of here, do me a favor.

Sure, Andy. Anything. Buxton is? There's a big hayfield up near Buxton. You know where

- A lot of hayfields up there. - One in particular.

end. It's got a long rock walk with a big oak tree at the north

It's like something out of a Robert Frost poem.

It's where I asked my wife to marry me. We went there for a picnic and made love under that oak and I asked and she said yes. Promise me, Red. If you ever get out find that spot. earthly business in Maine state. At the base of

that wall, there's a rock that has no Piece of black, volcanic glass.

Something's buried under it I want you to have.

What, Andy? What's buried under there?

You'll have to pry it up to see. No, I'm telling you. The guy is

He's talking funny. I'm really worried about him.

Let's keep an eye on him. himself. That's fine during the day,

but at night he's all alone Oh, Lord.

What? Andy come down to the loading dock today.

He asked me for a length of rope. Rope? Six feet long.

And you gave it to him.

Sure. Why wouldn't I? Jesus! Heywood. How could I supposed to know?

Remember Brooks Hatlen? No Andy never do that.

Never. I don't know.

Every man has his breaking point.

Lickety-split. Want to get home. Just about finished, sir. Three deposits tonight. Get my stuff down to the laundry.

And shine my shoes. - I want them looking like mirrors. - Yes, sir.

It's good having you back, Andy Place wasn't the same without you. Lights out! I've had some long nights in stir.

Alone in the dark with nothing but your thoughts

time can draw out like a blade. That was the longest night of my life.

Give me a count! Tier Man missing on tier south, clear!

Dufresne! You gets out of the cell before You hold up the show!

south, ! you! Don't make me come down or I'll thump your skull for

schedule to keep. Damn it, Dufresne, you're putting me behind! I got a You'd better be sick or dead in there. I shit you not!

You hear me? Oh, my Holy God. I want every man on this cellblock questioned.

- Start with that friend of his. - Who? Him! Open . that to me. What do

you mean, "He just wasn't here"? Don't say Don't say that to me again.

But sir, he wasn't. I can see that, Haig! Think I'm blind?

Is that what you're saying? - Am I blind, Haig? - No, sir! What about you. You blind? - Tell me what this is. - Last night's count.

there. You see Dufresne's name there? I sure do. See you right "Dufresne."

He was in his cell

at lights out. Thing's reasonable he'd still be here in the morning.

I want him found. Not tomorrow, not after breakfast. Now!

Yes, sir. Let's go. Move your butts.

Stand. Well? Well, what?

are. I see you two all the time. You're thick as thieves, you

He must have said something.

No, sir, Warden. Not a word. Lord, it's a miracle!

Man vanished like a fart in the wind.

Nothing left

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but some damn rocks on a windowsill. And that cupcake on the wall. Let's ask her. Maybe she knows.

What say there, fuzzy-britches? Do you like talking? Guess not.

Why should she be any different? This is a conspiracy. That's what this is.

One big, damn conspiracy! And everyone's in on it! Including her! In

Andy Dufresne escaped from Shawshank Prison.

All they found of him was a muddy set of prison clothes Byron Hadley?

You have the right to remain silent.

If you give up this right to remain silent,

Anything you say will be held against you the part or lot I wasn't there to see it, but I hear Byron Hadley started sobbing

like a girl when they took him away.

Norton had no intention of going that quietly. Samuel Norton.

We have a warrant for your arrest. Open up. Norton

- Open the door. - I'm not sure which key is. Make it easy on yourself, Norton!

I like to think the last thing that went through his head other than that bullet

a bar of soap and an old rock hammer

damn near worn down to the nub.

through the wall with it. I remember thinking it'd take a man

years to Old Andy did it in less than .

tunnel Oh, Andy loved geology. I imagine it appealed to his meticulous nature.

An ice age here million years of mountain building there.

Geology is the study of pressure and time. That's all it takes, really. Pressure and time. That and a big goddamn poster.

Like I said occupied. in prison, a

man will do anything to keep his out into the exercise yard Turn is out, Andy's favorite hobby

mind a handful at a time. I guess after Tommy was killed was toting his wall

Andy decided he'd been here just by long enough.

Lickety-split. I want to get home. I'm just about finished, sir. Three deposits tonight. Andy did like he was told. Buffed those shoes to a high mirror-shine.

The guards simply didn't notice. Neither did I. I mean, seriously how often do you really look at a man's shoes?

Andy crawled to freedom through of shit-smelling foulness I can't even imagine. yards Or maybe I just don't want to. Five hundred yards. That's the length of five football fields.

Just shy of half a mile.

spilling her secret The next morning, right about the time Raquel was a man nobody ever laid eyes on before

strolled into the Maine National Bank. Until that moment, he didn't exist. - Except on paper. - May I help you? He had all the proper ID driver's license, birth certificate, Social Security card

And the signature was a spot-on match. I must say I'm sorry to be losing your business.

I hope you'll enjoy living abroad. Thank you. I'm sure I will. else? Here's your cashier's check, sir. Will there be anything

Please.

Would you add this to your outgoing mail?

I'd be happy to. Good day, sir. area that morning. Mr Stevens visited nearly a dozen banks in the Portland

All told, he blew town

with better than $, of Warden Norton's money.

Severance pay for Good morning, Portland Daily Bugle. years.

best of him. was to wonder how the hell Andy Dufresne ever got the Not long after the warden deprived us of his company

I got a postcard in the mail. It was blank, but the postmark said

Fort Hancock, Texas. Fort Hancock right on the border.

That's where Andy crossed.

the top down When I picture him heading south in his own car with it always makes me laugh.

Andy Dufresne who crawled through a river of shit

and came out clean on the other side. Andy Dufresne headed for the Pacific.

Hadley's got him by the throat, right?

accident." He says, "I believe this boy's about to have himself an Those of us who knew him best talk about him often.

I swear, the stuff he pulled "My friends could use a couple of beers."

And he got it! Sometimes it makes me sad, though

Andy being gone.

be caged. I have to remind myself that some birds aren't meant to Their feathers are just too bright.

And when they fly away

does rejoice. the part of you that knows it was a sin to lock them up But still

that they're gone. the place you live in is that much more drab and empty

I guess I just miss my friend.

Please sit down. Ellis Boyd Redding your files say you've served

You feel you've been rehabilitated? years of a life sentence. Rehabilitated? Well, now, let me see.

I don't have any idea what that means.

It means are you ready to rejoin to society? I know what you think it means, sonny. To me it's just a made-up word. A politician's word so that young fellas like yourself can wear a suit and a tie

and have a job. What do you really want to know?

Am I sorry for what I did? Well, are you? There's not a day goes by I don't feel regret.

Not because I'm in here or because you think I should.

I look back on the way I was then a young stupid kid who committed that terrible crime.

I want to talk to him. I want to try and talk some sense to him.

Tell him the way things are. But I can't. That kid's long gone

and this old man is all that's left.

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I got to live with that. Rehabilitated? It's just a bullshit word.

wasting my time. So you go on and stamp your forms sonny, and

Because to tell you the truth stop I don't give a shit.

Here you go, miss.

Restroom break, boss?

a piss. You don't need to ask me every time you need to go take

Just go. Understand?

Forty years I've been asking permission to piss.

I can't squeeze a drop without say-so. There's a harsh truth to face. No way I'm going to make it on the outside.

All I do anymore is think of ways to break my parole so maybe they'd send me back. Terrible thing, to live in fear. Brooks Hatlen knew it.

Knew it all too well.

All I want is to be back where things make sense.

Where I won't have to be afraid all the time. Only one thing stops me.

A promise I made to Andy. There it is.

obliged, sir.

Dear Red:

If you're reading this you've gotten out

further and if you've come this far maybe you'd come a bit

You remember the name of the town, don't you?

Zihuatanejo wheels. I could use a good man to help

I'll keep an eye out for you, and the chessboard ready. me get my project on Remember, Red hope is a good thing maybe the best of things.

And no good thing ever dies.

I will be hoping that this letter finds you

and finds you well

Your friend

Andy "Get busy living

or get busy dying."

That's goddamn right.

For the second time in my life

I'm guilty of committing a crime.

Parole violation.

Of course I doubt they'll toss up any roadblocks for that.

Not for an old crook like me. Fort Hancock, Texas, please.

thought in my head. I find I'm so excited I can barely sit still or hold a

I think it's the excitement only a free man can feel.

A free man at the start of a long journey whose conclusion is uncertain. 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.

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