Redemption

Redemption is the act of delivering from sin or saving from evil for some. Yet how does one redeem oneself from a sin that one did not commit?

The Shawshank Redemption was recently shown on television. It is a great show about Andrew Dufresne (Tim Robbins) was sentenced to serve two consecutive life sentences at Shawshank, a fictitious prison in Maine for the murder of his wife and her lover, a crime of which he claims to be innocent in spite of what seems like overwhelming evidence. In his first few years in prison, Andy endures repeated beatings and gang rape attempts by a group of aggressive inmates.

Later he befriends Red Redding (Morgan Freeman) who helps to get him contraband. They worked together on the tarring of the prison building roof during which Andy helps Captain Hadley with his taxes. Andy's former life as a banker and his knowledge of accounting and income taxes eventually come to the attention of every guard in the prison, and, finally, the Warden Samuel Norton. His financial knowledge earns him freedom from mistreatment by other prisoners, but he also becomes deeply involved in Norton's illegal money-laundering operations.

Time passes, and a fellow inmate, Brooks Hatlen's parole is approved, but he doesn't want to leave prison. The old man is eventually released from prison, but after spending over 50 years behind bars, the elderly convict finds that the normal world is no place for him, and hangs himself in the half-way house.

A young prisoner, Tommy enters Shawshank with knowledge of the man that actually killed his wife and her lover. Andy approaches the Warden for help but was given solitary confinement. The Warden also killed Tommy before he could pass on any information.

After his release from solitary confinement, Andy's disposition changed and he eventually escaped from prison, after which, he gave the press evidence of the illegal activities in Shawshank. The police came to arrest the warden but he shot himself in the head before they could get to him. Red is finally released on parole and he goes look for Andy in Mexico where they lead new lives.

Sometimes it seems we are people of circumstances. As Andy puts it, "The funny thing is, on the outside, I was an honest man, straight as an arrow. I had to come to prison to be a crook."