The Shawshank Redemption Essay Questions

Why does Brooks kill himself?

After 50 years in Shawshank, Brooks gets parole and is released into the real world. While this seems like the ultimate relief after 50 years in prison, it proves to be more of a curse than a blessing for the old man. After 50 years of carving out an identity in prison, one that is completely divorced from society and its ever-changing standards, Brooks is overwhelmed to come back to a world filled with automobiles and devoid of community. As Red explains to Andy, in prison, Brooks was an educated and respected man, but in the real world, he is a nobody. Brooks suffers horrific anxiety and depression due to the crushing pressures of society, and ends up killing himself as a result.

How does Andy get back at Norton?

Andy orchestrates the perfect revenge on the corrupt warden, Norton, in the midst of an already-perfect escape. Before he leaves, he steals Norton's shoes, Bible, and financial files, swapping in his own shoes and Bible in exchange. Once out of the prison, Andy takes out nearly all of the money that Norton had laundered with his help, and in the process leaks information about Norton's corruption to the authorities. Meanwhile, he escapes to Mexico with a fake passport, just as Norton opens his Bible to see that Andy has swapped it out, and had been secreting his escape tool away in it this whole time. Forced into a corner, facing arrest and humiliation, Norton kills himself.

Why does the Warden have Tommy killed?

Tommy is shot down on orders by Norton because he knows that Andy didn't kill his wife. If Andy is freed, Norton knows that he will no longer have his chief financial advisor by his side to sweeten his money-laundering scheme. As a way of putting the revelation of Andy's innocence to bed, Norton destroys the only source that could prove it, Tommy. It proves that Norton does not care about justice, only his own personal gain.

What lesson does Andy teach his friends after getting released from solitary?

Andy is placed in solitary confinement for some time after playing the music over the loudspeakers. When he is released, he is upset, but his spirit is not broken. The men question how he could maintain his sense of self in the midst of such a demoralizing scenario, and he tells them that he kept music in his head for the entirety of his confinement. By extolling the virtues of music, Andy teaches them that every individual has the capacity to create their own reality and to protect a part of themselves, even in the face of dehumanization. He protected the inner part of himself that loves and appreciates music, and this kept him going through the darkest moments of confinement.

In what ways is Andy a religious figure?

While Andy does not appear to be a devoutly religious man in a formal sense, his behavior suggests a highly-developed spiritual life. He is generous in sometimes unthinkable ways, such as when he strikes a deal with Hadley to get the men working on tarring the roof cold beers, but then does not partake himself. He is also very determined and meticulous, as evidenced in his renovation of the library, his commitment to educating the inmates, and his slow and steady escape from the prison. In many ways, Andy is an almost mystical person, able to remain calm in the most difficult situations and to find access to his own inner sense of purpose even when those in power have told him he has none. In this way, he represents an almost Christ-like collectedness, and serves as an embodiment of goodness and grace.