The Shawshank Redemption

   The author : Stephen king

ِAbout the book :

 The Shawshank Redemption is a novella by Stephen King from his 1982 collection Different Seasons, subtitled Hope Springs Eternal. The novella has also been published as a standalone book with the slightly altered title Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption. The story is entirely told by the character Red, in a narrative he claims to have been writing from September 1975 to January 1976, with an additional chapter added in spring 1977.

It was adapted for the screen in 1994 as The Shawshank Redemption, which was nominated for seven Academy Awards in 1994, including Best Picture. In 2009, it was adapted for the stage as The Shawshank Redemption.

The Shawshank Redemption:

In 1946, a banker named Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) is

convicted of a double murder, even though he stubbornly

proclaims his innocence. He’s sentenced to a life term at the

Shawshank State Prison in Maine, where another lifer, Ellis

“Red” Redding (Morgan Freeman), picks him as the new

recruit most likely to crack under the pressure. But Andy does not

crack: he has the hope of the truly innocent, which (together

with his smarts) allow him to prevail behind bars. He uses his

banking skills to win favor with the warden and the guards,

doing the books for Norton’s illegal business schemes and

keeping an eye on the investments of most of the prison staff.

In exchange, he is able to improve the prison library and bring

some dignity and respect back to many of the inmates,

including Red. And then how because of his patience and

persistence Andy manages to escape and become a free bird.

The Characters :

Andy Dufresne:

The protagonist. The former vice president of a bank in Portland, Maine, Andy is thirty years old when he arrives at Shawshank and approximately fifty-eight when he escapes. A short, neat, meticulous man with sandy blond hair, he has small hands and wears gold-rimmed glasses. Most of the other inmates think that Andy is cold and snobbish because he’s always so calm and composed, rarely revealing his inner thoughts or true character. Andy eventually becomes the prison librarian and financial wizard, offering free tax advice to guards and wardens in exchange for protection and favors. He’s one of the few innocent inmates at Shawshank.

Samuel Norton:

One of the prison wardens. Norton institutes the new “Inside-Out” program that forces prisoners to work on chain gains to repair roads and public buildings. Even though he claims to be a devout Baptist, he accepts bribes from local construction companies so that the Inside-Out program won’t put them out of business. He uses Andy’s financial expertise to hide his illegal earnings and therefore refuses to help Andy win a retrial. Norton eventually resigns in disgrace after Andy’s escape.

Byron Hadley:

The gang of inmates who prey on weaker prisoners. The Sisters, including inmates Bogs Diamond and Rooster MacBride, maintain their dominance in the hierarchy of prisoners by beating and gang-raping new inmates, including Andy. Andy always fights back even though he usually loses. Andy eventually wins protection from the Sisters after helping the guards and wardens with their finances.

Tommy Williams:

A young inmate. A career criminal, Tommy has served time in another prison with Elwood Blatch, the man who privately admits to killing Andy’s wife and her lover. Tommy offers to help Andy prove his innocence, but Norton transfers Tommy to a minimum-security prison to keep Andy from leaving Shawshank.

The Significance :

Fear can hold you prisoner. hope can set you free.

And because of that we should not give up , we must keep going .

Name : Malik Khatib

grade : 9 “D”