Patience and Persistence: Andy Dufresne’s Long Game James Sanders College

Sanders, JamesProfessor KraemerEnglish 4May 17, 2021Patience and Persistence: Andy Dufresne’s Long GameThe Shawshank Redemption (1994), directed by Frank Darabon, certainly qualifies as a cinematic drama which displays the richness and depth of a novel-length work of literature. It takes viewers on a journey with Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins), the main character, who finds himself serving a life sentence in Shawshank Penitentiary after he is wrongfully convicted of the murder of his wife and her lover. The film is a testament to having faith even when we are in the worst situations and face seemingly impossible odds. The Shawshank Redemption forces viewers to ask themselves this question: What would I do if I were in Andy’s shoes, serving an unjust life sentence in a dangerous facility with a corrupt warden? We see one man’s philosophy play out over the course of the film, which provides the main thematic message present from beginning to end: Patience, persistence, and a little luck can produce profound results regardless of how hopeless one’s situation might be.

In support of the thematic message, the plot is an investigation into how a highly intelligent, patient, and subtle individual like Andy can endure, survive, and...