This story is about two men in Shawshank prison. One man is black and his name is Red. He is the man in prison that can get you whatever you want. He says, "I'm the guy that can get it for you"(15). The other man is Andy and he is in prison for murdering his wife and her lover. Red goes on to tell you that Andy is really innocent and that he is one of the few in that prison that is. Andy goes on day after day just keeping to himself. He runs into trouble with a group called the "girls". He ends up doing the wardon's taxes and books because he was a banker before he came to prison. Andy and Red become real good friends throughout there time at Shawshank. Andy ends up digging his way out of prison and escapes.
The story is told by Red throughout the time he and Andy were in Shawshank. It has some first person and second person point of view in it. I think the author wanted to tell the story in the eyes of someone that had been there awhile. Red has been in there since he was twenty years old. He then became friends with Andy, when Andy came in 1948. The reason for writing the story was to write about Andy, but he wanted Red to tell it. I do not think anyone else could tell the story like he did.
Red is a black man. He is a good size man, but he is aging in his life sentence. Andy, on the other hand is short and he is white. Red descibes him as being a, "neat little man with sandy hair and small, clever hands" (17). He also goes on to say that he wears glasses and that his nails are always trimmed. Andy is a quiet man and he acts like a business man because he was a banker before going to prison. Red is a talkative person who was really inviting to Andy and they became friends pretty quickly. Red tells the whole story and it is all about Andy. Andy is a very smart man and it helps him thorughout his time at Shawshank.
The setting takes place in Shawshank prison in Maine. It takes place in the late forty's and fifty's. The story rearely exceed the walls of the prison. Red and Andy are both in for murdering their wives. The only difference is that Andy is innocent and Red admits that he did it. They are both serving long sentences and Red ends up getting out. Andy takes a different road and he escapes by digging through the wall. He digs out with only a rock hammer. They both become really good friends and find each other after they are both out. Andy even left him a letter with directions at the end of the story (105).
This story could have many different themes. It could be that our justice system does not always get it right. It could also be that a man can accomplish the impossible if he is determined enough. Andy proves both of these themes. He was wrongly convicted of a crime that he did not do. He also dug through a solid concrete wall with only a small rock hammer. There also could be other themes, but these are the themes I think most reflect this story.
