Rita Hayworth and The Shawshank Redemption
Andy Dufresne was jailed for the murder of his wife, but he is innocent. Andy helps the prison and inmates with financial matters, and is in turn a protected asset, but when he finds out the truth about the murder, he is ignored. Determined to get out from Shawshank one way or another, he begins the slow process of digging a tunnel out.Please add your reflection on this story to the blog.
OPTION 1-Reflect on one of the themes below.
Friendship-
There are several acts of friendship done by different characters in the story. Although they may have been done with different motives, most of them brought the characters closer as friends. Cite three characters and give details about their acts of friendship. Include reasons for why it was important for characters to make friendships in prison.
Persistence-
Andy Dufresne is a truly persistent individual. Cite three examples of how he refused to give up until his goal had been met. What does it mean to be persistent? What were his goals and what did it take for him to undertake them? Can you relate to him?
Redemption-
In The Shawshank Redemption. Who do you think was saved, as one of the definitions of the word means. Cite three examples of things that happened in the plot to save the character from an unwanted fate. Do you believe everyone deserves redemption?
OPTION #2- Ask others reading the book a question and respond to their questions.
OPTION #3-Share parts or quotes that inspire, move, horrify, frighten or please you. See if other feel similarly.
Please sign every post with full name, assigned English Block and date.
KARLA ALLEN
ReplyDeleteI think the person who was truly saved was red. he felt that he was never going to get out of shawshank and he eventually just gave up the hope and just gave into staying. Red truly had no hope that he would be set free but one day he was set free.another reason i think he truly changed is because he regretted what he did and does wish he could do it over. Sure he was an old man but he was still free, and he was a changed man. When he found Andy's letter under that rock it kinda sealed his fate into going to where Andy was, Andy even left the money to help him pay for it. When red got the message from Andy under the rock you could tell at that moment that Red was going to go. He got to start over in a way...and i think that if anyone in the Shawshank redemption deserved to be saved it would be Red. But i also do not believe that EVERYONE deserves redemption. When a person does not regret the decision they made and they live their life never wishing they could take it back then what would stop them from possibly do it again?
I have a question for anyone who has gotten to the part in apt pupil when Dussander went to the dog pound? DID he ever adopt the dog? and if he did what did he do to it? idk if i accidently read over it or what but when nothing happened from it, it confused me.
ReplyDeleteKarla allen march 18
ReplyDeleteWas it really illegal for someone to be an ex-Nazi? i cant remember when the story apt pupil was dated after but was it EVER illegal?
@Izzy yes he bought the dog and then a little while back when he burnt the cat he said he wanted a dog so he could use that ...so the dog died and your other question it is not illegal to belong to the nazi party but when you commit genocide or are part of the camps the isrealli government and the US government are trying to find all the death camp leaders
ReplyDeleteColin Scott
Apt pupil was pretty weird what I don't understand is why did he want to be so close to that kind of evil and not tell anyone who he is. another weird thing is why he decides he has to kill people as well I mean it isn't like the dreams stopped as he killed the winos just weird how that played out
ReplyDeleteColin Scott M-1
Karla allen march 22
ReplyDeletethis is a quote from The Body by Stephen King.
"The most important things are the hardest things to say."
I feel like this is kinda inspiring in a way...because most of the time the right thing to do or say...is the hardest.
@Izzy, I think the quote "The most important things are the hardest things to say." Is very inspiring because it is very simple to say something unimportant, but like the quote says The most important things are the hardest things to say. Often times when police officers have to deliver the terrible news of a death to a loved one, they describe that as the hardest part of there job because it is hard to say something to that magnitude of importance. This quote I think definitely affects most audiences because we all at some point have had the struggle of saying something important to someone we care about.
ReplyDelete~Marc Boissonnault
So for those who read "The Body" by Stephen King, why do you think a missing teenager would create enough excitement for Gordon, Vern, Teddy and Chris to turn around and venture out and essentially find the body? I put myself in those shoes and I guess if there was a missing teenager in Dayton or Saco I would wanna go out with my friends and try to find it!I guess that the mystery of the unknown sparks people to become excited, what's your opinion?
ReplyDeleteI have a question about the first story you know how he can get almost anything people want? I am still a little confused on how that can happen in a redemption center? Any clarifications would help!
ReplyDeleteIn the first story when Andy asked for a poster does anyone know why he would ask for a poster of Rita Hayworth?
ReplyDelete~Darian Jenkerson
In Shawshank Redemption it said that Andy probably dug the tunnel at night. Since the wall is made from cement and he's using a rock hammer, wouldn't guards or other prisoners hear him? So, how would he have gotten away with that?
ReplyDelete~Darian Jenkerson
@Darian
ReplyDeleteI guess there could be alot of reasons on why he wanted that poster.... One he's lonley and hasn't seen anything looking close to a real person and or women. Another is well to do inappropriate things... I mean I guess if thats what he enjoys that.
Josh, Darian, Mark & Karla! Good job getting on here early and often. Darian Google Rita Hayworth under Google images and you will see how lovely she was! A mega star. I'm enjoying your blog so far guys, keep it up. --Mrs Hall
ReplyDeleteI have a queston for anyone who has read Shawshank redemption, I have finished the book but, am wondering what town in Maine the
ReplyDelete"Shank" located in?
Josh H
ReplyDeleteDo you think that he could of wanted that poster to be close to home, or to remind him of a new home? If you think about it, se lost everything when he went to jail. Maybe the poster could reflect on him starting over and getting and doing what he wants.
Then again, maybe he wants to be the only in-mate with that poster, to be himself and an individual.
Adam M
Tyler Goulden
ReplyDeleteM-1
Needle in the Haystack
After reading Shawshank it really turned out to have a much better ending then beginning. I started off very slowly but if the entire section had been like the last two pages then I most likely would have finished in less then a day. The way it was wrapped up was perfect. When Red got out of jail and had actually went to search for the rock and the “key” in Buxton I didn’t think much of it. However I did not expect it to lead to anything. When the letter was found then it came together. In my opinion this was a very good way to end the section and I just wish the rest of it could have been as creative as that. It was a good way to close the story and really share a good point with the reader.
Tyler Goulden
ReplyDeleteM-1
Question
My question for any reader is, does anyone have any opinions on Andy. At the beginning of the story there was a lot of emphasis in the court room. I’m just wondering who thinks he was innocent in the first place and who thinks he was guilty. If he was innocent he did not put much effort in as to proving this, however he was already in quite a hole to begin with. It also didn’t seem like he was innocent until proven guilty it seemed more so like he was already guilty in this case. From what I remember they didn’t really get much proof.
Tyler Goulden
ReplyDeleteM-1
Quote
My quote to reflect on would have to be the last one in Shawshank. “I hope Andy is down there. I hope I can make it across the boarder. 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.” Red really stresses the fact that he can not be so sure if Andy is really still down there. They were good friends in prison but I could see why Red would be a little uncertain. Andy worked his way around the prison and acted different towards some people in order to get his escape. I would think Red would be a little nervous whether or not Andy could be trusted outside of prison. He was put in jail for murder after all. I would assume Andy is truly down in the Mexican town waiting for Red but Red knows there is a lot of difficulty in just walking on down to Mexico. Either way this shows the caution Red has gotten from being in prison and whether he trusts Andy all the way he may not be able to trust Peter.
GRADE UPDATE FROM MRS HALL -March 30th
ReplyDeleteKarla- all set for Theme, ?/A, and quote. 1 BONUS
Collin- all set for ?/A, owe theme and passage paragraph.
Marc B-All set for quote and ?/A, owe a theme paragraph.
Josh-All set for ? & A, but owe Theme and passage entries. 1 BONUS
Darian, all set for Q/A, owe theme and passage paragraphs. 1 BONUS
Zach, all set for ?/A, owe theme and passage paragraphs.
Adam, all set for ?/A, owe them and passage paragraph.
Tyler G-all set for passage, ?/A, owe theme paragraph. 1 BONUS
In "the breathing method" the quote "There is no comfort without pain; thus we define salvation through suffering." To me, that quote is true and also freaky at the same time. It is true because people seem to use pain as a comfort. If you can't feel pain, then you really can't feel anything at all. Pain is the bodies way of telling you that you are still alive. If you can't feel pain then what are you? "Given the choice between the experience of pain and nothing, I would choose pain"- William Faulkner
ReplyDeleteI chose that quote from the breathing method because it really relates to everyone.
Adam M.
In "Apt Pupil" Todd and Mr. Dufresne can be considered 'friends.' They both said they hated each other but why when they needed help would they helped the other. They also started rubbing off on one another. They both started killin 'winos' and having dreams from the stories of the war. Also, if they hated each other as much as they say they did Tod wouldn't have gotten Mr. Dufresne the S.S. uniform. They both said they hated each other, but over time I think that they became closer whether they realized it or not.
ReplyDeleteIn Apt Pupil Mr.Dufresne and Todd started killing off 'winos'. Does anyone know why? I read that part over to see if I missed why they did but couldn't find it.
ReplyDelete~Darian Jenkerson
“If anything at all can be said in favor of solitary, it’s just that you get time to think.” pg.68
ReplyDeleteI feel this is a good quote to show that maybe he doesn’t hate prison so bad or if he does he like solitary better. Maybe he is showing that there is a good side to going to solitary because you can think about what you did wrong in their life, or even what went right. They can remember the good and the bad times and not have to worry about people bothering them. If anyone else has any ideas on this quote let me no.
I am very much obsessed about the book "The Body". After reading "The Body" I was kind of shocked because it wasn't a typical Stephen King book where there was a lot of sex, swearing and gore. This book was about a typical day in the life of young teenage boys who went out looking for an adventure. This is a side of Stephen King that is not typically revealed in his novels, but because it is, it makes this book unique in a sense that it is not his typical kind of novel.
ReplyDelete~Marc Boissonnault
Probally one of my favorite qoutes nin the Body is; "Chopper! Sic! Balls!" It shows how scared a person can become from hearing rumors about a person or thing. Actually I would be very scared my self if I found out there was a dog trained to "sick Balls". I'm puzzled as to why the kids were scared if they had a gun. But we all been at a part in our life when we've lacked common sense.
ReplyDeleteI myself believe that the theme of all of these books is based on everyday life. From living in prison, to going through birth, or teenagers going on an adventure. As you can see they're all connected. The Bereathing method and The Shawshank both have to do with redemption.Apt Pupil and the Bodyb both have to do with teenagers.
ReplyDeleteAndy Dufresne, is extremely persistent. He, in my opinion is the most persistent character in the book.
ReplyDeleteFor one, he spent years acquiring tools and posters in order to conceal his tunnel and making the plan, which shows persistence and patience.
Another example, is that he spent years digging a tunnel in order to escape. That would take a long time without being in prison, now that you add being locked up and watched, Takes extreme persistence to keep working on it. If he wasn't persistent he never would of gotten it done and escaped.
Suicide was also mentioned a few times throughout the book. Andy was wrongly locked up, he could of easily just decided to take his own life. But he didn't, he kept his plan going and stayed patient and persistent.
Adam M
Friendship-
ReplyDeleteI think that the story Shaw Shank was a great story about friendship. I feel that the reason he is getting these things for everyone is because he wants to make some friends I no he says that he usually just get them stuff then forgets about them but in a way I feel like he is secretly trying to fit in. Another part that shows it is when he first meets Andy, because he notices everything about him that you wouldn’t notice unless you were his friend, like his fingernails were clean and he clipped them I mean personally I wouldn’t have noticed unless I wanted to or was his friend. Another one is when Andy had the hole in his wall he could have easily told on Andy but instead he bought him a Rita Hayworth poster to cover it.
Friendship: Red was one of the most important characters in the book, and he seemed like he knew everybody in the whole jail. He knew how to get things. He was one of the people that was friends with everybody, except the sisters. It is very important to make friends in prison, prison is a very tough place and making friends in there is very important. A lot of dangerous people are in prison, and if you knew people, than it makes it a lot easier. Andy Dufresne, was another important person in this book, he was considered to be a "new fish". When he got there he didn't know much people, but then he met red. Then his life changed, he got to know people. He even was friends with the warden, the watcher over the prison and even some of the prison guards. He did some of there bills for them and some of there work for them. He even got his friends beer, when they have been working outside all day. That made him liked around Shawshank. Garth Brooks, the librarian was another person liked around the prison. He stayed in jail for a long time, and he kept watch over the library. He was a person a lot of people liked and knew. He had a big friendship with Red and Andy.
ReplyDeletePersistence: Andy, was one focused person, he wanted to get out of Shawshank really bad and he is not gonna let anybody stop him. One example, would be asking red for things, like the rock hammer and the Rita Hayworth poster. He also wouldn't let the sisters bully him around and he fought back plenty of times. He also wanted to get a new library for Shawshank and kept sending letters for the fund and they gave him the money after all his letters.Persistent means to constantly work at something, don't stop working at it until its finished. His goal was to escape prison and go to Mexico. He had to do a lot before he could escape, he had to get the stuff from Red and befriend the warden and the prison guards. He also had to work all night when everyone was sleeping, so he could escape.
Redemption: I really think Andy Dufresne was saved a lot because he was framed and didn't deserved to be in Shawshank prison. Andy was definitely saved from being in the Shawshank prison forever, because he escaped. When Red got out of Shawshank he was also saved from dieing in Shawshank prison. I do think everyone deserves redemption, because we are all human beings and we deserve a second chance.
Question: Why is the book called Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption when Andy was the one getting redemption?
ReplyDeleteI think the part that bothered me the most was the way they treated the prisoners in Shawshank. The prison guards beat them, if they didn't stop talking or they didn't want to do something. They also put prisoners in solitary confinment and only feed them not much. I mean they don't treat prisoners as bad nowadays.
ReplyDelete@John Maksut. I think the reason why it is called that is because the first poster he got was of Rita Hayworth and the posters hid the hole in the wall from where he escaped. Also, because the prison is called Shawshank Redemption is where the whole story takes place. Thats probably why it's called Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption.
ReplyDelete~Darian Jenkerson
"'Don't you dare die on me, you old fuck!'...He plunged his hands into the suds...and came up holding the butcher knife Dussander had used.''I'd like to cut your throat with this'" (page 224)
ReplyDeleteThis quote intrests me because Todd constantly tells Dussander that he hates him and wants to kill him, but at the same time Todd is always making sure that he is all right. So it makes me wonder that if Dussander didn't have the paper of everything that has happened hanging over Todd's head if Todd would have done away with Dussander a long time ago.
~Darian Jenkerson
Question: In Andy's trial case he states that he doesn't remember anything about murdering his wife or friend. Giving this and other information in Andy's trial do you think he's guilty. Why or why not.
ReplyDeleteSean Doran
Red was the only person in that story who was redemed for his sins he knew what he did was wrong but he didn't care that he was put in jail but by the end he realised their is more to life than your four walls and bar door and without andy he would still be a a person in and out of the system all the time
ReplyDeleteColin Scott
IT is the tale not he who tells it
ReplyDeletepreety powerful but kind of foreboding
Colin Scott
Andrew Dufresne is the the most persistent person around. He spent 27 years on a prison and throughout most of it, worked on his plan to escape out of it, a level of persistence only very few could have. He dug his way out of his cell for years with only a rock hammer, was very cautious not to have a cell mate that will ruin his plan (so he worked his way to become an asset in the prison) and he never let anyone run and influence him-- and because of this his very ambitious goal never once displayed until the day he escaped. But it is not only persistence that made his escape successful, he was also determined, patient, wary and skillful. But most of all, he had the will to accomplish what he begun. He had a dream that he wants to be fulfilled, and this drive gave him the incredible amount of persistence he displayed.
ReplyDeleteJenn Seneres
@Darian.The book really didn't tell why. It was more of an impulse than a reason. Both Todd and Dussander have gone over the line in talking about the Jew killings and experimentation that they are consumed by it, and the only thing they see that could release some of their pain is through killing- for Dussander it was to get back from what he was before. For Todd on the other hand, killing was the only outlet he could think out of all the madness he was going through since most of Dussander's stories are about them killing people-- and how they kill people. This is just my theory though.
ReplyDelete" Let me tell you something my friend. Hope is a dangerous thing. Hope can drive a man insane. "
ReplyDeleteA quote from Red, and from a man that lost hope. Red spent most of his life in prison and naturally being stuck their for so long could make a man lose hope. But what really makes this quote stand out for me, was that after he met Dufresne, he started to gain hope back again. A man can change another man's life-- and more... he can save him.
Jenn Seneres
GRADE UPDATE FROM MRS HALL April 8th
ReplyDeleteHey guys, nice blogging!
The following people have all three in and are all done: Adam M, Darian, Josh, John M., Jenn S.
Marc owes just the theme paragraph.
Zach also owes the theme paragraph.
Sean D owes theme paragraph and Quote response.
Colin owes theme paragraph.
Anyone who is reading King and hasn't blogged yet is VERY late. I will accept them until break but only for reduced credit.