Reading journal : Rita Hayworth and The Shawshank Redemption

Right after opening the first page of this book, I was impressed by its special atmosphere. The book was started with narration of one criminal named Red who had killed his wife to receive insurance money. However soon, the story developed with Andy Dufresne who had been framed of murder of his wife as the central figure and all the events happened in Shawshank prison.

                 While I read the story, candid description of life in Shawshank shocked me because it was not kind of things I could get normally. The author showed the real world in prison such as gang-rape, corrupt warden and even slang overused by inmates. Watching these true pictures in prison, I thought it is too sad to admit the reality and felt bitter at the same time. However, because these dark sides were revealed, readers can immerse themselves in the story and sympathize with it.  

                    As I analyze characters, Andy Dufresne was most attractive character to me. Here is a phrase expressed well about Andy : Some birds are not meant to be caged, that's all. Their feathers are too bright, their songs too sweet and wild. So you let them go, or when you open the cage to feed them they somehow fly out past you. And the part of you that knows it was wrong to imprison them in the first place rejoices, but still, the place where you live is that much more drab and empty for their departure. He seemed like an untouchable character by anyone because he is always surprisingly calm and keeps his composure comparing to other inmates, so expression above that he is a person who can’t be imprisoned, came into my heart.

At the end of the story, the part that Red gains hope and new life through Andy’s message made my heart flutter. I was happy with Andy’s success in the great escape, and happy with expectation of Red’s new start that Andy’s encouragement will bring. From the ending, I supposed the purpose that the author wrote mainly about Andy is to present born-again Red through Andy’s story.

                 However, I felt something lacking in this story because it is predictable, so it failed to make me interested fully. When Andy got some materials such as Rita Hayworth poster or rock hammer through Red, I could easily predict that he will make a hole for jailbreak and hide that hole with the poster. Nevertheless, I want to see a movie, ‘The Shawshank redemption’ someday because I’ve heard so many times that the movie is exciting , so I believe that this predictable story turned to more interesting with vivid images.